HUGE Thanks to our friends over at BEL Promo for sponsoring this fine broadcast. When you’re looking for the lowest minimums, deepest inventory, 5-star and A+ service – you know you can BEL Promo that! It’s the first Friday of March which can mean only one thing: the Ninth Annual Powerhouse Women of Promo List! That’s right, Ep. 60 is completely dedicated to recognizing the truly incredible women that are shaping the branded merchandise space for generations to come. Join ho

The instinct that quietly destroys the business you're trying to build. Every salesperson or business owner knows the moment: an email arrives, its polite tone signals, “We’re exploring other options,” or “We need to revisit our partnership.” No matter the words, it’s almost always corporate code for, “Lower your price, work harder, and be grateful for the opportunity.”   For years, my response would be as follows: my stomach would drop, and my brain would immediately start c

This episode of Between Two Brands has been brought to you by the good people at CoasterStone – home of the original absorbent stone coaster. With that combination of stone-cold quality, striking decoration, low cost-per-impression, retail packaging, and unmatched value, David Glenn and his team at CoasterStone are ready to help you make a ROCK-SOLID impression with your clients. Email them at promo@coasterstone.com  today! It’s what’s known in the podcasting world as the “T

Protecting your time is protecting your business. I used to think people who were “good at boundaries” were just wired differently. I envied how easily they said no and stood up for themselves, while I said yes to things I didn’t want to do and quietly resented it. That’s not personality; that’s poor boundary management, and for a long time, it cost me energy, creativity, and, candidly, joy. Many creative people believe boundaries are about confidence, that some people are ju

HUGE thanks to our pals over at SHEPENCO for sponsoring this fine broadcast. For 90 years – and four generations of family ownership – they have defined stability by caring about the success of their distributor partners. Head over to shepenco.com to start your next project today! It’s Friday, which means it’s time for an oven-fresh episode of the Between 2 Brands #podcast with your host, Bill Petrie. To start ep. 58, Bill steps on his soapbox during the opening shot to disc

Pricing isn't about defending your number; it's about owning it. I still recall the first time someone said, “That’s higher than I expected,” after I sent them a proposal. My initial reaction was simple: panic, followed by asking myself a series of questions:   Should I discount it? Explain every line item? Apologize for charging what I charge?   I didn’t do any of that, but the urge was strong. It was rooted in a sense of insecurity, a familiar feeling during these conversat

BIG thanks to our pals over at Seven Sourcing for sponsoring this fine broadcast. When you’re ready to be the partner your clients want – one that delivers unique, custom, and bespoke branded merch designed exclusively for them – reach out to Russ and his team at sales@sevensourcing.com . It’s a very scary Friday the 13 th , which means it’s time for Ep. 57 of the Between 2 Brands podcast with your host, Bill Petrie. In this week’s Opening Shot, Bill does a quick lap around

The case for patience in a world addicted to constant tinkering. Last week, I spent a few days ice fishing in Minnesota with industry friends. We laughed and bonded while trying to catch pike, bass, and the elusive walleye. On the plane ride home, my mind drifted to thoughts about marketing and branding, as it often does, and I realized the parallels between marketing and ice fishing. It may seem like a stretch, but stick with me for a moment. Ice fishing looks calm, quiet, a

HUGE Thanks to our friends over at BEL Promo for sponsoring this fine broadcast. When you’re looking for the lowest minimums, deepest inventory, 5-star and A+ service – you know you can BEL Promo that! It’s Friday, which means it’s time for Ep. 56 of the Between 2 Brands podcast with your host, Bill Petrie. In today’s Opening Shot, Bill aims his complaints squarely at the worst month of the year – February – and shares some strategies to making this month a little less painf

Ownership isn't a title; it's the ability to create more value than you consume. Before diving into definitions of value, let's consider a fundamental belief: Ownership is not just about holding a title; it's about creating more value than you consume. Most people talk about 'value' in business as if it’s a warm, abstract concept. But the real issue is simpler and more important: the difference between negative value and surplus value. Phrases like 'value add' and 'we provide