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How did you get started in this industry?
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I started in sales fresh out of college at a local paper house and within three years I was selling printing. After being exposed to the promotional products industry in the early 1990s, it gradually became an integral part of my ongoing business. Over the years, I have developed many long term client relationships in the Houston area. I started Corporate Expressions in 2001 with the desire to expand upon those relationships and partner with my clients by providing them valuable creative promotional and print resources that fit their corporate marketing needs. |
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Can you give a piece of advice for someone just starting out in our industry? |
The promotional products industry can be overwhelming with access to so many products. My advice to newcomers is to try not to be all things to all people. It may take time, but try to find a niche and then work to develop the vendor base that will support that niche. Work diligently to brand your company to your clients while helping your clients find the best promotional products to support their own branding efforts. |
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What is a tool or resource you find indispensable in your job? |
The resources found in the promotional products industry are invaluable to distributors. The search engines and catalog systems that are in place to support our research and put us together with suppliers is second to none. |
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What is your favorite Internet site? |
With the internet being so widely used to on a personal and professional level it would be hard to select a favorite site. The Corporate Expressions’ website
www.corporateexpressions.cc is an ongoing challenge and education to me as I explore ways to service our clients and to maximize it’s potential in meeting client needs. |
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If you had an extra hour every day, how would you spend it? |
An extra hour a day would be great to have and I would spend it reading more trade publications and books related to sales and business. |
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Do you have any personal motto or quote concerning our industry? |
The promotional products that you choose to tie in to your marketing project or event theme can say as much about you and your company as any other marketing that you do. So don’t choose your products hastily or as a last resort…utilize your promotional representative to help select more targeted products and get the most from your money. |
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How do you anticipate your MPI membership can help you professionally or how has it helped you professionally? |
I want our association with MPI to help us to better understand the meeting profession and in return our presence will hopefully help others understand how promotional products can be used to make a lasting impression on your end users. |
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Tell about a great challenge you have faced and overcome. |
The greatest challenge that I have had has been to transition from a sales person to a business owner. There has been much personal and professional growth and challenges to overcome. Starting a business a couple weeks prior to September 11th when business as we knew it changed forever presented a challenge in and of itself. I am discovering on a daily basis more about our industry, business and how our products can impact our client’s branding efforts. |
