Editorial Type: Audio

Barefoot Swag’s Britni Levitt and Rhonda Reedy Talk Taking On the Big Online Distributors, Delighting Customers and More

Barefoot Swag Powered by Proforma is a three-person operation that’s topped $1 million in sales, almost entirely online. How has the small distributor found so much success competing with the big online mega-players? Owners Britni Levitt and Rhonda Reedy joined the show to share their story. Plus, customer reviews, work-life balance, women-owned businesses and legislating Pop Tarts…

Phil Koosed, president of BAMKO, joined the show to take us inside its immensely popular and successful branded merch campaigns for Taco Bell, including how the distributor created “Instagrammable” promotional products designed to reach younger demographics online. We also talked about promo’s powerful ROI, corporate social responsibility, private equity. Plus, Sean and Brendan finally discuss Weezer, and ask Phil for help getting Elon Musk on the show…

Bill Mahre, president of ADG Promotional Products, joined the show to recap PPAI Expo 2019 and discuss his vision for the promo industry as his PPAI board term begins. (The key? Making promo quicker, easier and better for the end-buyer.) He also told us about his brush with Hollywood stardom as part of the Minnesota Twins organization in the ’90s…

Soon, pretty much the entire promo industry will converge on Las Vegas for PPAI Expo. To get you ready for the trip, Kellyann Messick, road warrior for Hit Promotional Products, dropped by the studio, live and in-person, to give her best advice on Expo prep, business travel, industry events, what to do in Vegas and…

It’s clear the tariffs are going to impact the promo industry in the new year. We asked Brian Porter, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Starline Inc., about what we can expect for 2019, how promo suppliers are handling pricing and much more. Plus, Sean and Brendan discuss a totally crazy insane morning hack from Jeff Bezos, and Sean asks the tough questions everyone’s afraid to ask about Pantone’s Color of the Year…

Joe Fleming, Trina Bicknell, Mike Fleming and special guest Alex Morin joined the show to talk about HUB Promotional Group’s recent acquisitions, how HUB selects suppliers to buy, what distributors can expect from HUB Promotional Group moving forward, and more. Plus, Sean and Brendan dig into that Fast Company article that called for the entire promo industry to shut down…

In the spirit of everyone’s favorite haunted holiday, Jay Busselle joined the show to discuss branding nightmares, his favorite Halloween promotions and scary marketing in general. Is your promo business making any of the branding mistakes Jay mentioned? Listen and find out! Plus, Sean and Brendan discuss Burger King’s gross new nightmare sandwich, terrifying VCRs and much more. Don’t listen alone!…

Jeff Laniado, who worked for distributor Axis Promotions before moving to a promo buyer role at CBS, gave us the inside scoop on what it’s like making the switch, what he and other promo buyers are looking for, landing large accounts like CBS and some common mistakes distributors make when pitching prospects. Let’s just say Jeff isn’t a fan of the suitcase full of samples. Plus, Sean and Brendan get Gritty!…

Taek Sung, senior vice president of sales and marketing for iClick, joined the show to talk about PopSockets, content marketing and the unexpected speed bumps that accompany 275 percent year-over-year growth. (Such as: Do you have enough parking spaces? What about bathrooms?) Plus, Sean and Brendan discuss Colorado Timberline’s sudden closing due to a ransomware attack…

BrandVia Alliance was a big riser on our 2018 Top 50 Distributors list, jumping eight spots from No. 31 in 2017 to No. 23 this year. Sam Brown and Eric Nelsen joined the podcast to talk about that growth, plus a look at company culture, customer experience and (a recurring theme) getting sh*t done. Plus, Brendan and Sean discuss the fake Warren Buffett Twitter account that captivated the internet…

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