If it’s Friday (and it is), then it’s time for an oven-fresh episode of the Between 2 Brands #podcast with your host, Bill Petrie. To kick Ep. 80 off, Bill talks about the democratization of branded merchandise, where it’s really manifesting itself, and why access alone isn’t enough to stand out. After that, he is joined by the Vice President of Business Development at Genumark, Johanna Gottlieb. They cover some interesting ground including the challenges of working for a Canadian distributor seeking to expand their footprint in the United States, her passion for PromoKitchen, and words of advice she would give 25-year-old Promo Jo. It’s a fun and wide-ranging conversation that you won’t want to miss. This episode of Between Two Brands has been brought to you by the good people at CoasterStone – home of the original absorbent stone coaster. With that combination of stone-cold quality, striking decoration, low cost-per-impression, retail packaging, and unmatched value, David Glenn and his team at CoasterStone are ready to help you make a ROCK-SOLID impression with your clients. Email them at [email protected] today!

Oh, you know it’s time to drop Ep. 79 of the Between 2 Brands #podcast with your host, Bill Petrie. In today’s opening shot, Bill takes said shot at FIFA and their ridiculous branding rules surrounding World Cup stadiums. On the plus side, some brands have really been creative while adhering to those rules showing that there’s always a creative solution to any problem. Afterwards, Bill is joined by the Plant Daddy himself, Lawrence Hanley from Desk Plants. During their conversation, they chatted about moving from corporate America to branded merch, why being unemployable might be a good thing, the magic of activations, and what the fans coming to our country are teaching us about life. It’s a truly phenomenal conversations with one of the nicest guys on the planet – and we aren’t talking about Bill. HUGE thanks to our pals over at SHEPENCO for sponsoring this fine broadcast. For 90 years – and four generations of family ownership – they have defined stability by caring about the success of their distributor partners. Head over to shepenco.com to start your next project today!

Oh, it’s time for Ep. 78 of the Between 2 Brands #podcast with your host, Bill Petrie. In this week’s opening shot, Bill talks about the much-needed brand refresh from PPAI and gives his thoughts on every aspect from the typography and color to the thought behind it and the tagline. He is then joined by the Vice President of Sales at Sock101, Rachel Hoskins. During a captivating conversation, they discuss her journey in the industry, the challenges of being a niche supplier, and the increasing use of (and need for) activations. It’s a fun and thoughtful conversation and one you shouldn’t miss. BIG thanks to our pals over at Seven Sourcing for sponsoring this fine broadcast. When you’re ready to be the partner your clients want – one that delivers unique, custom, and bespoke branded merch designed exclusively for them – reach out to Russ and his team at [email protected].

If it’s Friday, that means a brand-new episode of the Between 2 Brands #podcast with your host, Bill Petrie. This week’s episode is different than any other episode because there is neither sponsor nor guest – it’s just Bill sharing why he’s grateful to be an American on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the United States. If you’re looking for a hard political stance, keep looking as you won’t find it here. What you will find, however, is a message of sincere gratitude and what it means to Bill to be fortunate enough to be an American. Happy 250th birthday, America!

It’s Friday and time for Ep. 76 of the Between 2 Brands #podcast with the guy who’s still your host, Bill Petrie. Starting off in the Opening Shot, Bill shares his experience at Rupt Summer Camp and what other events can learn from it. Afterwards, he welcomes back a friend of the show, Alex Paschal from Warwick where they take a deep dive into 100 years of his family company, the responsibility of being a 5th generation owner, and advice he would give other next-gen owners taking over an established business. As always, Alex shares some fantastic insights. HUGE Thanks to our friends over at BEL Promo for sponsoring this fine broadcast. When you’re looking for the lowest minimums, deepest inventory, 5-star and A+ service – you know you can BEL Promo that!

Of course it’s time to drop Ep. 75 of the Between 2 Brands #podcast with your host, Bill Petrie. To kick things off, Bill has an axe to grind with some industry suppliers making the decision to no longer accept debit cards. It’s not quite a rant, but he definitely has some VERY strong opinions on the topic. After that, he is joined by the SVP of Sales at PCNA, the always dapper Mark Gammon. During their conversation, they talk about some strategies to build a great company culture, how his experience as a distributor has helped him on the supplier side, and finish with some bourbon recommendations. This episode of Between Two Brands has been brought to you by the good people at CoasterStone – home of the original absorbent stone coaster. With that combination of stone-cold quality, striking decoration, low cost-per-impression, retail packaging, and unmatched value, David Glenn and his team at CoasterStone are ready to help you make a ROCK-SOLID impression with your clients. Email them at [email protected] today!

Oh, you know it’s time to drop Ep. 74 of the Between 2 Brands #podcast with your host, Bill Petrie. In today’s opening shot, Bill asks why no one seems to be buying World Cup merch and gives some possible answers. Afterwards, Bill is joined by the Executive Director of SAAGNY, John Cudahy. They discuss a wide range of topics including the challenges of managing a board, the move of Promotions East from Atlantic City to New York City, and whether private equity money is good or bad for the industry. HUGE thanks to our pals over at SHEPENCO for sponsoring this fine broadcast. For 90 years – and four generations of family ownership – they have defined stability by caring about the success of their distributor partners. Head over to shepenco.com to start your next project today!

Better buckle up because it’s time for Ep. 73 of the Between 2 Brands #podcast with your host, Bill Petrie. In this week’s opening shot, Bill talks about “pre-vacation brain” and the very interesting bond between celebrations of life and branded merch. He is then joined by the Chief AI Officer at commonsku, Bobby Lehew. They discuss his journey from distributor to service provider, take a deep dive into AI and the use in the promotional products industry, and compare notes on speaking in front of people professionally. This is a great conversation and one you don’t want to miss. BIG thanks to our pals over at Seven Sourcing for sponsoring this fine broadcast. When you’re ready to be the partner your clients want – one that delivers unique, custom, and bespoke branded merch designed exclusively for them – reach out to Russ and his team at [email protected].

It’s Friday, which means it’s time for a brand-new episode of the Between 2 Brands #podcast with your host, Bill Petrie. To kick off Ep. 72, Bill shares some industry quick hits of the happenings in the world of branded merchandise After that, he is joined by the Vice President of Sales for HALO Branded Solutions, Rachel Levin. During a wide-ranging chat, they discuss what she’s learned at each stop during her career, the importance of mentorship, and take a VERY interesting dive into the psychology of branded merchandise from an end-user point of view. There are some outstanding takeaways here, so get your notepad ready! HUGE Thanks to our friends over at BEL Promo for sponsoring this fine broadcast. When you’re looking for the lowest minimums, deepest inventory, 5-star and A+ service – you know you can BEL Promo that!

You KNOW it’s time to drop Ep. 71 of the Between 2 Brands #podcast like it’s hot! This week in the Opening Shot, your host, Bill Petrie, talks about the curious move of a shoe manufacturer pivoting 180 degrees to become an AI infrastructure company – a truly bizarre story. After that, he is joined by Fossa Apparel’s Chief Revenue Officer, the one and only Kenny Ved. During a thoughtful conversation, they discuss lessons he learned being the face of a large supplier, the goals he has for Fossa, his thoughts on peer recognition, and they debate who should be on the Mount Rushmore of Comedy. Trust us, you don’t want to miss this! This episode of Between Two Brands has been brought to you by the good people at CoasterStone – home of the original absorbent stone coaster. With that combination of stone-cold quality, striking decoration, low cost-per-impression, retail packaging, and unmatched value, David Glenn and his team at CoasterStone are ready to help you make a ROCK-SOLID impression with your clients. Email them at [email protected] today!