As the trash fire that has been 2020 draws to a close, it’s time to look to the future (and hope that the bright spot we see is a beautiful sunrise and not just more flames). The end of the year is also the perfect time to reflect, regroup, rethink and revitalize. To that end, ASI editorial department staffers paused to share what they’re most looking forward to in 2021 and what tops their list of New Year’s resolutions. We also have some on-point suggestions of goals the promo industry as a whole should be working toward going forward.

John Corrigan, Senior Writer

What I’m looking forward to: Joe Biden doing something to alleviate the student loan burden. Twitter blew up with the idea of $50,000 in everyone’s student loan debt being wiped out as a way to stimulate the economy during the pandemic, and that would be a blessing.  

My resolution: Save money!

A resolution for promo: The promotional products industry should work on its social media presence. Too many suppliers and distributors don’t update their pages to stay relevant in the digital age.

Melissa Newman, Social Media Manager

What I’m looking forward to: A fresh year and a fresh start! I love this time of year because I’m big into goal setting. Each year, I choose a word that I want to define my year by and set goals in each of the eight life categories based off what I want to accomplish. I pour a glass of wine, pull out some old magazines and create a mood board for my goals. It’s a lovely way to remind myself what I’m working toward and makes goal setting less stressful.

My resolution: To sustain balance. I tend to try to do everything at once, and that’s just a recipe for stress.

A resolution for promo: To continue to push for diversity. It makes our industry stronger and benefits everyone.

Christopher Ruvo, Executive Editor, Counselor

What I’m looking forward to: Drinking masklessly inside a bar again. Kidding, kidding. (Sort of.) Really, I’m holding out hope that vaccine distribution and treatments will have progressed to a point that, by summer/fall, I’ll be able to coach my kids’ teams again without the specter of COVID hanging over every second of everything we do. We pulled off a miraculous COVID-free football season this autumn, but it was a complicated undertaking, to put it lightly. Sadly, basketball was nixed this winter because of rising case counts. I just want a return to something approximating normal so the kiddos can play and have fun.  

My resolution: To finally finish a single puzzle and beat my wife at chess. Well, not really, as neither of those things is likely to happen. My resolution for 2021 would be to keep getting better about controlling what I can control and letting go of the rest – not easy for this control-freak Scorpio.

A resolution for promo: Keep heart and keep adapting to the vicissitudes of the COVID-disrupted marketplace, knowing that this too will pass and, when it does, business is going to explode in some markets that have been depressed, including hospitality.

Michele Bell, Vice President of Editorial & Special Events

What I’m looking forward to: Without question, I’m looking forward to seeing industry friends in person, and being able to talk with them – face to face and over a cocktail or three – and not via a Zoom call with spotty, frustrating service and a five-second audio delay. Nothing replaces having illuminating, deep conversations (or wacky AF ones) with good friends in a dark, divey bar (looking at you, Sloppy Taco Palace in Orlando and The Lodge in Chicago).

A resolution for promo: I know it can’t happen all at once, but the industry needs to wean itself from its dependency on China for its goods. About 90% of products for this industry are imported from China, and that’s way too much from any one area – as we learned in 2019-2020 as we were at the mercy of tariff, shutdown and shipping issues.

People in sales always preach the gospel of “diversification” and how important it is to have your clients be spread across a variety of markets. I would say the same is true regarding where we’re importing products. Again, the sheer amount of imports from China is voluminous, so it won’t be possible to quit cold turkey, but I would recommend doing some research on places like Mexico, India, Vietnam, Thailand and Bangladesh, which are all improving their manufacturing infrastructures.

Also, look inward to Made in the US (or Made in Canada, depending where you’re based) manufacturing. All those people who were banging the “America First” drum in 2020? I’d love to see buyers put their money where their mouths are and start buying domestically.

Sara Lavenduski, Executive Editor, Advantages

What I’m looking forward to: I can’t wait for a big blow-out trip somewhere with my extended family, hopefully Italy. It might be a year from now, but I’m working on an itinerary so that as soon as we get the green light, we can book our flights and get packing.

My resolution: To try to slow down a bit, appreciate the little things in the everyday and just to take life one day at a time. The pandemic has certainly forced me to do that, but now I’d like to consciously choose to do it for the long term and recognize the value it has for my life and well-being.

A resolution for promo: Appreciate each other and really focus on valuable collaboration. If this year has taught us anything, it’s that, despite social distancing and recent vitriol, we do need each other. I hope that one good thing that comes out of all this is that we focus on fostering connections by exhibiting patience and grace to others so we can move the industry forward together.

C.J. Mittica, Editor-in-Chief, Counselor and Advantages

What I’m looking forward to: A sane year and seeing friends. I can quarantine with the best of them, but I’m not a hermit. For example, after a year and a half of not seeing each other, my college friends and I finally made plans for all of us to hang out together last March. You know how that story went.

My resolution: Stop being defined by what I haven’t accomplished yet and take more satisfaction in what I have accomplished. I feel like I’m getting better, but it’s a continual struggle.

A resolution for promo: The January issue of Advantages lays out a roadmap for distributors to have their best year ever, even with all the challenges we’re still facing. This year was a horrific one for business, and yet I’ve lost track of how many industry companies we heard from who said they had record years. I definitely learned there’s no use feeling sorry for yourself, and there’s always opportunity if you know where to look. I hope the promo industry takes heed.

Theresa Hegel, Executive Editor, Digital Content

What I’m looking forward to: Safe, in-person events. I miss the energy of live theater and the camaraderie of participating in 5Ks, 10Ks, etc. with a gaggle of like-minded wackos, who pay to get up at the crack of dawn on a weekend or holiday just to run in a giant loop.

My resolution: Early on in 2020, I was doing a pretty good job of keeping a bullet journal of my meaningful moments and milestones, but in March, the habit dropped off dramatically (for obvious reasons). In 2021, I hope to set and maintain a more consistent journaling routine. 

A resolution for promo: Double down on creativity, whether it’s helping a brand come up with a uniquely clever line of custom apparel or identifying the hidden opportunities buried within challenging times. If 2020 has taught us one thing, it’s that you can no longer get by just doing the same, old thing.