PPB April 2018

Universal International Group, LLC PPAI 562234 Vector 9 Design PPAI 724336 Victor Mario Perez PPAI 167886 We Mail for You, Inc. PPAI 728803 West Coast Athletics PPAI 725578 Williams Recognition Ltd. PPAI 724399 Worth Promoting PPAI 712116 Xcetera Plus Promotional Products & Gifts PPAI 260475 Y&Y Promotions PPAI 578034 Your Logo Source PPAI 729061 ZAP Printing & Graphics PPAI 420747 Multi-Line Reps Ben Norris Marketing PPAI 605986 Flynn & Associates, Inc. PPAI 659538 Sportex Sales, Inc. PPAI 272461 Suppliers AFH PPAI 728739 All Star Emblems Corp. PPAI 719667 Artifi Labs PPAI 621314 Bear Totes PPAI 727343 Borun American Jewelry PPAI 725807 Cherokee Cap Creations, Inc. PPAI 111655 Display Barn PPAI 624897 Everight Global PPAI 725651 Excel Glass PPAI 440298 Fancy Fortune Cookies PPAI 171543 Glide Apparel PPAI 724048 Globe Promotions, LLC PPAI 358927 Gutterpy PPAI 723934 K & B Trading PPAI 726865 Moon River Publishing PPAI 728665 Mr Ice Bucket PPAI 519293 Ox and Pine PPAI 725830 Perfect Feast PPAI 726208 Plaque Maker Plus, Inc. PPAI 223127 PrideBites PPAI 729297 Riviera Towel Company PPAI 725658 Rockwell Time PPAI 725606 Startee Apparel PPAI 411697 Stoked On Printing PPAI 725961 Tribe Socks PPAI 716751 Tropical Foods PPAI 726066 Ugly Christmas Sweater, Inc. PPAI 725991 Wonky Ware PPAI 727306 NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT How did your company get its start? We found a need, and we filled it. We saw a need for an attractive universal stand for mobile phones and tablets. We researched other products out there and decided to make our own. There were a lot of late nights developing the product. We started by hacking apart the reel of a fishing rod. During the development process, we experimented with different materials, including aluminum and fiberglass. Once we had the product down, we worked to get it patented (a three-year process), find a manufacturer and work out manufacturing challenges. When we were done, we had a versatile, simple and portable product that would support 97 percent of the smartphones and tablets out there. What led your company to enter the promotional products market? We were at Techcrunch in San Francisco to show off an app we’d developed, Dinerlist. We used the GoDonut to hold mobile devices we were running the app on. We’d applied the app’s logo to the GoDonuts, and they got more attention at Techcrunch than our software did. We received a number of inquiries from corporations at the show, including United Airlines. That experience motivated us to learn more about the promotional products industry and how we could find a place in it. What’s your favorite thing about being in the promotional products industry? We really enjoy the excitement of helping to market and promote other companies while communicating with our products. You can have the greatest product in the world, but without an audience, it’s just another product. We also really appreciate the people in this industry who have been willing to take us under their wings, teach us about the industry and how to succeed in it. The people we’ve met have been open and kind. Why did you join PPAI? It was because of the immeasurable reach of the association. When you want your product to be known throughout the world—in offices, schools, etc.— the promotional products industry is the way to go. We researched organizations and were confident that PPAI was the right fit for us. PPAI and The PPAI Expo are also the ideal place to network. You don’t have to be a giant company; you can be a startup and network with potential clients no matter your size. One of the biggest issues for startups are the barriers to entry as far as marketing. PPAI offers a platform that allows you to take a small company to a whole new level. — James Khattak Nina Seyedabadi and Raymond Alonzo Inventors/Owners GoDonut Fresno, California PPAI 722997 94 | APRIL 2018 | CONNECT