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Filed under: ASI Shows, Editorial, Fun, Travel
Hey Everybody!
Try not to drop your jaws like Nutcracker dolls, as I’m actually posting two blogs in one week!
The last one regaled you with all the delicious details of the fabulous PSI Dusseldorf Show; this one is way closer to home — ASI’s Orlando Show, which was off-the-charts crazy busy and tons of fun, with the weather sunshine-filled and in the mid-70s (which those of us on the East Coast just covet at this time of year…). My favorite part? The optimistic, forward-thinking, sunny mood everyone was in — drastically different (and much better) than shows three years ago.
So, without further delay, take a moment to scroll down and peruse my fairly extensive Rogues Gallery of industry raconteurs, luminaries, superstars and hurricane force hell-raisers (aka, All My Favorite People). Sometimes, as is the case here, the photos tell the story far better than I could. ; )
Cheers, and more soon from my upcoming trip to France on February 5th, for the CTCO promo products show (www.salon-ctco.com/en ) in Lyon.
Can. Not. Wait.
– M
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A word about the BrandFuel boys: Robert Fiveash and Danny Rosin (shown here, doing their signature move, the “Tebow Plank”), co-owners of the NC- and VA-based distributorship, have been friends since they were kids — which makes them similar both in origin story and capacity for cocktail-fueled fun to The Stones’ own Glimmer Twins, Keith and Mick. As stunningly talented (I worship at the altar of their self-promo campaigns) as they are humble and gracious, I just think the world of them. Click here to see a mini-profile on Robert and his workspace from ASI’s supplier magazine that I edit, Supplier Global Resource.
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(From left): I don’t use the word “beloved” often, but truly, that’s how her clients and industry friends feel about Kellie Claudio, vice president of sales for Counselor Top 40 supplier Sweda, shown here with Paige Millard (fact: if you’re really a show road warrior, who doesn’t know and love Paige???), Sweda’s trade show manager, and the lovely Lauren Anselmo, Sweda’s sales operations coordinator.
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(From left): Here’s my colleague (hence, much-beleaguered) Joe Haley, managing editor of our magazines and star of ASI’s The Joe Show, with the always-delightful Kathleen Milbier, who heads up the sales efforts for the CA-based supplier Skinit (check out their awesome items here: www.promo.skinit.com) and one of my industry faves, Brad White, vice president of sales for Counselor Top 40 distributor Boundless Network. I’ve branded the extroverted Brad with the moniker “Captain Loudmouth,” which is ironic, of course, since the level of audio coming out of my trap at any given time is a fearsome thing that could make one’s ears bleed.
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(From left): The vivacious Candace Hershey, shown here with my pal Vicky Tirpack, Midwest regional manager for Promo Marketing magazine, and her hilarious and awesome colleague, Meredith Edelman, Northeast regional manager for Promo Marketing. Is it me, or do they — a redhead, a blonde and a brunette — look like the industry’s own Charlie’s Angels?
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I’d like to tell you that this photo of my editorial colleagues (from left) C.J. Mittica (Wearables‘ editor), Larry Basinait (ASI’s research director), Melinda Ligos (senior vice president/editor-in-chief) and Joe Haley was taken in this blurred fashion to be aesthetically edgy. In fact, I think I still had the shakes from all the Riesling I drank at the PSI Düsseldorf Show.
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Why do I love this photo? Not only because it features one of the nicest guys in the industry — Mark Graham (center), owner of the Canada-based distributorship Right Sleeve Marketing (winner of last year’s Counselor Distributor Entrepreneur of the Year award!) — but it just cracks me up that Dana Zezzo (left), ProTowels’ marketing guru and industry gadabout, and ASI’s Joe Haley (right) were clearly Separated at Birth!
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Here’s Scott Anderson (left), national sales manager for Counselor Top 40 supplier Polyconcept North America, with One of My Favorite People Ever, PCNA’s Steve Gelernter, known the world over as “Stevie G.”
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PromoKitchen, a group of whip-smart and very marketing/social media-savvy suppliers and distributors (the “Chefs”), held a slammin’ soiree at a Greek restaurant in Orlando called “Taverna Opa,” which was fabulous! This is one of the sultry sirens who greeted guests at the door. Learn more about PromoKitchen at www.promokitchen.com.
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PCNA’s celebutante, Stevie G, with one of the hostesses at Taverna Opa.
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A crowd shot from the rollicking PromoKitchen party at Taverna Opa in Orlando.
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So at one point at Taverna Opa, the exotic Greek hostesses roused the crowd at the PromoKitchen party to join them for some on-the-bar dancing. The first two to leap at the offer? ProTowel’s gregarious Dana Zezzo (right) and ASI’s Jake Krolick. Hands up: Is anyone shocked by that? Anyone? (Crickets… Crickets…). And that’s why I love them!
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Two words that describe the looks on the faces of BrandFuel’s Robert Fiveash (left) and ASI’s creative director of our marketing department, Jake (or “Jakey,” as we call him back at the home office) Krolick: Mayhem. Imminent.
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Two of my favorite ASI colleagues, Jakey Krolick (left) and Colin Graf, marketing director of supplier services. Love, love, love them!
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Meet Alex McKenzie (left), a distributor salesperson with Masterwork Custom Wholesale Signs — who used to play for the Seattle Seahawks and the Atlanta Falcons — here with The Funniest Person in the Industry, Glen Colton, owner of the GA-based distributorship Seville Marketing. Glen and I have known each other for 14 years, and he has the distinction of making me laugh so hard that I cry every time I talk with him. He is a HOWL…
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Aakron Rule owner Devin Piscitelli, who was also at the PSI Show in Düsseldorf I attended earlier this month, is someone I’ve only recently gotten to know — we always moved in different circles throughout the industry, though I’d always heard how great he is. And truly, he lives up to the hype. Smart, inquisitive, engaging and slyly sardonic, I enjoy him more every time I see him and look forward to getting to know him better.
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Here’s my colleague (and designated “handler”) Joe Haley, modeling two creepy masks: one of Spiderman’s nemesis, the Green Goblin (shout-out to Nerdville!) and one of Gary Busey (see photo to the right), as he poses with ASI’s IT saviors, Jason Cissorsky (left) and Jim Talone. We all agreed, hands down, that Busey is way more shudderingly frightening.
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| Holla! to Mary Ellen Nichols, one of the most effervescent and bubbly personalities in the industry, shown here with ASI chairman Matthew Cohn (center) and the salesperson everyone loves to love, Bodek and Rhodes’ Marc Held. |
Counselor Top 40 supplier SanMar won the Best Booth award for an apparel company, and here’s my friend John Lindgren, marketing manager for SanMar, who was integral in the booth’s snazzy, retail-inspired design.
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For the first time, ASI presented Best Booth awards to exhibitors, based on attendee text voting. Spirit Awards’ self-created, stadium-style booth took the prize for Best Booth over 10′ x 10′. A fairly new supplier, Babble Text, won among the booths that were 10′ x 10′.
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Hollywood may have Brangelina, but in our industry, we have “Mardine,” the impossibly-attractive industry celebs that are Pacific Coast Golf’s Mark Hobbs and PromoBiz’s Nadine Panetti, two of my favorite pals.
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Having dinner with Jamie Raynor, my dear friend from JournalBooks, is like being able to relax with someone you can feel supremely comfortable with — she is the definition of grace and equanimity.
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My pal Jason Emery, vice president of sales at Counselor Top 40 supplier Logomark and someone who was on Wearables magazine’s “Best Dressed” list in 2011 — a title he lives up to in spades every time I see him.
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I just had to snap this photo of CJ Schmidt, someone I adore, right before his company Hit Promotional Products won the Distributor Choice award for Best Keytags & Luggage Tags.
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Rarely do I take a photo of someone that captures their personality as much as this one does, of my BFF Tim O’Boyle (“Ringo,” to his nearest and dearest…) from JournalBooks. Something about the glint in his eye and smirk on his face just makes me giggle.
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Ah, my dear friends Pete Gleason (left) and Christopher Duffy, with Counselor Top 40 supplier BagMakers, who won a Distributor Choice award for Best Shopping Bags. I’ve known these gentlemen since my wild heyday in the industry (Yep… I used to be worse. Swear. To. God.), and remember with perfect clarity how Christopher, at a party during the PPAI Show in Dallas one year, carried me around on his back — like an organ grinder with his yappy little pet monkey. Good stuff.
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| Do you know the awesome folks at Counselor Top 40 supplier, Broder? You really should, and I’d recommend starting with Ken Seidl (left) and the ever-charming Chris Blakeslee, who are as super-nice as they are whip-smart about industry apparel. Here they are with my editorial colleague C.J. Mittica, editor of Wearables magazine. |
Every year at the Orlando Show, two colleagues of mine at ASI on the Supplier Sales team — the very gracious Phyllis Mutnick and Suzanne Rozick — hold a celebratory dinner-to-die-for at The Palm, for their clients who’ve won and were finalists in the Counselor Distributor Choice Awards. They’re kind enough to invite me along to host a table of guests, and each year, I’m lucky enough to have David Byrne (left) and Jason Grindall from Graphco Line sit with me. The antics ensue soon after… ; )
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You know you’ve “arrived” when your visage has been drawn on the famed walls of The Palm, alongside legends and luminaries. Here’s ASI’s president/CEO signing his image at The Palm in Orlando.
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Love, love, love these two: Vantage’s Ira Neaman and Bodek and Rhodes’ Mary Ellen Nichols.
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Back story: At the aforementioned annual dinner at the Palm, I met Michael Moore, whose family owns Bay State Specialties, last year for the first time. Thirty minutes and four martinis between the two of us later, I was in shock and awe. Oh, Holy Hell: He’s the male me. I only get to hang with him once a year, at this dinner in Florida, and when we do, our cocktailing and subsequent antics have been described as “When Godzilla Parties With Mothra.”
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Take a good look at this photo: This is your face on Patron shots. Michael Moore and I, cavorting at The Palm (after which, we may or may not have jumped in a hypothetical fountain and then taken a theoretical golf cart for a joyride…).
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Here’s the fabulous Dan Jellinek, vice president of Counselor Top 40 supplier (and 2012 Distributor Choice award-winner!) Magnet LLC, with the most fun couple in the industry, this side of Dan & Natalie Townes: Janet & Bill Korowitz, who run Magnet. So awesome are they, that I actually flew to a show once just to hang out with them. They’re like F. Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald, without the darkness. “Hilarity was right up their alley, with pandemonium just around the bend…”
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ASI’s creative marketing director, Jake Krolick, posing with the models he hired to tout ASI’s new SmartSales service.
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How fitting to end this blog with a photo of my illustrious “work husband,” Ron Ball. Our boss, Rich Fairfield, claims that though he loves us, we are his “two most unmanageable employees.” Really? I just don’t get why… ; )
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Filed under: ASI Shows, Editorial, Travel
Hi Everyone!
Hope you’re enjoying your summer and staying cool in this Serengeti-esque heat!
Next week (from 7/19-21) is the ASI Chicago Show at the McCormick Place Convention Center. I’ll be there with bells on, as Chi-Town is one of my favorite cities in the U.S. (filled with some of my favorite industry people — I’m looking at you, Sharon Biernat!).
If you’re an exhibiting supplier at the show, please join me for two free panel discussions I’ll be moderating on Education Day.
The first, on Tuesday, 7/19, from noon-1:15 in the dining room behind the Registration Area is titled, “What Distributors Want.” Take a break from setting up your booth, enjoy a free lunch on ASI and learn from four top distributors — all from Counselor Top 40 companies – what they’re looking for from their suppliers. Covering issues like pricing, product safety, building trust and relationships between suppliers and distributors and what types of marketing get their attention, my panelists — Brown and Bigelow’s Cindy Jorgenson, American Solutions for Business’s Sadie Schlief, HALO Branded Solutions’ Julie Harms and WorkflowOne’s Mike Riddle — will address it all! For sure, it’s a panel discussion not to be missed by suppliers. And did I mention there’s a free lunch served? ; )
The second Suppliers-Only panel discussion I’ll be moderating is on the topic of pricing, held from 4-5 p.m. in Power Session Room 1, on the show floor. For sure, one of the trickiest, most time-consuming and critical business responsibilities facing suppliers today is setting pricing for products. A little like Goldilocks, you don’t want your prices too low — which will adversely affect your profits — or too high, which will give your competitors an advantage. So how do you find that sweet spot where you have the ability to make money for your company and keep your clients happy? Our panelists — all respected industry veterans on the supplier side of the business — will share their expertise on the topic: Bonni Shevin-Sandy, president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Dard Design, which imports all of its items from overseas; Eric Johnson, co-owner of Halls & Co./ID Line, which imports items while handling some manufacturing in the U.S.; Mel Ellis, president of HumphreyLine, which manufactures 100% of its items in the U.S.; and Ira Neaman, president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Vantage Apparel, who has expertise and insights on handling pricing in a volatile economy and dealing with cotton fluctuations.
So I look forward to seeing you all at the ASI Chicago Show on Education Day, on the show floor and in the evenings at Kitty O’Sheas in the Hilton, where I’ll be planted like a lawn dart. ; )
Cheers, and more next week with tons of fun photos from the show!
– M
Filed under: ASI Shows, Editorial, Fun, Travel
Well, hey there everyone!
Hope you’re all getting ready for a raucous Memorial Day weekend, as I am!
Having just returned from the ASI San Diego Show, I wanted to share my slide show of fun and festivities from all the after-hours events (when I, and my degenerate ilk, really shine!). Did we have fun? You betcha! Did it take me days to recover? Hell to the Yeah! Some may leave their hearts in San Francisco, but I have no doubt my liver’s quivering somewhere in a gutter in San Diego.
Enjoy the photos of some of my favorite industry celebs, all of whom were in fine form at swanky soirees like the Counselor Top 40 banquet (and the subsequent after-party at the Hard Rock Cafe). Now, without further adieu, take a moment or two to gaze upon my prodigiously talented, profoundly insane, chronically eccentric, hurricane-force hell raisers. Love. Them. All.
Cheers and more soon!
– M
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| At every show we attend, my editorial colleagues and I have a great dinner the night before Education Day, courtesy of our boss, Melinda Ligos, ASI’s senior vice president and the editor-in-chief. Here, we’re at The Strip Club in San Diego which — despite its name — did not have writhing women on display (though it did have lots of prints by famed artist Alberto Vargas of his WWII pinup “Varga Girls” on the wall…). Here’s ASI’s Editorial Crew (from left): Managing Editor Joan Chaykin; Managing Editor and star of “The Joe Show,” Joe Haley; Counselor Editor Andy Cohen; Senior Writer Dave Vagnoni; Advantages Editor Kathy Huston; Editor-in-Chief Melinda Ligos and Larry Basinait, the executive director of ASI’s research services. |
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| The concept behind The Strip Club restaurant? It’s a steakhouse where you pick out the cut of your meat and cook it yourself. Let me just stop you all right there. I’ve never cooked meat. Ever. Not because I’m ethically opposed to it, mind you; just ’cause I’m lazy. So, our editorial boys stepped up to the plate and cooked steaks for us chicas — and let me tell ya, they are masters behind the grill. |
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| Here’s ASI’s marketing manager extraordinaire and an industry favorite, Jake Krolick (left), shown here with his BFF Jeff Anderton, an industry consultant who owns VideoFarm.TV. Want to create the coolest videos ever for your company? Jeff is your guy (plus, he’s just the cat’s meow). |
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| Here’s Jakey (as we call him back in the Trevose home office) with The Best Event Planner Ever, Sat Mamuels (that’s his alias, as he hates to be searched out online). Sat does every special event for us here at ASI, including our yearly Power Summit and the Counselor Top 40 banquet, which was just held in San Diego. Triple-snaps and a huge “HOLLA” to him for always kicking it up a notch. |
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While the location and venue of ASI’s annual Counselor banquet change each year, one thing that remains the same is that Damian Want, the senior vice president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Logomark, always brings me a wrist corsage, as we refer to the event as “the industry’s prom.” This year, he bought me orchids from farm that grows them specifically. This is our 2011 prom photo!
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| Each year, I host a table at the Counselor banquet of those nearest and dearest to me. This year, I was lucky enough to have the lovely ladies from Counselor Top 40 supplier Dard Products and my pals from Counselor Top 40 distributor Jack Nadel Int’l (JNI). Here’s Michelle Michelsen, Dard’s director of sales and marketing with one of my all-time favorites, Craig Reese, senior vice president/partner, of JNI. For years I’ve called Craig “The Porkchop” because he’s so yummy. ; ) |
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| One of my closest girlfriends in the industry, the lovely and talented Bonni Shevin-Sandy — who runs Dard and Dard Design — with one of my new favorite people, Anthans Zafiropoulos, the vice president of new business development and a partner at JNI. He may be one of the most gracious people I’ve met in quite some time. |
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| Industry veteran (and quite the hoot!) Stacy Horton shown here with my beloved Craig Nadel, president and scion of JNI. |
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| (From left): The always-entertaining Paul Kory, director of sales for Counselor Top 40 supplier Vantage; Ira Neaman (the Yoda of Wearables — uber-knowledgeable, he is), owner/president of Vantage; and Mark Johnson, the very charming president of Counselor Top 40 distributor EmbroidMe, at this year’s Counselor banquet, held at the Air & Space Museum in San Diego. In addition to it being a way-cool venue, guests were invited to test-pilot flight simulators and other attractions. |
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| (From left): One of my two “work husbands” at ASI (the other is Ron Ball, vice president of supplier sales and legendary industry character…), here’s Christian Brandt, executive director of ASI’s distributor services, with his pal Tipton Shonkwiler — brand director/vice president of Plan Ahead Events and vice president/director of United Franchise Group — and Rebecca Viani, the vice president of operations for Plan Ahead Events. |
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| What a fun pair! Jay Deutsch, CEO of Counselor Top 40 distributor BDA with Paula Shulman, the vice president of sales for Counselor Top 40 supplier Prime Line. |
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How much do I adore Craig Nadel, shown here with the Counselor Top 40 award for his company (JNI had double-digit growth in 2010!)? Oh, let me count the ways. Craig is the second person I met in the industry, over 14 years ago, and we’ve stayed close ever since due to the fact — as he’s fond of telling people — that we have spirited discussions on everyone’s top three favorite topics: Politics, sex and the state of our industry. “If you knew anything at all about sports, Michele, you’d be perfect.” There are 10 people I’d walk through fire for in the industry. Craig’s in the top five.
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(From left): JNI’s Craig Reese, Athans Zafiropoulos, Hit Promotional Products’ CJ Schmidt, Dard’s Bonni Shevin-Sandy, Stacy Horton and Sunrise Identity’s Mitch Mounger, enjoying quality time at the Counselor Top 40 banquet.
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The one and only Trevor Gnesin, president of Logomark and Craig Nadel, president of Jack Nadel Int’l. — two of my favorite California-based industry celebs!
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CJ Schmidt, vice president of sales for Counselor Top 40 supplier Hit Promotional Products, and JNI’s Athans Zafiropoulos. A few words about CJ: I’ve just gotten to know him over the past year or so and jus think the world of him. As smart as he is fun, you have to love someone who dressed up for Halloween one year as Will Farrell’s Ron Burgundy character from Anchorman. He’s just fabulous!
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| Have you met the guys from ETS Express? You should! They’re new to the Counselor Top 40 list of suppliers this year (their sales were up 58% from last year — way to go!) and couldn’t be happier! They do an awesome job — stop by their booth the next time you’re at a show with them and say hi! (From left): Sharon Eyal, CEO; Leeton Lee, vice president of compliance and general counsel (seriously, one of the smartest and most knowledgeable people I’ve met on the topic of product safety and compliance!); and the awesome Adam Kovar, ETS’s director of sales. |
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| (From left): Benn Chazen, sales manager for BamBams; Hit Promo’s CJ Schmidt; and JNI’s Craig Reese. |
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| Vantage Apparel’s Paul Kory and a fabulous new friend, Jerrel Bohac, operations manager of promotional marketing at Counselor Top 40 distributor WorkflowOne. |
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(From left): Vantage’s Paul Kory; WorkflowOne’s Jerrel Bohac; Tekweld’s Roee Tadmor; and Josh (or Joshy, as those of us who love him call him!) Goodelman of Liqui-Mark.
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Dave Saracino, sales guru at Norwood & BIC Graphic USA, shown here with the lovely Tonia Allen Gould, owner of TAG! The Creative Source.
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| WorkflowOne’s Jerrel Bohac, shown here with my colleague, the vivacious Candace Hershey, ASI’s executive director of supplier advocacy. |
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| Do you know Scott Pearson, vice president of product development and marketing for Counselor Top 40 supplier, Sweda? Of course you do. Everyone loves Scott, or as we call him, “Giggles,” due to his infectious laugh and gregariousness. |
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Meet my new favorite person in the industry, Larry Cohen, president/owner of the NY-based Counselor Top 40 distributor Axis Promotions. Not only is Larry HIL-ARIOUS (I told him, with my trademark Kissinger-esque diplomacy, “I always thought you were kinda nerdy, but you’re really funny…”), but his company had 20% growth last year. Why? Due in no small part to the jaw-droppingly creative self-promotion campaigns he and his team consistently craft and send out to clients and prospects. Put Larry on your “get to know” list.
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Two of my absolute favorite rock stars in the industry, as graciously charming as they are take-your-breath-away fun! Memo Kahan (left), owner of Counselor Top 40 distributor PromoShop and Jim Hagan, president of Sweda. ADORE them!
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| The first time I met Memo Kahan, owner of PromoShop, I was coming back from the beach at 6:00 a.m. in Long Beach, CA, during the SAAC Show, sandy and missing a stiletto. Four hours later, I was conducting a podcast interview with him on industry trends and he refrained from snickering at me. That was seven years ago and we’ve been friends ever since. He is, quite simply, the best. |
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| Here’s Memo, me and Chris Clark, vice president of sales for Counselor Top 40 supplier Ash City. Chris is a delight, and I am fascinated with his enigmatic boss, the apparel oracle, Garry Hurvitz. I haven’t met Garry yet, but he is on my list of “People I’m Dying to Meet.” Can. Not. Wait. |
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Memo Kahan and CJ Schmidt, giving each other the “bromance” gaze. These boys crack me up!
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| Vantage’s Paul Kory and industry bon vivant, Dan Townes, owner of Shepenco/Shelbyville Pencil. |
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| Shlomo Cohen, sales manager at ETS Express. Shlomo and I have known each other for years, having first met on the party circuit at the SAAC Show. |
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| (From left): The always-stunning and charming Lori Bauer, trade marketing manager with Counselor Top 40 supplier Norwood & BIC USA; Memo Kahan and Chuck (or “Chuckles,” as we call him) Fandos, CEO of Counselor Top 40 distributor Gateway/CDI — someone who always makes me giggle with delight when I see him. I’m at the bottom of the photo, looking like a little drunken Muppet. |
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| Norwood/BIC’s lovely Lori Bauer, PromoShop’s Memo Kahan and Gateway/CDI’s Chuck Fandos. |
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| Here’s me, with Lori Bauer and Memo Kahan. I look at this photo and think, “this is exactly the moment when I should have put myself to bed.” But, of course, no… |
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Axis Promotions’ Larry Cohen (in the foreground), with Kris Robinson, vice president of PromoShop behind him. Note that something is amiss with K-Rob’s finger. If I was a betting girl (and I am) I would guess that he was doing his famed “Flaming Statue of Liberty” trick, where he dips his fingers in a shot of Sambuca, lights them on fire and raises his arm in a majestic fashion, as if to say, “Worship me, bitches.” And of course, we do. ; )
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(From left): Chuck Fandos, Memo Kahan and Dave Saracino. Seriously, if this industry had mayors, it would be these three. They might not make it past the confirmation hearings due to their legendary, Stones-esque reveling, but I’d vote for them.
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WorkflowOne’s Jerrel Bohac (left) and Hit Promo’s CJ Schmidt.
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My favorite publisher in the world is my boss, Rich Fairfield, ASI’s executive vice president (’cause he puts up with me like he has the patience of Job!). But my second favorite publisher is my pal, Matty Barnes (left), the publisher of Promo Marketing magazine. Matty and I talk once a week and have some laugh-out-loud conversations about the industry — he’s awesome. Here he is, with one of my oldest industry pals, Eric Johnson, owner of Halls & Co./IDLine. When I need someone to talk me off the ledge, E is a voice of reason amongst my chorus of crazy.
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| Here’s my colleague and pal Joe Haley, ASI’s managing editor and star of The Joe Show. On this particular day, he was demonstrating a light-up glove he found on the show floor and was about to demo on The Joe Show. He moonwalked for me because I harangued him. And, after working together for 14+ years, he knows better than anyone that no one harangues like I do. |
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| Jeff Grippando, the awesome guy at the helm of Counselor Top 40 distributor WorkflowOne, shown here with my colleague Joan Chaykin, managing editor of Counselor and Advantages magazines. |
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| Some back story: After three days in stilettos, I whined like a toddler about walking anywhere. So, I made Counselor editor Andy Cohen take a rickshaw with me, from the Hilton Bayfront hotel to Petco Park (which is all of a 10 minute walk, if that), where we were seeing the Padres game with some supplier pals. As Andy correctly pointed out, as he sighed and rolled his eyes, people were walking faster than our rickshaw was moving. Meh. I loved it. |
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| My colleague Colin Graf, supplier marketing manager at ASI, put together an event in the Picnic Area at Petco Park for ASI clients. The venue was so awesome (and included barbeque and beer!) that we were literally this-close to the Padres’ pitchers in their bullpen. So nice were they that they even came over and signed autographs. |
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| Eric Johnson from Halls & Co./IDLine with Counselor editor Andy Cohen at the Padres game at Petco Park in San Diego. |
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Andy Cohen with Jeff Sliva and Jeanna Abercrombie from Pepco Poms, who graciously sponsored the outing. It was an awesome event and big shout-out to Jeff, Jeanna and all the fine folks at Pepco!
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| I’ve been told that when Dan Townes, owner of Shepenco, and I start drinking together, people run for cover. As I looked at this photo, taken by my friend Karen Cohen, owner of the awesome San Diego-based supplier All In One, I was reminded of that scene from Jaws where Quint and Hooper compare their aquatic injuries. If there were cartoon thought bubbles over our heads, the conversation would go something like this. Michele: “Remember that time I broke my ankle when we fell out the front door of Dick’s Last Resort in Dallas?” Dan: “Yes, m’am. Remember that time I woke up on the bathroom floor of my room in the Adam’s Mark and had tile marks on my face for half a day?” Good stuff. |
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| Here’s my other work husband (yes, I have two — what good is having one of anything?), Ron Ball, ASI’s vice president of supplier sales. He is a lunatic, and I mean that in the best possible way. |
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This is Dan Taylor, owner of BamBams and one of the nicest guys you’d ever want to meet, with Phyllis Mutnick, one of my favorite sales reps at ASI.
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| Another industry fan favorite, Worldwide Line’s Steve Rone (left), with ASI’s Candace Hershey and Jake Krolick. |
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Counselor editor Andy Cohen and ASI’s research superhero, Larry Basinait.
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(From left): Worldwide Line’s Steve Rone, Shepenco’s adorable Natalie Townes and ASI’s Jake Krolick.
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My Sweda BFFs! (From left): Jamie Berridy, marketing manager; a friend of Scott Pearson’s & Jim Hagan’s, who was so much fun to party with and so delightfully mischievous that he shall henceforth be known as “the Gremlin”; Scott and Jim. Love, love, love them.
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Graphcoline owner Jim Humphrey, me and my pal Jason Grindall from Graphco. Jason and I once spent a week traveling through the Midwest on a bus together, on an Advantages road show. I made sure the bus was stocked with beer and cocktails at the end of every show day, so we had quite the rollicking time.
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Here’s a new friend, Chris Barrett of ModernLine, with ASI’s associate publisher, Ed Koehler.
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Chris Lovell, ASI’s senior vice president, makes friends with The Padre.
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Dan “The Man” Townes, ASI’s Joan Chaykin and Andy Cohen.
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BamBams’ Ryan Person and my favorite Dans: Townes and Taylor.
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After the Padres game on Thursday night, my colleagues Jakey Krolick (left) and Colin Graf (a.k.a. “El Diablo”), both from ASI’s marketing department, took a bunch of suppliers and distributors with us “off the grid” to Pacific Beach. This is still fairly early in the evening…
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Every so often, you see a photo that absolutely captures the personality of its subject. This photo of Jakey, who — in addition to being one of ASI’s star marketers — is an awesome music critic for online publications, is him to a T… the latter-day version of Lester Bangs.
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My pal Colin is usually the calm and measured yin to Jake’s yang and the epitome of stoicism at work. Here, we see his alter-ego, Kyle, tearing it up on the dance floor as though he was a contestant for the Mirror Ball trophy.
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ASI’s sassy distributor sales rep, Meghan Bogarde, and our executive consultant for the Canadian marketplace, the legendary Freddie Oesen (or “The Prime Minister of Canada,” as I call him…).
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As with every good story, this one ends with someone in recovery mode on the plane ride home. Here’s one of ASI’s favorite staffers, Gene Rahill, our director of digital advertising, trying not to wince as my camera flash goes off. Gene, good boy that he is, waited until the end of the show to rage like a rock star. I tell you, he kept those sunglasses on for 10 hours straight to dull the pain. We love him here at ASI!
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Filed under: ASI Shows, Editorial, Fun, Travel
Hi Everyone & Happy May!
Long time, no blog. I know… I’ve been incommunicado, off the grid and under the radar, working on deadlines for ASI’s supplier magazine that I edit, Supplier Global Resource, and writing the Person of the Year cover story for June’s Counselor (stay tuned for this year’s exciting choice). It’s nice to resurface!
So, how’s your spring and summer shaping up? I’ll be heading to San Diego — one of my favorite cities ever (due in no small part to its high concentration of hottie, long-haired surfer boys) — on May 17th for the ASI Show. Will you be there? If so, join me for one or both of the education sessions I’ll be moderating on Wednesday, May 18th.
If you’re a distributor who’s interested in learning how you can immediately increase your sales, get new clients and gain market share, please join me for my session on “The Secrets of Successful Self-Promotion Campaigns.” It’s from 11:00 a.m.-noon in room 26B of the San Diego Convention Center, and features such award-winning industry luminaries as Cliff Quicksell, Bluegrass Promotions’ Billy Booe and Counselor Top 40 distributor Boundless Network’s Brad White — all of whom will be showing examples and discussing techniques for growing your sales and client base with stellar self-promos.
How much do I love self-promo campaigns? Oh, let me count the ways. When they’re done with a modicum of time, planning and creativity, they deliver off-the-charts ROI. Check out these three examples…
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| When Leed’s, a member of Counselor Top 40 supplier group Polyconcept North America, wanted to tout its new totes, it used a pizza theme to convey the message. The creativity wowed clients, and the company saw sales of the item skyrocket. |
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| When Counselor Top 40 supplier Bodek and Rhodes sent clients light-up Rudolph the Reindeer noses affixed to holiday cards with its sales reps’ photos, the apparel company saw 25% of recipients follow-up — a striking increase over past years, when only basic cards were sent. |
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Last year’s winner of the ASI Spirit Award for Best Distributor Self-Promotion Campaign was IL-based Edventure Promotions. Click here to read about his promo that garnered the company $50,000 in new business. (Check out June’s Counselor for the winners of this year’s ASI Spirit Awards for Best Self-Promotion campaigns…)
If you’re a supplier, take a break from setting up your booth to join me for my session, “What Distributors Want,” featuring key staffers from four top distributors, all sharing tips and strategies for becoming their industry partners. The session will be held from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in Session Room B, right on the show floor, and my panelists include Craig Reese, senior vice president/partner of Counselor Top 40 distributor Jack Nadel International and Todd Singleton, owner of the third-generation distributor, The Singleton Co. Inc. There’s no need to register, and snacks will be served.
Hope to see you all in San Diego from May 17-21. When I’m not moderating education sessions or walking the show floor, you can find me perched on a bar stool in the nearest surfer bar, getting my shedonism on with my hurricane-force hellraisers (Memo Kahan, Kris Robinson, Chuckles Fandos, Mark Hobbs & Nadine Panetti, Dan Townes and Jakey Krolick, I’m turning a gimlet-eyed gaze in your direction…). Come find me and I’ll buy you a cocktail! ; )
Cheers,
M
Filed under: ASI Shows, Editorial, Fun, Travel
Hey Y’all! (See, I’ve still got my Dallas on!)
So I just returned from a rollicking, rave-worthy ASI Dallas Show that was one for the books (along with my bar tabs…). I’ve always loved Dallas, since way back when PPAI used to have its shows there, so I truly look forward to this ASI event each year. As you’ll see from the voluminous amount of photos below, a grand ole time was had by all (I’m looking at you, Billy Booe, Julie Ditchik and Scottie Nussinow)! My favorite parts? Meeting new friends like Proforma’s Kelsey Anthony, who I’ve talked to numerous times on the phone and via e-mail, but had never met in person, and spending time with those I don’t see as often as I’d like to — my gal pal Lisa Horn, Polyconcept North America’s Melissa Lehman and Sweda’s Kellie Claudio, for example.
The show itself was an undeniable success: 3,600 distributors in attendance, an increase of 8% from last year, and record-breaking attendance for first lady Laura Bush’s keynote address, with more than 600 people packing the ballroom of the Dallas Convention Center to hear Mrs. Bush speak.
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention ASI’s second-annual Women’s Summit, held at the magnificent French Room in the Adolphus Hotel. Networking with my favorite industry ladies, sanctioned mid-day drinking and a keynote address from the lovely and inspiring Mrs. Bush. What more could you ask for?
Hope to see you all soon at the next show, where my goal is to keep the good times — and optimistic mood we’re all in — going!
Cheers, and more soon!
– M
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| Here I am at the Dragonfly restaurant, located within the very swanky Hotel ZaZa in Dallas, with (from left) Mark Hobbs, president of Pacific Coast Golf, Nadine Panetti, vice president of PromoBiz USA and Christian Brandt, executive director of ASI’s distributor sales department. Their aliases, by which they’re better known, are McDreamy (for obvious reasons), the Saucy Aussie (Australia’s most sassy export!) and Tigerbeat (my colleague who all the girls swoon over like teenyboppers). When Christian and I go out with Mark and Nadine, we always have a memorable evening (followed by soul-shattering hangovers the next morning). |
I really can’t remember if Nadine was patting Christian’s face in an affectionate, sisterly way or preparing to give him a slap for being a smartass. Either way, it was hilarious. |
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| I love that at the haute Hotel ZaZa in Dallas, the maitre’d greeted everyone — in lieu of traditional candy or nuts — with a martini glass full of fruit loops. Which, considering my dinner companions, is irony at its finest. |
Have you met Jake Krolick (“Jakey,” to you and I), ASI’s uber-creative and weapons grade-wacky marketing manager? Jake says I have a talent for taking photos of him that showcase his libertine, rock-star self and this one is no exception — he looks sketchy, but in a fun way. Want to know how to use social media to create off-the-charts innovative marketing? Jakey’s your guy. |
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| Murray Siegel (left), marketing manager for Towel Specialties, is the face of the company and one of the reasons it continues to win Counselor Distributor Choice awards year after year. Murray and I have known each other for years, having bonded over the sheer brilliance of the movie Diner, and its fabulously sardonic dialogue. Here, Murray joins Brad White, vice president of sales for Counselor Top 40 distributor Boundless Network, for some cocktails. See you on the Chisholm Trail, Murray! ; ). |
Here’s a funny story for ya: So Brad White overwhelmingly wins the Supplier Salesperson of the Year award from ASI’s Supplier Global Resource magazine (as voted on by distributors) for his above-and-beyond service and salesmanship with the San Diego-based supplier AddVenture for 14 years, and promptly becomes a distributor, joining Boundless Network as its vice president of sales, much to the chagrin of his distributor clients, who simply adore him. Here he is with his award, which he so richly deserves for his sheer enthusiasm and sales talent — Brad will always be one of the best, regardless if he’s a supplier or a distributor. Next to him is my girl Jilly Albers, who you’ve met in this blog many times before and is director of business development for the OH-based distributorship Shumsky. Jilly always stays with me in my hotel room when we’re at shows together, and we always have a blast. I don’t have a sister, but if I did, it’d be Jilly. |
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| Sweda’s Paige Millard (inexplicably looking as though I just kicked him with my stiletto in an especially sensitive area) and Jilly each stand well over 6′ feet tall and make someone like me, 5′4″ in heels, look like I should be baking snacks in the Keebler tree when I stand next to them. I call Paige and Jilly my “leaf-eaters.” Love them both! |
ASI’s senior vice president of professional development and editor-in-chief of its magazines, Melinda Ligos, in the midst of a delightful dinner at The Palm — hosted by supplier sales rep Mary Sells and ASI’s executive management consultant for ASI Canada, Fred Oesen — with Billy Booe, vice president of business development for Charlotte, NC-based distributor Bluegrass Promotions. Billy was on my “Secrets of Successful Self-Promotions” education panel earlier that day and made it a huge success. He is as charming and fun as he is smart and creative! |
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| Having just celebrated his 8th anniversary as ASI’s president and CEO, Tim Andrews (center) welcomes the very vivacious Leslie Austin and Loren Hudson, new suppliers who own MojoGlo, and an awesome company with tres cool products. (Check them out at www.mojoglo.com) Also shown, Pinnacle Designs’ Julie Ditchik. More on Jules momentarily… |
Tim, one of the smartest people I’ve ever worked for (and second in sassy snarkiness only to me), poses with the one and only Julie Ditchik, director of sales for the CA-based supplier Pinnacle Designs. Jules and I have known each other for years and she is a whirlwind of energy. More accurately, she’s a pistol — without a silencer. LOVE her! |
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(From left): Typically, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone more raucous than Jules and I at a gathering, but this guy — Bill Miller from BCG Creations in Canada — made us seem like wallflowers at the prom. Here’s Bill and Jules, with one of my two “work husbands” (the other is Christian “Tigerbeat” Brandt), Ron Ball, ASI vice president of supplier sales — another “introvert.”
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Bill Miller and his lovely wife, Sharon, from BCG Creations. I was lucky enough to have these two firecrackers at my table during a dinner in a private room at The Palm, making for a very entertaining evening. |
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Mary Sells (center), one of ASI’s hosts for a very memorable dinner at The Palm, celebrated her birthday with her guests, including Bluegrass Promotions’ Billy Booe (to her left), with some singing and cake.
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Mark Bruk (left), vice president of CFS Promotions for Now!, once convinced me that it was a good idea to join one leg of an Advantages roadshow to “experience life on the road.” Consequently, because I stocked the tour bus with beer, wine and various “spirits,” and encouraged suppliers to drink through the Midwest with me, my liver still quivers at the thought of it. Thanks for the memories, Mark! Next to him is Barry Hermanson, the owner of Aunt Beth’s Cookie Keepers.
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I love going to dinner with ASI’s sales reps, because I always get to meet interesting, new people outside of my usual lunatic fringe of kooks and degenerates. At this particular dinner, I was able to meet Frank Rocco (left) from Marathon Prestige and Ray Mancari, with Aunt Beth’s Cookie Keepers.
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If there is a male version of me, in his deep, deep love of wine and the superhuman capacity to consumer large quantities of it, it’s Stuart Johnson, president of CFS Promotions for Now! Should we ever be at a vineyard together, we’d cause more devastation than locusts. ; )
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| Leslie Austin of Mojoglo and her stunning, so very Texas Christian Louboutin stilettos, which were red suede and rhinestone. I stand in awe of these shoes and this chica wore them well! |
These boys, who are responsible for the livelihood of many a bartender, are some of my favorites. (From left): Scottie Nussinow, vice president of marketing for Points of Light; ASI’s Christian Brandt and Bluegrass Promotions’ Billy Booe. |
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| Joe Hoffman (left), vice president of business development for Jetline, who wears a perpetually amused smirk that conveys he knows everybody’s secrets, is shown here with Loren Hudson, from Mojoglo, as we all partied at the bar at The Palm, post-dinner. |
You know how they say “a picture speaks a thousand words”? This one speaks two: “delicious” and “trouble.” (From left): Points of Light’s Scottie Nussinow; ASI’s social butterfly and executive director of the ESP Information Team, Candace Hershey; and Dan Townes, owner of Shepenco/Shelbyville Pencil, with whom I once went on a legendary 15-hour bender in Hong Kong. |
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| Some of my awesome ASI colleagues: Christian Brandt; Angela Wright, manager of ASI’s electronic advertising; and Freddy Oesen of ASI Canada — or, as I call him, The Prime Minister. |
My pal Scottie Nussinow and the beyond-delightful Megan Erber, the mid-Atlantic sales manager for Jetline. Megan, a martial arts expert, could incapacitate you more swiftly than Spock with his Vulcan Death Grip, incidentally. |
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Here’s Joe Haley, ASI’s managing editor and star of The Joe Show, channeling his inner Golden Girl and hiding behind his alter ego, Betty White.
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My sista Jilly and one of my industry faves from way back, Eric (“E,” to you and I) Johnson, co-owner of the MN-based supplier Halls & Co./IDLine. True story: E and I met 14 years ago at my very first PPAI Dallas Show. Not knowing any better, I was walking the show in 4″ stilettos and wanted to die after about six aisles. I spotted E in his booth and noticed he had an extra chair, which I promptly commandeered after introducing myself. Now, at every show where we’re both in attendance, E gets an extra chair for me in his booth, where I plant myself for extended periods of time — like a lawn dart. |
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| Freddy Oesen, head of ASI Canada (and the aforementioned “Prime Minister”) held a private dinner at famed chef Stephan Pyles’ restaurant, which he graciously invited me to attend. Two of the many awesome guests were my pal Harry Fotopoulos, sales manager for OraLabs, and Kirsten Olson from Showdown Displays. |
Stephan Pyles’ famed restaurant in Dallas was just stunning, and the food was off-the-charts. The only thing better was the fabulous people in attendance.
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| Two people who define “life of the party”: ASI’s Candace Hershey and OraLabs’ Harry Fotopoulos. |
The host with the most at our private dinner at Stephan Pyles’ restaurant, here’s Freddy Oesen (center) with Gigi Grein and Richard Bubis from the Canadian supplier Fersten.
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| My ASI colleague Angela Wright was seated next to the very charming and cordial Jeff Firkser, from St. Regis Crystal. A native South African, I could have listened to Jeff’s accent all night. |
Kharl Douyon with Fersten sat next to me at dinner and is one of the most interesting people I’ve met in quite some time. Born in Haiti but living now in Canada, Kharl’s family still lives in Port-au-Prince. |
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| A little background for this photo: Kharl Douyon, who was born and raised in Haiti, shared with our table that he had never had tequila before and was curious as to its allure. Now note Dan Townes — who never met a bottle of tequila he didn’t love — sitting at the table as well. Quicker than you could say “Patrone,” we each had cordial-sized shot glasses filled to the brim with tequila. Because, as Dan rationed, “I’m just trying to be hospitable.” Yes, Sweetie. |
Held in the famous French Room of the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, ASI’s second-annual Women’s Summit was a smashing success, with over 65 of the best and brightest ladies in the industry gathering to meet former first lady and Texas native Laura Bush and hear her deliver a keynote speech on empowering women on a global level. With an hour of cocktails and networking and a fabulous lunch in addition to that, the event was not one to be missed. |
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(From left): ASI president and CEO Tim Andrews greets Laura Bush and Fran Ford, executive vice president of J. Charles Crystalworks, one of the sponsor’s of ASI’s Women’s Summit.
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The Shumsky & Boost Rewards’ ladies — the Blonde Bombshell Wrecking Crew, as I call them — give Laura Bush a warm welcome. |
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| Tonia Allen Gould (left), owner of the distributor TAG Marketing, spends some quality time with one of my faves, Bonni Shevin-Sandy, president of Dard Design, vice president of Dard and one of this year’s “10 Women to Watch,” as voted on by suppliers and distributors. The ASI awards were presented at the Women’s Summit. These two ladies exemplify the phrase role model. |
Executive vice president of Castelli North America and one of ASI’s 10 Women to Watch, the always-delightful Missy Kilpatrick (left), shown here with my pal Lisa Horn, the founder and chief content officer of the boutique marketing and PR firm Content Matters. Big kudos to Missy for also being the first runner-up for Supplier Global Resource’s Supplier Sales Rep of the Year, as voted on by distributors. You rock, girlfriend! |
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Filed under: ASI Shows, Editorial, Fun, Travel
Hi Everyone!
Despite the sketchy weather on the East Coast, I’m back from the ASI Orlando Show, where multiple records (number of distributor attendees, exhibitors, education day participants, etc.) were shattered. This proves to me that the sense of resurgence and recovery I felt at the PSI Dusseldorf Show two weeks ago wasn’t a fluke: The industry’s bad days have passed, and, as they say in NoLa, laissez les bons temps rouler! Trust me — the good times in Orlando were plentiful and memorable.
A special shout-out to my supplier panelists who shared their secrets for success (and mistakes they’ve made along the way) with their supplier peers at a free luncheon on set-up day: World Wide’s Kim Newell; Counselor Top 40 supplier Hit Promotional Products’ C.J. Schmidt (huge congrats to Hit, this year’s ASI Supplier of the Year!); MediaTree’s Rob Watson; and Shepenco’s Dan Townes – all of whom were simply spectacular!
Were you in Orlando? Post a comment below sharing your favorite moment(s)! (You’ll see some of mine in the photos below…). Couldn’t make it to the show? Meet us in two weeks for the ASI Dallas Show, where we’ll keep the good times and optimism for the industry’s success in 2011 rolling!
Cheers, and more next week!
– M
PS: If you will be at the ASI Dallas Show, check out my Education Day session on how to create effective, measurable self-promotion campaigns (Wednesday, 2/16, from 9:45-10:45 a.m.), with my superstar panelists Brad White, vice president of sales for Counselor Top 40 distributor Boundless Network, and Billy Booe, sales & self-promo guru at Bluegrass Promotions, one of Counselor’s fastest-growing distributor companies.
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| Some of my fabulous ASI colleagues (from left to right): Managing Editor and star of The Joe Show, Joe Haley; Computer Support Specialist Jason Cissorsky; Manager of ESP’s Data Processing department, Sharon Pullins; Advantages‘ editor, Kathy Huston; and one of my two “work husbands” (the other is vice president of supplier sales Ron Ball!), Christian Brandt (aka, “Tigerbeat”), executive director of ASI’s Distributor Services. |
My second-favorite publisher (after ASI’s executive vice president and publisher, Rich Fairfield, my boss), Matty Barnes, publisher of Promo Marketing (left) and his industry BFF, Jeff Lederer, president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Prime Line. |
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My colleagues Phyllis Mutnick and Suzanne Rozick, ASI supplier sales reps, hosted an awesome dinner at the Palm restaurant in Orlando for their clients who were the winners and finalists of the prestigious Counselor Distributor Choice Awards. I was honored to host a table, and imagine my delight when I discovered it was me and six gregarious and hilarious men. Here, meet the very charming Tim Hanson (left), president of Ball Pro, and Kent Davis, the regional sales rep for Counselor Top 40 supplier Vantage. I couldn’t have asked for more wonderful and entertaining dinner companions. To say we were raucous is putting it mildly… ; )
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After 14 years, it’s a rarity that I meet someone new in the industry whose quirky hilarity and Dionysian excess makes me giggle with delight. Pleased to meet you, Michael Moore (national sales manager for supplier Bay State Specialty Co.), hope you guess my name. Partying with you is like dancing with the devil — sinfully fun. Michael and I drank martinis and wine like it was our job.
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My pal Jason Grindall (left) of Graphco Line, with whom I once did a legendary week on an Advantages roadshow (complete with a fully-stocked bar on the bus and $200 worth of fireworks… Oy. Don’t ask…), and his colleague, David Byrne — equally as cool and lots more fun, I suspect, than the Talking Heads frontman of the same name. ; )
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My ASI colleague, the always-effervescent Candace Hershey, executive director of the ESP Information Team and my pal Paul Kory, director of sales for Counselor Top 40 supplier Vantage, the winner of a Distributor Choice Award for Best Decorated Apparel. Mucho kudos to Paul and his team! |
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| As I decided to drink my dinner at the Palm, Graphco’s Jason Grindall kindly stepped in and ate my filet like Fred Flintstone with a slab of brontosaurus. |
Bay State Specialties’ Michael Moore, my new favorite person in the industry. Witness the sea of empties at our dinner at the Palm… From that moment on, I was entranced, intrigued and utterly enthralled by his love of excess, second only to my own. If you haven’t met Michael, take my advice: Search him out at the next show and invite him to your dinner party. His entertainment value does not disappoint and he reminds me of how Lady Caroline Lamb once described Lord Byron: “Mad, bad and dangerous to know… .” In all the good ways. ; )
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| Here’s my pal Paul Kory from Vantage, with the thing that used to be me — before a demon overtook my body and made my eyes look like that — downright frightening. I think I was inhabited by the ghost of Hunter S. Thompson that evening in Orlando… |
Ah, Mr. Bistocchi. Michael Bistocchi (left), the senior vice president of sales & marketing for Clegg Promo, and I go wayback, to the old days when we carried on like Keith & Mick. But we’re so much more mellow now. Really. We are. Swear to God. Michael’s the driving force behind Clegg’s success and its win of the Counselor Distributor Choice Award for Best Glow/Light-Up Products. Next to him is his new employee, Chris Gohl, Clegg’s southeast account manager. Isn’t he the cutest thing (asks the creepy cougar…)? |
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| Billy Booe, sales expert and self-promotion aficionado extraordinaire with one of my favorite distributor companies, Bluegrass Promotional Marketing in Charlotte, NC, and the hilarious Kent Davis of Vantage. |
Some of my ASI editorial crew (from left): Andy “Captain Killjoy” Cohen, editor of Counselor; Kathy “Give me wine or give me death” Huston, editor of Advantages; and Nicole “Don’t make me impale you with my 5″ stilettos” Rollender, editor of Stitches and director of education. I couldn’t ask for better — or more delightfully kooky — colleagues. |
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| Ladies and gentlemen, meet Joe Haley, ASI’s managing editor, star of The Joe Show, and my editorial “handler.” Next time you see Joe at a trade show, buy him a drink — as his office is next to mine, he needs it! The Joe Show is now so popular, Mr. Haley was asked for autographs at the Orlando Show! Seriously. |
It’s a bag, it’s a pen, it’s PromoMan, ASI’s new mascot for the industry! Fans couldn’t get enough of PromoMan’s spongy muscles and sense of truth, justice and the ad specialty way. |
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At the Peppermint Twist event, starring music legend Joey Dee of the Starlighters, this festive couple began dancing the minute they entered the room. Love it!
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Here’s my editorial girls doing the Peppermint Twist (from left): Nicole Rollender; Senior Vice President and Editor-In-Chief Melinda Ligos; and Kathy Huston. |
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One of my favorite people in the industry, Tim O’Boyle (“Ringo” to you and I…), who runs the Polyconcept North America company JournalBooks, which his family founded, took me, Jamie Raynor, JournalBooks’ director of sales and operations, and Scott Anderson, national sales manager of Counselor Top 40 supplier Polyconcept North America, to Christini’s, an Italian restaurant that’s an institution in Orlando. Between the amazing food and company, that meal ranks in my top five of all time.
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Scott Anderson and the lovely and talented Jamie Raynor, enjoying the exquisite wine ordered by Ringo during our sumptuous dinner at Christini’s. |
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| You had to hear it to believe how great it was, but this accordion player at Christini’s did a dead-on version of Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven. Kid. You. Not. |
Scott Anderson, looking quite fetching with one of the roses the waiter at Christini’s gave Jamie Raynor and I.
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| The fantastic Rick French, sales manager at Polyconcept North America, upon returning from the Universal Orlando Harry Potter theme park, where the ASI Show had its gala. He loved it… |
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Filed under: ASI Shows, Asia, Editorial, Fun, PSI Shows, Personal
Hi Everyone!
Hope you’re all doing well and enjoying the summer so far!
I’ve been reading about how McDonald’s yanked the Shrek glasses (thanks to the sharp, stinging crack of the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s whip) because of the minute amounts of cadmium, and found myself getting increasingly aggravated and ranty (never a good combination). Granted, I’ve always had what can be charitably described as “authority issues,” but doesn’t the CPSC have anything better to do with its time than bring the hammer of the Gods down on McDonald’s? The amount of cadmium in the glasses was negligible — certainly less than in the glasses we all drank from as children. How, for the love of God, did we all survive (she asks sarcastically)? Really, have the CPSC, FDA, etc. ever taken a good, hard look at Circus Peanuts and maraschino cherries? Forget about cadmium: If anything’s going to be the demise of our species, I turn a suspicious, gimlet eye in their direction. No faux food like Circus Peanuts — with the consistency of a Serta memory foam mattress — or maraschino cherries, steeped in jars of radioactive-red sticky goo, can be good for you.
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So, I’d like to give a shout-out to the industry and show it some love, as I’m tired of it getting bitch-slapped by the CPSC, the FDA, PhRMA and all the other alphabet bullies. Forthwith, the top six things I love about this industry.
1. Suppliers. I’m probably a little biased because I’m the editor of ASI’s magazine, Supplier Global Resource (www.supplierglobalresource.com), which is just for them. But knowing as many suppliers as I do, I’m acutely aware of the burdens and responsibilities that rest on their shoulders. From having to be safety experts, marketing geniuses, DaVinci-esque product inventors and financial lenders to their clients, the success of this industry — in my opinion — begins with suppliers. If I could get them all together in one room and buy them drinks, I’d happily do it. In lieu of that, I’m inviting them to a free luncheon and panel discussion I’m moderating at the ASI Chicago Show on Tuesday, 7/13 (set-up day), from noon-1:30 p.m. On my panel will be four suppliers — MediaTree’s Rob Watson, iClick’s Niko Pamboukas, Custom HBC’s Larry Wilhelm and Build NY Inc.’s David Frank — all of whom had at least double-digit growth in the past two years. Suppliers, come join us, take a break from setting up and listen to your colleagues share their secrets for success. Additionally, there’s a complimentary happy hour just for suppliers at the ASI Chicago Show on Wednesday, July 14, from 5 p.m.-6 p.m. after the show closes in the Exhibitors’ Lounge. I’ll be there, so come have a cocktail with me! ; )
2. Distributors. Much as the suppliers are my beloved ones, many of my closest friends in the industry are distributors, and I stand in awe of their jaw-dropping creativity. Want to know the way to this girl’s heart? Send me a sample of a well-done, clever, funny, effective self-promo piece and I’m in. For those of you who may be attending ASI’s Chicago Show, I’m moderating a panel discussion on Tuesday, 7/13, from 4 p.m.-5 p.m. on the most effective ways to do self-promotion campaigns. And while the sum total of what I don’t know could stop a herd of buffalo in its tracks, what I do know is that people who do self-promotion campaigns make more sales. Period.
3. Trade shows. Yes, yes — I know the sheer number of them are the bane of some people’s existence. However — even after 13 years in the industry — I still get excited exiting the plane at certain show destinations and giggly with anticipation over seeing all my industry BFFs and meeting new ones. There are many shows I love (and one I don’t… see below), but if you’ve ever been to the SAAC Show in Long Beach and engaged in “Pool Day” (set-up day) at the Hyatt with Awesome Havier the Waiter serving Greyhounds (Grey Goose and grapefruit juice) to the industry’s best characters, social butterflies, rock stars and raconteurs, you know what it is to love being with your peeps at a show.
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| “Pool Day” at the Hyatt in Long Beach during the SAAC Show. Anyone who’s anyone (and craves a chilled cocktail) is there! |
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4. The products. Oh, let me count the times I’ve been WOWED by a product so clever/creative/funny, it slays me. If you love Sexy water, pens that smell like cupcakes (thanks Harris & Karen at All in One!), light-up bunny ears and leopard-print slankets, this is the industry for you. Joe Haley, star of ASI’s The Joe Show, and I still love discovering the next Coolest Product Ever. Admittedly, we’re dorks, but we get why this industry’s product offerings rock.
5. The PSI Show. What? You’ve never been? Please come with me the next time I attend and you will see the genesis of genius design — where trends are exfoliated by other markets, booths that will leave you slack-jawed and exhibitor hospitality that will explain why attendees show up as soon as the event opens each day and stay until the very last second it closes. Offering snacks, beverages (both alcoholic and the other, less fun kind) and comfy seating, each booth is like a mini bistro. No wonder attendees often stay with an exhibitor for upwards of 45 minutes and place orders on the spot. The PSI Dusseldorf Show, held each January (next year’s show is from January 12-14), is the largest ad specialty show in the world and definitely worth a visit. In addition, this year, PSI is partnering for the first time with a competitor show organization, Pro8, to form the Pro10 Show, which will be held in Amsterdam from August 25-27. Yeah. Amsterdam. I’m assuming I don’t need to tell you that I’ll be there. (For more information on the PSI Shows, go to www.psionline.de).
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Despite the presence of a waiters, a fully-stocked bar and chandeliers, I swear to you this was an actual booth (Macma) at the PSI Show in Düsseldorf this past January.
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6. Michael Bernstein. His family started Leed’s, and for a while, he ran Counselor Top 40 supplier Polyconcept North America. And though he’s not in the industry on the level he once was (much of his time is devoted to a new business venture in the music industry — his first love), he remains on the board of Polyconcept as its vice chairman. I once flew across four states just to have pizza with him at a delightful dive in Pittsburgh called Mineo’s. To bask in his wit, wisdom and misanthropic snark (or have him talk me off the ledge), I’d fly a lot farther.
And now, three things I could do without:
1. The cart draggers. Truly, I get why some people need carts — it can be exhausting hauling catalogs and samples around a trade show, especially if you have an injury or ailment. However, when scores of people show up (I’m looking at you, guy with the Dumbledore beard in Dallas last year dragging a wheeled trash can full of supplier offerings…) pulling various luggage contraptions in the aisles and suddenly stop, it can make one (read: Me) nearly pop a cranial vein. Mark my words: I am going to fall over one of those things sometime soon, and it will not be graceful (or quiet).
2. The bitching. Hands up: Who thinks that if people spent as much time selling, creating and marketing as they do bitching, gossiping and lamenting about inane industry nonsense that we’d be well on our way to making up the sales ground lost last year? Just sayin’…
3. The Canton Fair. Distributors have probably never experienced this massive (120,000+ attendees; 10,000 exhibitors), unorganized, sweltering sourcing show, located in beautiful downtown Guangzhou (insert eye roll here) China, but I’m willing to bet many suppliers have. Let me just say this: For those of you who don’t believe in the existence of Hell, I challenge you to walk that show and then come talk to me.
Whew! I feel better now, and I hope you do too. Please remember, regardless of what the alphabet bullies would have you think: None of you are poisoning kids, sabotaging a doctor’s ability to offer patient care or single-handedly trashing the planet, so don’t let anyone make you feel like you are. Unless you manufacture maraschino cherries or Circus Peanuts — then you’re on your own. ; )
Cheers to all of you, and hope to see you at the ASI Chicago Show from July 13-15!
More soon,
M
Filed under: ASI Shows, Editorial, Fun, Travel
Hi Everyone!
We’re just back from the super-successful ASI NY Show and it was a blast! So many special moments (many of which are captured in the photos below), but one of my favorites had to be ASI’s first-ever Women’s Summit. Barbara Corcoran, real estate mogul, author of the book, If You Don’t Have Big Breasts Put Ribbons on Your Pigtails… & Other Lessons I Learned From My Mom and star of ABC’s Shark Tank, was the keynote speaker and was just a pistol! She talked about how she parlayed a $1,000 loan from a “former lover” into a billion-dollar business. She was salty, irreverent, whip-smart and very savvy.
She also, at one point, flipped off my boss — ASI’s senior vice president and publisher, Rich Fairfield — not once but twice, claiming that he looked like the infamous money-loaning (and cheating) scoundrel of a former lover. “He looks just like him,” she shrieked, as she flipped Rich off again, much to his delighted amusement. (After I picked up my jaw, I nearly swallowed my own tongue after watching the whole interaction go down…)
Sponsored by J. Charles Crystalworks Inc. (thanks to Fran “The Man” Ford!) and Fields Manufacturing, the event was fantastic, and started with a cocktail reception at noon (gotta love sanctioned midday drinking!) and included an awesome luncheon, plus a dessert keynote from industry speaker Rosalie Marcus. I sat next to LeAnn Rankin, vice president of national accounts for Senator’s promotional group, someone I’d heard great things about but had never met. I’m here to tell ya that she exceeded the hype and was just delightful… LOVE her!
Two things of note: 1) The lanyards from Fields Mfg. that were given out to hold the badges of the women in attendance were tres cool — more like a jeweled, beaded necklace than a regular cotton lanyard. Go to www.fieldsmfg.com to check out their swanky and unusual offerings; 2) The fine folks at J. Charles Crystalworks had a gift for each woman in attendance: A crystal keepsake box, etched with the event’s logo, that — according to industry celeb and J. Charles vice president Fran Ford — was used by former presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Bill Clinton as their inaugural gifts, as well as Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush, who used them as place settings. I’m holding mine right now and it is stunning and impressive! E-mail Fran at fran@jcharles.com if you’d like more info on the gift boxes.
Then, there was another first for ASI… We held a breakfast at the W Hotel for members of the business press in NYC, which was a huge success. Print and TV outlets joined Tim Andrews, ASI’s president/CEO, Rich Fairfield, Melinda Ligos, ASI’s senior vice president/editor-in-chief, and members of the editorial staff, who shared scintillating facts and stats about the industry and the 10 Most Innovative Products we’ve seen as of late. Also addressing the members of the press were Jason Robbins, president of ePromos, Anthony Corsano, president/CEO of Anvil, and Sarah Caplan, the 27-year-old entrepreneur who, with her sister, founded the company Footzyrolls — cool roll-up slipper-shoes women can don when their feet start throbbing from their strappy stilettos! (So snazzy are these items, they’ve been selected for the Sex and the City 2 gift bags!) Kudos to my colleague Dawn Shurmaitis for rising to the occasion and being the event planner extraordinaire! ; )
Last, but not least, there was the jaw-droppingly stunning Counselor Awards banquet at the Plaza. The decor, the food, the presentation — everything was top-notch, and I’ve never had so many people tell me how impressed they were with an event, and how much fun they had. The person who does these events for ASI doesn’t like to be named in print, but to him I give a HUGE shout-out for outdoing himself yet again: You are the best, Sat Mamuels. ; )
My only regret? When the Counselor banquet is held in July at the ASI Chicago Show, I at least have some semblance of a tan. At this event, I looked like one of those pale, pitiful, sun-deprived children from Flowers in the Attic.
Cheers, and enjoy the photos!
– M
PS: Big thanks to Proforma’s Greg Muzzillo — this year’s Counselor Person of the Year with his wife and co-CEO, Vera — and ASI’s Don Mennig, executive director of marketing, both of whom were on the “Secrets of Wildly Successful Self-Promotion Campaigns” education panel that I moderated. Their professionalism, preparedness, vast knowledge and humor made it a winner. If you missed it, I’ll be moderating it again on Education Day at the ASI Chicago Show on July 13!
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| Here’s vice president of ASI Canada, Freddy Oesen, one of my all-time favorites, buying his beloved Ron Ball, ASI’s vice president of supplier sales, a bouquet of pretty roses on the street corner in NYC. I think they’re having a bromance! ; ) |
On Monday night during the ASI NY Show, I put together a small, intimate dinner of fun, larger-than-life personalities from the industry. We had a sinfully sumptuous meal at Del Frisco’s and enjoyed every minute. (From left): The delightful and lovely Missy Kilpatrick from Castelli, ASI’s Ron Ball, ASI Canada’s Fred Oesen, J. Charles Crystalwork’s Fran Ford, Creative Promotions’ Sharon Biernat and Vantage Apparel’s Ira Neaman. |
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| Real estate guru and sassy sistah Barbara Corcoran spoke at ASI’s first-ever Women’s Summit at the Millennium Hotel. All the ladies in attendance were in agreement: She, and the event, were fan-freaking-tastic! |
Geiger’s Jacqui Hornberger, a spitfire in her own right, explained to the industry ladies in attendance at the Women’s Summit some of her tips for sales success. |
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| Great times on Times Square! Here’s ASI’s vice president of distributor services, Heather DiPrato, me, my pal Sharon Biernat from the Chicago-based distributorship Creative Promos, and ASI’s distributor sales rep Meghan Bogarde vamping it up in the big city. Fun fact: Heather DiPrato and I share the same birthday (August 9) and are both Leos, yet have drastically different personalities (she, responsible, measured, contemplative; me, none of the above). |
This is what your room looks like when you share it with your distributor gal pal (in this case, Creative Promotions’ Sharon Biernat) who has multiple sample boxes shipped in daily for a crucial sales appointment with ESPN. In all fairness, my side of the room was equally trashed — with about 20 pairs of stilettos, all wildly impractical. |
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| On Tuesday night during the ASI NYC Show, I headed back to the fabulous Del Frisco’s with my BFF Sharon Biernat and two of my industry faves: Jim Hagan, president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Sweda and his consigliere, Scott Pearson, vice president of product development. Here’s Sharon and Scott, who has — I swear to God — one of the most infectious and joyous laughs ever. Hence, his nickname, “Giggles.” |
Me with Jim Hagan, Sweda’s smart, suave and hilarious president. People who know me who’ve seen this photo describe the look on my face as “the harbinger of mischief and mayhem.” I do not disagree. |
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| This year’s Counselor Top 40 banquet was held at the famed and illustrious Plaza Hotel and boy, did it live up to its legendary billing. Here’s a shot of the room where the banquet was held, about an hour before the event started. Though it looks awesome in this photo, I’m telling ya that the finished room doesn’t do this justice. It was, quite simply, breathtaking. |
Backstory: For years, Damian Want — senior vice president of Logomark — and I have joked that the Counselor banquet is like the industry’s “senior prom.” So what did Damian, who had just flown in from Cali where Logomark is based, do? He called a florist (the one Oprah uses, no less!) and brought me a wrist corsage! How sweet and hysterical is that??? So, this is our official “2010 Counselor Prom” photo… all that was lacking was the obligatory slow-dance to “Always & Forever.” Thanks, Damian — you rock! |
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| As usual, I stacked my table at the Counselor banquet with all my favorite industry crazies. Here, we have Chuck (“Chuckles” or “MotherChucker” to you and I) Fandos, CEO of Counselor Top 40 distributor Gateway/CDI (left) and Jim Hagan, president of Sweda. Love, love, love them! |
Colin Graf (left), ASI’s marketing manager for supplier sales and Jake Krolick, ASI’s marketing manager for online products and services, strike a pose before the Counselor Awards banquet. I’d say they’re voguing, but knowing these two, let’s say they’re roguing. |
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| ASI’s senior vice president/editor-in-chief Melinda Ligos and Counselor editor Andy Cohen get their swank on at the Counselor awards banquet at the Plaza. |
After the Counselor banquet, all the industry celebs and revelers poured into Mickey Mantle’s bar, right around the corner from the Plaza. Here’s Marc Held, national sales manager for Counselor Top 40 supplier Bodek and Rhodes (is there anyone who doesn’t love the always-awesome Marc Held???), and the lovely Alisha Zavadil, marketing specialist for Counselor Top 40 distributor American Solutions for Business. |
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| Dan Townes, owner of Shepenco/Shelbyville Pencil and the reigning Mouth of the South, shown here with the beautiful Sadie Schlief, the director of promotional products for American Solutions for Business. |
Benn Chazan (left), sales manager for BamBams, was kind enough to join Jeffrey Townes — Dan’s son and definitely the kinder, gentler, quieter Townes — and I in doing Patrone shots for Cinco de Mayo. Yeah. I felt those the next day. |
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| Ira Neaman (left), owner/president of Counselor Top 40 supplier Vantage (whom I have always referred to as my “Yoda of Wearables,” due to his vast knowledge) and Dan Townes, at a pit-stop bar (Whiskey Park) on our way to the bowels of NYC in the meatpacking district. |
(From left): Andrea Biernat, Sharon’s daughter, is a recent graduate of University of Penn’s Wharton School of Business and is now living in New York and working at JP Morgan. Next to her is her mom and Jeffrey Townes, the third-generation of Towneses in the ad specialty industry. |
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| So we end up at Hogs & Heifers (the bar that the movie Coyote Ugly is based upon) in the meatpacking district and to say it was a dive is being kind. But I — and the rock star industry revelers I was with — happen to love dives, so we were right at home. So closely does this bar adhere to its “F-You” persona, that the female bartenders (wearing bikini tops, no less) strongly suggested (read: berated) Dan Townes and Ira Neaman remove their ties and tux jackets. Hence the reason — when I woke at 8 a.m. with my eyelashes stuck together after getting in only three hours earlier — I had Ira’s tie stuffed in my purse. Here, Ira and Sharon Biernat play pool with some colorful locals. (Note the guy behind Sharon with the Pabst beer can… LOVE it!) |
True story: When the fine proprietors of Hogs & Heifers politely and demurely announced it was last call (verbatim: “All you f***ers can get out now”) we emerged onto a street corner in the meatpacking district of New York at 4 a.m. with no cab in sight. Suddenly, like out of a Xanadu-esque fog, this white limo with twinkle lights rolled up and the door swung open as a bass-heavy Barry White song pounded. I don’t know where it came from, and I’m not even sure it had a driver. It was just there and took us back to the Marriott Marquis. Kidd. You. Not. |
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| Witness Joe Haley, ASI managing editor and star of The Joe Show, hamming it up with The Naked Cowboy, a legendary, infamous New York City personality. We thank God that Joe didn’t follow his lead and offer himself up as The Naked Editor (insert Simpsons-esque Mr. Burns shudder here). ; ) |
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