Strategic Growth for European Design Brands in the U.S.
COMMERCIAL GROWTH PLATFORM
Most European luxury interior design brands enter the U.S. market the same way - through a commission-only agent, a single trade show connection, or a distributor relationship that quietly stalls. There's no structure, no channel strategy, and no one accountable for growth. Forma Advisory exists to change that.
We are a Miami-based commercial growth platform built exclusively for European luxury design brands, such as cabinetry, furniture, and
architectural materials makers, entering or scaling in the United States. We don't sell on commission and we're not a sales agency. We are a retained advisory partner: we build the positioning, the channel strategy, and the sales infrastructure a brand needs to compete for the A&D community, luxury residential developers, and hospitality projects, and we stay accountable to the results.
Initial engagement. Monthly retainer. Success participation. A structure built for brands that want a partner, not a middleman.
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Ney dos Santos
FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL
Ney dos Santos has spent over twenty years helping European design brands navigate the U.S. market - work that spans the luxury interior design, Italian millwork, cabinetry, furniture, and architectural materials space. His experience covers the A&D community, luxury residential developers, hospitality, multi-housing, and the superyacht and yachting segment.
Before founding Forma Advisory, Ney worked as an independent sales agent, giving him firsthand insight into exactly why the commission-only model so often fails European brands entering the U.S., misaligned incentives, no long-term accountability, and no real strategic structure behind the relationship. That experience, combined with a background that also includes pharma advisory, shaped Forma Advisory's retained model: an advisory partnership built on structure and shared accountability rather than transactional selling.
Ney travels regularly throughout Europe to maintain close relationships with the manufacturers and design brands Forma Advisory represents and is a frequent presence at leading industry events, including Salone del Mobile Milano. Based in the United States, he works with clients across North America, helping European brands build and expand their commercial presence in the market.
CASE STUDIES
Proof, Not Promises
01
Italian Cabinetry Manufacturer
CHALLENGE
An established Italian cabinetry brand with no U.S. presence and no clear entry strategy — strong in Europe, unknown to American A&D professionals.
WHAT WE DID
Built a market entry strategy from the ground up: brand positioning for the U.S. luxury segment, an A&D outreach plan, and a showroom strategy tailored to key metro markets.
OUTCOME
A structured 90-day engagement that gave the brand a defined channel strategy and its first qualified pipeline of A&D relationships — without hiring a single commission-only rep.
02
Design House with an Underperforming U.S. Channel
CHALLENGE
A well-known European design house had a U.S. distribution relationship in place, but it wasn't producing results — no clear sales infrastructure, no accountability, no visibility into the luxury residential developer segment.
WHAT WE DID
Repositioned the brand's U.S. go-to-market approach, restructured how the channel engaged with developers and the trade, and introduced a sales infrastructure the brand could actually track.
OUTCOME
A clearer, more accountable channel — and a brand that finally had visibility into what was and wasn't working.
Every engagement starts the same way: a brand with strong product and no structured path to U.S. growth. Here's what that looks like in practice.
03
Boutique Design Studio, Direct Client Growth
CHALLENGE
A West Palm Beach-based design studio needed ongoing commercial support — not a one-time project, but a growth partner who understood positioning, business development, and content strategy together.
WHAT WE DID
Became the studio's retained growth partner: business development, brand positioning, and content strategy (including social) under one advisory relationship.
OUTCOME
An ongoing engagement with a consistent invoice cadence, a steady pipeline of BD activity, and a brand presence that's grown month over month.
WHO IT'S FOR
Built for Brands Ready to Compete, Not Just Sell
Forma Advisory works with a specific kind of client — not every European design brand needs a growth partner, and we're direct about who this is for.
ORIGIN
Primarily Italian and German luxury design brands — cabinetry, furniture, and architectural materials manufacturers with a strong product and a distinctive design point of view.
TARGET MARKET
Brands aiming for the A&D community, luxury residential developers, hospitality, multi-housing, or the superyacht and yachting segment — not mass retail.
U.S. PRESENCE
Brands at any stage — from zero U.S. footprint to an existing presence that isn't producing results (an underperforming distributor, a commission agent with no accountability, or a single trade contact that never turned into a channel).
COMMITMENT
Brands willing to invest in a structured, retained partnership rather than a pay-on-results-only arrangement. If what you're looking for is a commission-only sales agent, we're not the right fit — and we'll tell you that directly.
INDUSTRIES
Categories We Know Well
Forma Advisory works with premium manufacturers serving residential, hospitality, commercial and multi-family markets. Our experience includes:
HOW IT WORKS
Forma Method
01
02
03
04
Assess
Structure
Implement
Track
We start with a commercial diagnostic — a clear-eyed look at your brand's current U.S. positioning, existing channel relationships (if any), and where the gaps are. This isn't a sales pitch dressed up as a strategy session; it's an honest audit of where you stand and what's realistic.
Deliverable: a diagnostic document outlining findings and a recommended path forward.
Once we know where you stand, we build the framework: brand positioning for the U.S. luxury market, a channel strategy (showroom, trade-only, rep network, or a combination), and the sales infrastructure needed to support it. This is where the retainer engagement formally begins.
Deliverable: a market entry or growth strategy document, plus the initial infrastructure (positioning materials, target account lists, outreach frameworks).
We get to work — business development outreach, A&D and developer relationship-building, showroom or channel activation, and ongoing brand positioning support. This is hands-on, not advisory-from-a-distance.
Deliverable: active pipeline development, tracked outreach, and regular reporting.
Growth without accountability isn't growth — it's activity. We track results against the strategy, adjust where needed, and keep you informed of what's working and what isn't.
Deliverable: ongoing performance visibility and a partner who's accountable to outcomes, not just hours billed.
FAQ
Questions, Answered Directly
No. We don't work on commission, and we don't sell on your behalf as a rep. We're a retained advisory partner — our role is to build the strategy, structure, and infrastructure that make your U.S. growth sustainable, not to be a middleman between you and a buyer.
No. We don't work on commission, and we don't sell on your behalf as a rep. We're a retained advisory partner — our role is to build the strategy, structure, and infrastructure that make your U.S. growth sustainable, not to be a middleman between you and a buyer.
Every engagement includes an initial engagement fee, a monthly retainer, and a success participation fee tied to results. This structure means we're invested in outcomes without operating as a commission-only agent.
That's a common starting point. Many clients come to us because an existing relationship isn't producing results, or because there's no accountability in how it's structured. We assess what's in place and build a strategy around it — replacing it, restructuring it, or supplementing it, depending on what makes sense.
We work with established European manufacturers — typically brands with a mature product line and export ambition, not early-stage startups. If you're unsure whether you're a fit, the initial diagnostic conversation will make that clear quickly.
Our core focus is cabinetry, furniture, and architectural materials, but we also work with adjacent categories within the luxury interior design space. Reach out and we'll tell you directly if it's a fit.
NAVIGATE
CONTACT
A retained commercial growth partner for European luxury design brands entering and scaling in the United States.
+1 (786) 247-8156
Miami, FL, USA
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