Shows
skucastEpisode 342: Exploring Asia with Dave and Mark (Factory Tours, Hong Kong Gift Fair, and PromoCares!)What does the promo industry look like from the inside out? I mean, all the way to the source, from manufacturing in Asia to the delivered product to clients. Well, in today’s show, we’re getting a peek behind the scenes as we take a promo tour through Asia with Dave Shultz, commonsku’s VP of Supplier Partnerships, and Mark Graham, commonsku’s President and Chief Brand Officer! The two industry vets journeyed to Asia for a factory tour and a visit to the Hong Kong Gifts and Premium Fair, plus, they joined CJ Schmidt, the CEO of HIT Promo to...2025-06-1234 min
skucastEpisode 340: Tariffs, Tech, AI & Building Teams: Gold Bond's Britney GodseyBritney Godsey is the dynamic CRO at Gold Bond, we chat about tariffs, the "China plus one" strategy some suppliers employ, the recent implementation of commonsku ePOs for streamlined order processing, and tech advancements like the Brand Lab AI podcast and chatbot, alongside a focus on team growth, plus their strategic focus on Tech, Golf Dominance, Green Gallery, and ZipShip. Join us for a wide-ranging but incredibly informative chat with Britney!2025-05-0628 min
skucastEpisode 338: A Branded Product Agency Philosophy with Francis Pierrel, LR ParisEpisode 338: A Branded Product Agency Philosophy with Francis Pierrel, LR Paris by commonsku2025-04-1021 min
skucastEpisode 337: Mastering Client Complexity Through Mergers: A Chat with Kate Ivory and Laura Mazy, Premier PressEpisode 337: Mastering Client Complexity Through Mergers: A Chat with Kate Ivory and Laura Mazy, Premier Press by commonsku2025-03-2727 min
skucastEpisode 336: The “Quiet Work” of a Power Brand: Inside MOTIF’s Unique Culture with Joel AntymniukEpisode 336: The “Quiet Work” of a Power Brand: Inside MOTIF’s Unique Culture with Joel Antymniuk by commonsku2025-03-1232 min
skucastEpisode 335: Customer Experience is the New Differentiator (Dan Gingiss)Episode 335: Customer Experience is the New Differentiator (Dan Gingiss) by commonsku2025-02-2629 min
skucastEpisode 334: The Optimism & Anxiety of Sales Growth: Tips from Sales Expert Kevin BaumgartEpisode 334: The Optimism & Anxiety of Sales Growth: Tips from Sales Expert Kevin Baumgart by commonsku2025-02-1330 min
skucastEpisode 333: The Real Sales Growth Unlock? Joy (A Chat with Matthew Dart, Blackfish)Blackfish is an unapologetically boutique brand that focuses on a customer-obsessed experience as the bedrock for building growth.2025-01-2322 min
skucastEpisode 332: Monty Mims: How SanMar’s Connected+ Partnership with commonsku Boosts Real-Time ePOsMonty Mims is one of the many folks leading SanMar’s Decorator & Tech Solutions division, he’s brilliant at both helping distributors work better with their decorators, but also helping decorators navigate the landscape of trends, equipment, and supply chain.2025-01-0935 min
skucastEpisode 331: From Promo to Transforming Culture with John Henry at JHWhen John Henry of JH started in 1998, little did he know that JH would soon expand into culture and recruitment services for businesses, consulting, digital services, and more. Many of us in the industry consider ourselves strategic advisors to our clients, but when our CCO, Bobby Lehew, got to participate in JH’s “Expand Your Brand” event (virtually) this year, we realized that if there’s one thing JH is exceptional at, above all, it’s expanding their own brand to serve their clients.2024-12-1824 min
skucastEpisode 330: The Impact Journey: Fairware's Sarah White and Denise TaschereauEpisode 330: The Impact Journey: Fairware's Sarah White and Denise Taschereau by commonsku2024-12-1238 min
skucastEpisode 329: Ethically Sourced Merch for Socially Responsible Clients (Daniel Cardozo, Ethix Merch)Episode 329: Ethically Sourced Merch for Socially Responsible Clients (Daniel Cardozo, Ethix Merch) by commonsku2024-11-1828 min
skucastEpisode 328: Hit Promo's Amy Rabideau and Jon Norris Are Making Big ChangesHit Promo is now a connected+ supplier on commonsku, what does that mean? A lightening fast ordering process, securing inventory quicker, and the elimination of order entry errors by you and your team (and more!)
Today, we’re talking with Amy Rabideau, Hit’s VP of Product and Jon Norris, Chief Strategy Officer at Hit.2024-11-0733 min
skucastEpisode 327: "Marketing Made Easy: Unleashing the Power of commonsku + PromoPulse (with Jason Nokes)Episode 327: "Marketing Made Easy: Unleashing the Power of commonsku + PromoPulse (with Jason Nokes) by commonsku2024-10-2427 min
skucastEpisode 326: How to Thrive in an Emotion-Driven Economy (with Kyla Scanlon)Our guest on this episode of the skucast is Kyla Scanlon, founder of the financial education company, Bread, and a prolific creator. Kyla writes a weekly newsletter, makes YouTube videos, hosts the “Let’s Appreciate” podcast, and posts —almost daily— short-form videos about the economy and markets.2024-10-1122 min
skucastEpisode 325: The Secret to Courage? Brave Habits (with Todd Henry)Todd Henry is one of the most sought-after creativity coaches in the world, he teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance.2024-09-2628 min
skucastEpisode 324: Sky High Soars to New Heights: One of America's Top 100 BusinessesWhen Sky High Marketing partnered with commonsku about four years ago they had 25 employees and in the short time since, have doubled their team to 50! Owners, Josh and Rachel Kozinski just opened a brand new 40,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility in the Milwaukee area complete with warehousing, in-house decoration, and embroidery. We were honored to join them for their open house, what an amazing team and experience.2024-09-1221 min
skucastEpisode 323: Mergers & Acquisitions as a Growth Strategy with Whitestone's Joseph SommerFounded in 2013 in New York City. Whitestone has graced the Inc 5000 List for Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America the last seven years. Founder and President Joe Sommer has led a superstar sales team and is looking at growth through both organic sales and acquisitions, they recently acquired Merchful (who operates in Canada and Europe) and they acquired San Francisco-founded distributor Design Like Whoa.2024-08-2230 min
skucastEpisode 322: Vantage Apparel's CEO Rob Watson on Success and the Connected AdvantageToday Rob Watson, CEO at Vantage Apparel joins us to talk about their look into the future and the aspirations and realities they are creating as a tech-enabled pioneer in apparel.2024-08-0825 min
skucastEpisode 321: Supercharge Your Growth with Team-Based Selling (Ryan Paules, Radar Promotions)Ryan Paules pivoted to the promo industry after losing his job as a manager with a national chain on the same day of his wife's first ultrasound. With a new baby on the way and a mortgage to pay, he turned his IT hobby into a full-time venture, launching Radar Support, which he later closed despite its success.2024-07-2531 min
skucastEpisode 320: Navigating a Global Transparent Supply Chain (Tim Andrews, CEO, ASI)Tim Andrews is a luminary in the promo industry, he’s the CEO of the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) whose 350 employees serve a network of 25,000 suppliers, distributors, and decorators in the industry.2024-07-1122 min
skucastEpisode 319: Turning a Big Vision into Real Strategy with Todd Mawyer, TK PromotionsTodd Mawyer is the President and CEO of TK Promotions, a commonsku distributor customer, and yet another very successful entrepreneur in this industry who started during a recession, in 2008.2024-06-2727 min
skucastEpisode 318: Building an Outrageously Remarkable Brand with Dean Caravelis, BlezooIn our chat today, Dean will share some-real time tactics and ideas that will help you build a brand that people want to connect with (through every business touchpoint). From the way your team communicates to generous marketing, Dean combines his experience as both client and distributor to help you build a brand your customers will like, love, and trust!2024-06-1324 min
skucastEpisode 317: What’s New on commonsku? A Sneak Peek with VP of Product Management, Charlie MoscoeToday, we have a really special sneak peek episode featuring Charlie Moscoe, commonsku’s VP of Product Management. Whether you’re an OG client, a new client, a supplier, or even just someone who is commonsku curious, today, we’ll unpack some exciting new developments coming up in June and for the remaining year.2024-05-2332 min
skucastEpisode 316: Storm Creek's Trailblazing Vision with Doug Jackson and Teresa FudenbergDoug Jackson, President of Storm Creek and Teresa Fudenberg CEO of Storm Creek, both join us today to talk about their sustainability journey, their passion for impact, and since they’re the OG’s of eco, we talk about today’s buyer demands, how it’s changed, and their practical tips on how we as distributors can make eco a priority with our clients.2024-05-0934 min
skucastEpisode 315: How to Fast-Track Your Sustainable Future With Sterling Wilson, Pop! PromosPop! Promos removed 36,000 pounds of plastic from their supply chain, expanded their organic, recycled, and sustainable materials, and achieved a bronze designation from EcoVadis, the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings.
And the Pops! Promos Transformation toward sustainability and its increased effort toward social impact all began with a small group of volunteers from within the organization.
Today, we talk with Sterling Wilson, President of Pop! Promos about how a small voluntary group made such a huge impact, how they formed the group, what priorities they decided upon, and his tips on how you and you...2024-04-2530 min
skucastEpisode 314: Numo + Created Co, a chat with Jim Martin, Jeremy Moss, and Ryan SchneiderWalk into the coolest, local, craft coffee shop in your market and the likelihood is high that you’ll see coffeeware and insulated drinkware on the shelves from our guests today, Jeremy Moss and Ryan Schneider, who started Created Co in 2015.
Fast forward a few years and Jeremy and Ryan with Created Co and Numo’s Jim Martin found one another. Two strong and proven but disruptive brands that both have an affinity for making cool products for discerning buyers.
Now, we see a lot of brands enter our industry but there’s something about this that feels different and perhaps...2024-04-1131 min
skucastEpisode 313: Rustico’s Isaac Childs: How Endings Become New BeginningsToday, we’re chatting with Issac Childs, founder of Rustico, one of the most beloved brands who closed their doors after a very successful run of 22 years.2024-04-0427 min
skucastEpisode 312: Want Better Collaboration? Embrace Active Listening (with Stephen Shedletzky)Today we talk with Shed about so much, you’ll love the depth of his thinking, we talk about: candor with care, the most important traits of a leader, the struggle some of us have moving from roles like a sales driver to an organizational leader, and more - join us!2024-03-2833 min
skucastEpisode 311: The Remarkable Women Behind Red Promotions (with CEO, Shelley Stewart)Shelley Stewart is the CEO, the Creative Experience Officer, at Red Promotions based out of Seattle WA. As a women-owned, led, and fully operated team, they have become a powerhouse for their clients and have worked hard to build an incredible culture and a fiscally vibrant business.2024-03-2126 min
skucastEpisode 310: Merch Life: The Was, Is, and Must Be with Danny Rosin, Brand FuelDanny’s talk walked us through the sometimes rocky and now incredible journey the branded merch industry has been through, from an advertising add-along to today’s intimate merch experience that is embraced by brands and adorned by fans.2024-03-1440 min
skucastEpisode 309: Make Your Team a Profit Making Machine with Lia GarvinLia Garvin, author and speaker, is known as the team whisperer: She’s the bestselling author of Unstuck and author of a new book released just this week titled The Unstoppable Team: A simple formula for managing your team, reducing overwhelm, and increasing revenue.2024-03-0729 min
skucastEpisode 308: Purpose Built Pro’s Ryan McAlisterToday, we talk with Ryan about this incredible business they’ve built in California, their expansion into the industry providing workwear, plus how their audiences have widened to include not only the trades but also this huge market for transitional workwear.2024-03-0129 min
skucastEpisode 307: From The Bachelor to Generous Coffee, a Chat with Ben HigginsOur guest today is Ben Higgins, best known from season 20 of ABC’s hit series, “The Bachelor.” Ben stays connected with his loyal Bachelor following with his iHeartMedia podcast, “Almost Famous,” which he co-hosts with his friend and former Bachelor contestant, Ashley laconetti, which has over 150 million downloads.2024-02-2231 min
skucastEpisode 306: “Merch Madness, How Did We Get Here?” by Linni KralLinni Kral is a Brooklyn-based writer, editor, and educator. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler and more.2024-02-1533 min
skucastEpisode 305: Future Proofing Promo with Denise Taschereau, CEO, FairwareDenise is the CEO and co-founder of one of the industry’s most respected brands, Fairware. Prior to starting Fairware, Denise spent seven years as the Director of Sustainability and Community for Mountain Equipment Co-op, Canada’s largest outdoor retailer. She is currently a board member of Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) and also a board member of Promocares, a group working to inspire, educate and provide actionable strategies to encourage social and environmental responsibility in the promotional products industry.2024-02-0833 min
skucastEpisode 304: A Global Vision for 2024 with Jeremy Lott (SanMar) and Jonathan Isaacson (Gemline)Today, we’re sharing an episode that we recorded live from skucon where Jeremy and Jonathan answer questions from Catherine Graham, commonsku’s CEO, on a broad range of topics including: US/China relations and its impact on the supply chain, deglobalization efforts, the impact of international trade, the labor market, and a financial outlook for 2024.2024-02-0154 min
skucastEpisode 303 - Rupt: A Chat with the Disruptors, Jason Lucash and Mike SzymczakJason Lucash and Mike Szymczak, the two founders behind one of the industry’s most ingenious company’s Origaudio, are back. Jason and Mike sold their very successful company, Origaudio, to HPG in 2018, and after a few years, both retired from the industry. The two entrepreneurs, known for their innovation in product, production, and distribution, have launched a new brand with a bold new mission. The company is called Rupt — and it sounds just as it was intended, an idea meant to disrupt the industry, particularly the status quo when it comes to transparency in sustainability.2024-01-2328 min
skucastEpisode 302: Crafting an Exceptional Customer Experience with Gemline CEO, Frank CarpenitoFrank Carpenito was a five-year board member on Gemline’s board of directors, and he loved the company so much that he wanted to help lead it; in 2019, he became President and recently was promoted to CEO and is now responsible for the day-to-day running of the business at Gemline.2024-01-1134 min
skucastEpisode 301: Factory Tour With the Logomark Team!Logomark’s story is one of innovation, not just in product but in production, masters at obsessing over speed and accuracy, we begin our chat today with Clive by talking about his entry into the industry, what the pandemic taught him and the team, and how it impacts their work today.2024-01-0443 min
skucastHidden Gem Episode: 10 Disciplines for Maximizing Your Energy, Rob Dube, CEO, imageOneRight now, if you’re listening to this as it's published, you’re in the middle of your 2023 holiday break, and as has been a tradition for us, we like to use these few weeks during the holidays to republish a few hidden gems you might have missed earlier in the year. Today, since the new year is right around the corner, we're republishing our conversation with Rob Dube, CEO of Imageone on the topic: “The 10 Disciplines for Maximizing Your Energy,” it’s the perfect episode to help you as you think ahead to your personal and business goals for 2024!2023-12-2826 min
skucastEpisode 300: Unforgettable Stories and Invaluable InsightsWhen we began our podcast adventure over 300 episodes ago, we had no idea the number of incredible people we’d meet along the way and the impact they would make on us and the commonsku community.2023-12-1431 min
The Brand Heraldcommonsku with Kate Masewich Kate Masewich's team calls her the glue, the conductor, the creator of magic, and the secret ingredient behind all our marketing and events. As commonsku’s VP of Marketing, Kate has not only guided the marketing efforts but orchestrated the ops behind every event: skucon, skucamp, commonsku University, and now, successfully hosting thousands of people through their virtual experiences.Commonsku was designed and created by people who understand the challenges of the industry. It continues to create community around professional development and helps distributors and suppliers grow the promo industry efficiently and sustainably. We talked about Kate's journey to becoming th...2023-11-2843 min
skucastEpisode 284: The Astonishing Growth of Delegate CX, a Chat with DCX CEO, Craig DunlapToday, we chat with Craig about this astonishing growth, covering topics ranging from their new e-commerce academy, to tips on integrating new DCX employees with your team, the incredible cultural exchange happening between American and Filipino employees, plus, the new DCX + commonsku collab!2023-08-2520 min
Between 2 Brands PodcastEp. 164 - commonsku Crossover EventIt’s crossover time on Ep. 164 of the Promo UPFront #podcast! That’s right, Mark Graham and Bobby Lehew from commonsku join regular hosts Kirby Hasseman and Bill Petrie to discuss the value of the new position of Director of Sustainability and Responsibility at PPAI, take a deep dive into the power of merchandise to identify beliefs – and whether distributors have a moral obligation regarding what is imprinted on products, examine the interesting ASI statistic of growing sales for large online distributors while there is a decline at smaller, boutique operations, debate whether malls are back with a rise in sales...2023-08-2541 min
skucastEpisode 281: commonsku Brings on Investment Partner, Frontier (A Chat with Mark & Catherine Graham)Frontier, based in Charlotte, NC is a private equity growth firm with $1 billion in active funds focused exclusively on software. Frontier Growth was listed on Inc Magazine’s inaugural list of “The 50 Best Private Equity Firms for Entrepreneurs,” a list of founder-friendly private equity firms.
Join us as we chat with commonsku co-founders Mark and Catherine Graham about this chapter in the commonsku journey!2023-08-0426 min
Branding MattersHow to Build a Brand Community with Mark Graham (commonsku)Send us a textMy guest today is the one and only Mark Graham; Founder & CEO of commonsku - a software company specifically designed for the promotional products industry. During our fun conversation Mark and I discuss everything from building communities to building connections.Other topics we cover include:The value of story tellingHow to give people a reason to buy from youWhen to incorporate a mascot into your brandingAnd so much more!I really enjoyed this conversation and I h...2023-06-2335 min
skucast16 Inspiring Ideas and Bold Trends from commonsku’s CEO SummitThe most encouraging part of CEO Summit? To hear how humble beginnings led to incredible growth, humility, challenges, opportunities, and seasons of overcoming and winning.2023-05-0511 min
skucastEpisode 261: Tech Summit: The Largest Gathering of Technologists in the Promo IndustryAbout two weeks ago, the largest gathering of technologists in the promotional products industry happened at PromoStandards Tech Summit. Over 150 attendees from over 60 companies gathered together at the premier tech event, and today on the skucast, we’re sharing with you a glimpse behind the scenes at Tech Summit, which includes a panel led by commonsku’s CEO Catherine Graham and also, a brief breakdown from Robert Cathro-Oliver, commonsku’s Director of Software Development on the work of the PromoStandards committee. Dave Shultz, commonsku’s Vice President of Supplier Partnerships, also joins us to answer this question: What is tech summit?2023-03-0949 min
skucastEpisode 255: CRO Secrets to Driving Sales SuccessIn today’s episode of the skucast, we’re bringing you a live session recorded at skucon 2023, “CRO Secrets to Driving Sales Success.” Our panel is hosted by Catherine Graham, commonsku’s CEO, and our guests are Trina Bicknell, CRO of HPG; Sam Kates, Chief Sales Officer for Spector and Co.; and Holly Brown, Chief Revenue Officer at Polyconcept.2023-01-1932 min
skucastEpisode 250: The Critical Changes Creating Our Industry's Bold FutureAnd we can think of no better way to celebrate our 250th episode than by inviting commonsku cofounders Mark Graham and Catherine Graham on today’s episode to talk about the major trends driving and shaping the future of our industry and the sometimes small-scale and quiet changes happening beneath the surface that will become seismic disruptors in the immediate future and over the next 2-3 years.2022-12-0845 min
skucastEpisode 247: Forecasting the Future with Dan Pantano, David Nicholson, and Jonathan IsaacsonAt skucamp, the leaders of three of the industry’s largest suppliers joined Catherine Graham, commonsku’s Co-founder and CEO on stage to answer audience questions and discuss the state of the industry now and their perspective on the future. The panel featured David Nicholson - Vice Chairman at PCNA, Dan Pantano, President & CEO at AlphaBroder Prime, and Jonathan Isaacson, Chairman, and CEO at Gemline.2022-11-1040 min
skucastEpisode 197: commonsku Turns 10!Catherine Graham, commonsku’s CEO, and Mark Graham, commonsku’s president and chief brand officer, join me to talk about their entrepreneurial journey, the struggles, the low moments, how the industry has changed, what they’ve learned about building a team, how leaders evolve and adapt, and, we explore what it takes to build a bold, future-forward business.2021-09-1741 min
Badass Women of Promo PodcastEpisode # 29 | Samantha Kates + Ashley Colautti, commonskuIf this conversation doesn't just scream empowerment (through a plastic megaphone with a one-color imprint) on all levels, we don't know what does.
Listen in as Samantha Kates, VP of Sales, and Ashley Colautti, Senior Account Manager for industry service provider commonsku, about what it's like being two of the women behind the company whose community of distributors have achieved $1 Billion in network volume as of April 2021. They also talk about the inspiration they get to be a part of daily, working for the powerhouse that is Mark and Catherine Graham, the power in empowering each other in all things...2021-05-2034 min
skucastcommonsku Hits $1 Billion in Network Volume!Today our community of distributors achieved an incredible milestone: $1 Billion in network volume. Together, we achieved this in less than 10 years. While we did some virtual high fives around the virtual office, this milestone is not about us, it’s about you, the skummunity.2021-04-1335 min
Success Stories with Marshall AtkinsonEpisode 12: "Turning Your Troubles Into Dollar Signs" with Mark Graham with commonskuWhere 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.Along the way, Mark founded another company, commonsku, which is a trusted CRM, order management, and social collaboration tool for the promotional products industry.Today’s Success Stories podcast will focus on the origins of Mark’...2021-01-1334 min
skucastEpisode 166: The Future of the Industry in a Post-Covid WorldToday on the skucast, we sit down with Catherine Graham (commonsku’s CEO) and Mark Graham (commonsku’s President and Chief Brand Officer) and talk about what a momentous time we live in for innovation, and what the future will continue to unfold for us as we move forward.2020-11-121h 04
skucastEpisode 159: Different is Better with Mike MichalowiczMike Michalowicz, commonsku Sessions at Home keynote, joins us today to discuss why different is better in business, marketing, and sales. Join us for a fast and rich conversation with the man whom Simon Sinek declared, “the top contender for the patron saint of entrepreneurs.”2020-09-1824 min
Marketing Spark (The B2B SaaS Marketing Podcast)How Virtual Events Are Powering Commonsku's MarketingVirtual events have received mixed reviews as a replacement for in-person conferences.
For some companies, virtual events have provided opportunities to connect. But many people have complained about the lack of interactivity and engagement.
For commonsku, which sells software to promotional product companies, in-person events have been a key part of its marketing and sales efforts.
As important, events have propelled Commonsku's community.
With in-person conferences off the table, commonsku has successfully leveraged virtual events to stay connected to customers and nurture prospects.
2020-08-0317 min
skucastBonus Episode: 4 Demands the Client of the Future Wants From You NowIt has never been about the product, it’s how we’ve trained the client to think about us and our product. Here are four ways we can respond to the customer of tomorrow today, read by Bobby Lehew, from a recent commonsku blog post in our Future of Work Series.2020-06-1815 min
skucastEpisode 150: How to Create an Amazing Virtual Event for Your CustomersJoin Kate Masewich, commonsku’s Marketing Director, Bobby Lehew, commonsku's Chief Content Officer, and Mark Graham, commonsku’s President, and Chief Brand Officer, on today's episode of #skucast as they share with you the joys and challenges of building the best virtual experience possible!2020-06-0547 min
skucastEpisode 149: The Art of Innovation Through Tough TimesToday, Mark Graham, commonsku’s President and Chief brand officer, and Bobby Lehew, commonsku’s Chief Content Officer explore the choice to innovate, even during hard times.2020-05-2131 min
skucastEpisode 144: Leading Through Difficult TimesIn this episode, Catherine Graham (CEO at commonsku) and Mark Graham (President and Chief Brand Officer at commonsku) join me to discuss this unique time in our industry’s history.2020-04-0939 min
skucastEpisode 139: Greatest Hits from 4 Years!To celebrate our fourth anniversary, in today’s episode, Mark Graham, commonsku’s President, and Chief Branding Officer and Bobby Lehew, commonsku's Chief Content Officer, each selects their four favorite episodes and play highlights from each guest.2020-03-1242 min
skucastEpisode 129: Content Marketing Works: Why Aren’t You Using It?In today’s episode of skucast, Bobby Lehew (commonsku’s Chief Content Officer) and Mark Graham (commonsku’s Chief Technology Officer) sit down with our special guest and friend Bill Petrie, President of PromoCorner, to discuss the importance of content marketing.2019-11-2149 min
skucastEpisode 125: The Story Behind the RIGHTSLEEVE acquisition by GenumarkLast week, the news hit the industry that Genumark acquired RIGHTSLEEVE. Today on #skucast we're joined by commonsku co-founders Mark and Catherine Graham for an interview on their experience and the lessons learned.2019-10-0844 min
skucastEpisode 123: So, You Want to Amp Your Marketing? Here’s How.In today’s episode of #skucast, Bobby Lehew is joined by Mark Graham, commonsku’s Chief Platform Officer, to answer a question from a distributor about how to go about hiring for marketing and launching a marketing strategy.2019-09-1243 min
skucastEpisode 122: Jeremy Lott with SanMar, A Family BusinessSanMar is one of the most respected names in the industry and they’ve earned respect through a careful and conscientious focus on the customer. In today’s episode, Mark Graham, commonsku’s co-founder and chief platform officer, chats with Jeremy Lott, President of SanMar, about the ins and outs of running a successful family business.2019-09-0554 min
skucastEpisode 119: How to Scale with IntimacyIn today’s episode, we’re tackling the topic of how to scale with intimacy. Mark Graham and Bobby Lehew are joined by Kate Masewich, commonsku’s Marketing Director. You’ve experienced Kate’s work through every touch-point of our brand and our events, her opinion on this topic is a direct result of working tirelessly to build emotional connections with customers.2019-08-1643 min
Badass Women of Promo PodcastEpisode 11 | Ashley Colautti, commonskuAshley Colautti is an account manager at @commonsku - an industry solutions provider. Prior to her role at commonsku, Ashley spent time on the distributor side of the industry, and before that worked teaching English overseas.
In this 30 minute episode, you'll learn about Ashley, her views on women in tech, her advice on how to find your inner badass, and hear who she considers a badass woman of promo. Listen in and get your learn on!
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The Badass Women of Promo Podcast a.k.a. the #BWOPpod was created to spotlight the powerhouse women of the 25 billion dollar promotional...2019-08-1531 min
skucastEpisode 114: A New Era in Productivity: The Connected Workflow with Catherine GrahamIn today’s episode, commonsku’s CEO Catherine Graham joins us to talk about the new connected workflow and how ePOs (electronic purchase orders), the strongest link in the connected workflow chain, allow for the effortless transfer of accurate, live data, from ideation to orders to production to invoicing without compromising the accuracy on any order.2019-07-1126 min
skucastEpisode 113: Gen Zen with AlyToday’s conversation is with Aly Brunton, commonsku’s Marketing and Event Coordinator, you’ve met Aly if you’ve attended our events or interacted with us on social, she’s an incredibly articulate (if not reluctant) voice for Gen Z, the generation that by 2020 is expected to account for about 40% of all consumers.2019-06-2033 min
skucastEpisode 109: Introducing Shops - Easy as Presentations!In over 108 episodes, we have rarely -almost never- talked about new features that we develop, preferring instead, to put our guests and our friends first. We hope you can indulge us this one time as we introduce an exciting development we are proud to announce: shops! In this episode, Mark Graham, commonsku’s Chief Platform Officer, and Bobby Lehew, commonsku’s Chief Content Officer, introduce shops.2019-05-1529 min
What Leaders Know.S2 Ep.4: commonsku and YouBuying, selling, filling orders and keeping it all streamlined. In a fast-paced and high-demand market, you can’t afford confusion in your workflow. Mark Graham, the co-founder, and owner of commonsku, a CRM order management and workflow collaboration software tool, offers an answer to this crucial need. Join co-hosts Bart Simpson and Matthew Nutt as they sit down with Mark Graham to find out what it takes to brave uncertainty and serious risk, to pursue what you are most passionate about.2019-03-1446 minWhat Leaders Know.S2 Ep.4: commonsku and YouBuying, selling, filling orders and keeping it all streamlined. In a fast-paced and high-demand market, you can’t afford confusion in your workflow. Mark Graham, the co-founder, and owner of commonsku, a CRM order management and workflow collaboration software tool, offers an answer to this crucial need. Join co-hosts Bart Simpson and Matthew Nutt as they sit down with Mark Graham to find out what it takes to brave uncertainty and serious risk, to pursue what you are most passionate about.2019-03-1446 min
skucastEpisode 100: The Customer of Tomorrow, the Distributor of Tomorrow: A Celebration ForwardJoin Bobby Lehew, Mark Graham, commonsku's chief platform officer, and Catherine Graham, commonsku's CEO, as we celebrate the 100th episode of the skucast in classic commonsku style: by looking forward.
Buckle up and straight ahead skummunity, it's front-windshield-view-only and we're not slowing down!2019-02-2835 min
skucastEpisode 97: NOW is the Time for Growth! Creating a Stronger Sales Focus in a Good EconomyIn this episode, Mark Graham (commonsku's co-founder and chief platform officer) and Bobby Lehew (commonsku's chief content officer) share why a good economy can blind us to bigger opportunities, why sales-focused training needs to shift and why it is imperative, and much more!2019-01-3130 min
skucastEpisode 91: Memo Kahan with PromoShop on Culture, Community and Enjoying the RideIn this episode, Bobby Lehew sits down with Mark Graham, commonsku's co-founder and chief platform officer, as we chat with Memo Kahan about the highs and lows of his business journey and his thoughts on how the recession refined and focused their value proposition, what it takes to succeed in sales and the advice Memo would give to his past self or young entrepreneurs.2018-11-1551 min
skucastEpisode 90: Responding to Fast Company's "Cheap Swag" ArticleIn today's episode, Bobby Lehew, the chief content officer at commonsku, Mark Graham, commonsku’s co-founder and chief platform officer, and Winston Lo, president of Creative Boulevard, explore this article and the potential ramifications but moreover, the opportunity this moment presents for many in the business.2018-11-0727 min
skucastEpisode 87: Supplier CMO Series, Adam Kovar with ETS ExpressAdam Kovar is the Vice President of Marketing at ETS Express, one of the industry's most admired and innovative drinkware companies. In this episode, Mark Graham, commonsku's chief platform officer, sits down with Adam to discuss how Prop 65 has improved ETS, knowing your value and the confidence to believe in your company and your product and much more!2018-10-1843 min
skucastEpisode 82: Supplier CMO Series RJ Hagel, GoldstarIn this episode, Mark Graham, commonsku's co-founder and Chief Platform Officer, sits down with RJ Hagel of Goldstar to discuss the obstacles and opportunities in marketing pens, growing beyond their staple products and much more!2018-09-0647 min
skucastEpisode 79: Supplier CMO Series: Julie Fritsch, StarlineWe continue our Supplier CMO Series with Julie Fritsch, the Vice President of Marketing at Starline Inc., a Top 40 Supplier and 2017 Distributor Choice Award Winner. Julie joins Mark Graham, commonsku’s co-founder and Chief Platform Officer, to discuss why she believes artists make the best marketers, marketing strategies for small promotional products suppliers and much more!2018-08-1642 min
skucastEpisode 68: Live from the Ace Hotel: skucamp, New Orleans!Mark Graham (commonsku's Chief Platform Officer) and Bobby Lehew (commonsku's Chief Content Officer) talk about what’s in store for attendees at skucamp this year and we paint a picture of what the experience will be like, live from the Ace Hotel New Orleans.2018-05-1524 min
skucastEpisode 67: The Future of B2B E-CommerceIn this episode, commonsku's Chief Platform Officer, Mark Graham, and Chief Content Officer, Bobby Lehew, explore what the future of B2B e-commerce could look like. They share their failures at trying to build their own e-commerce solutions and walk through what the buyer’s experience could be if we simply challenged our conventional views of e-commerce and re-imagined the buyer’s journey.2018-05-0142 min
skucastEpisode 66: The Rise of the Progressive DistributorsIn today’s episode, commonsku’s Chief Platform Officer, Mark Graham and Chief Content Officer Bobby Lehew sit down and discuss a shift that has happened in the marketplace over the past ten or fifteen years: the rise of the progressive distributor.2018-04-2536 min
skucastEpisode 58: How to Kick Ass in Business Development with Catherine GrahamIn this episode, Catherine Graham, President of distributor RIGHTSLEEVE and CEO of commonsku, spoke to an audience full of entrepreneurs at our skucon conference in Las Vegas, on the subject of prospecting.2018-02-2733 min
skucastIntroducing commonsku Collections!commonsku collections is a brand new in-app tool that allows suppliers to create beautiful collections of product that can be easily shared by a distributor with their customers. In this episode, Mark Graham, commonsku’s co-founder and Chief Platform Officer, and Samantha Kates, commonsku’s Vice President of Sales, sit down to share how collections can save distributors time and how this new tool can make sales happen quicker for both distributor and supplier.2018-01-3026 min
skucastEpisode 46: Strategies for Scaling with Catherine GrahamAt our inaugural skucamp event in Palm Springs, CA, some of the most influential and progressive distributors and suppliers gathered to spend a few days in community, listening to speakers and learning from one another. Catherine Graham (CEO, commonsku) distilled her years of experience as a successful distributor into a presentation at skucamp entitled "Strategies for Scaling,"2017-11-071h 11
skucastEpisode 37: Global Growth and Epic Sales! An Interview with Andy Thorne of Outstanding BrandingAndy Thorne, Co-Founder and Sales and Marketing Director at Outstanding Branding, was our special guest at commonsku University at The ASI Show Chicago, discusses the realities of partnerships, building a brand, utilizing a business coach, healthy margins, workplace culture, and more.2017-08-0454 min
skucastEpisode 36: The Path To 10 Million (A Panel Discussion at commonsku University)Recorded live at commonsku University at The ASI Show Chicago, we discuss what it takes to climb the path to success, and we chat about key factors that contribute to growth: net profit, mentorship, sales persistence, margins, and more.2017-07-2148 min
skucastEpisode 34: Event Marketing: How Community Driven Events Can Boost Your Promo BusinessIn today’s skucast, we discuss successful distributor client shows and, through the lense of a learning perspective, we share the evolution of the commonsku events. Mark Graham shares the sweat, the fear, the risk, the return, and the reward of spectacular event marketing. We hope this episode inspires you to build community events with your customers!2017-06-2339 min
skucastEpisode 24: Supplier Rebates, Terms, and Price NegotiationsThis episode was sparked by a controversial article published in The Counselor magazine entitled, "The Big Squeeze: Are Promo Distributors Putting Too Much Demand on Suppliers?" Samantha Kates, commonsku's Vice President of Sales, joins Mark Graham and Bobby Lehew as they wade into the controversy to discuss supplier rebates, price negotiations, and more!2017-03-0843 min
skucastEpisode 20: Wishpond best practices and pro tips with CPO Nick SteevesIn today’s episode, we explore the world of marketing automation. commonsku recently integrated with a marketing automation software provider called Wishpond. They make it easy for marketers to create landing pages and contests, track leads, send emails and much more. To explore how marketing automation can work for those in the promotional products industry, we sat down with Nick Steeves, Chief Product Officer at Wishpond to share with us some best practices, top hacks and tricks.2016-12-2229 min
skucastEpisode 12: Have you met Joe? with Joe KempleIn this episode of skucast we’re going to spend some time with one of our most recent additions to the commonsku team, Joe Kemple. Joe is joining Aaron Kucherawy as a customer success representative and we couldn’t be more excited to have him on board!2016-06-2811 min
skucastEpisode 7: How to be a commonsku ninja with Aaron KucherawyFor anyone who has been trained on the commonsku software platform, they will be very familiar with our guest this episode. Aaron Kucherawy is commonsku’s Customer Success Manager and is responsible for training distributors on the platform, fielding support questions and offering comic relief to anyone in need.2016-04-2917 min
skucastEpisode 2: Creativity in Business with Lon McGowanIn this episode of skucast, we speak with Lon McGowan about creativity in business and his upcoming keynote at skucon Chicago on July 12, 2016. Learn more at commonsku.com/skucon2016-03-2525 min
skucastEpisode 1: Thought Leadership with Heidi ThorneIn this episode of skucast, we speak with Heidi Thorne about Thought Leadership and her upcoming workshop at skucon Chicago on July 12, 2016. Learn more at commonsku.com/skucon2016-03-0914 min
PromoKitchen PodcastPromoKitchen Podcast #35 - Mark Graham CommonskuPromoKitchen Podcast #35 - Mark Graham Commonsku by PromoKitchen2015-11-1842 min
PromoKitchen PodcastPromoKitchen Podcast #89 - Catherine Graham, commonskuJoin chefs Dale Denham and Danny Rosin in a conversation with guest, Catherine Graham.
Catherine is known for her passion about the modern workplace and what it takes to run a successful business in 2015. She is the President of RIGHTSLEEVE and CEO of commonsku. Prior to joining Rightsleeve, Catherine had a variety of roles including several years of financial planning at TD Bank. She pursued an MBA at the Rotman School of Management during which time she joined the fledgling eBay Canada as employee #4. After leaving eBay, Catherine worked as a management consultant at A.T. Kearney, working with Fortune 100...2015-11-1632 min