Success Stories with Marshall Atkinson

On today’s Success Stories podcast we will have a real treat.  Brian Jolin with Jolin Promo will discuss how he uses the foundation of stories to sell and engage customers. Brian is a certified StoryBrand professional, and we’ll learn how that has helped him over the years connect and align with his clients to serve them better. Brian has a personalized approach that helps clients find the right p...

Are you in sales for decorated apparel? If so, you might want to pay attention to this new episode of Success Stories as Josh Appelbaum who runs the Apparel Division at Hit Promotional Products, will be discussing his approach to sales.  That's right, we'll be chatting about the evolution of the apparel sales process, and how you should be thinking about if you want to increase your numb...

Is your company completely dialed in to your exact target customer?  Do you hit the bullseye every time? That’s what we’re going to focus on with today’s Success Stories podcast as Salinas, California-based Darryl Garcia with Color Tech will be discussing his journey to align his business goals with the customers he can serve best. A former UPS driver, Darryl knows all about the hustle.  He’s crea...

On today’s Success Stories podcast we’re going to explore how the notion of core values plays an integral role in the development and growth of a company.  Both internally with employees, and also externally with how customers are served. Julie Denton leads the business development and customer service team with Blue Cotton will chat today about their four core values: Customer-Centered Profit and...

As a business owner, how do you set up your company to work for you?   That’s an interesting point, and one that we are going to get into in tremendous detail with Mike Chong with Merch Monster on today’s Success Stories podcast.  Mike operates his business out of Oakland, California but also spends a lot of the year traveling.  He has built his business to not only maximize profit but also get mo...

There is one shop in the industry that is best known for their technical expertise, willingness to experiment, and also their ability to train other shops on best practices...and that is with Lon Winters’ shop Graphic Elephants. Lon has been running his Elizabeth Colorado-based shop since 1993 and is world-renown for his expertise in screen printing. On today’s Success Stories podcast, we’ll speak...

Have you ever wondered who is behind the amazing success of political fundraising for campaigns?   On this episode of Success Stories, Christl Mahfouz with Ace Specialties in Lafayette, Louisiana will share her story of the success of building a branded merchandising business that focuses on fundraising and politics. During the discussion, you’ll hear how she started her business in 2007 focusing...

One of the most fascinating developments in apparel print technology that has surfaced in the past few years has been the development of hybrid digital and screen printing technology. This means that screens are used for the underbase, and a digital print is printed over that. This gives the shop plenty of capabilities to explore and capitalize on with their product offerings, workflow, and more....

How does humor play into how you think about sales?  Not sure if you ever have considered that, but I know one person that has, and it is Ron Goodwin with Goodwin Graphics in Cohasset, Massachusetts. Ron has been using humor in his sales approach since 1976 to help keep his customers coming back and develop relationships.  45 years later, some of his best customers have their sons or daughters doi...

Guess what?  With this episode, Season 1 of the Success Stories podcast is officially in the books!  Thank you so much for tuning in and enjoying the stories of success that have been shared on this show. We thought it might be fun to turn the tables on me as the interviewer, and we’ve asked some of the guests from this season to record and send in some questions for me to answer.  Six of this yea...

Are you trying to compete in an oversaturated market?  These days, that can be a challenge even for experienced veterans of our industry. On today’s Success Stories podcast, Sara Webb with InTandem Promotions in Kennesaw, Georgia,  will help you unlock the secrets of infiltrating and succeeding despite overwhelming competition.  Sara will share some tips and tricks that have worked for her and all...

One way to expand your opportunities in business is to niche down and use a hobby or something that you are passionate about as a starting point.   On this episode of Success Stories, Scott Dawson with East Coast Screenprinting in Okeechobee, Florida will be sharing his story of how he turned his love for motorcycle racing into a successful business. So if you are ready to rev up your sales, Scott...

Sometimes a basic t-shirt is more than just a shirt.  It can be a social or political statement. On this episode of Success Stories, Rick Roth with Mirror Image in Pawtucket Rhode Island will share his story of success with producing apparel for Human Rights campaigns, Amnesty International, and Farm Aid, to name a few.   Rick will talk about his involvement with these movements has led to not onl...

Have you ever wanted to make your business more efficient but simply didn’t know where to start? On this episode of Success Stories, we’ll learn about the journey that one apparel decorator took, as she earned her Six Sigma Black Belt while making her shop more efficient.   Ali Banholzer with Wear Your Spirit Warehouse in Huntingtown, Maryland is our guest on this episode.  We’ll learn how she got...

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “People buy from people they like.”  On today’s Success Stories podcast, we are going to be talking to probably one of the most likable people in the industry, Natasha Rawls with The MRL Group about her experiences on using TikTok to cultivate new relationships. If you have ever wanted to try to put together a short and engaging video to help with your marketing o...

If you are a successful contract decorator, you know that you don’t sell ink or thread on cotton...what you sell is Trust with a capital T. One shop in Connecticut has found a higher level of success by generating trust through hard work, creativity, getting the job done, and simply being their authentic selves.   On today’s Success Stories podcast, we’ll speak with Monica Maglaris with Liberty Pr...

One of the most overlooked garments in the promotional and decorated apparel industry is the ubiquitous bandana.  This staple has been around our necks, heads, and faces for a very long time. Currently, there is a renaissance happening in the marketplace for people wanting customized bandanas for their events, company  fundraisers, and giveaways.  On this episode of Success Stories, we’ll talk wit...

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many small businesses to their knees, or frankly, completely out of business. One Michigan business, Sandlot Sports, made a dramatic shift in their business from athletic and sports event-based apparel and merchandise to more of a B2B focus.  On today’s Success Stories podcast, we’ll be chatting with Ryan Dost and Adam McCauley about their business, the shift in a...

How are you with the mindset of failing?  I know that I usually learn more from my mistakes, than from my successes.  How about you? As we move through our careers and business, the concept of constantly evolving and learning has helped one business thrive. Eric Solomon with Night Owls in Houston Texas has taken the concept of leveling up by constantly challenging themselves to do better.   On tod...

On today’s Success Stories podcast, we are going to talk about the “journey” that people have in the industry with Joelly Goodson, who is a self-described “Branding Badass” with Genumark in Calgary Canada. People start down their career path for whatever reasons, and it is always full of ups and downs.  Joelly has mastered the art of sales for Genumark to the point where she is recognized as the g...

One of the biggest emerging trends in the decorated apparel industry is the notion of “Print on Demand”.  This is the idea that you sync up the decoration of the shirt with the order when it is sold, and not in advance. This high-wire trapeze act happens courtesy of technological advancements in logistics, printing, workflow, and equipment. On this episode of Success Stories, we will chat with Kev...

Where a business owner’s journey starts, and where they end up is the topic of today’s Success Stories podcast. In 1997 Mark Graham founded Rightsleeve, a promotional design agency in Toronto, Canada.  The firm specializes in merchandising aimed at businesses, schools, camps, and organizations.  Mark successfully operated that business for 22 years before selling the company to Genumark in 2019. A...

Many businesses talk about growing their sales and setting goals.  For apparel decorator and marketing king Tom Rauen with Envision Tees in Dubuque Iowa, expanding the business and obtaining new customers has been a focus. He has developed an interesting way of doing that with his “Growth Acquisition System” or G.A.S. for short. On this episode of Success Stories, we will dig into exactly what thi...

It’s no secret that many people gain tremendous insight and inspiration from reading books.  And by reading, I’m including paper-printed books, ebooks, and of course, audiobooks. As many people tend to buy and share their favorite books as holiday presents, on today’s episode of Success Stories, I’ve asked a wide array of industry leaders to give us their favorite tips and recommendations for book...

These days there is a lot of talk about trying to find a competitive advantage that gives your company an edge.  One apparel decorator in North Fort Worth Texas has found that edge, and what they are doing may surprise you. Printed Threads is a full-service merchandising company that specializes in high-quality screen printing, embroidery, retail finishing, and fulfillment services.  Brett Bowden...