Rethinking B2B Showrooms: Lessons from Retail and Beyond

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Think about the last showroom you walked into. Was it visually stunning? Now ask yourself: 
👉 Did it stick with you? 
👉 Did it make you want to explore and engage? 
👉 Was it truly remarkable? 

Many showrooms are caught in a tension between aesthetics and function—following a formula that’s been used for decades. But in 2025, playing it safe is the fastest way to be forgotten. 

In this episode, retail futurist Doug Stephens and experiential retail pioneer Rachel Shechtman help us reimagine the future of B2B showrooms by blending immersive storytelling, digital integration, and human connection. 

After listening, you will be able to:  

• Create immersive showroom experiences that engage visitors both digitally and physically. 
  
• Use storytelling to enhance your showroom design, turning it into a dynamic brand experience.
• Integrate technology into showrooms in a way that amplifies, rather than replaces, human connection.
• Transform your showroom into a space that sparks curiosity and emotional engagement, setting your brand apart from the competition. 
  

• Doug Stephens
  
• Rachel Shechtman 

Links Mentioned: 

• ThinkLab’s Secret Shopper Program – Showrooms are expensive. Secret shoppers are priceless. Get unbiased A&D feedback that will inform future showroom and trade show strategies. 
  
• Doug Stephens' Books: The Retail Revival, Reengineering Retail, Resurrecting Retail 
• Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more insights.  

Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW DESIGN GROUP, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Rob Schulte, and Rachel Senatore. 

Special thanks to our podcast season sponsors, Palladian West, THE MART and NEOCON – companies doing big things to move the design industry forward. 

Interested in becoming a sponsor? 

Design Nerds Anonymous is the only podcast of its kind – holding an engaged audience of architects, designers, CRE leaders, and end users – and delivering the most insights per minute on the forces shaping the built environment. With over 100K+ downloads, the show features industry powerhouses from brands like Chik-fil-A, Hilton, and StoryBrand, having bold conversations on what’s next in business and design—market shifts, process innovation, and the hidden dynamics driving change.

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