We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gina Ahtof a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Gina, thanks for joining us today. Before we talk about all of your success, let’s start with a story of failure. Can you open up about a time when you’ve failed?

Early in my business, there was a company that I really wanted to work with. I didn’t have experience working with this kind of organization, but it was interesting to me so I persisted. I asked networking friends to connect me, but that wasn’t successful. I tried to ask them directly but it didn’t work. They didn’t want to talk to me. Eventually, because of my persistence, I was able to get a meeting with the owner of the company. My gut told me that this person was only interested in price and didn’t value relationships. But we began working together and for three years we had an interesting working relationship. It was painful every step of the way. He was only ever focused on cost and didn’t care about all of the extra things I did for him and his company. That held no value to him, but it is the backbone of my business. A few years in we wrote up a contract so that I could be the sole supplier of promotional products for his company. I was so excited but in the back of my head, I knew that this person would take price over relationship and that the contract didn’t really mean anything if he found a cheaper cost, he would go with them in a heartbeat. The contract period was a painful year. Every time I saw an email come from his company I cringed. It made me miserable. In the end, he moved the company and never told me. They ghosted me. I should have listened to my gut and not entered into a business relationship with this person in the first place, but I was blinded by the money I thought I would make. I thought that this was a big client and no matter what they did to me, it was OK because I was getting paid. I understand now that my mental health and well-being are not for sale. Helping my clients, being joyful in my work and not dreading my day to day is what I strive for. I now have a “no jerks” policy that I stick to religiously.

Gina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Let me tell you a bit about myself…

With a B.A. in Art, M.A. in Education, certificate in Graphic Design, and over 20 years in marketing, I bring a critical eye, experience, and knowledge to every project.

With my background in graphic design, I knew that I could help people create well-designed logo items that impressed their clients, order better quality stuff, get more for their money, and save tons of time. They would get exactly what they wanted to look good to their clients and community. I would do all the legwork and build the relationships and understand the quality of the products from each vendor. I was on a mission.

As I built this business, I also made connections with local, women-owned businesses that provided great items, I discovered vendors who made sustainable products, and I studied where things are made and the levels of quality from each vendor. This goes much deeper than just knowing where to get decent foam fingers.

The result? I give a concierge-level service for business owners who need quality branded items, so they don’t waste time and money on online ordering again. That’s what I do every day from my office in Worcester, MA as a promotional product supplier. I have solid connections to thousands of vendors that offer millions of products in all quality levels. My years of experience mean that every order is not only accurate, but strategic. I go deep with my clients to insure their items fit their overall marketing plan and truly represent their brand.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I decided to start my business because I was looking for a job and I was frustrated that I couldn’t find a job that I liked and had flexibility for my then struggling mental health. I had been a freelancing graphic designer, so I thought I would add more energy to that. There’s very little capital you need to start that business. I spent $300 on a cheap laptop and used the cheapest design software I could find. When a customer asked for me to get printing and promotional products on their behalf, I was hesitant. I had never put my own money out to fund a project. It was usually time that was wasted if there was a problem. I had a great credit score and a credit card with a zero balance. I figured that as long as I was paid before the credit card was due, I would be OK and I was. But that was a super scary thing to attempt because it can go wrong really easily. If a client was late on a payment, or didn’t pay at all, I was screwed. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. When I started networking and talking about my scary cash flow, I developed a new system of invoicing my clients up front and being paid before their projects which fixed the project immediately. I was very lucky that I had good credit and didn’t ruin it with my initial antics.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In the 2010’s my life changed completely. My dad, who I was super close to, passed away unexpectedly. I was married and divorced 4 years later. I was diagnosed with cancer and my mental health was struggling hard! For a period of time, I was not able to leave my house. I moved in with my mom because I didn’t have anywhere else to go. I had to restart my life. I eventually started to look for a job in my profession of marketing, but I couldn’t find anything. The interviews were grueling and my anxiety was still at an all time high. I decided to pursue freelance graphic design because I could work at my own pace and still work on feeling better. I gained a few clients and eventually got my confidence back. I started really small and built up my business slowly. It was amazing, but I was betting on myself. I knew what I could do and I kept pushing myself. Now, 6 years later, I am thriving and so happy that my drive was able to get me to a happy, healthy and successful place.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://promoprintplus.com
• Instagram: @promoprintplus
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/promoprintplus
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gahtof