For Frank Abate, the promotional products industry just clicked.

The Bronx, NY, native began his career in the promo business 64 years ago. The proprietor of distributorship Frank N. Abate Inc. has never stopped selling – at 93 years young, he recently wrote five orders in one week. Why? Simply put, he loves the work and the industry. In this question-and-answer, Abate shares insights on everything from his career highlights and incredible longevity to what younger promo pros can do to succeed.

At 93, Frank Abate is still actively selling as a promo distributor.

Q: How did you get started in the promo business?
A: After I got out of the Army in 1954, I started working at my father’s fish store three days a week while also working part-time for Uarco Business Forms. In 1958, I decided I wanted to be my own boss and started selling stationery – envelopes, business cards, greeting cards, etc. While on a sales call, my client pulled out a catalog of imported Italian cutlery and said, “I’d like to give these knife sets to my customers with our company’s name on them. Can you find a way to do this?” I took the catalog and arranged a meeting with Latama Cutlery in nearby Mt. Vernon, NY. At the meeting, Latama said they could silkscreen my client’s name – Guffanti Film Labs – on a silver plate and affix it to the top of the wood box. My wife, Gloria, and I assembled the order on the kitchen table in our apartment in the Bronx. My new career was born.

Q: What have been some of your most noteworthy orders/clients?
A: I’ve had some good ones! My most memorable order happened in 1978 when Sports Illustrated magazine purchased 1.1 million sports watches at a dollar a piece. The watches were imprinted with the “SI” logo and used as a subscription premium. The order came with a 20-page contract that included many contingencies, which meant if we didn’t deliver as promised, it could put us out of business. I found this very intimidating. Thankfully, we executed the order without a hitch!

In the mid-1970s, I got orders in three consecutive years from Yonkers Raceway for giveaway nights. The first year they ordered 20,000 gym bags. The second-year order was for 20,000 ponchos. The last one was for 20,000 sports watches. The attendance on the sports watch night was so overwhelming that the concession stands ran out of food and drinks! The owner of the racetrack, Tim Rooney, and his wife ended up behind the counter serving food. Mr. Rooney was so elated that he invited my wife and me to have dinner with him and his family at his club.

I was also fortunate enough to have done considerable business with Donald Trump long before he became president. When they had the grand opening for the Trump Castle in Atlantic City, I provided 50,000 pull-apart key rings, plus 50,000 auto air fresheners imprinted with the Castle logo. No sooner had they paid the bill, they called me to order another 50,000 key rings. Talk about manna from heaven! Plus, my wife and I were treated to a free weekend at the hotel.

Q: What are a few of your best memories of your time in promo?
A: Back in the 1970s, several major suppliers in our industry ran sales contests offering trips abroad as prizes for qualifying orders. In 1976, I won a trip to England and bought another one for my wife. In 1977, I won 16 trips to Portugal. I took seven family members and sold the other eight. In 1978, I won eight trips to Italy and took my family. In 1979, I won seven trips to France and again took my family. To this day, I cannot believe it happened!

“It always felt to me that the suppliers, reps, distributors and even my competitors were part of an amazing group of people. This industry is indeed a ‘people’ industry.” Frank N. Abate

Q: What do you love about the promo business and why do you stay active in it after all these years?
A: It always felt to me that the suppliers, reps, distributors and even my competitors were part of an amazing group of people. This industry is indeed a “people” industry. If I needed help sourcing a product, I wouldn’t hesitate to call one or two of my competitors for this information and I would have it in short order. Over the years, I got to know many families. You might say our industry is a fun one, and a very fulfilling one. These points to this day give me pleasure and fulfillment.

Q: Have family members/friends been in the business with you?
A: My two daughters, Donna and Lisa, were full-time sales reps in my firm after college. Both were very successful and good producers. I should say also: Our office personnel and sales team were “family.” It was fantastic to be together every day. To this day, I am in touch with most of them. My “heavy hitter” rep, Joe Opramolla, eventually became my partner. We were like brothers.

Q: What’s been the key to your very impressive longevity – in business and in life?
A: How was I blessed with a long life in the business world and in my personal life? Who among us can truly answer the question of why a healthy 46-year-old person dies when a person 105 years old lives and is in touch with reality? Whatever the reason, I keep thanking the good Lord for my longevity. I’ll say this though: I have always treated people with respect and always remembered that I was no better than the next person.

I also believe that a person’s true self is not determined by how he or she is viewed by the outside world, but how they’re viewed by their loved ones and friends.

Being active has helped me stay healthy, too. During the warm weather, I swim three to four times a week. When I’m not able to swim, I walk a mile a day. I also enjoy raking leaves; it’s something I still do.

Q: What advice would you give promo professionals?
A: I like to compare a professional salesperson to a Major League Baseball batter. The first three times at bat, he gets three hits. A great day at the plate! The fourth time at bat, he hits a surefire double or triple, but is robbed by a great catch. He doesn’t say, “Oh well, I got three hits.” He says, “Damn it, I wanted that fourth hit!” So too the salesperson who gets three orders during the day and is sure the last sales call will be order number four, but it is not to be. A true salesperson doesn’t say, “Oh well, I got three orders today.” Not at all! The retort should be, “Damn, I sure as hell wanted that fourth order!”

Finally, the advice I would give promo professionals is that you will have great days and you will have bad days. Shrug off the bad days. Don’t linger on them. Face tomorrow with confidence and knowledge of the industry. As the saying goes, “The best is yet to come!”