Promo Insiders: PromoKitchen & the Importance of Mentorship
Ashley Colautti and Halle Moore, both “chefs” on PromoKitchen’s board, join Promo Insiders to discuss the importance of mentorship in promo ahead of the industry nonprofit’s 15th birthday.
Ashley Colautti – the director of digital transformation at Spector & Co. (asi/88660) and the current board chair of industry nonprofit PromoKitchen – was manning the PromoKitchen booth at a recent regional trade show when a few distributors came up to the table thinking she was offering branded kitchen products.
Contrary to what the name might suggest, selling kitchenware isn’t PromoKitchen’s goal.
“The term ‘kitchen’ is because everyone can come in and take a seat at the table,” Colautti says. “The ‘kitchen’ was a fun play on words to just explain what our community is and have people come in and share information – get spicy, add different ingredients, which would be your suppliers, distributors, service providers.”
On this week’s episode of Promo Insiders, Colautti and Halle Moore – a marketing coordinator at PromoCorner and another PromoKitchen board “chef” – join ASI Media’s Hannah Rosenberger to talk about what’s at the heart of the organization’s mission and history: mentorship.
Key Takeaways
• PromoKitchen is a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to fostering mentorship, educational content and networking opportunities within the promotional products industry. It’s a space where professionals can “mix things up” – hence the kitchen name, says Board Chair Ashley Colautti.
• Both Colautti and Halle Moore, another “chef” on the board, shared how mentorship through PromoKitchen significantly shaped their careers. The platform enables mentees to connect with peers or aspirational mentors across different roles and organizations, offering broader industry perspectives.
• PromoKitchen is celebrating its 15th anniversary, having facilitated over 1,000 mentor-mentee pairings and grown to include more than 70 active volunteers. Its longevity and reach underscore its value to the industry.
• In honor of founding member Tee Hamilton, PromoKitchen recently relaunched its scholarship fund to support creatives in the industry. The fund will help recipients attend industry events and educational opportunities, expanding access and fostering professional growth beyond traditional paths.