When the CEO of California-based MadeToOrder (MTO; asi/259540) was retiring two years ago, Sandy Gonzalez asked for the job outright.

“I’m not one to shy away from a challenge,” she says. “So I said, ‘Hang on … I think I can do a really good job. I want that role. That role is mine.’”

As a long-time member of the promo industry, Gonzalez has become known for her tenacity and peer mentorship. But she wasn’t always even aware that the industry existed. When she started in the 1980s, she had a top-most requirement for her next job: to be easily reachable by phone. At the time, mobile devices weren’t nearly as ubiquitous as they are now and Gonzalez, who had experience in sales at a local newspaper and a radio station, didn’t want to be out on the road without easy access to her child during the workday. So she took an inside customer service rep position in promo and was instantly hooked.

“We used promo all the time at the radio station, but I never thought about where it all came from,” says Gonzalez. “My first trade show was in Dallas and it was crazy. I never imagined this was out there. I was instantly addicted.”

Podcast Chapters (only available on desktop)
0:45 Finding the promo industry
2:20 Becoming CEO
3:15 Contending with COVID
5:38 The importance of education and mentorship
8:05 Looking ahead

Since then, Gonzalez has distinguished herself with her boldness, dogged commitment to clients and willingness to offer her experience to help others succeed in their promo careers.

She was especially tested when COVID hit last year, and quickly spearheaded efforts to take all employees (except warehouse staff) remote, which she expects to be the workplace format moving forward. Meanwhile, she continues to check in with her team and leads regular video meetings to mitigate isolation. She also took advantage of the many educational resources in the industry and encouraged her team to do the same, a stance she’s maintained for many years.

“My first trade show was in Dallas and it was crazy. I never imagined this was out there. I was instantly addicted.”

“I’m a fiend about challenging myself and trying to learn new things,” she says. “I also love to mentor younger supplier reps who are just starting in the industry. I tell everyone when they’re young: ‘If you’re here more than three years, you’ll probably get stuck in promo. Go try something else.’ I like seeing people take a break and come back because they love it.”

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