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Br yan James
B
ryan James, co-owner
of distributor Corporate
Specialty Insignia (PPAI 671332)
with his wife, Kelly, started his
career in 1989 with high-end
retail jeweler Bailey, Banks &
Biddle, where he was a general
manager. A large part of his
business focused on selling
C-suite level premium gifts,
including brands such as Rolex
and Waterford. But a meeting he
landed with Atlanta businessman
Gregory Baranco changed the
course of his career.
James first became familiar
with Baranco, an auto dealership
owner, when he read an article
about him in
Black Enterprise
magazine in the mid-1980s
while a student at the University
of Southwestern Louisiana. “I
remember he was on the cover
standing with his hands in the air
in front of his Atlanta dealership,”
says James. “So when I moved [to
Atlanta] in 1989, I knew he was
here. The article had mentioned
that Atlanta was an incubator for
entrepreneurs and I was inspired
[by Baranco].”
While working at Bailey, Banks
& Biddle, James took a chance
and reached out to Baranco. “I
approached him requesting an
appointment, with the pitch that
I could help him solve problems
in recognizing and retaining
talent,” says James. “Some say
to never meet your idol because
you might be disappointed.
That could have happened.
The guy could have denied me.
That happens every day in the
sales experience.”
But Baranco didn’t disappoint
James. During their meeting, he
encouraged James to branch out
on his own. “He showed me the
value I bring to the market in
my understanding of the value
of recognition and creating a
meaningful moment, of making
the intangible tangible. I left his
office inspired and about two
months later I was resigning from
my job,” says James. “Here we
are 23 years later and I’m still in
touch with him.”
Just as Baranco did for
Corporate
Specialty
Insignia’s Bryan
James credits
an unexpected
mentor for helping
him realize the
value he brings
to clients.
by
Julie Richie
Strategy For Success
Kelly and Bryan James
attended their first PPAI
Expo in January.
90
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MAY 2017
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