Design Trade Account Executive

Ernesta Inc.; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 62,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hourly pay

Quarterly bonus

Job summary

Ernesta Inc. is seeking an experienced Retail Trade Account Executive to join our showroom-driven retail team.

You will develop and nurture relationships with interior designers, architects, and other trade partners, building a robust book of business and driving ongoing projects. You will spend 20–30% of your month engaging with the local trade community, hosting events, and collaborating with design assistants and the Showroom Leader to deliver a best-in-class Ernesta experience from

Qualifications

• 1–2+ years in interior design, home furnishings, architecture and design sales, trade sales, account management, or related design-focused industry.
• Proven ability to build strong professional relationships and develop trust with clients or accounts over time.
• Entrepreneurial and self-motivated, with the drive to proactively create new business opportunities and grow a book of business.
• Commercially minded and motivated by achieving sales and relationship-growth goals.
• Highly organized with strong time management skills and disciplined follow-through.
• Comfortable prospecting, initiating new relationships, and engaging people you have not previously worked with.
• Confident communicating and presenting one-on-one and to groups, including designers, architects, and design firms.
• Curious and consultative, with the ability to listen deeply, understand project needs, and recommend thoughtful solutions.
• Solutions-oriented with sound judgment, business sense, high integrity, and willingness to take ownership.

Responsibilities

• Build and grow Ernesta’s local trade business by developing meaningful, long-term relationships with interior designers, architects, and other trade partners.
• Own a portfolio of trade accounts and proactively develop those relationships to drive repeat projects, retention, and revenue growth.
• Identify, prospect, and acquire new trade accounts within the local design community through targeted outreach, referrals, networking, and community engagement.
• Activate new trade accounts by understanding their business, introducing them to Ernesta’s products and services, and identifying opportunities to support active and future projects.
• Spend approximately 20–30% of your month externally meeting with the trade community through designer and firm office visits, Lunch & Learns, industry events, networking opportunities, and other relationship-building activities.
• Develop a strong understanding of each trade partner’s business, aesthetic, project pipeline, and needs to provide relevant and personalized support.
• Deliver exceptional product and design expertise across materials, construction, sizing, styling, custom services, and the Ernesta assortment.
• Provide an elevated, consultative sales experience rooted in listening deeply and recommending solutions tailored to each project.
• Maintain consistent and thoughtful follow-up across sample orders, open quotes, active projects, and previously engaged accounts.
• Maintain an organized and actionable account pipeline, including clear next steps, project timelines, relationship activity, and opportunities for growth.
• Partnerships within Retail and HQ: Partner with Design Assistants and the Showroom Leader to deliver a seamless experience when trade partners bring clients or projects into the showroom.
• Host and support showroom events that strengthen Ernesta’s presence within the local design community.
• Share feedback from the trade community with internal partners to help improve our products, services, tools, and overall trade experience.
• Track performance and maintain accountability to goals across trade revenue, new account acquisition, account activation, pipeline development, retention, and relationship growth.
• Represent Ernesta externally with professionalism, integrity, enthusiasm, and a genuine passion for design.

Skills

Trade sales

Account management

Relationship building

Sales prospecting

Education

BA in interior design / related field

Tools

CRM software

Job description

Ernesta Inc. is seeking an experienced Retail Trade Account Executive to join our showroom-driven retail team.

You will develop and nurture relationships with interior designers, architects, and other trade partners, building a robust book of business and driving ongoing projects. You will spend 20–30% of your month engaging with the local trade community, hosting events, and collaborating with design assistants and the Showroom Leader to deliver a best-in-class Ernesta experience from