One Key to Success in Life and Business

I could easily title this commentary “What’s Really Important,” but instead I am going to drill it down to just one really important thing that has been hit home for me. I’m hardly qualified to speak fully on keys to success, I am however very confident that what I’m going to share here is one key to success.

I just returned from the Promotional Marketing Association of Northern California (PMANC) show in beautiful Monterey, Calif. I’ve had the privilege of attending this event before and looked forward to it. The location is awesome. I was able to run and bike ride along the beautiful California coast. A benefit to attending these events is seeing industry friends that we only connect with once or twice a year. In this case, I had a conversation that helped me see what is really important in our crazy busy lives.

In my commentary, "Fido, Felines, Fitness and Family," I touch on how relationships make our industry great. I’ve shared in the past how important relationships are to me. One relationship I greatly value is my friendship with Rod Brown. Rod is a past PPAI and PMANC board member, and is a principal of distributor MadeToOrder. Through the years he has taken time to mentor me and has had an impact on many people’s lives.

What many don’t know about Rod is how his business success has enabled him to do things that are very important to him. He is reluctant to talk about this because it’s personal. Rod really is not comfortable sharing this publicly. What he has to say however is one of the keys to success that I want to share with you. With a bit of nudging, in this short video, Rod talks about what his real passion is, and what his business has allowed him to do. I encourage you to take the time to watch this video.

Of course there also were productive business components to the PMANC Showcase that I can also share with you. Taking advantage of the resort location, my friends at SnugZ USA gave me some of their new Zen Line products for a real world field test. In short videos you will see the results of our product review. In this video Janet Jones from Victorinox Swiss Army gives her product review. Sandy Nichols from Crystal D shares her thoughts in this video. They really enjoyed using this unique product line that has become very popular. It’s a great line that creates a unique branding opportunity for your clients.

The PMANC Showcase is a nice regional event where business gets done. Booths were busy and intimate conversations were going on. At these shows, I typically do video reporting and like to share what I find interesting with the FreePromoTips.com community. In Monterey, I found what’s hot from BIC Graphic, Fields, Pilot Pen, Tervis and a new service from PromoTec.

I also had the opportunity to talk with multi-line rep Mark Shinn from Incentives West and Brian Haner from Image Source who came all the way from Seattle to attend this regional show. They talk about why the PMANC Showcase is important to them in this video.

Rod Brown from MadeToOrder loves the PMANC Showcase. In this video with Cristina Ysselstein from ETS Express (one of his favorite suppliers) he shares why he chooses to bring his whole office team to Monterey. There is a benefit to attending these events.

We all can make a difference in our personal and business lives. I’ve shared about being a cripple for most of my life, to being able to run (very slowly), cycle and generally be more active. From my personal journey, I realized that there is a correlation between fitness disciplines and success in our personal and professional lives. I created the FreePromoTips SuccessFit Faceboook Group—a forum where we can encourage, motivate and inspire others. Everyone is invited to join this group where you can post what you like to do for fun away from the office. A key to success is encouraging others.

There are many run/walks that raise money for good causes. At the 2015 PPAI Expo we were able to do a fun run/walk that raised money for the Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF). Recently in my own community, I was able to participate in Wings for Life, an amazing global event where 100 percent of the proceeds goes to spinal cord research. While I have always been able to walk—albeit in pain for most of my life—I am very sensitive to the needs of the disabled. At Wings for Life, people with spina bifida and wheel chairs being pushed passed me. I’m OK being slow. It is a blessing to be able to walk and be a part of this inspirational event. Their tag line is "Running for Those Who Can’t."

Also in our community, we have a local organization that is making a big impact. The Brenda Mehling Cancer Fund puts on an annual 1K/5K/10K fundraising event. Brenda was diagnosed with breast cancer in her late twenties and received generous support to overcome her illness. During the process, she realized that the health care system was not equipped to meet many patients' day-to-day needs through months of treatment. Brenda always thought of others, so she set up the Fund to help them.

In February 2004, Brenda lost her second battle against cancer. While I never knew Brenda, the impact she has had on people’s lives has been felt since she created the fund in 2001.

With the help of our supplier partner Makana Line, we were able donate 400 very nice bottles with the Brenda Mehling Cancer Fund logo on one side and my distributor company logo on the other. Usually, goodie bags for events don’t include a quality product like this. It was a high-impact donation that actually did open some doors for business. Beyond that, it was an honor to support this organization that is doing good things. What fitness events are you participating in? Please join us on the SuccessFit Facebook Group and share!

One key to success in life and business is to do what you can to make a difference. Volunteer. Get involved. Go fulfill your passion in life and business! And … take advantage of the regional association events that are in your area.