Army] Vet, this is my story.’ They were like, ‘Cool story, but why are you here?’ I just wanted to learn as much as possible.” One of those people was Dale Denham, now the President and CEO of PPAI. He’d heard Gregorian tell his future peers about his company, which, back then, was named AZ Access Distribution, LLC, and he couldn’t bite his tongue. See, Gregorian’s company existed because he had one great idea for a promotional product—a type of retractable key badge that can connect to an article of clothing such as pair of pants and display a logo when pulled open – with a specific brand in mind, and he became a distributor of that product. “I had a customer before I had a business, so I had to think of a name ASAP,” Gregorian says. But to Denham, a company name was nothing to be rushed out with little to no thought. How could Gregorian expect customers to trust himwith their brands, Denham reasoned, if he didn’t seem to prioritize his own branding? In a room that could have lent itself to a lot of posturing between industry leaders, Gregorian showed up practically begging to learn, and Denham laid something out very clearly for him: Go home and change your name. Back in downtown Chicago soon after, Gregorian was sitting on a balcony at night staring between two skyscrapers perfectly framing a full moon. That’s when the idea came to him: Lunar Branding. From that point on, he marketed his company with intention. He came up with logos and merchandise that fit with an aesthetic. The story is a microcosm of how alignment with the Association has helped Gregorian succeed in an industry he had never planned on being a part of. “It’s a mystery to get in it, you know?” Gregorian says, conveying that he truly did not understand how one gets a footing in the promotional products world. He didn’t know where to begin. Even becoming a member of PPAI was difficult because he had trouble expressing that he was legitimately in the industry. He had to get his initial client, the one who purchased the retractable key badges, to send over a traditional purchase order as proof. He was initially “fumbling through and figuring out” the industry, in his own words. His first PPAI Expo bolstered his desire to be in promotional products. “I was like, This is incredible. I signed up for everything. I went for the whole week.” Gregorian didn’t necessarily need inspiration or a lesson in entrepreneurship. He didn’t need much creative counsel. He needed some contacts—he met an importer that day who he has worked with ever since. He needed a general scope of how the industry operates and practical advice for sustainable business in the sector. “I brought all that stuff I learned at the PPAI educational [sessions], and that’s how I created my new company,” Gregorian says. That company has grown steadily since 2018. He has attended The PPAI Expo every every year since, including the virtual PPAI Expo Direct-2-You in 2021, each time adding more Launch Mechanism Lunar Branding began when Greg Gregorian pitched his travel club on a branded retractable key badge. Retractable products make great branding opportunities for name badges, key rings, or anything a user might have to scan regularly. Customize this Printed 32” Badge Reel with Loop Snap with your client’s logo and one of six colors. Badge Boss PPAI 270151, S5 www.badgeboss.com Greg Gregorian was overwhelmed at his first PPAI Expo, but he soaked up everything like a sponge and hasn't missed one since. | MAY 2022 | 33 GROW
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