Ingredients for a Best Place to Work: Brandwell (asi/205946) company culture is a healthy mix of collaboration and value for individuals’ skills. “There’s a strong sense that we’re all on the same team working toward the same goal,” says Griffith McDaniel, president and a 2024 Counselor Distributor Salesperson of the Year finalist. “Our team shows up every day with great attitudes, a strong work ethic and a willingness to support one another to get projects across the finish line with excellence.”

The Brandwell (asi/205946) team reconnects at a promo industry event.

Top Benefits & Perks: Flexibility is one of the things Brandwell employees prize the most. It’s all about trusting the team to be able to balance their work and life outside the office, McDaniel says. “Remote work and employee autonomy make it possible to stay productive while managing personal responsibilities,” he adds.

To help new employees get up to speed, Brandwell uses a tool called Notion, where it’s built a living “company wiki” with videos, tutorials, vendor information and key resources. Plus, existing team members proactively connect with new hires to offer guidance and support.

Other bonuses include a paid day off for an employee’s birthday and volunteer time off to encourage staffers to give back to their communities. The Brandwell team also gets together at promo industry events and for holiday gatherings to keep the company culture fun and strengthen connections.

Parting Tip: It’s important, McDaniel says, to treat your employees as well as your clients, ensuring they’re trusted, valued and empowered in their work. “If I can convince my team that I work for them, then I’ve won,” he adds. “As a leader, I can only dream so big, but when the whole team is dreaming about the future and feels invested in it, the company will go much further.”

If Brandwell Were a TV Show, It Would Be Parks and Recreation. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we take our work and client projects very seriously,” McDaniel says.