Branding Together: Reinventing a Legacy Print & Promo Business
In this month’s episode, the hosts chat with Lindsey Reid of emblm who bought her parents’ company Direct Printing and Graphics in March of 2020 and underwent a full rebrand last year.
June’s episode is all about the ideas of rebranding and reinvention – both for a company and on a personal level.
Co-hosts Theresa Hegel and Cassie Green share three adjectives that define their own personal brands and how they’ve evolved over the years. Meanwhile, guest Lindsey Reid, founder and CEO of emblm (asi/181062) and president of Direct Printing and Graphics, tells the story of her entrepreneurial journey, what it was like to buy her parents’ business at the onset of the pandemic, the ins and outs of a total company rebrand and how she uses LinkedIn for industry thought leadership.
Mentioned in this month’s episode:
- Building a personal brand
- PRINTING United Alliance’s Legislative Fly-In and ongoing legislative advocacy for the printing industry
- PRINTING United Expo registration
- ASI Media 2025 Salespeople of the Year
- ASI’s 2025 Sales Compensation Survey
Key Takeaways
• Industry Advocacy: PRINTING United Alliance and ASI participated in a legislative fly-in to educate Congress on issues affecting the print and promo sectors.
• Sales Trends Shift: Recent ASI research shows a resurgence in commission-based compensation models, reversing a previous trend toward salaried sales roles.
• Rebranding With Purpose: Lindsey Reid led a full rebrand of emblm (asi/181062) to better reflect its evolved identity – shifting from generic promo to strategic, creative merchandising.
• Startup in a Crisis: Reid bought her parents’ business in March 2020, just as the pandemic hit. Despite no access to government aid, she adapted quickly and said she had one of her most successful years.
• Print & Promo Synergy: Reid sees print and promo as deeply interconnected, emphasizing that the most impactful projects combine both storytelling and strategic delivery.
• Women in the Industry: Reid highlighted the growing presence of women in print and promo, calling for more visibility – especially among decorators – and celebrating the shift in industry demographics.
• LinkedIn as a Growth Tool: She uses LinkedIn to build credibility and brand awareness by sharing honest, behind-the-scenes content and engaging consistently with her network.