Codie CartwrightCo-OwnerSecret-swig.comPPAI 902970How did your company get its start?Secret Swig started with a story my mom told me after attending a concert. She shared how my youngest sister had managed to sneak a traditional flask throug...

It’s a big moment when someone reaches a work anniversary, whether they’re ringing in 5 years or 25. Tenure recognition is one of the simplest ways to show people they matter and that their time with your company is appreciated. As a branded merch l...

They say the world is smaller than it has ever been due to the connectivity of technology and the relative ease of travel. That said, it’s still pretty darn big. We still live where we live, and people tend to do business with who and what they are ...

On April 20, U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched its online portal for businesses to claim tariff refunds. The first refunds are expected to be paid by May 11.CBP’s refunds system, the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entrie...

Some of the most valuable conversations in merch don’t happen in formal meetings — they happen over coffee. Maybe you’re getting a feel for a new client or learning how another rep approaches big accounts. Or, maybe you’re reconnecting with a former...

The branded merchandise industry is mourning the loss of Norman Cohn, the longtime leader of Advertising Specialty Institute, who died April 24 at the age of 93.For more than seven decades, Cohn’s career traced – and in many ways defined – the e...

People value learning and development at work, especially when it fits into their day. In one study, 84% of people said learning gives their work more purpose. One easy way to make that happen more consistently? Micro-reels. These short videos, ofte...

You may not realize how much time meetings take up. One study shows that the average professional spends more than a quarter of the workweek in meetings. This adds up to nearly 10 full workweeks by the end of the year.Some teams default to meeti...

Sitting at the top of PPAI's recently debuted five-year strategic plan is a goal and a vision: to establish and showcase that branded merch is the premier marketing channel that Powers Lasting Connections.And yet still that does not preclude the...