WEBVTT 00:00:02.329 --> 00:00:05.150 Welcome to the promo playbook, the podcast where 00:00:05.150 --> 00:00:07.650 suppliers come to win in the promotional products 00:00:07.650 --> 00:00:10.830 industry. We're your hosts, Lisa Faustek and 00:00:10.830 --> 00:00:13.910 Adrienne Barker, bringing you insider insights, 00:00:14.490 --> 00:00:17.170 expert strategies, and no fluff advice to help 00:00:17.170 --> 00:00:20.469 suppliers navigate the promo channel like pros. 00:00:21.210 --> 00:00:24.170 From marketing to distributors to mastering software 00:00:24.170 --> 00:00:27.370 onboarding, we cover it all. Whether you're new 00:00:27.370 --> 00:00:30.149 to the industry or ready to scale up, this is 00:00:30.149 --> 00:00:33.320 your playbook for success. Let's get started. 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:38.200 Welcome to the supplier promo playbook, the podcast 00:00:38.200 --> 00:00:41.000 dedicated to helping suppliers navigate and succeed 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:43.820 in the promotional products industry. This episode 00:00:43.820 --> 00:00:47.579 is part of our special PPAI expo series recorded 00:00:47.579 --> 00:00:50.759 live on the show floor in Las Vegas. We had the 00:00:50.759 --> 00:00:52.799 incredible opportunity to talk with suppliers 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:55.719 and brands from across the industry right in 00:00:55.719 --> 00:00:57.700 their booths at the biggest trade show of the 00:00:57.700 --> 00:01:00.590 year. These are quick. Candid conversations packed 00:01:00.590 --> 00:01:03.170 with real -world advice on everything from product 00:01:03.170 --> 00:01:05.709 differentiation and sustainability to trade show 00:01:05.709 --> 00:01:08.969 strategies, and the power of building great relationships. 00:01:09.510 --> 00:01:12.489 These on -the -floor interviews are raw, energetic, 00:01:13.090 --> 00:01:15.489 and full of actionable insights you won't find 00:01:15.489 --> 00:01:19.010 anywhere else. So get ready to hear directly 00:01:19.010 --> 00:01:21.890 from the people shaping our industry. Let's dive 00:01:21.890 --> 00:01:26.000 into this conversation from the PPAI Expo. Hey 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:29.560 everyone, I'm back here at PPAI and I am standing 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:32.920 in front of the Kanga Coolers booth. And when 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:37.000 I say these things are cool, all the puns intended, 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:40.500 it's amazing. I'm currently looking at a Narragansett 00:01:40.500 --> 00:01:43.239 vlogger cooler that literally has the most adorable 00:01:43.239 --> 00:01:46.200 playoff on Jaws. I've taken three pictures and 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:48.359 I already have three people I'm sending it to. 00:01:48.540 --> 00:01:52.519 It's awesome. So I am here with co -founder Austin 00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:55.000 Maxwell. These guys have been in the industry 00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:57.500 for a little bit, so we're going to dive in and 00:01:57.500 --> 00:01:59.700 learn a little bit more about them and a tidbit 00:01:59.700 --> 00:02:02.560 or two that they would suggest of advice for 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:05.299 all you new suppliers. Austin, thank you so much. 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:07.079 Can you tell me a little bit about Kanga Coolers? 00:02:07.379 --> 00:02:09.860 Absolutely. So Kanga Coolers started as a college 00:02:09.860 --> 00:02:12.840 class project at Clemson University in 2017. 00:02:12.939 --> 00:02:15.819 Go Tigers! Go Tigers. We got to be on the project. 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:18.099 Be for beer. They clearly didn't know what they 00:02:18.099 --> 00:02:20.379 were talking about. We were challenged to find 00:02:20.379 --> 00:02:23.300 a solution to a problem that we face on a regular 00:02:23.300 --> 00:02:26.219 basis. So as college students, we face the challenge 00:02:26.219 --> 00:02:29.340 of warm beer on game days and our options. You 00:02:29.340 --> 00:02:30.879 can't have warm beer. You can't have warm beer. 00:02:31.139 --> 00:02:34.080 Now our options for enjoying those beers and 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:35.879 keeping them cold was either a big bulky cooler 00:02:35.879 --> 00:02:38.319 or it was what we call a naked case of beer, 00:02:38.460 --> 00:02:40.580 which is just drinking out of a 12 pack or 24 00:02:40.580 --> 00:02:43.419 pack with nothing on it. So we saw someone use 00:02:43.419 --> 00:02:45.930 a koozie for a can of beer. which keeps it cold 00:02:45.930 --> 00:02:47.250 for the time you're actually going to drink it. 00:02:47.409 --> 00:02:49.330 And we thought, why doesn't someone invent a 00:02:49.330 --> 00:02:51.930 koozie for the entire case of beer? That's how 00:02:51.930 --> 00:02:54.509 the idea was born. And the reason we got to be 00:02:54.509 --> 00:02:55.930 on it is because we didn't follow the rubric. 00:02:55.969 --> 00:02:57.449 It's not the professor's fault. We have a great 00:02:57.449 --> 00:02:59.689 relationship with them. We went on Shark Tank. 00:02:59.930 --> 00:03:03.050 We did a deal on the show. And yeah, we have 00:03:03.050 --> 00:03:05.949 wholesale direct to consumer Amazon. And then, 00:03:05.949 --> 00:03:07.930 of course, the promotional product space. So 00:03:07.930 --> 00:03:09.569 you've been in the promo space for a couple of 00:03:09.569 --> 00:03:12.509 years. What made you sort of move from? Well, 00:03:12.590 --> 00:03:15.289 not move, but add the corporate gifting. It's 00:03:15.289 --> 00:03:16.889 really funny. Actually, the promotional product 00:03:16.889 --> 00:03:19.310 space came to us and it was our first distribution 00:03:19.310 --> 00:03:21.990 channel. So when we were posting about our product 00:03:21.990 --> 00:03:24.469 concept online and when we had gone on Shark 00:03:24.469 --> 00:03:26.270 Tank, we had a very small wholesale business 00:03:26.270 --> 00:03:28.449 and we had a very small e -commerce business. 00:03:28.810 --> 00:03:31.509 But Anheuser -Busch actually reached out on behalf 00:03:31.509 --> 00:03:33.750 of one of the distributors that they work with, 00:03:33.810 --> 00:03:36.289 which at the time is Staples. And they said, 00:03:36.330 --> 00:03:38.830 hey, we love your product. Can we put our top 00:03:38.830 --> 00:03:42.159 year brands logos all over your cooler? And we 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:45.099 were like, yeah, we can do it. It's a full customizable 00:03:45.099 --> 00:03:47.400 item. We can do this. It's a dye sublimation 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:50.860 is the process. And so that prompted us to be 00:03:50.860 --> 00:03:52.819 like, we need to look further into this space, 00:03:53.300 --> 00:03:55.319 this customization space, a promotional product 00:03:55.319 --> 00:03:58.439 space. But our first large order was from Staples. 00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:00.879 And it was for Anheuser -Busch Bud Light, Bush 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:03.280 Light, Miklo -Voltran Natural Light, four different 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:07.259 beer skews. So maybe your B grade was foreshadowed 00:04:07.259 --> 00:04:09.039 as to what was coming. That's right. That's right. 00:04:10.349 --> 00:04:13.469 All right, so you're a veteran and we interview 00:04:13.469 --> 00:04:15.909 here everywhere from newbies to people who have 00:04:15.909 --> 00:04:18.970 been in the industry for up to 20 years. A lot 00:04:18.970 --> 00:04:20.829 of our podcast listeners are new themselves. 00:04:21.129 --> 00:04:22.730 They're either just starting to jump in a promo, 00:04:22.990 --> 00:04:25.290 they're thinking about it, or they're somewhere 00:04:25.290 --> 00:04:28.100 toward the beginning of their journey. What sort 00:04:28.100 --> 00:04:30.459 of good advice would you give someone new to 00:04:30.459 --> 00:04:32.540 the space or thinking of even thinking about 00:04:32.540 --> 00:04:34.899 it? Like, do I? You know, it seems huge. Do I 00:04:34.899 --> 00:04:37.819 even jump in? That's the thing is it can be overwhelming. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:39.819 So my first piece of advice would be take a deep 00:04:39.819 --> 00:04:41.980 breath because there the industry is a lot bigger 00:04:41.980 --> 00:04:44.620 than I ever expected. And it seems bigger and 00:04:44.620 --> 00:04:47.300 bigger every time I come to the PPA show. My 00:04:47.300 --> 00:04:50.740 advice is to find a mentor or someone else who 00:04:50.740 --> 00:04:53.240 has exhibited or is in this space to help coach 00:04:53.240 --> 00:04:55.300 you through how to set your pricing structure 00:04:55.300 --> 00:04:58.550 up. and understand that there's a C coded, the 00:04:58.550 --> 00:05:00.810 different levels and tiers of the pricing codes 00:05:00.810 --> 00:05:02.509 are really important so that you can speak the 00:05:02.509 --> 00:05:05.050 language before showing up to an event and have 00:05:05.050 --> 00:05:06.810 someone who can help guide you through, hey, 00:05:06.910 --> 00:05:08.930 we're selling to distributors who are selling 00:05:08.930 --> 00:05:10.949 to the end users and there has to be some margin 00:05:10.949 --> 00:05:12.850 built in for everyone in that transaction. Now 00:05:12.850 --> 00:05:14.870 is the end user going to use it for promo or 00:05:14.870 --> 00:05:16.490 is the end user going to resell it? Because that 00:05:16.490 --> 00:05:18.470 may change everything. And then there's a component 00:05:18.470 --> 00:05:20.930 of suppliers which adds a whole new dynamic to 00:05:20.930 --> 00:05:22.689 it. So don't be overwhelmed because this stuff 00:05:22.689 --> 00:05:24.870 is confusing and it can take years to learn it. 00:05:25.100 --> 00:05:28.199 Find a good mentor and just stay calm. And I 00:05:28.199 --> 00:05:30.079 love that you said a couple of key things that 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:31.920 we talk about on the show all the time. One, 00:05:32.019 --> 00:05:34.379 you need to educate yourself in the market. Two, 00:05:34.439 --> 00:05:36.959 it's completely different than retail. So you 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:38.439 have to sort of figure out all the different 00:05:38.439 --> 00:05:42.000 pieces. And we talk about pricing and go to market 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:44.899 strategy and all that fun stuff. And it is not 00:05:44.899 --> 00:05:47.019 for the faint of heart. Yeah, it's not. And your 00:05:47.019 --> 00:05:48.500 follow up game has to be really strong. You want 00:05:48.500 --> 00:05:50.879 to stay top of mind, especially with the distributors 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:52.339 that you're working with, because they're pitching. 00:05:52.670 --> 00:05:55.029 maybe dozens, if not hundreds of brands to these 00:05:55.029 --> 00:05:56.610 clients, and you want to make sure that you're 00:05:56.610 --> 00:05:58.730 included in those pitch decks. So you can't just 00:05:58.730 --> 00:06:00.790 send one email every three months and expect 00:06:00.790 --> 00:06:02.550 that you're going to be top of mind when they're 00:06:02.550 --> 00:06:04.730 going to these meetings, you need to send samples, 00:06:05.029 --> 00:06:06.810 you need to get on a texting relationship with 00:06:06.810 --> 00:06:09.209 them, you need to call them like this is a relationship 00:06:09.209 --> 00:06:12.050 based industry. So take that very seriously. 00:06:12.300 --> 00:06:14.620 and customer service, which we always say and 00:06:14.620 --> 00:06:18.120 every podcast is is king at this point. 100%. 00:06:18.120 --> 00:06:19.779 So awesome. Thank you so much. I know we've got 00:06:19.779 --> 00:06:21.519 a couple of people here. You squeeze me into 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:24.319 your schedule. I love it. The coolers look amazing. 00:06:24.779 --> 00:06:26.680 And team, thanks so much. I'll be back with more 00:06:26.680 --> 00:06:31.259 from the show. Hi, I'm back here at PPAI standing 00:06:31.259 --> 00:06:35.459 in front of the Fatty Pack booth. Fatty Pack, 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:38.720 I said it. It's awesome. They were terrific at 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:40.800 the pitch yesterday. You're a part of the show, 00:06:40.920 --> 00:06:43.860 but they've got a brand new product out in the 00:06:43.860 --> 00:06:45.779 market. I'm standing here with Derek Elliott, 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:48.540 one of the co -founders. And Derek, can you tell 00:06:48.540 --> 00:06:51.480 me a little bit about what Fatty Pack is? Yes, 00:06:51.500 --> 00:06:53.839 so Fatty Pack is a completely new product to 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:56.579 the promotional products industry and the world 00:06:56.579 --> 00:06:59.540 in general. It's a patented tri -fold pouch that 00:06:59.540 --> 00:07:01.879 we designed to wrap right to the back of open 00:07:01.879 --> 00:07:04.600 backpacks. But it's also great for wrapping to 00:07:04.600 --> 00:07:06.660 other things like your purse strap, bra strap, 00:07:07.079 --> 00:07:09.720 bikini strap. dog collar or dog leash. It's a 00:07:09.720 --> 00:07:11.620 really small pouch, but in those cases, it's 00:07:11.620 --> 00:07:15.180 great for attaching like a key, cash, or you 00:07:15.180 --> 00:07:17.300 can put things in the fatty pack, but you can 00:07:17.300 --> 00:07:20.060 also attach things to the fatty pack like a ball 00:07:20.060 --> 00:07:23.899 marker, golf tee. There's really a lot of options 00:07:23.899 --> 00:07:25.379 for things you can do with it. It's kind of a 00:07:25.379 --> 00:07:26.959 new product. We're learning new things every 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:30.699 day. I wish this were visual because it is super 00:07:30.699 --> 00:07:33.899 cool looking, very slim. It doesn't look at all 00:07:33.899 --> 00:07:37.079 like your grandmother's. Fanny pack. It is the 00:07:37.079 --> 00:07:39.600 new fatty pack and it's terrific. So this is 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:42.279 your first time at the show. Can you tell us 00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:44.819 a little bit like you are sort of new jumping 00:07:44.819 --> 00:07:47.420 in to promotional products? Like what made you 00:07:47.420 --> 00:07:50.639 sort of tackle this space? Yes. So this is our 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:53.220 first trade show ever in general, and it's also 00:07:53.220 --> 00:07:56.339 our first time at PPAI. We heard from a lot of 00:07:56.339 --> 00:07:58.379 people about, you know, it'd be a perfect opportunity 00:07:58.379 --> 00:08:00.980 to add a little customization to a hat. So we 00:08:00.980 --> 00:08:02.439 really kind of got forced into it. You know, 00:08:02.459 --> 00:08:04.339 there's not. There's only three of us. We don't 00:08:04.339 --> 00:08:06.699 have a lot of time to explore all the potential 00:08:06.699 --> 00:08:09.579 things we could do. But the the people were barking 00:08:09.579 --> 00:08:11.959 about potentially having custom value facts. 00:08:11.959 --> 00:08:13.879 They wanted to ask us about different colors 00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:16.000 and things. So we really thought that the promotional 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:18.220 products industry would be a great opportunity 00:08:18.220 --> 00:08:20.459 for us to get the word out there. We're trying 00:08:20.459 --> 00:08:23.699 to grow the brand. And, you know, the volumes 00:08:23.699 --> 00:08:25.319 with promotional products are so large, we thought 00:08:25.319 --> 00:08:27.300 it'd be a really good opportunity. And we're 00:08:27.300 --> 00:08:28.800 having a blast. We're learning a lot about all 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:31.740 that. terms and terminology. We know a little 00:08:31.740 --> 00:08:33.340 bit of our stuff, you know, we've got our quoted 00:08:33.340 --> 00:08:35.480 pricing and everything like that, learning about 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:38.220 lead times. But yeah, it's been a, the response 00:08:38.220 --> 00:08:40.220 has been good and we're excited to keep learning 00:08:40.220 --> 00:08:42.700 more and diving deeper into the industry. Well, 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:45.759 we love having newbies in. It's awesome. And 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:48.240 it is a little quirky of an industry, as I'm 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:50.899 sure you learned. They've been packed. I had 00:08:50.899 --> 00:08:54.600 to wait to get a front row center seat here. 00:08:54.840 --> 00:08:57.200 A lot of people at the booth. It's been terrific. 00:08:57.879 --> 00:09:00.980 So Now that you've had, you know, a whole 36 00:09:00.980 --> 00:09:04.799 hours, maybe 24 hours in the space, is there 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:07.980 anything that has sort of surprised you or like 00:09:07.980 --> 00:09:09.840 something you didn't count on that you're like, 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:11.980 oh, all right, this is good to know for next 00:09:11.980 --> 00:09:15.179 time? Well, definitely bringing up samples we 00:09:15.179 --> 00:09:17.519 didn't. Fortunately, we were mostly direct to 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:19.159 consumer and we had a really good holiday season. 00:09:19.399 --> 00:09:21.440 So we sort of sold out of a lot of our product, 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:24.679 which was good for us, but kind of made GPA a 00:09:24.679 --> 00:09:27.289 little harder. come with more samples next year. 00:09:27.370 --> 00:09:28.590 But I would say the biggest thing that we've 00:09:28.590 --> 00:09:31.169 learned is just how hungry people are for new 00:09:31.169 --> 00:09:33.669 products. It's something that we realize is really 00:09:33.669 --> 00:09:35.250 important because there's a lot of people coming 00:09:35.250 --> 00:09:37.450 back with the same things year after year. So 00:09:37.450 --> 00:09:39.629 for us to be able to offer a new product is something 00:09:39.629 --> 00:09:41.769 that people are really excited about. And we're 00:09:41.769 --> 00:09:43.950 just happy to have those conversations. And it's 00:09:43.950 --> 00:09:46.649 been great to hear about the different ways people 00:09:46.649 --> 00:09:49.190 can use Fatty Pack and also get some pointers 00:09:49.190 --> 00:09:51.600 on how we can market it better because We're 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:53.179 still learning all the different ways we can 00:09:53.179 --> 00:09:55.139 use the product. So being able to just talk to 00:09:55.139 --> 00:09:57.980 people is fantastic. That's awesome. Well, thank 00:09:57.980 --> 00:10:00.299 you so much. And just as you know, recap, our 00:10:00.299 --> 00:10:02.740 listeners are all new suppliers and there are 00:10:02.740 --> 00:10:04.659 so many out there. We get questions all the time 00:10:04.659 --> 00:10:07.100 from our podcast of that was a great one. But 00:10:07.100 --> 00:10:09.580 can you give us a little more information from 00:10:09.580 --> 00:10:12.779 like new people, you know, jumping in, not always 00:10:12.779 --> 00:10:14.980 people who are sort of veterans in the industry. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:18.389 And so learning from folks like you. Guys, if 00:10:18.389 --> 00:10:23.129 you're on LinkedIn, follow Fatty Pak and we'll 00:10:23.129 --> 00:10:25.309 continue to watch your journey and best of luck. 00:10:25.529 --> 00:10:26.789 Yeah, well, it's really great to meet you and 00:10:26.789 --> 00:10:28.570 I appreciate you having me on and I'm excited 00:10:28.570 --> 00:10:30.809 to learn more about the industry and talk to 00:10:30.809 --> 00:10:34.690 you more in the future. Terrific. Thanks. Hello, 00:10:34.750 --> 00:10:38.990 promo playbook guests. We are here at PPAI this 00:10:38.990 --> 00:10:41.370 morning. This is the first day of the show on 00:10:41.370 --> 00:10:45.600 Tuesday. in January, and I am here with Dion 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:49.200 Angelove, and I apologize if I spell, if I said 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:51.980 that incorrectly, but he is the founder of Organic 00:10:51.980 --> 00:10:55.120 Tea Star. And let me tell you, I just came from 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:57.980 his booth and I am blown away about the incredible 00:10:57.980 --> 00:11:00.299 product that he has. But Dion, why don't you 00:11:00.299 --> 00:11:03.240 tell our listeners a little bit about Organic 00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:06.860 Tea Star. Hi everyone, I'm Dion Angelove, the 00:11:06.860 --> 00:11:08.919 founder of Organic Tea Star. Organic Tea Star 00:11:08.919 --> 00:11:13.360 is... supplier for 100 % certified organic cotton 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:16.220 that we cannot find anywhere else. I'm in the 00:11:16.220 --> 00:11:19.779 promo industry from 20 years here and our main 00:11:19.779 --> 00:11:25.059 focus is to supply real fair trade organic cotton 00:11:25.059 --> 00:11:30.100 from adults, kids and onsies. I mean from all 00:11:30.100 --> 00:11:32.639 the line, all kind of products that you can buy 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:36.700 and you can wear and your body can feel healthier 00:11:36.700 --> 00:11:40.269 and sustainable. It's amazing and guys I know 00:11:40.269 --> 00:11:42.870 we don't do visual here but if you could see 00:11:42.870 --> 00:11:45.690 the booth and the fun stuff that he has everywhere 00:11:45.690 --> 00:11:48.929 from t -shirts to holos to fleeces to jackets 00:11:48.929 --> 00:11:53.350 to hard goods too all that are 100 % organic 00:11:53.350 --> 00:11:56.509 it's really amazing. So Dan tell me a little 00:11:56.509 --> 00:11:59.210 bit how do you go to market now with your products 00:11:59.210 --> 00:12:01.750 who do you work with in the industry? At the 00:12:01.750 --> 00:12:05.029 moment I'm working only with their distributors. 00:12:06.570 --> 00:12:09.830 give them a wholesale price, give them custom 00:12:09.830 --> 00:12:14.190 services from the start to finish. The products 00:12:14.190 --> 00:12:17.649 can be blank, but we would like to decorate with 00:12:17.649 --> 00:12:21.009 sustainable inks, with sustainable embroidery, 00:12:21.669 --> 00:12:24.370 and DTG would just certify all the process and 00:12:24.370 --> 00:12:27.750 polybag that we're using are recyclable. And 00:12:27.750 --> 00:12:30.129 this is how we work. We work only with the distributor 00:12:30.129 --> 00:12:33.850 at the moment. That's great. That's great. So... 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:36.580 As I had mentioned, most of our listeners are 00:12:36.580 --> 00:12:39.500 new suppliers, brands, sort of thinking if they 00:12:39.500 --> 00:12:42.059 want to jump in the promotional space. As someone 00:12:42.059 --> 00:12:45.720 who's been in business for 20 plus years, do 00:12:45.720 --> 00:12:47.960 you have any nuggets of advice or gems of advice 00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:51.960 you would tell people jumping in? I can give 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:55.519 advice like this. For the top, you have to use 00:12:55.519 --> 00:12:59.100 the stairs. There is no lift that you can use. 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:02.779 I'd love that. I love that. And for us, a lot 00:13:02.779 --> 00:13:04.700 of it is it's not, you know, it's not a sprint, 00:13:04.779 --> 00:13:07.200 it's a marathon. Yes. And I do think that that's 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:09.860 important for our listeners because it does take 00:13:09.860 --> 00:13:11.940 time to build your business. Definitely. Take 00:13:11.940 --> 00:13:15.120 your time. It's never happened like this from 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:17.120 to wake up the next day and everything is going 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:20.559 to be great and awesome. It's there is sometimes 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:24.080 there is a light in that we say there is a light 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:27.019 in the tunnel. And sometimes we say, I hope this 00:13:27.019 --> 00:13:33.480 is not the luck of the the team. The steam train. 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:38.759 I love it. Well, thank you for your time today. 00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:41.679 Good luck at PPAI. People are starting to come 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:43.940 over to your booth. So we're going to scoot out. 00:13:44.059 --> 00:13:46.259 But thank you so much for being a guest on our 00:13:46.259 --> 00:13:48.600 show. Thank you. Thank you for inviting me for 00:13:48.600 --> 00:13:53.639 this time. Hello, podcast audience. We're here 00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:57.200 still from PPAI. And I know we talk a lot about 00:13:57.200 --> 00:14:00.120 on this podcast that really understanding and 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:02.799 educating yourself on the market is key. You 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:05.419 can't just jump in blind. And one of the things 00:14:05.419 --> 00:14:08.080 he always suggests and recommend is that you 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:11.980 attend either PPAI, what we call the Super Bowl 00:14:11.980 --> 00:14:15.659 trade shows in promotional products, or you attend 00:14:15.659 --> 00:14:19.019 a local regional show just to learn more about 00:14:19.019 --> 00:14:23.049 the market. And I had the opportunity today to 00:14:23.049 --> 00:14:25.309 sit down with Ryan Batchelor from Troubadour. 00:14:25.450 --> 00:14:27.970 He is the Director of Retail and Business Development. 00:14:28.549 --> 00:14:30.649 They've got a couple years into this market, 00:14:30.789 --> 00:14:32.909 but are always learning and trying to figure 00:14:32.909 --> 00:14:35.929 out all those quirky ins and outs that we talk 00:14:35.929 --> 00:14:38.710 about. And he is here just watching the show. 00:14:39.149 --> 00:14:41.889 Yes, no, ooh. One of the best things you can 00:14:41.889 --> 00:14:43.970 do to educate yourself is to immerse yourself 00:14:43.970 --> 00:14:46.490 in the market. And that's exactly what Ryan is 00:14:46.490 --> 00:14:49.259 doing. Ryan, thank you so much for taking time 00:14:49.259 --> 00:14:51.299 out of the show floor and meeting with me. Thank 00:14:51.299 --> 00:14:53.000 you. Can you tell me a little bit about Troubadour? 00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:56.620 Yeah, sure. So Troubadour is a British brand 00:14:56.620 --> 00:15:00.120 originally. We have a store in London and we 00:15:00.120 --> 00:15:04.980 are a sustainable accessories brand. So we focus 00:15:04.980 --> 00:15:08.500 on high functionality, sustainability, durability, 00:15:08.500 --> 00:15:14.299 and we focus on backpacks, duffels, totes, and 00:15:14.299 --> 00:15:17.350 all sorts of range of carry. And you've been 00:15:17.350 --> 00:15:18.669 in the corporate space for a couple of years 00:15:18.669 --> 00:15:21.250 now, but what made you sort of jump into this 00:15:21.250 --> 00:15:24.970 market? So our backpacks really resonate with 00:15:24.970 --> 00:15:28.490 sort of a corporate client. So our Apex backpack 00:15:28.490 --> 00:15:31.529 is our best selling style. It's been picked as 00:15:31.529 --> 00:15:34.009 new times wire cutters, best laptop backpack 00:15:34.009 --> 00:15:37.350 for the last four years. It's really fits in 00:15:37.350 --> 00:15:39.929 with that market and we have a corporate customer. 00:15:40.460 --> 00:15:43.399 that is looking to buy into our products constantly. 00:15:44.259 --> 00:15:46.080 We've recognized that at our store in London. 00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:48.659 We have a lot of the local offices buying into 00:15:48.659 --> 00:15:51.259 our products and Word of Mouth has really sort 00:15:51.259 --> 00:15:54.940 of helped grow our brand and through accolades 00:15:54.940 --> 00:15:56.940 that we've sort of received over the past years. 00:15:58.019 --> 00:16:00.720 This part of the business has been one of the 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:02.960 quickest growing parts, so we wanted to sort 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:04.740 of look at how we can expand further into this 00:16:04.740 --> 00:16:07.740 market. And you've done some great work on your 00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:09.840 advertising and social media. I think you're 00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:13.639 all over my LinkedIn feed. You show up on my 00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:17.039 Facebook and my Instagram feed. Yeah. So it's 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:19.700 terrific. So how are you currently selling into 00:16:19.700 --> 00:16:23.399 the market? Do you have a supplier? Are you selling 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:26.720 direct? Yeah. So we're doing both. We started 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:29.940 off by first launching our own direct landing 00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:34.480 page on our website. So people could sort of... 00:16:35.129 --> 00:16:38.309 apply through our website and see what projects 00:16:38.309 --> 00:16:40.610 we could work with them on and we found that 00:16:40.610 --> 00:16:43.250 that grew really quickly and what we sort of 00:16:43.250 --> 00:16:45.789 learned from the industry and reaching out to 00:16:45.789 --> 00:16:48.730 other businesses was that working with promotional 00:16:48.730 --> 00:16:51.090 clients and distributors was really important 00:16:51.090 --> 00:16:53.370 for us. They're obviously the experts in this 00:16:53.370 --> 00:16:55.549 area and they have the connections which can 00:16:55.549 --> 00:16:57.570 help grow our brand and put our products into 00:16:57.570 --> 00:17:00.450 different businesses and give more visibility 00:17:00.450 --> 00:17:02.049 of it that we wouldn't be able to do ourselves. 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:05.119 That's terrific. So we talk a lot about different 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:08.319 ways to win a market. A supplier through a supplier, 00:17:08.579 --> 00:17:11.160 direct through a distributor, or through end 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:15.140 users. And everyone's journey is different. And 00:17:15.140 --> 00:17:18.299 so I think it's great to tap into each of those 00:17:18.299 --> 00:17:20.559 audiences and then blogger out where you're the 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:22.779 most profitable, where you're getting this reception. 00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:26.160 And it's not permanent. So it's ever -changing. 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:29.279 You may start down one path and then... realize 00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:32.039 there's a second that where you retreat and start 00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:34.619 all over. Yeah, absolutely. We see great value 00:17:34.619 --> 00:17:37.579 in working with them all at the moment. And that 00:17:37.579 --> 00:17:40.819 may narrow down over time, but it's been successful 00:17:40.819 --> 00:17:44.400 through all channels so far. So if you're a new 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:47.420 supplier looking to jump into this market, if 00:17:47.420 --> 00:17:50.500 you could give one piece of advice to them, what 00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:53.539 would it be? I think for us, we have a really 00:17:53.539 --> 00:17:56.140 special, unique product. And I think obviously 00:17:56.140 --> 00:17:58.079 in the promotional industry, there's a lot of 00:17:59.600 --> 00:18:02.599 sort of lower quality items. I think you have 00:18:02.599 --> 00:18:04.880 any unique selling point or product which people 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:07.380 want to buy into that really sets you apart within 00:18:07.380 --> 00:18:09.640 the industry is important. And I think that's 00:18:09.640 --> 00:18:11.880 the case across retail and having a brand in 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:17.000 general. Troubadour has grown from its sort of 00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:18.759 being that point of difference in the market, 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:22.880 having a great product that is... sustainable 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:25.420 and really sort of functional. And that's how 00:18:25.420 --> 00:18:27.480 we built such a great customer base over the 00:18:27.480 --> 00:18:29.640 years. And I think that resonates across into 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:32.299 this promotional industry whereby people recognize 00:18:32.299 --> 00:18:34.579 that we have a high quality product and we have 00:18:34.579 --> 00:18:36.740 something that's unique to the market. And I 00:18:36.740 --> 00:18:39.079 think that's key, really finding something that 00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:41.579 differentiates yourself. You can't be cuckoo 00:18:41.579 --> 00:18:43.599 cutter. You can't be the same as something out 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:46.819 there because you are competing that retail brands, 00:18:47.059 --> 00:18:49.380 non -retail brands, price points, all of that 00:18:49.380 --> 00:18:52.509 stuff. I think Jogira has done a great job at 00:18:52.509 --> 00:18:54.910 their price point and really trying to set themselves 00:18:54.910 --> 00:18:59.390 apart out there. All you new suppliers, when 00:18:59.390 --> 00:19:03.650 you're looking at your product line, we can't 00:19:03.650 --> 00:19:06.049 overstate but not that differentiator because 00:19:06.049 --> 00:19:08.950 that's what's going to cut through the noise 00:19:08.950 --> 00:19:11.750 of this facing market. Ryan, thank you so much. 00:19:12.029 --> 00:19:13.710 I know you want to get back to the show. It's 00:19:13.710 --> 00:19:17.029 a little crazy here in Vegas. Team, we'll be 00:19:17.029 --> 00:19:19.799 back with more great interviews. Thanks much. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:24.960 Thank you. Thanks for tuning into the promo playbook. 00:19:25.339 --> 00:19:28.319 If you found value in today's episode, be sure 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:31.680 to subscribe and leave us a review. Got a topic 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:34.240 you'd love us to cover? Connect with us on LinkedIn. 00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:38.200 We want to hear from you. Until next time, stay 00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:41.220 smart, stay strategic, and keep growing your 00:19:41.220 --> 00:19:42.220 supplier success.