After nearly a decade at Top 40 supplier Next Level Apparel (asi/73867), former CSO Mark Seymour has left due to the COVID-19 crisis. In his first public statement since his exit, Seymour – a member of Counselor’s Power 50 – opens up to senior writer John Corrigan about adjusting to life at home and what his next chapter may look like.

Podcast Chapters
1:27: Seymour explains his exit from Next Level Apparel
4:28: Adjusting to life at home
6:04: Lessons learned during the pandemic
8:15: Outside perspective on the promo industry
11:13: Masks as permanent fashion statement?
14:23: Sustainability challenges
16:48: Potential for rise in domestic manufacturing
18:27: Unemployment advice and what’s next

2020 hasn’t been kind to Seymour. After a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s, his father passed away in February. Just a few weeks later, the world shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. As the promotional products industry struggled to adapt to the tanking economy, Seymour found himself in early retirement.

Ever the optimist, he has found silver linings during this unprecedented time. “Making the most of it is an understatement,” Seymour says. After crisscrossing California for work and traveling around the world as part of Next Level Apparel’s international expansion, he finally has time at home to be with his loved ones.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t kept tabs on the industry. In this exclusive interview, Seymour evaluates how suppliers and distributors have navigated this uncharted territory, the potential for face masks as a top product category going forward, the possibility of increased domestic manufacturing and more. “Promo is a very creative, entrepreneurial industry,” he says. “The industry will collectively figure out how to be relevant in big ways in however the new world looks like.”