This time around on Branding Together, Editors Theresa Hegel of ASI and Cassie Green of Apparelist chat with Rick Roddis, business unit president of Counselor Top 40 distributor Taylor Promotional Products (asi/333647) about the concept of luck – and how a lucky break, paired with a strong work ethic, can put you ahead of the game. Roddis also discusses print and promo trends, the growth of print-on-demand and other topics. And, as always, the editors end on a lighthearted note, taking their best shot at picking winners in a print- and promo-themed March Madness-style bracket.
Stories mentioned in this month’s episode:
- Taylor Promotional Products Names Rick Roddis President
- Sticky Clients, Repeat Sales: Why Company Stores Have Become a Must-Have
- What Does the ‘White-Collar Recession’ Mean for Promo?
- A Fairy Tale of Connection & Cutting-Edge Printing Technology at Hunkeler Innovationdays
- Learn More About the Invitation-Only Apparel Decoration Summit
Podcast Chapters
1:57: Stories to watch from ASI and PRINTING United Alliance
11:11: What were Cassie’s and Theresa’s professional lucky breaks?
17:34: An intro to Rick Roddis’ role at Taylor
19:52: Roddis’ biggest lucky break and how he leveraged it for success
22:19: How Roddis learned not to take “bad luck” and mistakes personally
26:10: Biggest trends in print & promo
29:58: A little March Madness-style fun
Key Takeaways
Leveraging Opportunities: Rick shared his experience of leveraging opportunities by raising his hand during challenging times. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he took on the role of senior VP of IT and e-commerce, which broadened his capabilities and made him a better leader.
Print-on-Demand: Rick discussed the significance of print-on-demand in both the print and promo industries. This trend includes low minimum-order quantities, improved design tools, local shipping and seamless order flows, all of which are reshaping the industry and meeting customer expectations.
Technology & Automation: Rick stressed the need for improved quoting, estimating and online configuration tools to meet customer expectations and reduce manual interventions.
Customer Experience: Enhancing the customer experience is crucial. Rick mentioned that solving order flow problems and automating workflows, especially for artwork, are essential for providing a seamless experience and reducing costs.
Learning From Challenges: Rick shared his approach to dealing with setbacks, such as missing budgets or losing customers. He emphasized the importance of turning these experiences into learning opportunities to improve and adapt.
Future Trends: Rick highlighted that the industry is still early in its journey toward technological advancement. He believes that continued efforts to integrate technology and improve processes will drive the future of both the print and promo markets.
