PPB August 2019

Cha r i t y Gi bson Charity Gibson Plays To Her Strengths The promo industry professional uses her expertise as a marketer and distributor to create a podcast where she spotlights inspiring stories from industry pros. by Danielle Renda L ooking at Charity Gibson’s story, it seems she was bound to enter the promotional products industry one way or another. After applying for her first industry position as a business-to-business account manager in 2000 and facing rejection after several follow-up interviews, Gibson confidently circled back a year later, determined to change her career. She was through with her role as an assistant manager and marketing director for an apartment community in Tucson, Arizona, which brought her face-to-face with disgruntled residents, who often complained of faulty pipes and indoor flooding. She didn’t want to be involved in reporting problems: she wanted to help find solutions. And once she made her break into promo, she sprinkled her wand of kindness, innovative ideas and core decision-making on those who crossed her path, whether clients or colleagues, employers or friends. Gibson is currently a national account coordinator for supplier Peerless Umbrella Co. headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, the owner of industry social media consultancy Green Banana Social, sits on the executive committee and is a founding chef for nonprofit PromoKitchen and, in her newest endeavor, the host of an industry podcast, Badass Women of Promo , which she started in March. Gibson says she founded her podcast to create a space for female promo professionals, like herself, to discuss “the challenges and advantages that come with being a woman in the promotional products industry,” while placing a “big, bright spotlight on all of these incredibly talented individuals.” Shared using the hashtags #BadassWomenOfPromo, #BWOPpod and #FindYourInnerBadass, in her first episode she interviewed Kate Plummer, MAS, the vice president of sales and marketing at Ontario, Canada-based distributor Clearmount. 66 | AUGUST 2019 | CONNECT