Companies thrive on the collective contributions of their teams, but few formalize that shared success as intentionally as MadeToOrder (MTO, asi/259540). It shows not only in groups like its official Culture Committee, but also a unique employee-ownership structure where every team member has a stake in the company’s success.

MTO’s focus on the collective stems from its origins. The distributorship was founded in 2003 by a group of 10 salespeople who set out to build a company that would always do what was best for clients. But they quickly recognized that serving customers well starts internally. “It’s always with our clients in mind that we know our employees need to be happy here,” says Sandy Gonzalez, the company’s CEO, one of its original founders and a member of the Counselor Power 50 list of the most influential people in promo. “It just makes you show up and do a better job for the client.”

MadeToOrder (259540) employees meet up each year in Las Vegas.

MTO accomplishes that through transparency and flexibility – traits that became even more critical following what Gonzalez says was a “daunting” but necessary decision in 2020 to go fully virtual. The seismic shift required an intentional approach to keep employees connected and engaged, including the creation of a Culture Committee in 2025 with representation from every department. The committee “helps create an ‘in-office camaraderie’ feel to a remote workplace,” says Ryan McGinnis, an account executive and committee member. “Working remote can get lonely, and we want to make sure everybody feels supported and truly like we’re a team.”

There are countless examples of those efforts. The company maintains fun internal chat channels, including “The Dish” (recipes and restaurant recommendations) as well as “Paws and Parenthood” (for photos of kids and pets). Virtual quarterly gatherings (such as chocolate and wine tastings), competitive events and seasonal merch drops add an extra layer of fun. And that’s not to mention the annual trip to Las Vegas, when the entire U.S.-based team gathers in person to celebrate together. “My favorite thing is our annual company gathering in Las Vegas,” says Chinelle Smith, accounts payable specialist, and a Culture Committee member. “I really appreciate that MTO brings all of us together to bond and plan ahead.”

That special bond was apparent to Brittany Frase, who worked for Counselor Top 40 suppliers for a number of years before joining MTO last fall as its chief revenue officer. “On the supplier side, you almost get to interview with every distributor you work with,” she says. “And you develop a list of more companies you wouldn’t work for than you would. MadeToOrder made a very short list of companies that I really admired.”

One feature that stood out to Frase? MTO’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (commonly known as an ESOP). The company implemented the plan in 2021 when former owner Rod Brown retired. Gonzalez says they considered selling to a larger company, but were reluctant for a number of reasons, including the possibility of losing key people who had been with MTO for the long haul. “We care about them a lot, and the idea of losing them just didn’t feel good,” says Gonzalez. She acknowledges that it’s positively impacted not only how the company is run, but also the buy-in from employees. “It gives us teeth in the business,” says Frase. “We’re all invested in making sure that this company grows and is successful because it’s all of our shares that are on the line if it doesn’t.”

MTO has implemented a formal peer-to-peer recognition system, Bonusly, to ensure everyone’s contributions to the company’s success are acknowledged. The platform allows teammates to award points to colleagues for stepping up and going above and beyond. It’s one of many ways the company ensures that often-overlooked roles, such as support staff, receive recognition for their impact – reinforcing the collective, whole-company approach it has deliberately built. “What it means to be an employee owner here is that our work matters,” says Gonzalez, the Counselor 2021 Woman of Distinction. “When you join the company and you start earning shares in the company, it really matters. Your opinion matters. And I think it resonates with everybody.”