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Rising Stars | FEATURE Jason Loui, CAS Age 35 Marketing Director AnyPromo.com Chino Hills, California J ason Loui joined online distributor AnyPromo.com in early 2016 as an SEO consultant at the recommendation of a former mentor and boss. Previously, Loui had worked in digital marketing for in-house marketing departments and agencies after earning a degree in business marketing from Cal State University Northridge in 2008. Loui received 21 nominations for Rising Star, all from industry suppliers, including Larry Baida at Ariel Premium Supply. “Jason and his marketing team are always forward-thinking and on the cutting edge of technology and online sales,” Baida says. “Jason continues to be the go-to contact for anything relating to online sales. He’s years ahead of the industry as a whole. What impresses me is his creativity—like when he developed the first ecommerce distributor membership program as well as cutting- edge ad tracking and data mining. Always thinking [of] the big picture, innovative and forward-thinking.” Nominator Marco Indrio at Alpi International says, “With no management background, he grew his department from one to six people and in turn has grown double-digit sales annually.” What impact has the COVID-19 lockdown had on your life both personally and professionally? Luckily, COVID-19 and the lockdown hasn’t affected me in too harsh of a way. Yes, I miss going out with friends, eating at restaurants and going to the movies. I’ve had to make some hard decisions and adjust to working remotely. But all these seem trivial compared to what others are experiencing and facing right now. On the other hand, I get to spend a lot more time with my two-year-old daughter who is the most consistent source of fun I have ever had. Also, having some extra time to catch up on some TV and exercise isn’t hurting either. What have you learned about yourself during this time? With all of the downtime we have with the stay-at-home orders, you can’t help reflecting and rediscovering who you are and what matters most. I learned that all of the little luxuries in life can be gone. We all work hard to be able to travel, experience new things and spend time with friends and family, but whether it’s a pandemic or natural disaster, tomorrow and its freedoms are not guaranteed. So, make the most of today, live it to the fullest and enjoy as much as you can. I also realized it’s easy to get caught up in life and make yourself busy. Once that all stops, you realize what you miss and love the most. What concerns you most about the future of the promo products industry? I think we are all concerned about the number of in- person events which will happen in the short term. Historically, we have always worked through pandemics and they eventually go away, but the amount of rebuilding which has to happen for us to reach “normal” again can feel daunting. However, I am proud to be part of an industry that was able to pivot so quickly and fulfill the needs of customers and clients in their time of need with PPE products. What are you most optimistic about moving forward? At the time of writing this, it looks like countries that encountered the virus (before us) are reopening and their economy is returning back to pre-COVID levels pretty quickly. I am also noticing a shift in the quality and level of products being offered. A lot more brands and retail quality items are available. Additionally, cause marketing and giveback programs are also quickly making their way into our industry. Who or what inspires you and why? The late Kobe Bryant inspires me. His pursuit of excellence, work ethic, perseverance, ability to lead by example, holding his teammates accountable, being a great dad and his passion for storytelling are all things that I admire and will continue to strive to emulate. Rest in peace, Kobe. What would you like to accomplish over the next 24 months? We always have aggressive growth goals every year but, outside of that, I want to work on my storytelling and branding skills. At AnyPromo I think we do a good job at testing new concepts, optimizing our internal processes and having a good online presence, but those things can only take you so far. We can’t continue to grow unless we begin to leave a more profound and lasting impact on our customers. In addition to this, I would also like to give back to the industry which has given me so much. Continued on Page 42 | SEPTEMBER 2020 | 31