Page 20 - Lighting Magazine August 2018

SPONSORED STORY
PHIL PINSKY BRINGS CULTIVATED CRAFT TO THE TABLE
Phil Pinsky has been promoted to the Director of Sales for Renwil, a role he is uniquely poised to ful ll. Having worked in both marketing and manufacturing over
the past 15 years, he understands the creative spirit of a company founded on artists, as well as the solid business practices that have made it prosper.
What began 50 years ago in Allen Wilner’s 500-sq.-ft. studio has evolved into an elite home décor company with 150 employees and 10 in- house artists, o ering a catalog with more than 1,600 pieces in lighting, mirrors, accessories, ac- cent tables, cushions, and rugs. Pinsky’s mandate is to empower his sales force with his passion and extraordinary skills in communicating the unique blend of art and commerce that is Renwil.
“When I look back on my life... every event, every skill, every conversation... has led me to this moment,” Pinsky says. “I may not have known it at the time, but everything was adding up to make a lot of sense.”
Before joining Renwil, Pinsky worked in the frozen foods industry and learned logistics, produc- tion management, and how to establish meaningful relationships with vendors. He then went on to work for Guru, a former high-end bike company that manufactured carbon ber in Montreal. Guru created a buzz with quality, innovative designs, and its super-lightweight Photon frame, which at one point, was claimed to be the lightest in the industry.
“Working for Guru was an incredible experience,” he explains. “Everyone was very young. Everyone was passionate about what they did. My time there taught me invaluable lessons in manufacturing, engineering, and innovation – all of which have helped me nd my place here at Renwil.”
“When I look back on my life...every event, every skill, every conversation... has led me to this moment,” Pinsky says. “I may not have known it at the time, but everything was adding up to make a lot of sense.”
In his spare time, Pinsky builds furniture. He learned woodworking basics from watching YouTube videos and now has a full-fabrication shop in his garage. With a background in marketing, Pinsky began making his own YouTube videos and even launched a podcast – called Reclaimed Audio – with two woodworking friends in 2015. With 135 episodes and counting, the podcast garners about 5,000 listeners a week.
Pinsky acknowledges his colorful background and hobbies help him better explain Renwil’s prod- ucts and services to customers. “When I educate
a client about one of our accent tables, I know what I’m talking about. There’s a certain level of authenticity that comes across when you do,” he discloses. “I understand the manufacturing process and I understand the e ciency of doing it one way versus another. I think that’s the biggest tie-in. So much of woodworking is about problem solving, ingenuity and innovation, and that thought process just naturally trickles into everything else that I do.”
www.renwil.com