Inclusion is a buzzword right now, and for a good reason. It’s a meaningful goal and can only be achieved by genuinely thinking through the experiences of the people you’re looking to include. Lumping a diverse group into one category makes people feel unheard or unrepresented, or like there’s just one person or type for which to choose clothing. There’s so much work left to find space to represent the diversity of gender, abilities and identities.

Insights

We’ve all heard that “hindsight is 20/20.” When I look back on my career thus far, I see that I’ve learned some valuable lessons, but in many ways I’m still waiting for the world to catch up. I’ve encountered quite a bit of doubt surrounding the success of my business. It seems that some people cannot accept that a woman’s success should be attributed to her own skill. This year I faced a particularly intense version of this kind of prejudice. I decided it was time to become officially certified as a woman-owned business.

Diversity

There are many parts of my job that I enjoy. I love meeting new clients and learning all about their company's sustainability commitments. I also love working with repeat clients and helping them evolve and grow their commitments as they learn and understand more about how to be more environmentally sustainable in all their business practices. But as for the day-to-day aspect of my work, curating high-quality, covetable, sustainable products for my clients is my biggest joy. Clients come back time and again to order their custom marketing merchandise and corporate gifts from my company Coolperx because the products I select help them win the hearts and minds of their teams and customers.

Products

Coolperx had a great year. We got bigger. Some of us in ways that, due to the constraints in activity and affiliated rabid stress eating, required a hearty resignation in the battle against athleisure.

Insights

This year, for my birthday, I wanted to celebrate with my work team. As an entrepreneur, I spend so much time with this team, sensitive to their ups and downs, paying attention to their likes and dislikes, their productivity and their inspirations.

Insights

If this year has shown me anything, it’s the power of women. I’ve watched so many friends and neighbors juggle work, home and parenting duties, making tough choices for the sake of their families and holding our country’s future on their shoulders.

Diversity

When we look at branded merchandise through the lens of sustainability, so much of what we see from the promotional products industry can be classified as waste.

Products

Working from home for the long term can be be a challenge, here are 7 corporate gifts that make remote work easier.

Trends

Our Founder, Lou Cysewski weighs in on her thoughts on thoughtful giving during COVID-19 through the eyes of a former Army & trauma nurse.

Insights

The CDC now recommends wearing a cloth face mask to reduce the spread of germs in public. You don't need to purchase one! Here is one way to use a bandana, t-shirt, sheet, or pillowcase to make your own mask. Feel free to share with colleagues!

Insights

Vendors are sending me images of masks and hand sanitizer on a daily basis. It’s my job to sort out quality gifts from the bad gifts and help my clients make better choices. I knew immediately that selling these masks were not in my client’s best interest. We want to help our clients give gifts that reflect more appreciation and not just a branding opportunity.

Trends

If you haven’t been following my Instagram, you’ve missed out on several noteworthy items from this year’s CES. So, before diving into this post, please take a minute to follow me @coolperx on Instagram and Facebook.

Trends

Celebrating diversity, in all forms gives me a moment to reflect on how so many people in my life add character and love, challenge me and make me better. It gives me a moment to be additionally grateful for those who add wisdom to my world.

Diversity

All over Paris, we saw ads for Carhartt beanies. These women in seductive poses with various shades of lipstick, all wearing Carhartt were strewn across the city in the subways, on the trains, and on posters in some of the nicest shopping centers in the world.

Trends

Seth and I never really fought to begin with. So, this isn’t a story about overcoming a terrible marriage to find balance. It’s also not a story about how promotional products improved our lives. But, we did find balance. We found a flow that worked for us, helped us grow a business and live happier lives.

Insights

We were certified recently as a veteran-owned business. And, despite the fact this is true, along with being woman-owned, minority-owned and a host of other “diverse” categories, as a small business, getting certified was a big deal.

Diversity