In this episode of Printing’s Alive, Warren Werbitt and Charity Gibson explore the evolution of promotional products in the print industry. Charity shares her journey to the supplier side and discusses balancing multiple roles. They cover the importance of quality, branding, and effective promo items for relationship building. Topics include sustainability, costs, certifications, and balancing business growth with quality. They also touch on generational differences, AI, and emphasize human interaction, work-life balance, and learning from younger generations. The episode wraps up with reflections on kindness and future industry discussions.

(0:00) Introduction and Charity Gibson’s background in promo
(1:55) Transition to supplier side and current roles
(3:56) Balancing multiple roles and staying energized
(5:14) Evolution of promo products in print
(7:55) Importance of quality and branding in promo
(10:28) Value of curating good promo items
(14:05) Using promo items for relationship building
(20:14) Gary Vaynerchuk’s innovative promo strategy
(23:10) The rise of sustainability in promo products
(25:19) Costs and certifications in sustainability
(27:06) FSC certification and the cost of audits
(30:17) Quality vs. cheap promotional products
(32:11) Balancing business growth and quality
(34:23) The mindset of promotional product sellers
(36:09) ASI’s approach to selling services
(37:31) Changes in leadership and industry evolution
(40:07) The importance of being proactive in business
(42:22) Generational differences and technology use
(45:07) The role of AI as a tool in business
(48:23) The importance of human interaction in the age of AI
(49:35) Life is short: Making the most of your time
(51:50) The value of work-life balance
(53:11) Learning from younger generations
(54:20) Cross-generational learning and open-mindedness
(54:32) The impact of kindness in business
(54:53) Closing remarks and future conversations