We recently connected with Shannon Carpenedo and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Shannon thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I have been involved in the promotional product advertising industry since 2004, connecting with a well established industry distributor as their administrate assistant…..making copies, opening mail, filing catalogs, fetching coffee’s and answering calls. Being there 9-5, M-F, I quickly learned the ropes out of necessity and evolved my role from basic daily office tasks to connecting more each day with manufacturers, suppliers as well as customers……processing orders, shipping logistics, product research, sales, quoting projects for different events and learning how to use Adobe Illustrator and other important vital artwork programs. I grew up in the industry, starting at age 24 and really learned to love it and discovered a natural skill for it that just made perfect sense to me. I was an industry lifer. Fast forward 15 years, now 39 years old, still connected with industry promotional product distributors, processing orders, product research, inside sales, along with a small book of work to call my own, I discovered that I really had the stability and knack to start my own promotional branding company, set my own rules, at my own pace, on my own time….and wherever I wanted.
As my son was getting ready to graduate HS and move onto the next steps of college, my husband and and I were getting antsy to travel and explore more and not be so tied to an office building or desk, 9-5 M-F….I was feeling burnt out with the daily grind and needed to feel more free and flowing but still earning a living.
in 2019/2020, I took a leap and set out on my own, obtaining my own S-Corp and the proper promotional advertising industry credentials I knew I needed.
My learning journey from 2004, with my hands in every single aspect of the promotional product advertising industry, was, in essence, my marketing degree……it took many years but in that time, I mastered extensive product knowledge, vendor and manufacturer relationships, a fluent understanding and mastering of brand marketing as well as ample creative artwork skills in Adobe Illustrator. I also had, at that point, a solid list of clientele who had stood by me for many years, from distributor to distributor, they were loyal and trusted me with all of their corporate branding needs and with their support and help, the new customer referrals were endless to keep me busy and consistently earning.
The transition was smooth and streamline, I never missed a beat and began to flourish out on my own from day 1.
I am extremely grateful for every year of experience I obtained over the course of 15 years, I needed every day of every year to be at the level I am now.
I feel there were little to no obstacles in my growth in the industry, and if there were, I see them as opportunities to learn more or try something new.

Shannon, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a promotional product/custom branding concierge. My goal is to advise and guide my clients towards the best product or wearable that helps boost and promote their business and brand mission. The product range I offer is endless….from custom printed team t-shirts, corporate apparel and caps, to bags, umbrellas, drinkware, office accessories, paper products, awards, tech items, etc. If it’s out there, I can custom brand it for you.
My clientele base ranges from schools to sports teams to financial institutions to non-profits to hospitals to churches to digital marketing companies looking to connect with a promotional products distributor, any business or special event, large or small looking to showcase their company or team’s logo with promotional products, I’d love to help!
Apart from my bookkeeper, I am a one woman show…..I handle every single aspect of the custom branded project, from start to finish. I specialize in product research, quoting, sales, artwork/creatives as well as order processing, shipping logistics, delivery and, most importantly, I excel in customer service.
I have been in this fun fast paced industry since 2004, I eat sleep and breath custom branded products, my job is ever changing, ever growing and evolving and I love to learn something new every day! I am a master in my field and I am proud of what I do and the people and businesses I have helped over the years.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

My 15+ years of consistent hands on experience in the promotional products industry is what helped me build my reputation in the industry. Learning as much as I could and showing up every single day, excited, was my primary career focus. My love of the industry shines out in the work I do and helps gravitate new customers my way and also helps maintain current customer relationships that have lasted close to 20 years now with no end in sight.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

When I set off to start my own promotional product advertising company in 2019, it did not require much to get started. All I needed was some cash flow to create my S=Corp, obtain official industry credentials and fund purchase orders as I was able to work from home/anywhere to run my company. I qualified for a minimal SBA Loan.