Reflections by Lindsey Reid, Owner
On March 4, 2020, I signed an agreement to purchase my business, now known as emblm, from my parents. The company they built from the ground up started in 1993. Shortly after I signed the paperwork, the world changed, and nearly all events and marketing budgets were halted.
In the five years under my ownership, emblm has come a long way. We’ve grown, adapted, and defined ourselves as one of the premier promotional merchandising agencies in the industry. Today, I’m sharing five lessons from five years as the owner of emblm.
1. Taking Care of Your People is Paramount
Our company has evolved from a lean team to a cohesive community. Without a doubt, my biggest takeaway from leadership is that your team is your greatest asset.
I have been fortunate to work with many excellent team members over the past five years. The well-being of emblm’s employees is my top priority. Prioritizing their professional growth while maintaining their happiness has fostered a positive and productive work environment, creating a loyal and motivated team.
Happy employees translate to happy customers, making emblm a fantastic place to work.
2. Embrace Change and Adaptability
About a week after I took over emblm, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world. Restrictions on in-person events and work, as well as travel and spending, sent shockwaves through the corporate gifting and promotional merchandising industry.
We quickly shifted our business to meet our customers' needs. We offered organized drop shipping and fulfillment. Yes, we printed on hand sanitizer and masks, but didn't overcapitalize while compromising our values.
While starting a business during a global pandemic is not something I would recommend, we learned many valuable lessons. Owning a company means navigating constant change. Adaptability has been crucial in staying ahead of potential catastrophes and meeting customer needs.
3. Trust in Your Partners
Our business is nothing without the partners and vendors that help us create magic for our clients' campaigns. We work tirelessly to choose partners that align with our values and understand the importance of our work. Each project is as important as the next, and meeting deadlines is imperative. Without trustworthy partners, this wouldn't be possible.
Building strong, trust-based relationships with our partners has been crucial. Trusting our collaborators and leveraging their expertise has led to innovative solutions and successful campaigns.
4. Learn from Failures and Challenges
We don't have a flawless record. Occasionally, things go wrong. Products do not deliver as intended, deadlines are missed, and both customers and our team at emblm have been disappointed. It would be a lie to say everything we have made has come out exactly as imagined.
However, each setback has been a learning opportunity. Embracing mistakes and using them as stepping stones has driven continuous improvement and growth. Our team is never too proud to find ingenious solutions when something goes wrong. We stand behind our products and always appreciate when our customers trust us to make things right.
5. Create the story and SHARE IT
Our team works with customers daily and see the passion behind their brands. It is no different for me as the owner of emblm. The passion for what we do seeps into my work each day, motivating me to refine our brand and tell our story to anyone who will listen.
Tell everyone you know about your brand story. Make merch that compliments and accelerates your vision. Share your successes AND the lessons of your failures. My passion for marketing and branding has been the driving force behind our company's success. Maintaining that enthusiasm and commitment has inspired my team and attracted like-minded clients. We're grateful for each and every one of them.
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