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 with a deep-seated ”family-first” culture. He dives into the strategic move from inexpensive giveaways to high-end retail partnerships, the acquisition of fulfillment giant ProFill, and how Hit is currently utilizing AI to revolutionize order processing and art analysis.

Whether you’re a distributor looking to understand the future of the supply chain or an entrepreneur navigating a family business transition, CJ’s insights on ”staying even-keeled” through global disruption are essential listening.

Key Takeaways:

• The Pivot to Quality: How Hit moved from a ”Walmart” mentality to a ”Neiman Marcus” product offering.

• The Tech Edge: Why Hit employs over 150 IT professionals to solve integration headaches for distributors.

• Operational Resilience: Real talk on the ”brute force” required to fix major system failures.

• The Competitive Game: Why CJ views business through the lens of sports and the ”unbelievable impact” of seeing employees’ families thrive.

#promotionalproducts #leadership #familybusiness #entrepreneurship #HITpromo #supplychain