We’re in that weird limbo now where no one quite knows what holiday to decorate for. Halloween decorations seem out of place, and jack-o-lanterns have rotted. It’s still just a little early to go full-on with the December holidays, but some people are doing it anyway. And Thanksgiving doesn’t quite have the decoration-ready nature of…
Read MoreBusiness Confidential: Lessons From Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain was complex, prolific, entertaining and unapologetic. It’s been a little over a year since he left this world, but he left behind a legacy of fabulous entrepreneurial, leadership and business lessons that I do my best to apply daily. Here are a few of them, and how you can apply them to your own business…
Read MoreHow Social Media Bots Steal T-shirt Designs and Sell Them
The robot uprising is here. At least you’d think so if you were paying attention to the T-shirt designs that pop up on social media. That’s pretty much what happened to comedian Jesse McLaren, who posted a T-shirt that he designed himself. Shortly after, he started getting ads from other online shops selling that exact T-shirt…
Read MorePPAI Announces Departure of President/CEO Paul Bellantone in March 2021
PPAI, Irving, Texas, announced today that CEO and president Paul Bellantone will step down in March 2021. “The past 20-plus years have been nothing short of extraordinary,” Bellantone said…
Read MoreThe Makers of Mega-Hit Video Game ‘Among Us’ Had to Scramble to Make a Merch Store After Fans Made Knockoffs
“Among Us” has become a cultural phenomenon, and people want to show off how much they love it. The problem was that InnerSloth, the game’s developer, didn’t have a functioning merchandise store. The page existed on its site, but there was nothing in the store. So, third-party sellers made their own merchandise, and InnerSloth never saw a dime from the sales…
Read MoreAn Engraved Typewriter Used as an Employee Gift Appraised for $40K on ‘Antiques Roadshow’
A gold Royal typewriter originally given as a gift for an employee’s 10th year as vice president in 1940 was appraised on “Antiques Roadshow” for between $30,000 and $40,000. The typewriter was brought to the appraisers by the original recipient’s granddaughter, who added that all of the top salespeople had their signatures engraved onto the…
Read MoreIMAGEN Brands Begins Coleman Outdoor Incentive Program
IMAGEN Brands, Mason, Ohio, announced a limited-time Coleman “Sell More, Get More” incentive program. The more Coleman Outdoor products a distributor sells, the more free Coleman products they earn. Any distributor that places Coleman Outdoor orders that fall under one of three sales-volume order levels will earn a free Coleman gift…
Read MoreVaccine Verification, No Paper Tickets: What Ticketmaster’s Plan Tells Us About How Live Events Could Return
Thanks to promising news about a COVID-19 vaccine, there’s a glimmer of hope that live events like concerts, full-capacity sporting events and trade shows could return sometime soon. It’s still far too early to start penciling in live events for 2021, but Ticketmaster is planning ahead by creating a framework for what events could look like once a vaccine is rolled out…
Read MoreDunkin’s Holiday Merchandise Line Includes Customizable Items
What is it about breakfast chains that create such brand loyalty? Here in Pennsylvania, it’s Wawa versus Sheetz. Canadians love their Tim Hortons. Dunkin’s slogan might be about all of America, but Massachusetts natives know it’s really their chain. And they can finally show their “Dunkies” pride thanks to a new line of merchandise, some of which is even customizable…
Read MoreWhy Horses Wear Blinders
If you have ever watched the Kentucky Derby or any horse race, surely you’ve noticed the horse blinders on the heads of the horses. The purpose of these blinders is to keep the horse from getting distracted by other horses, people or even birds. When a horse gets distracted and looks around, it can lose…
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