WLC 2025: Discover The Power Of Connectional Intelligence As radical a concept as emotional intelligence was in the ’90s, connectional intelligence is turning people into super connectors who accelerate innovation, break down silos and foster breakthrough impact. Connectional intelligence is the ability to unlock the power of relationships and networks to drive innovation, sales and growth, according to Erica Dhawan, top management thinker, founder and CEO of business management consultancy Cotential. • Dhawan will be the keynote speaker at PPAI’s Women’s Leadership Conference 2025 in Coronado, California. “In the promotional products industry, this means going beyond transactional sales and fostering deeper client relationships by understanding their evolving needs,” Dhawan says. Erica Dhawan promo industry but to the federal agencies that rely on promotional products to communicate vital information to the public. “The SWAG Act is the issue that has the most impact on our industry right now, even more than tariffs,” said Scott Hareid, owner of Hareid Marketing and a long-time LEAD attendee. “And most of the legislators we met with were very receptive that a blanket ban is not productive.” The event also provided the chance to support two bills, one a longstanding issue for the industry, and the other a Senate effort to reassert congressional authority over tariffs and trade policy. A significant portion of promo’s sales force intentionally consider themselves to be independent workers. Rule changes in the past few years from the Department of Labor have jeopardized their status, and PPAI has long been advocating to protect independent work relationships. The Modern Worker Empowerment Act would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act and provide a clear definition that is more favorable to independent workers. Attendees thanked Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.), who filed the bill, and one of its co-sponsors, Rep. Mark Messmer (R-Ind.), for their support and encouraged other members of Congress to sign on and support the bill as well. “We had the right meetings with the right people at the right time, and we are building a community that has value in teaching others in the industry,” said Tony Shereda, MAS, vice president of sales for distributor QMI Group. Just days before LEAD – and the day after the president announced sweeping tariffs – a group of senators introduced bipartisan legislation to restore congressional oversight of such measures. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced the bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025 on April 3 to reestablish limits on the president’s ability to impose unilateral tariffs without the approval of Congress. Under the bill, Congress would have the ability to end tariffs at any time by passing a resolution of disapproval. A PPAI team thanked Grassley personally, and others conveyed gratitude to the offices of fellow sponsors in the Senate: Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). “We showed up with a clear, unified message on behalf of our industry – and this is just the beginning,” said Alok Bhat, PPAI’s market economist, research & public affairs lead. “We’ll keep the momentum going and continue engaging on the issues that matter most.” PPAI • JUNE 2025 • 93 Inside PPAI | Community
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