In October, Steve Cuthbert stepped out of the C-Suite at iconic outdoor apparel brand The North Face and into the top sales leadership role at the North American promotional products industry’s largest supplier – SanMar (asi/84863).

Steve Cuthbert, SanMar

The move into the high-profile role of vice president of sales at SanMar garnered ample attention in promo, and came after careful consideration from Cuthbert, who says a previous strong working relationship with SanMar, as well as the Issaquah, WA-based company’s values and talented leadership were big factors in drawing him to the firm.

In this discussion with ASI Media’s Christopher Ruvo, Cuthbert shares insights on everything from important trends and effective leadership, to the interesting path that led him to the textile industry, The North Face and ultimately SanMar.

Podcast Chapters (Available Only on Desktop)
1:08: Why promo? And why SanMar in particular?
3:50: Trends and developments to keep an eye on.  
7:50: Complacency is the enemy.
11:25: Lessons learned from challenges.
13:15: How did you get into the apparel industry?
15:15: “Making customers successful … will be our North Star in the months and years to come.”

During the talk, Cuthbert notes that the industry should expect end-buyer desire for higher value products and true commitment to sustainability to increase, influencing product development and operational practices. He also shares that continually working to improve customer experience and success will be paramount at SanMar. It “will be our North Star in the months and years to come.”

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