When we launched PromoShak in February of this year, we spent some time thinking about who we wanted to be as a company. What did we want people to think about when they heard PromoShak or when they did business with us? What impact could we make on our clients’ businesses in a unique way? How would we stand apart from many of the distributors in the business?
Having spent time in companies with rich cultures that focused on the people and the heart work it takes to make things run well, I knew we needed to do something that supported one another and helped to build a company we were proud of. So we started brainstorming - a word that really means throwing ideas in the air to see what sticks. As creatives, we LOVE brainstorming.
What transpired during that session was a clear desire to not only support one another through the way we conducted ourselves and how we handled clients, but also to give back to the community. Namely, to children. As a father of an adopted child, I personally know how much of a positive impact you can make by supporting and loving a child who may have had a very different path in life. Sarah, one of our Shak Builders (aka Account Managers), spent over 20 years teaching kids from lower income households. She, too, understood the impact positivity and support makes on kids. It was a natural inclination for us to support children’s charities.
After looking at potential organizations, we narrowed our focus down to those in real need, those supported by organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. The question remained, how would we support them?
Having volunteered with the Human Rights Campaign - and seeing how donations effected their organizational goals - I knew that we had to do some level of financial giving. So, we decided to promise 10% of our company’s profits to them. It immediately gave us a sense of purpose beyond supporting our clients and helping them achieve their goals. It also provides our clients with a purpose for their purchase.
While we know that promotional products can be sourced from a number of different places, we feel great in knowing that we are doing more to support our community. All while building a business and a culture that corresponds accordingly.
Think about how your company is giving back and whether your team wants to rally behind a specific cause. Make it authentic and the culture you build will be even better for it. Plus it’s just great energy that can come back in spades.