Salespeople
of the Year

Rose Sarro is no stranger to starting over.

There are countless examples: moving from the Philippines to the U.S. nearly 40 years ago, leaving hospitality to become a cardio technician, and then switching careers again 14 years ago when she started at Promo Direct (asi/300477).

The last time was different. It was 2021, and Sarro had made the difficult decision to take a five-month sabbatical. A thriving million-dollar seller (and previous ASI Salesperson of the Year finalist in 2018), Sarro dearly missed the work and her clients during her time away. Still, to return meant rebuilding practically her entire client roster. It was daunting.

“When I came back, I was hesitant,” she recalls. “I said, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going to start from the bottom. Can I do it, can I make it?’”

In the end, Sarro vanquished the doubts. That first year back, in 2021, the VP of sales for Promo Direct achieved a personal record for sales. Two years later in 2023, she doubled the mark – her sales revenue total tallying millions. “Rose 2.0” is how she describes the feeling upon returning. “When I came back, I just focused,” she says.

Sarro’s remarkable comeback isn’t the only reason she earned the title of ASI Media’s 2024 Distributor Salesperson of the Year. Personable and professional, she engenders loyalty among both suppliers and clients. She’s a dedicated listener (“That’s my number-one thing,” she admits) who has an intuitive understanding of what clients want and need. And even though she has plenty of competitive fire and grit, she always retains her composure.

“Rose is totally even-keeled – just somebody always looking to find a solution,” says Tommy Levin, the western sales director for Top 40 supplier Hit Promotional Products (asi/61125). “She’s a pleasure to work with. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her raise her voice, and that’s the kind of person I love working with. It makes you want to bend over backward to help her.”

‘Every Day I Feel Like I Can Be Better’

For someone who didn’t really see herself in sales, Sarro turned out to be a natural.

It was 2009 when she joined Promo Direct, the Nevada-based e-commerce distributorship where her husband Dan (the company’s director of operations) worked. Her initial roles at the company included sending samples and processing orders. But Dave Sarro – Dan’s brother and the president and CEO of Promo Direct – wanted to give her a shot in sales, despite Dan’s protests that she wouldn’t last very long.

“I noticed quickly she was very good with people, and she has a great way of communicating and getting things done,” recalls Dave about what impressed him when Rose made the leap to sales. “Her follow-up was exceptional – she was just on top of everything. And her attention to detail really shined.”

Rose has proved her worth again and again. For example, a government client who was referred to her three years ago started with a series of small orders that grew bigger and bigger. The relationship blossomed last year into Promo Direct’s first $1 million order, which entailed fulfillment to 470 different locations and required weekend supervision over the span of nearly half a year to ensure its success.

For someone whose busy family life includes seven children and 12 grandchildren, it’s no surprise Sarro aced the complex project. (Sarro’s youngest daughter Amanda also works at Promo Direct as operations manager, and the two collaborate on big projects and fulfillment.) Sarro is aiming for an even bigger revenue goal this year, and she doesn’t hide her ambition or love for her work.

“What drives me is the feeling that this is going to be my career path,” she says. “I’m not going anywhere else, so I feel like I have to be good at this, and I know I’m good at it, and I can be better. Every day I feel like I can be better.” – C.J. Mittica

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With a Type A personality and a work ethic on overdrive, Jessica Hiner has often been described as relentless – and she’s OK with that. In fact, the vice president of business development at Top 40 supplier The Magnet Group (asi/68507) takes it as a compliment. (She even has pens, courtesy of a colleague from the company’s Castelli division, that proclaim “I am relentless.”)

Says Hiner: “I’m relentless for my customers. I’m relentless for my team. I’m relentless for myself and the business I work for. I have that mentality of ‘Go to win,’ whatever that win is. A lot of times, I don’t take no for an answer. There’s always a Plan B.”

Hiner attributes that attitude to her time as a star player on her high school basketball team, where the importance of consistency, passion and drive were drilled into her during countless practices on the court.

Her relentless style has served her well in her two decades in the promotional products industry, where she spent a few years on the distributor side before joining The Magnet Group. Over 16 years at the supplier, where she works with 10 major national accounts and a large buying group, Hiner says she’s never had a down year (save for the first year of COVID). In 2023, her sales were 33% higher than in 2022 – north of $10 million.

Ken Wittenberg, chief sales officer of Top 40 distributor Summit Group (asi/339116), has been impressed by how well Hiner knows her product line and her ability to seek out solutions to help clients meet their business objectives. “She always tries to make a situation a ‘win-win-win’ outcome – for her company, the distributor and the end-client,” he says.

Wittenberg recalls, for example, working on a large opportunity with a customer whose objectives and requirements were “extremely challenging.” Hiner, he adds, invested two weeks of her time to understand the client and what their most critical needs were. “Through her research and analysis, she discovered a manufacturing solution that met all of the end-client goals and helped us build a long-term partnership with the customer and generated a significant amount of business for her company,” Wittenberg says.

Hiner thinks of herself as “an onion peeler.” Instead of just being satisfied with the status quo, she “peels back those layers” to find new areas where The Magnet Group can be a trusted and valued resource, outside of just the standard drop-ship orders that come in.

Making the Complex Simple

Indeed, says Terry McGuire, senior vice president at Top 40 distributor HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000), it’s Hiner’s ability to “create simple solutions for complex client requests that really makes her stand out.”

“She can hit for singles and doubles and is also the go-to when you need a home run,” McGuire adds.

Giving back is also important to Hiner, who takes her role as an industry mentor seriously – after having been lucky enough to have the late Fran Ford, a promo industry legend whom she described as “The Godfather of Mentorship,” take her under his wing earlier in her career. In addition, Hiner raises funds for breast cancer awareness and research. A few years ago, she completed a three-day, 60-mile walk for the cause. “It’s nothing compared to the battles the patients go through, but it was definitely an experience to remember,” she says.

A true team player, Hiner is always ready to lend a helping hand, even on tasks that don’t directly affect her side of the business, says colleague June Edwards, director of sales operations for The Magnet Group. Once, Hiner “offered to arrive early and help us get organized in our Vegas booth,” Edwards shares. “She went over and above in her efforts that day.”

Clients and colleagues agree that Hiner’s work ethic, wealth of knowledge and generous nature are unparalleled. McGuire adds: “Whatever ‘it’ is, she has it, and she earns it – few people work harder for their customers than Jessica Hiner.” – Theresa Hegel

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Like many of her industry peers, what Tracie Dawson thought would be a job just for a while turned into 40 years of customer service for promotional product distributors.

In 1984, when the West Virginia native moved to Florida, she joined The Banner Barn as an administrator handling ordering and accounting. Dawson ended up staying for nearly two decades and learned the ins and outs of signs, banners and even T-shirt printing, as the business expanded from a garage to multiple buildings.

When her boss’s son opened Quality Banner in 2002, Dawson made the transition to the new company, which was purchased by AMI Graphics (asi/80160) in 2018. Now, the ESP 5-star rated firm has facilities in Florida and New Hampshire, and Dawson’s son, daughter (a budding CSR herself) and son-in-law all work alongside her in Florida.

“When I first started, we used huge screens to print the banners and poured in the ink, one color at a time,” she remembers. “We took orders through mail or over the phone. Now it’s all digital. The process is so much easier and quicker and there are fewer mistakes. It’s been an amazing transformation. Each banner took so much time. Now we can print hundreds a day.”

What hasn’t changed is Dawson’s commitment to her clients (Dawson serves over 600 customers throughout the U.S. and Canada). Those clients say she’s reliable, communicative (answering queries at all hours), asks the right questions and gives clear answers. Dawson says it comes down to the golden rule: “I treat them like I’d want to be treated,” she shares. “I’m honest about pricing and turnaround times, and I tell them what they should tell their customer. I respond quickly because if they don’t get an answer, they might go somewhere else.”

Setting A ‘Gold Standard’

Peter Wensberg, AMI Graphics president, calls Dawson a “pioneer” in customer service, serving as the “gold standard.” He adds that Dawson is mentor and role model for the entire CSR and sales team. “It’s more than just business, it’s personal,” Wensberg says. “In times of grief, Tracie is the first to provide a shoulder to cry on and friend to lean on. Most recently, Tracie received news that one of her longtime customers was diagnosed with cancer. The news not only brought her to tears, but to action. Tracie immediately looked to what both she and AMI Graphics could do for her customer and his family. Whether it’s flowers or a meal, she wanted them to know that she was thinking about them and that we were there for them.”

Wensberg also notes that she’s one of the most talented bakers he’s ever known. “Whether it’s cookies, cakes, fudge, chocolates, buckeyes, bread or brownies, Tracie’s baked goods are famous among AMI employees and her closest customers,” he says. “If there’s one thing everyone looks forward to during the holidays, it’s the day when Tracie walks in with her trays and Tupperware full of baked goodies to be shared by employees, visitors and customers alike.”

Dawson explains that her clients are like family to her. “That’s the type of relationship I strive to build with each and every one of them,” she says. “It starts with me learning their business as if it were my own and grows into a mutual appreciation and respect for one another where I’m celebrating the good times and working through the hard times hand-in-hand with them. When they win, I win and when I win, we (AMI) win! With my clients, I focus on the little things which I find end up being the big things that make a difference.”

‘Absolutely Second To None’

Customers certainly notice.

Dawson received an unprecedented amount of testimonials in the submissions ASI Media received for the CSR of the Year honor, all praising her dedication to attending to their requests.

Susan Cutting, president of HI-TEX Flag and Advertising (asi/600241), says Dawson is her favorite CSR: “Tracie is very professional, extremely dependable, and has an admirable work ethic that’s so rare these days. She goes way above and beyond to ensure orders are done correctly, and ship on time. Tracie is my hero.”

“She is absolutely second to none,” says Jonathan Kay, owner of distributorship ASAP Promotions. “Tracie always answers calls, even when she’s on vacation. If you leave a voicemail, she gets back to you in 30 minutes or less. Most of the time, it’s 5 minutes. If you email her an order, she responds immediately and gets it going quickly. She deals with extremely tight time-sensitive deadlines, and always makes sure you’re satisfied.”

Brad Brown, owner of Signs Now of St. Augustine (asi/372729), says Dawson has been his firm’s CSR for as long as he can remember. “Tracie always returns calls promptly, she’s always upbeat and personable,” he notes. “She asks the right questions to facilitate our jobs and offers alternative products and solutions when necessary to help achieve our objectives.”

Dawson says intra-departmental cooperation certainly helps with rush orders. A distributor recently needed job samples for a tablecloth and retractable awning shipped to New York that same week. Once Dawson had the art on Wednesday, the production process began quickly. The client had it in-hands by Thursday.

“We let the production team know it was coming,” she says. “Communication is key.”

Another time, a customer ordered 20 banners and 20 flags but only got 19 of each. Dawson had two more produced and shipped the same day. “I’ve hand-delivered items to people’s homes,” she shares. “We do whatever we need to do.”

Dawson’s commitment to her clients and quickness to respond was especially evident when AMI Graphics launched a new online ordering system.

“We began introducing it to clients last year,” says Wensberg. “But customers said, ‘Sounds great, but I’m staying with Tracie,’ or ‘Why would I order online when I have Tracie?’ or ‘Best of luck, but keep Tracie’s phone on.’ She’s truly one of the best, and her customers tell the story. She’s always been at the top of her game and relentless in her ability to care for her customers. It’s a pleasure to work with her.” – Sara Lavenduski

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After nearly 50 successful years in promo sales, Bob Steinbach could comfortably retire and sail off into the sunset.

But why in the heck, he asks, would he want to do that?

A half-century into his promo products career, Steinbach is still having a blast.

For the Barker Specialty (asi/132690) ace, fun is generating about $1.2 million in personal sales in 2023 – his 48th year in the business. It’s being a walking encyclopedia of product, sourcing and branding knowledge for his Barker colleagues and industry friends. It’s mentoring the next generation of merch professionals, as well as learning from them, and enjoying the warm relationships he’s cultivated with customers, suppliers and company teammates.

“Once promo products are in your blood, they’re there forever,” says Steinbach. “I’ve met so many interesting and wonderful people through the years because of this industry. And I continue to. Like anything else, there are good days and bad days. But when a customer tips their hat to you on a job well done, I still get a thrill out of that.”

From Enterprising Undergrad to Multimillion-Dollar Selling Entrepreneur

Steinbach’s first flirtation with promo came in high school. He worked at a small print shop in the New Haven, CT, area. The owner dabbled in promotional products and had catalogs lying around. “I remember flipping through them and thinking, ‘This is interesting stuff,’” Steinbach recalls.

Still, Steinbach’s promo journey began in earnest while he was studying accounting at the University of Connecticut. He noticed that a restaurant and liquor store he frequented (“Hey, it was college,” he laughs) had poor marketing. He felt he could do better, so he sent them a proposal. “They liked a few mock-up advertisements I did, and I started doing their marketing, including aerial advertising over football games,” Steinbach shares. “Through that I found my way into what was then known as advertising specialties.”

It was the potential in those tangible, brandable products that got Steinbach’s creative and entrepreneurial juices really flowing. He began researching merch manufacturers and writing to them for catalogs. Some declined, but others were impressed with the enterprising undergrad and sent the product books. Ultimately, Steinbach had access to enough suppliers to start selling branded specialties. “I was doing all this on my own,” he recalls. “I didn’t have family or friends in the business. I didn’t yet know about ASI. I was looking up manufacturers in the library.”

Bitten by the promo bug, Steinbach decided to give the industry a go once he graduated. He figured if it didn’t work out, he could always get an accounting job. Suffice to say: He’s never worked as an accountant a day in his life.

A solo operator in his early days and aided, he shares, by an ASI membership, Steinbach set about building his business. And build he did, delivering solutions for a range of clients. Roughly five years into his career, he took on a partner who was an expert in packaging. The pair’s expertise complemented each other, and they found considerable success. “For a time, it was a good marriage, and we built the business up nicely,” says Steinbach.

Things change though, and after approximately 10 years, Steinbach was back on his own again. That was fine by him. For several decades, he ran Wallingford, CT-based The Idea Company as president and owner, with a small support staff. During that time, he developed a lucrative niche serving educational industry publishers. He had more than a few multimillion-dollar sales years. He networked, made friends, and even met his wife at an ASI Show in Orlando. It was an awesome run, all powered by capitalizing on the opportunity inherent in promo.

Several years ago, he and Barker Specialty President Gerry Barker – long friendly competitors – began talking about Steinbach joining the firm. Given where Steinbach was at in his career, it made sense to do so. Steinbach has been with Barker Specialty for about three years, now serving as director of strategic sourcing, a role that involves strategy development and frontline sales.

“Bob is a tremendous colleague,” says Gerry Barker, whose firm was Counselor’s 2022 Distributor Family Business of the Year. “He wants to share his vast knowledge so salespeople are protected from making any errors, and so others can learn from his wisdom. He’s gracious, considerate and generous. He’s a leader, and Barker Specialty is very proud to be working with him.”

Keys to Succes

Steinbach’s clients include some of the most prestigious universities, hospitals and high-profile sporting events in the U.S. – representative of the fact that he’s placed an emphasis on courting customers in the education, athletics and healthcare industries.

Whether serving household name brands or small businesses, Steinbach takes the same dedicated approach. “I view what we do as a bonified profession, and I never want to say ‘no’ to a customer, so I do everything I can to come through,” he explains. “I’ve seen it as my responsibility to develop the necessary expertise in sourcing, products, trends and production process to be a steward of every client’s brand and to assure them peace of mind and a great promotional buying experience.”

Steinbach’s seven figures worth of sales in 2023 is evidence the approach continues to work.

Just as pleasing as working with clients is helping and collaborating with colleagues, especially pros just starting out. On mentoring, Steinbach says: “It’s kind of like your parents might say, they want you to have a better life than they did. I didn’t have a mentor when I started out, so I like to help others. It’s not a one-way street. I’m learning all the time from them, too. It’s important to stay humble and open-minded and keep learning if you want sustained success.”

Steinbach strives to treat suppliers with the same consideration he does clients and colleagues. A telling anecdote: When supplier employees help him execute high-pressure rush orders, he’s known to send those people a gift – everything from “boom boxes” back in the day and television sets, to Best Buy gift cards. “They’re our partners, and they should be rewarded,” he says. “That’s how I like to do business.”

Doing business is something Steinbach plans to keep at for the foreseeable future. He’s only half joking when he says that if he retires, his hobby will probably be work. “Even if I do retire one day, I’ll keep going to industry trade shows,” Steinbach says. “I still get a kick out of seeing the new products, the creative things suppliers are coming out with. I love this industry, and it’s been good to me.” – Christopher Ruvo

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In the Troyer family, success runs in the genes.

Rielly Troyer is proof of that. In only his second full year as a promotional products sales pro, Troyer personally generated more than $1 million in annual revenue. That he did so working at the multimillion-dollar distributorship his parents Brad and Michelle founded and own, Michigan-based Proforma Printhouse (asi/491465), made the seven-figure achievement all the sweeter.

“Getting to work with my parents has been a blessing,” Troyer says.

Still, don’t for a second misperceive that the 24-year-old has had anything handed to him. He started with no clients when he joined Proforma Printhouse. He’s had to hustle for his success, and he has. Fortunately, he’s had a fantastic mentor.

“My dad has owned multiple businesses, and I saw how hard he worked for our family,” says Troyer. “He was the perfect person to learn from. He pushed me, but also gave me grace when needed.”

Troyer’s success is rooted, in part, in consistency. He makes the cold calls. He takes time to delve below surface-level requests to determine client goals on a project so he can devise the most creative and effective merchandise solutions. He develops relationships with buyers, learning about their broader scope of needs and thus finding new ways to help them, building his sales in the process.

He’s strategic in prospecting, too. While he works with a range of clients, he has keyed in on servicing certain niches. Breweries – because they’re a passion of his and such businesses tend to have a strong swag position. Manufacturing – because employee counts are often high and there’s ongoing need for providing those workers with branded items. Banking – because, in Troyer’s words, “it’s a fairly recession-proof industry.”

Meanwhile, Troyer’s also not afraid to take a risk and go big on an ambitious target to rapidly accelerate growth. It’s a point evidenced by an acquisition of a distributorship that he was instrumental in closing for Proforma Printhouse. He took on the book of business, but did much more than sit back and absorb the accounts. “Within the acquisition, I not only retained the past sales level, but exceeded it by seeking opportunities for growth,” Troyer shares.

It all has his father Brad smiling.

“It’s very fun to work with your son on a daily basis and to see him have success so soon,” says Brad Troyer. “Rielly is part of our succession plan, so we feel our company will be in good hands for years to come.”

‘I Use Being Young as a Strength’

Of course, like any promo sales pro, Troyer’s success hasn’t been without its challenges. Among the foremost: He not only is young; he looks quite young. The youthful face, however, belies the mature mind, and Troyer works double hard to show clients they’re in capable hands, something achieved through consultative selling, creative solutions and fastidious project management that sees campaigns executed without a hitch.

“I use being young as a strength,” says Troyer. “I emphasize that I bring a fresh perspective and clients like that. Also, if you do a good job, no one cares how old you are.”

Indeed, Troyer counts among his clients a Fortune 500 company that’s well pleased with his work. The relationship was the outgrowth of a custom order he did for a bank in the Midwest. The bank customer specializes in financing for the construction industry. It wanted a custom Lego-style block toy in the shape of a dump truck built with its branding on it. Troyer mined his sourcing network to find the right partner, and eventually landed on a reliable firm overseas.

The toys were a success and Troyer posted about the project on LinkedIn. The Fortune 500 company saw the post and contacted Troyer. They wanted a custom block toy of their company’s flagship trucks built. He pulled off the order with aplomb, seamlessly delivering about 60,000 units.

“Rielly is an impressive young man and has helped his parents grow their Proforma distributorship,” says Greg Muzzillo, a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people and founder of Top 40 distributor Proforma (asi/300094), of which Proforma Printhouse is an affiliate. “I’m confident that in the coming years he will help them achieve even greater success.”

You can bank on it. Troyer loves promo sales – the relationship-building, the creativity, the visiting trade shows and learning about new products. Just like the penchant for success he inherited from his parents, promo seems to have been passed down too. “I enjoy what I do,” says Troyer. “And I’m just getting started.” – Christopher Ruvo

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Griffith McDaniel’s career path to becoming a stellar sales pro and a standout provider of creative solutions for major household brands began not in an office, but on the green.

As an ambitious 21-year-old, he moved from the Bay Area of California to SoCal to work at golf courses. There, as he pursued his dream of managing the links, he started working part-time at nearby Giftpreneurs, the distributor run by his Aunt Beegee and Uncle Toby. They were licensed by the U.S. Postal Service and mainly generated profit with corporate gifting and company stores for the governmental entity. It wasn’t long before McDaniel was asked to join full-time.

“My uncle asked me, ‘Do you want to work in a golf shop, or shop in one?’” remembers McDaniel. “Now, I actually belong to the golf club where I used to work.”

Still, in the earlier years of his promo career, the future was less than certain. As a result of the 2008 recession, USPS put a hold on all spending. McDaniel says the distributorship lost nearly all of their business overnight. “We sold off what inventory we could, moved our offices home, and just had to start over,” he says.

And start over they did. It took a few years – and a name change to One World Promo in 2010 – but McDaniel was crucial in spearheading the company’s next growth phase. As the team rebuilt its book, McDaniel’s aunt and uncle stayed at the company until their respective passings – Toby in 2015 and Beegee in 2022, a year when the distributorship did $5 million in sales.

Management transferred to McDaniel, who assumed the president role and rebranded the company as Brandwell (asi/205946).

“Griffith revamped the company’s brand and voice, and expanded the client base and sales team across the nation,” says Nicole McNamee, an industry sales coach and strategy consultant. “He also implemented a cutting-edge online store platform and new ERP system. It’s no surprise that Brandwell’s sales are growing exponentially.”

And he’s done it all while being a front-line sales pro himself, generating multi-millions in personal sales. McDaniel has built relationships with brands like Taco Bell, Fanatics, The Wonderful Company and Special Olympics regional chapters, as well as wineries and private aviation companies. That helped him increase his individual revenue 50% between 2021 and 2022, and 104% between 2022 and 2023.

“Working with Griffith is always a pleasure,” says Mark Gammon, CEO of Top 40 supplier Cap America (asi/43792). “His level of creativity and industry knowledge set him apart, and his willingness to think outside the box to find creative solutions for his customers makes him an ideal distributor partner.”

One of McDaniel’s favorite ongoing campaigns is annual merchandise for the Taco Bell Foundation in support of its Round Up Program. At participating locations, Taco Bell staff ask customers if they want to round up to the nearest dollar – the difference goes to funding scholarships for employees. Those stores that hit or exceed their fundraising goals are rewarded with promo products like hats, charms, drinkware and belt bags.

“We got feedback that excitement around the products helped raised $36 million in 2023,” says McDaniel.

Still, even with significant sales growth over the past three years, McDaniel cites the team he’s built as his greatest achievement. “I’m confident that this growing group of exceptional people will propel us further than I could have ever achieved on my own,” he says.

McDaniel’s commitment to both clients and staff hasn’t gone unnoticed by industry peers. Jeff and Shelley Stevens at multi-line rep firm WesCo Marketing in Fallbrook, CA, have known McDaniel since he first started working alongside his aunt and uncle 20 years ago.

“Grif is always the consummate professional, extremely personable and one of the most genuine, humble guys we’ve had the pleasure of knowing,” the Stevenses said. “He’s carried on his Aunt Beegee’s legacy with grace and gratitude, and we know she looks down on him with respect and pride.” – Sara Lavenduski

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“I’m just a doer,” says Lance Wiersma about his approach to sales and serving clients. “That’s the best word to describe it.”

There was the time early in his promo career that the account executive with PromoAdvantage Marketing Group (asi/300415) discovered a batch of pens were mistakenly shipped to the client’s office in Minnesota instead of their event in Las Vegas. Wiersma grabbed the pens Friday night, and the next day flew to Vegas and back to hand-deliver them.

“I was mostly astounded he took the initiative without even calling me,” recalls Bill Cobbs, the principal at PromoAdvantage who brought Wiersma on as a college intern. “He did it all on his own without checking in or asking what I would do.”

Ever since starting at PromoAdvantage 17 years ago, Wiersma has delivered again and again. He prides himself on getting back to customers right away, and won’t hesitate to mock-up quick virtuals on his own because he knows it will help clients get the information they need sooner. Promo speaks to him because “no two days are the same,” and he particularly enjoys unique campaigns as well as building relationships.

“I want that type of relationship where you can call clients your friends,” Wiersma says. “You want to get to know them on a personal level. It makes it more real. We’re working together on projects, and we all have the same ultimate goal: to have a successful campaign.”

Cobbs knows Wiersma’s father and instantly saw inherent salesperson qualities in a teenage Wiersma when Cobbs first met him. In particular, Cobbs lauds Wiersma’s ability to solve problems ahead of time. “He just sees all the moving pieces,” says Cobbs, who co-founded PromoAdvantage in 2001 and is now a principal with the company after Top 40 distributor Boundless (asi/143717) acquired it last year. “It’s rare. There are a lot of great salespeople, but they don’t have the vision to see every piece of a project.”

A die-hard Wisconsin sports fan living in Minnesota, Wiersma stays plenty busy with four kids under the age of 10 and two dogs. “We call it the circus,” he shares. Wiersma also mentors a young sales rep, Charlie Bartholomew, who started at the company as a college intern, just as Wiersma did. “I have a strong desire to help mentor the next generation into this industry,” says Wiersma. “Seeing Charlie’s growth within his first six months is just as rewarding as the growth that I have been able to accomplish over my years.” – C.J. Mittica

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On Lindsay Jones’s first day working in sales, he received a binder with a price list for golf balls. “Do the job,” the golf company told him. That’s all the training he got.

One might say he did the job, as four years later, he hit the million-dollar mark in sales.

He’s kept accelerating ever since. And today, Jones owns and is the main sales generator at Rise Promotions LTD (asi/309183), an Alberta-based distributorship that saw 50% growth in the last year alone. In the past two years, Jones says that he’s doubled the company’s revenue.

How has he done it? By being creative and proactive, rather than an order-taker. His approach is to ask his clients questions and present alternative solutions that get them amped to approach a project in a novel way that will really resonate with their audience. “Why don’t you look at doing something like this to be different than your competition?” he might ask.

In one order, a client requested a quote for 250 hats with embroidered logos. Jones came back with the quote, but also presented the client with an inspiration portfolio of hats with varying decorations at no cost. The client was impressed with him offering something different to work with, and a $4,500 quote turned into $75,000 worth of sales.

To Jones, building relationships with his clients – no matter the size of the order – is a priority. For instance, one of his clients only orders $3,000 a year with him but is extremely well-connected. That individual referred him to three other clients, generating over $100,000 a year in annual sales for his company.

“If you can really get into the client’s know-how, the knowledge of their company, who they are, it makes you their brand partner,” Jones says. “They want to share successes and opportunities they’re working on.”

Jones not only embraces but is energized by the challenges he faces daily, enjoying coming through for clients even when they deem an opportunity impossible.

“Resiliency and consistency are key,” Jones says. “It sometimes feels like you’re growing slow, but sometimes it just all hits at one time. Over my career, I’ve had some phenomenal growth patterns – not just sales numbers, but the number of clients that I’m able to work with. You’re like, ‘There’s no way I can hit this in sales,’ and then three years later you say ‘Wow, I just accomplished that.’” – Sami Marshak

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During COVID, Maria Perez took a chance with a new client. And shocking to no one who knows her, it paid off – in spades.

A fellow owner at Top 40 distributor AIA Corporation (asi/109480) was selling her book of business comprised solely of Pratt & Whitney, an aerospace manufacturer. It was a big risk for Perez to take on, considering that air travel worldwide had dropped significantly during the pandemic.

Still, Perez saw promise.

She bought the book and nurtured the account over the past few years. It’s now one of her company’s largest accounts. That strategic risk-taking and hard work to generate success are emblematic of Perez’s promo career, which has spanned three decades and seen her work with high-profile clients that include Univision and BNY Mellon.

Perez started as an inside sales rep at Union Pen, a direct mail company based in Connecticut at the time. Six years later, in 1999, she established Effective Promos and joined AIA. Thanks to strong relationships with clients and creative custom work, Perez grew her sales 85% between 2022 and 2023.

“Maria has become an indispensable asset as a member of AIA’s Owner Advisory Council, and has experienced tremendous growth year over year due in part to her ability to establish and maintain loyal client relationships,” says Kelli Bernd, owner success manager at AIA. “She’s always open to new ideas, and she’s never hesitant to challenge the status quo, which helps her stand out in the industry.”

Clients appreciate Effective Promos’ creative chops combined with kitting and fulfillment capabilities, which have remained in demand even after the pandemic. One of Perez’s most memorable campaigns wrapped up about a year ago, when an aviation company wanted to celebrate their billionth hour of flight. Perez helped them design more than 13,000 custom bomber jackets from Fossa Apparel (asi/55141) to ship all over the world.

The outerwear included a step-and-repeat liner, custom PMS color exterior, left chest logo, yoke imprint and custom patches on the bicep pockets. Effective Promos set up an online store for end-users in nearly 30 countries to order their sizes.

“We stand out because of our creative approach,” says Perez. “If you do custom work, end-buyers can’t shop you out.”

While managing relationships with high-profile, demanding clients, Perez treats her staff with fairness and respect.

“Maria embodies a rare blend of leadership and humility that sets her apart,” says Ines Perez, account specialist at AIA Effective Promos and Maria’s sister. “She consistently uses ‘we’ over ‘I’ and fosters a collaborative atmosphere where team members feel empowered to share ideas, knowing their input is genuinely valued.” – Sara Lavenduski

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For Madeline Hardy, a senior account manager at Whitestone (asi/359741), one of the main keys to success is not to box herself in. While some distributors stick to a solid industry niche, like education, Hardy makes a point to branch out.

“My toes are dipped in a little bit of everything,” she says, noting that she works with markets ranging from experiential and cosmetics to healthcare and finance. Working across industries helps her creative process. “You have to think in so many different circles of the Venn diagram,” Hardy says. “So, I might have an idea for my healthcare client and then I can think about how I can sell that same product to an experiential or beauty client and just pitch it in a different way.”

That mindset has helped Hardy rapidly expand her sales. She only started in the industry in 2020, when she “had no idea how people got swag.” But from then to 2022, she enjoyed 85% growth. The following year, her sales grew another 22%, and now she’s maintaining a rolling 12-month growth of 20%.

While client diversity is key to Hardy’s approach, she does try to lean more toward experiential customers, thanks to a love of cutting-edge ideas and the fast pace of a short sales cycle. One of her most memorable projects was for a grand opening at a Japanese restaurant in Las Vegas — she shepherded through an order for a full-color, fully branded sake drum, along with matching cups and spoons.

“I think that was the first time I was like, ‘Wow, this isn’t just water bottles and socks,’” she says of how the order changed her perspective on the industry.

As a relative newcomer to promotional products, Hardy is fully loving the gig – and clearly generating ample success, something evidenced by the millions in personal sales she billed last year and the fact she was named a Whitestone MVP. “I will put in the extra hours to make magic happen for my clients and partners,” Hardy says. “I love what I do and can’t imagine what I would be doing if it wasn’t promo.”

Going forward, Hardy has a goal to maintain her 20% growth while also building out a team, adding one person a year who’s on board with her secret to sales, which she says is: “Mixing one part organization with 99 parts of just being a person that other people want to work with.” – Jennifer Billock

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In February 2005, Stacee Fernandez, owner of Promotions Pronto (asi/301257), made a decision that would alter the course of her career. She finally convinced her mom to shut down the family office supply company, start working from home, and focus solely on promo items and apparel – which was already a growing division of the business.

“The office supply/furniture side was competing heavily with the big-box stores that all seemed to come to town at once, so we wouldn’t be able to keep the doors open for long with that kind of competition,” Fernandez says of the situation before they made the change to full-time promo.

Closing down one aspect of the business and moving everything home wasn’t the easiest thing right away, though.

“First, I panicked and thought to myself, ‘What on earth have I done?’” Fernandez says. “Then, I got right to work.”

And it paid off.

In the past 20 years, Fernandez (and her mom, who still works with her and handles one of the company’s larger clients) has consistently grown the company, which now does millions of dollars annually, with Fernandez’s personal book of business overwhelmingly being the driver of the overall topline.

Promotions Pronto has gained most of its business through networking and community involvement, which means clients vary – Fernandez works with school districts, nonprofits, corporations, small businesses and others, including big names like the Alzheimer’s Association and the Boys & Girls Club.

“I have never made a cold call in my entire career,” Fernandez shares. “I spend a lot of time networking, getting involved, serving on boards, and just getting to know people and their businesses. I have built my business 100% on referrals.”

Even so, Fernandez says that there’s no one secret to success in the industry, though consistency in approach is key: She prides herself on showing up every day with a positive mindset and a hunger for hard work.

“Even after almost 20 years of being in this business, I still go to the office every morning and do the same networking, prospecting and relationship building as I did when I started,” she says. “We truly believe that there’s no order too big or too small.” – Jennifer Billock

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If there was a heavy metal rock star of the promotional products industry, Kari Fleck Gutstein, national accounts pro at Top 40 distributor American Solutions for Business (ASB, asi/120075), just might be it. At least, that’s probably what one of her favorite clients would say.

“I work with a heavy metal podcast, and they wanted something to give to rock stars,” Gutstein says. “They have everything. What are you going to do? Another tumbler? No.”

After some brainstorming with the client, she hit gold: a custom charcuterie board from Maple Ridge Farms (asi/68680). It was a slate board with a cleaver on it and matched her client’s logo perfectly. The boards immediately took off.

“They’ve been giving them to every heavy metal act you could think of, and they keep coming back for more,” she says. “It’s been a nice repeating order for me and it generates so much goodwill with the client because it makes them look good. It makes them look like a rock star.”

For sure, Gutstein’s sales in general have been rocking, increasing at a double-digit percentage rate between 2021 and 2023 into the seven figure range, as she finds success with not only her heavy metal client, but also customers in the education, manufacturing and franchise markets.

The current success is a long way from where she started her professional life. After years as a certified nurse anesthetist, Gutstein changed careers in her 40s after having her three boys and because she was simply burnt out on the medical gig.

Fortunately, she had an avenue into the something new she needed: Her mother had been in promo for 36 years and asked if she’d be interested in giving it a go. “I took a leap of faith and started learning the ropes,” Gutstein shares.

Indeed, Gutstein earned a BASI and later a MASI from ASI Education to enhance her professional development. She taught herself graphic design so she could swiftly assist customers with art-related needs. Armed with education, handy skills and a knack for being likeable and relatable, she built her roster of clients and has generated such sales success that she’s been a member of ASB’s prestigious President’s Club for several years.

“When I started, my mother gave me one account,” Gutstein shares. “She gave me my husband. He’s an independent physician, and he orders 250 business cards about once every five years. So, everything I’ve gotten, I worked for.”

One of Gutstein’s best tactics for gaining more sales is to branch out within a company she already has a hand in.

“I try to get into different departments in the same company,” she says. “If I’m working with HR, I ask for a referral to marketing.”

She calls it “working the network.” And it’s a successful strategy, even to the point where she doesn’t have to do any kind of cold-calling. Gutstein’s sales are all mostly word-of-mouth referrals.

Gutstein still works with her mom. But when her mother eventually retires, Gutstein plans to take over the business and develop her own sales force. For now, though, she’s just enjoying the togetherness.

“I don’t want my mom to retire because I love working with her,” she says. “But, I understand.” – Jennifer Billock

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The co-owner and vice president of sales at Chicago-based Printable (asi/299458), Mitch Silver has a dad joke – the cheesier, the better – for every occasion. Did you hear the one about three conspiracy theorists walking into a bar? “I mean, come on, you’re going tell me that’s a coincidence?” Silver quips.

It’s all part of the inside sales savant’s strategy of relationship-building. “I end every client interaction with a dad joke, whether via email, in person or on Zoom,” says Silver, who was previously a Salesperson of the Year Finalist in 2017. “It always ends the meeting on a high note, with a smile, and makes the client have positive feelings.”

Clearly, the approach is working: Silver consistently generates personal sales tallies well into seven figures annually.

Another key to Silver’s success during his nearly 30 years in promo? Building a dialogue and putting people at ease. It’s second nature to him. “I think people buy from those they know, like and trust,” Silver says. “If you approach sales not as sales, but as ‘How can I help you?,’ I think it just takes the edge off. It doesn’t make it seem like you’re selling them something they don’t want because you’re just trying to help them solve a business problem.”

Silver and his team are also strategic about client gifting. If they email a client, for example, and receive a bounce-back explaining that the recipient is out on maternity leave, the distributor will make a note to send out one of their premade “new baby kits” 90 days later to celebrate the happy occasion. Printable has a premade themed kit to send to clients with pets as well.

Quick to share personal information about his hobbies and the sports teams he follows, Silver relies on the “law of reciprocity” that clients will feel at ease to talk about some of their own interests in return. “And if they happen to mention that their favorite sports team is an NFL team, we have a stash of mini-NFL team figurines I can ship out that same day as a surprise,” Silver says.

Silver’s positive, proactive approach permeates Printable. The firm has appeared seven times on Counselor’s Best Places to Work in promo rankings. This year, the company ranked fifth overall on the list that features 75 companies.

That personal touch has helped Printable build a steady book of mid-market businesses, from professional associations and law firms to cyber schools and nonprofits. “We focus on companies that are between $5 million and $100 million a year,” he says. “Those companies aren’t always household names, but I’m fine working with this smaller market because not as many people are targeting them.”

A few standouts from the 600+ projects Silver oversees each year include orchestrating the customization and fulfillment of eight types of sunglasses in four colors in varying quantities for a client’s VR demo at a tech industry event; sourcing custom die-cut notebooks, custom-shaped Post-its, custom-shaped phone rings and other products for an online charter school; and drop-shipping insulated tumblers and specifically sized pullovers to 16 locations as part of a client’s rebranding efforts.

How does Silver manage it all? Humbly, he admits, with some help from friends. “Make sure you have an excellent support team working behind you that allows you to focus on sales,” he says. “Selling imprinted products is a complicated proposition. Having a sales support team that has incredible attention to detail, strong follow-up skills, a good mastery of your CRM system and friendly personalities will support you as you seek to grow your business.” – Theresa Hegel

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“The joke I always tell is my parents paid me for grades in high school, and that’s how I decided that commission sales were going to be the way I go,” John Heinz says.

That penchant for getting paid for performance has been a boon, opening the door to Heinz’s 20-year career operating on a 100% commission-based income. He wouldn’t have it any other way. It challenges him to dig deeper, outwork the next guy and come out on the other side – something he’s done with aplomb throughout his promo adventure.

Heinz humorously describes himself as a “nepo baby.” Still, his beginnings were more rags-to-riches, starting three generations back when his grandfather, who originally ran a chicken farm in Wisconsin, moved his whole family out to California to sell calendars for Top 40 distributor Nadel (asi/279600).

His father, a former NFL player who worked offseason jobs to make ends meet, followed in his grandfather’s footsteps, as did his aunt and uncle. Later, his aunt and dad would move to Branders.com during the late ʼ90s boom, as transitioning to the e-commerce-focused operator appealed to them. It wasn’t too much later that Heinz embarked on the promo path too.

After graduating college, he joined his family at Branders, starting at the “bottom rung” by taking website leads from mom-and-pop shops who would place $200-$300 orders. There, he cut his teeth, quickly learning not to underestimate “the little guys,” who were surprisingly well-connected within the promo industry. “It’s building up a book of business, just one client at a time,” Heinz says.

This strategy paid off. In a 10-year career at Branders, Heinz got over the million-dollar mark in sales. Then, he made his move to ePromos, starting another decade-year long career. “I guess 10 years is how long I work at places,” he quips.

Throughout his career, his clients have ranged from those smaller operators to “as big a scale as you could possibly imagine.”

At ePromos, Heinz began focusing on clients within the healthcare sector, including health insurance, hospice and palliative care. Switching to the enterprise side three years ago, he started working with larger, national accounts and company stores, including a Fortune 100 health insurance company. This move positioned him for serious growth: In 2022, his sales grew 86% alone – well into the multimillions.

“It’s been interesting, because you learn how those clients go to market, what they think about and how far ahead they must plan,” Heinz says. “They have a lot of needs.”

Recently, Heinz made the decision to join distributor Spark Branded Solutions. Though he’s at a new firm, he carries with him the same tried-and-true approach that’s led to ample success: Make the experience as pain-free, seamless and friendly as possible for clients. “If it’s easy for them,” he emphasizes, “I’m doing my job.” – Sami Marshak

^*Heinz was with ePromos for 10 years. Shortly before press time, he transitioned to distributor Spark Branded Solutions. His inclusion as a finalist is based on his performance at ePromos and, as such, he is listed in association with that firm.

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