Kings of Swag with Jeremy Parker

How do you transition from leading an $11 billion division at Staples to running one of the most innovative suppliers in the promo world? Neil Ringel, CEO of PCNA, joins Jeremy Parker to discuss the evolution of a $650M+ industry giant. In this episode, Neil pulls back the curtain on the aggressive acquisition strategy that landed PCNA exclusive partnerships with brands like Stanley and Owala. He...

Heather Smartt, Global Head of Goldstar, joins Jeremy Parker to pull back the curtain on what it takes to lead one of the most influential suppliers in the promotional products industry. With over 20 years of experience—including a pivotal 11-year stint across Shanghai and Amsterdam—Heather brings a truly global perspective to the show. In this episode, Heather shares the "let go to grow&quot...

CJ Schmidt, CEO of Hit Promotional Products, joins Jeremy to discuss the evolution of a $730M+ industry titan. From its humble origins as a rubber stamp company to becoming one of the most technologically advanced suppliers in the world, CJ pulls back the curtain on what it takes to lead at scale. In this episode, CJ shares his "coach" approach to leadership—balancing high accountability...

How does a US Army Tank Officer become the CEO of a $200M promotional products empire? John Broman, CEO of Showdown Displays, joins Jeremy Parker to share the incredible growth story of a company that transitioned from a $6M "operational mess" into the industry leader for signs and displays. John pulls back the curtain on the "Showdown Secret Sauce"—a culture built on legendary...

Memo Kahan, the Founder and CEO of Promoshop, joins Jeremy to share the 28-year story of building one of the promotional product industry’s most creative and culturally-driven distributors. From his roots in Mexico City to leading a $70M+ powerhouse, Memo opens up about the "accidental" start of his career and the bold decision to launch his own firm after being shown the door by his for...

Joseph Sommer , Founder and CEO of  Whitestone , joins Jeremy Parker to share the unconventional journey of building a $32M+ promotional products powerhouse. From being a self-described "bad student" with dreams of becoming a chef to navigating the high-stakes world of global enterprise branding, Joseph’s story is a masterclass in grit, pivot, and people-first leadership. In this episode...

How do you turn a cold email into a $30M+ global engine? Caleb Gilbertson, Founder and CEO of Imprint Engine, joins Jeremy Parker to share the high-stakes story of building one of the promotional product industry’s most tech-forward global agencies. From a small Minneapolis apartment to $150M+ in lifetime revenue, Caleb’s journey is a masterclass in scaling with speed and intent. In this episode,...

Justin Zavadil, President of American Solutions for Business (ASB), joins Jeremy to pull back the curtain on a 46-year family legacy that transformed from a rural Minnesota print shop into a nearly $500M promotional products powerhouse. In this episode, Justin shares the secrets to ASB’s incredible growth and its unique structure as a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) company. Discover how to maintain a...

Eric and Matt Rubin of Blue Generation share their incredible four-generation, 80+ year journey in the apparel industry. Discover how they've navigated economic challenges, adapted to changing markets, and built a lasting family legacy. From their humble beginnings to becoming a top apparel supplier, this episode is packed with insights for entrepreneurs and anyone interested in the power of f...

How do you go from buying shirts at Hobby Lobby to being acquired by the biggest name in decorated apparel? Jayson Tompkins (Founder of Fulfill Engine) joins the Kings of Swag to map out his journey from software engineer to industry disruptor. This episode is a must-listen for promo product professionals who want to understand the "operational backbone" required to thrive in a post-COVI...

In the world of promotional products, few names carry as much weight as  Jeff Lederer . After 30 years spent building Prime Line into an industry powerhouse and facilitating its massive acquisition by alphabroder, Jeff found himself at a crossroads: retire or dive back into the "unfinished business" of a 75-year-old legacy brand. In this episode of  Kings of Swag , Jeff takes us behind t...

Chris Anderson, CEO of HPG Brands, joins Kings of Swag for a clear-eyed conversation about scale, leadership, and pressure in the promotional products industry. We talk about what changes — and what doesn’t — when a company reaches real size, how HPG approaches sourcing and trust, and what Chris is watching as the industry recalibrates. This is a grounded, operator-level look at where promo is hea...

They didn’t rush it — and that decision changed everything. In this episode of Kings of Swag , Jeremy sits down with Mark Graham and Catherine Graham to unpack the real story behind commonsku — from building internal software for their own distributorship to making the risky decision to open it up to the entire industry. They talk about working together as a married founding team, dividing roles,...

Jeff Becker, Founder of Kotis Design, joins Kings of Swag to reflect on more than two decades in the promotional products industry. From college t-shirts to enterprise RFPs, Jeff explains how Kotis grew into a giant business — and why sustainability, focus, and long-term thinking matter more than ever. A grounded conversation about leadership, growth cycles, and what it really takes to last in pro...

A remarkable story of resilience and reinvention. Trevor Gnesin, CEO of Logomark, walks through his journey from South Africa to building one of the promo industry’s leading premium hard-goods suppliers. We explore how he pivoted from wearables, navigated major setbacks, scaled operations, built long-term team loyalty, and stayed ahead of industry shifts. In this episode: – Early days of Logomark...

A rare deep-dive with the person who sits at the center of the promo industry. Jeremy talks with Michele Bell , Senior VP at ASI, about the evolution of the promotional-products world, the rise of small distributors, global trends, leadership, and what the next five years will look like. This episode covers: • How Michelle entered the industry and built a 28-year career • Why ASI shapes so many of...

Jeremy Lott, CEO of SanMar, joins Kings of Swag to share how a family-run t-shirt supplier grew into one of the largest and most influential forces in the promotional products industry. From inheriting his father’s legacy to leading through innovation, culture, and scale, Jeremy opens up about the lessons that shaped his leadership—balancing growth with values, embracing AI, and navigating global...

Rob Spector, founder of Spector & Co., shares how he transformed a tiny Montreal pen shop into one of North America’s most design-driven promotional product suppliers. From his first cold calls to landing clients like Tesla and GM, Rob breaks down what it takes to build a lasting culture, keep customers for decades, and lead with purpose through massive industry change. This is one of those ra...

Jake Himmelstein, President of Bamko, joins Kings of Swag to share how he helped scale the company from $22M to nearly $400M in revenue . From global sourcing and sales culture to bold acquisitions and leadership lessons, Jake reveals what it takes to grow in the $30B promotional products industry . Whether you’re a distributor, supplier, or entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with insights...

In this episode of Kings of Swag , we go deep with Mitch Freed , CEO of Genumark , one of the top distributors in the promotional products industry. Mitch shares how he stepped into his father’s role to lead Genumark, what succession looks like in a family-run distributor, and how he earned trust while making his own mark on the business. We cover his early years at the company, the handoff in 202...

In this episode, we sit down with Jason Lucash’s, the serial entrepreneur behind OrigAudio (acquired by HPG) and now co-founder of Rupt– a bold new company redefining sustainability and design in promo. We cover everything from the early hustle of launching a supplier brand, to the one-piece minimum revolution, to selling and scaling with HPG. Jason also opens up about startup vs. corporate cultur...

From Netflix to Sephora — Harper & Scott’s CEO reveals how to win the biggest clients in promo. In this episode of Kings of Swag, Jeremy Parker sits down with Michael Scott Cohen, co-founder and CEO of Harper & Scott — one of the most innovative agencies in the promotional products industry. From pitching $30M accounts to winning over brands like Netflix, Spotify, and Sephora, Michael shar...

In a world where every supplier seems to sell the same thing, how do you stand out? Jonathan Isaacson, Executive Chair of Gemline, reveals how his company rose above thousands of competitors to become one of the top suppliers in the promotional products industry. From ethical sourcing to B Corp certification, Jonathan shares the strategies, mindset, and partnerships that transformed Gemline into a...

🎯 From Part-Time Finance to $200M+ Revenue: The Debbie Abergel Story Join us for an inspiring conversation with Debbie Abergel, Chief Strategy Officer at Nadel, who transformed a struggling promotional products company into one of the industry's most sophisticated agencies. In this candid interview, Debbie shares her remarkable 25-year journey from a part-time finance role to driving 62% reve...

Join entrepreneur Greg Muzzillo, who just announced his retirement as CEO and Founder of Proforma– as he reveals how he turned a $200 dream into a $650 million global franchise empire in the promo‑products industry. In this episode, Greg shares:→ The pivotal moments that sparked Proforma’s explosive growth→ How their unique franchise model gives members 10× the buying power→ Insider tips on techno...