Promokitchen Podcast

Ben Baker with CMYK Solutions joins us on this episode to talk about selling to government agencies and some of the keys to working successfully with government partners, plus tips on how to thrive as a solopreneur, including the benefits of staying small and nimble!

Jeff Becker, President and Founder of Kotis Design joins us to chat about his success from start-up to an $18 million enterprise. Topics discussed in this episode include selling to colleges/fraternities, breweries, collegiate licensing, manufacturing, managing salespeople, structuring your business to grow, developing a value-add business, market positioning and more. This is a rocket ride of a conversation with a bold and energetic professional on the front lines of growth, join us!

Tim Andrews with the Advertising Specialty Institute sits down with us in Naples, FL at the ASI Power Summit to discuss the editorial business, content marketing, important inefficiencies in the industry and an outlook into where our industry is heading. Articles discussed in this podcast include the new 2012 Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study and Content is the New Cold Call. The PK Podcast is a weekly conversation featuring guest suppliers, distributors and service providers discussing opportunities, challenges and insights into the promotional products business. The purpose of the podcast is to to bring the conversation we are already having at shows and restaurants to a public forum where we can all listen and learn. As a continued commitment to mentor those new in the industry, the podcast will feature a broad spectrum of topics. If you wish to participate in the podcast, please read our editorial guidelines then fill out our form and we’ll be in touch!

Rich Carollo, Vice President of Marketing at Lion’s Circle, has been involved in the business since 1995. A 2012 ASI Hot List honoree , Rich discusses the trajectory of Lion’s Circle success as it relates to the promotional products industry including insights such as listening to your customer to develop new product lines, the power of customization in a commodity driven industry, pushing the creative bounds to achieve extraordinary results and strong team and employee management. Join Mark Graham and PK’s creative genius Tee Hamilton on an insightful journey into what it takes to operate and manage a successful USA made manufacturing operation today.

Chef Mark Graham received an email from a Chinese seller. Like most of us, he usually deletes these emails immediately. This time, however, he didn’t. Instead, he got the email’s sender, Golden, on the phone and asked him to join the podcast. Indeed Mr. Wang’s perspective on Chinese importing is much different than most of ours in North America. Join Mark Graham and Danny Rosin for a conversation with Golden Wang of ShinyFox about the import business, trustworthiness of imported goods, and safety compliance issues.

Jessica Hutwelker is the Director of National Accounts at Match-Up Promotions based in Florida. Jessica has been in the promotional products industry since 2005 as a part of the team that has grown Match-Up’s business from $6.4M in 2005 to $15.6M in 2013, placing Match-Up in the top 1% of distributors in the industry. Jessica was a recent speaker/panelist at the PPAI Leadership Summit and today, joins fellow millennial and chef Nate Bailey, along with (not-quite-millennial) chef Mark Graham, to discuss Managing and Empowering the Millennial Employee.

Jeremy Lott, President of SanMar, joins us to discuss the success story behind SanMar, their trajectory into the promotional products industry, retail brands, mindful business growth, competition, the future of the industry, and much more. Join Danny Rosin, Mark Graham and Jeremy as they navigate a conversation toward building cathedrals, check it out to find out why!

Today we are bringing you a very special podcast on the West Coast U.S. Ports Conflict. This conflict is creating chaos with International trade shipments. The primary issue is an unresolved labor conflict which is currently causing major disruption to the delivery of 50% of all US Imported goods and 70% of all imported goods coming from Asia. This particular conflict is described as the worst in history as far as delays and consequences. If you are wondering what this port shutdown has to do with you, dare we venture to say that as a professional in the industry of branded merchandise, it has everything to do with you. Join PromoKitchen chefs Jonathan Irvin, Founder and President of Branded Logisitics, and Jason Lucash Co-Founder of OrigAudio in a discussion with Jane Sorenson, Vice President, Customs & Import Services at CEVA Logistics. Wondering how you can help? Tell the President and your members of Congress to take action now! You can click here to visit the PPAI Law site to find names and contact i

From the day he opened Axis Promotions, Larry Cohen was a consultative promotional professional, twenty-one years before “trusted advisor” became a key component of most distributors’ value proposition. Over the past twenty-one years, Axis Promotions has grown from a one-person operation to over 50 employees and six offices. Larry, a newly aproned Chef in the PromoKitchen, sits down with Mark Graham and Danny Rosin to share his years of veteran insight including best practices as it relates to hiring, safety, compliance, the evolution of your brand, eliminating silos in the workplace, cultivating teamwork, and … dessert Tuesdays. Sit down, tune in, and savor the virtual dessert, successful journey, and exceptional.

While distributors and suppliers represent the largest segment of the promotional products industry, it’s the consultants who often work behind the scenes to make sure the industry continues to thrive. In today’s episode, we wanted to explore the industry from the vantage of one of the most experienced consultants around, David Blaise David is an entrepreneur, author and business consultant with more than 25 years experience in direct marketing and advertising. He has been involved in the promotional products industry since 1988 as a sales representative, sales manager, marketing manager, business owner, sales trainer and coach. He is the author of Getting Started: How to Launch a Wildly Successful Career in Promotional Products Sales, Top Secrets of Customer Acquisition and co-author of The Power of Promotional Products. Since 2001, David has been a popular speaker and trainer at all the major industry shows. He has conducted numerous education events for ASI, PPAI, SAAGNY and PPPC, and is the co-founder o

Lon McGowan is the CEO and Founder of of iClick, a leading supplier of branded USB flash drives, writing instruments, mobile accessories, and apparel decoration whose journey provides an insightful, engaging, and enterprising conversation! Mark Graham and Brad White chat with Lon about culture, success in a highly commoditized space, growing your business, and commanding mindshare with resonant marketing strategies (such as “I want to work for them versus I want to buy from them”). Join the chefs as they discuss consolidation in the industry, advice for those starting out, and how to create a remarkable business that lasts.

In today’s podcast we explore the world from the vantage point of the multi-line rep. Multi-lines have helped establish the sales foundation for this industry, though in recent years their role has been threatened by shrinking commissions, factory direct sales forces, and the disruption caused by the internet. No conversation about the multi-line sales channel would be complete without today’s guest. Join Mark Graham and Danny Rosin in welcoming to the Podcast, Dan Pigott, newly appointed Director of Sales for Stromberg Brand Umbrellas.

In this special episode of the PK Podcast, Mark Graham (commonsku), Larry Cohen (Axis Promotions), Jessica Hutwelker(Sunrise Identity) and Bill Petrie(Brandivate) discuss the pending Staples acquisition of Office Depot and the impact this could have on the promotional products industry. Enjoy!

Mitch Mounger, the erudite and candid CEO of Sunrise Identity, a very successful distributor located in Washington, joins us to discuss some of the secrets behind their success, including their open book management philosophy and getting services ahead of product in the selling cycle. Among other topics, (including best sales types and answering our ’10 questions about Mitch’), he also shares his transition from having a closed attitude towards suppliers to opening up and sharing more information that results in stronger relationships and closed sales.

In this episode of the PromoKitchen Podcast, Chefs Mark Graham and Dale Denham bring you up to the present as we speak to Norman Cohn, Chairman of the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) about how both ASI and the industry look in 2015. In June 2012, the Wall Street Journal described Norman as the “Sultan of Swag.” It was a breakthrough piece written by one of the country’s most prominent media outlets and it shone a bright light on our industry. However, Norman is much more than just the sultan of swag, some might say he’s the architect of the modern promotional products industry. Norman was born Iowa in 1933 and had his first encounter with promotional products in high school. Then in 1962, Norman convinced his family to sell off their supplier interests and acquire ASI, at the time, a small trade association. Over the next 6 decades, ASI grew into a powerhouse with media, technology, trade shows and education as part of its product mix. ASI now touches over 25,000 distributors and suppliers and wields

In this episode, Mark Graham and Bobby Lehew sit down with Paul Bellantone at the recent PPAI Expo and discuss: The growing optimism in the industry, PPAI’s role in providing legislative oversight for the industry, the impact of social media on an organization like PPAI, the new PPAI certification designations (TAS, CAS, MAS and MAS+). the effectiveness of shows and the future of trade shows

In this edition of the PromoKitchen Podcast Mark Graham chats with Gene Geiger about the recipe for good leadership, the importance of working as a team, and the future of the affiliate franchise model. It’s PK Podcast #68 – Enjoy!

In this episode of the PromoKitchen Podcast, Chefs Mark Graham and Dale Denham speak with one of the most influential and dynamic people in our industry, Norman Cohn. Norman is the Chairman of the Advertising Specialty Institute, most commonly known as ASI. In June 2012, the Wall Street Journal described Norman as the “Sultan of Swag.” It was a breakthrough piece written by one of the country’s most prominent media outlets and it shone a bright light on our industry. However, Norman is much more than just the sultan of swag, some might say he’s the architect of the modern promotional products industry. Norman was born Iowa in 1933 and had his first encounter with promotional products in high school. Then in 1962, Norman convinced his family to sell off their supplier interests and acquire ASI, at the time, a small trade association. Over the next 6 decades, ASI grew into a powerhouse with media, technology, trade shows and education as part of its product mix. ASI now touches over 25,000 distributors and s

Mark Graham recently stumbled across a great blog post written by the owner of a South African ad agency. His name was Mike Stopforth. He loved the post so much that he tracked him down in Johannesburg for an interview. Mike is the CEO of Cerebra, an ad agency based on South Africa and one of the most of original and creative minds in the business. Cerebra specializes in social media and social business consulting, education, and implementation for corporate brands. In 2013 WPP acquired a majority stake in the company. In 2014, Mike published #BrandSchizo – a business book designed to help brands navigate the opportunities and challenges of the social era of business. When he’s not working, Mike is golfing, drumming, fishing, running, cycling, swimming or spending time with family and friends. Take 42 minutes and 2 seconds of your day to join chefs Mark Graham and Larry Cohen in a brilliant conversation about differentiation, shifting focus from acquisition to retention, and a whole lot more.

In today’s episode, Chefs Mark Graham of CommonSku and Danny Rosin of Brand Fuel, are going to explore the new and exciting world of 3D Printing. 3D technology has been getting a lot of play in the media these days, but many of us in the promotional products industry are waiting for 3D tech to make an impact within our professional day to day lives. Presently, 3D printing represents an intriguing, yet very small niche. However, this is poised to change. Suppliers are increasingly using 3D printing to create inexpensive prototypes and marketplaces are being setup to sell 3D printed goods to end customers. Immersed in this vibrant world, we find today’s guest, Kevin Maloney. Kevin Maloney is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of ZVerse, a 3D printing platform devoted to “Making the World’s Content 3D Printable”. Kevin is chiefly responsible for developing relationships with many of Zverse’s key partners and customers. He’s a sales rock star as he has presided over the company’s rapid growth trajectory