American Solutions for Business has always been a family-oriented company with many family teams consisting of parents, children, spouses and siblings. We celebrate every sales team because we know the strength that comes with these dynamics. Families work as a unit and share valuable knowledge to take care of our customers.

Jim George and Stephanie Busby are a father/daughter sales team from Birmingham, Alabama and have been with American for over 5 years.

Why you love working with your family:

Jim: I love working with family because it keeps us in close contact with one another with so much in common.

Stephanie: My Dad has always been my best friend. He has always been the person that I go to…to talk about anything…as long as I can remember. So working with him & discussing work stuff just comes easy.

Growing up – Stephanie and her sister with their parents

What are some challenges (and how have you overcome them)?

Jim: Some challenges would be the different ways we call on customers. I have more of a laid-back approach and Stephanie has more of an assertive approach. I think we balance each other out.

Stephanie: Well – he says I act too eager with customers and I think he needs to be more assertive and let the customers know we want the business. So, we have learned to balance each other out. Technology differences have been challenging. “Right Click… Dad… Right Click!” He has come a long way though. It is fun that he still has such a “shock factor” with the iPhone. He says…”Isn’t this just amazing  that I was able to send a proof from this phone??!”

Jim, Stephanie and kids

Stephanie and Jim attending a tradeshow

What is your fondest memory working with your family?

Jim: Fondest memories would be when we tease each other on who sold the most.

Stephanie: Dad says he brought me into the business to help him out – but instead he ended up being my assistant. I talk him into making deliveries for me often. I will use my kids as an excuse & he falls for it every time…haha! He also makes me feel good when I land a new customer or a big job.

Jim with Stephanie’s three kids

Jim & granddaughter, Brooke

Why should others consider working with their family?

Jim: You should consider working with family so your “ legacy” with your customers will live on after you. I have had some customers for over 40 years. We are fortunate to work with a company that encourages family business and that shows everyone love. The hugs that you get from Larry are the same no matter who you are or how much you sell.

Stephanie: Because you can share your generational strengths & be a strong team. My Dad has worked hard in this industry for 45 years. He has had some of the same customers that long. He loves the idea that his family will continue to service & take care of his customers/business for years to come.

The whole family – Stephanie with husband & children, sister & family and Jim

We’re proud to maintain a company culture that cultivates success and collaboration to support our sales associates and customers. To learn more about American Solutions for Business, visit our website or contact a sales associate near you!

Every day, it seems we take another step into an evolving technical age, spending hours in front of screens, sitting in traffic or on the phone. It should be no surprise that to balance our changing lifestyle, we’re seeing a trend that reconnects us with nature. Incorporating natural textures like wood grain, marble and stone is trending in interior design, clothing, drinkware, accessories and more. In the world of promotional products, understanding how to mix natural style with the right product can help elevate your branding strategy. Get some inspiration for your next campaign:

Wood Grain Speaker – Right now, tech is everywhere. What better way to show off wood grain than with a sleek, stylish Bluetooth speaker!

Marble Pattern Journal – Never underestimate the power of a beautiful notebook. When you love your notebook, you bring it everywhere – meetings, conferences, traveling, etc. It’s the perfect way to spread your brand message and associate yourself with great aesthetic. 

Wooden Sunglasses – All the cool kids wear wood grain shades. This unique look adds sophistication to an item that’s normally bright, plastic and breakable. Bonus = the decoration on wood grain looks amazing! 

Lowball Tumblers – Step aside boring drinkware! These little tumblers keep your drink cold or hot for hours and are just about the trendiest accessory you could have. Coffee in the A.M., wine in the P.M., and you’re all set! 

Riviera Bottles – the style continues with a taller bottle option! The slim shape and accent cap creates a unique, distinguished piece to use as a gift, resale or recognition. 

Marble & Wood Coaster Set – A perfect gift for any occasion – these elegant coasters combine our two favorite textures in one to create a distinguished, functional piece.  

Stone Texture Mug – We love this earthy spin on a classic item. The stone-speckled finish adds a cool, modern vibe to any space.

Marble Non-Woven Bag – Dress up an ordinary grocery tote with this trendy laminated bag – complete with a snap closure to keep everything inside! 

Tahoe Wood Grain Journal – This wire journal is a subtle, yet chic, way to incorporate wood grain into your promotional mix. Plus, with 192 pages and a hard, durable cover, this item will stick around for a long time! 

No matter what industry you’re in, American Solutions for Business can find you the right products to help tell your brand story. We stay on trend and connected so that you don’t have to sweat the small details. For more information or to start your next promotion, contact your sales associate or find one near you!

Whether you’ve been involved in the print and promotional products industry as a supplier, distributor, or customer, you’ve probably been in a conversation regarding the decline in print over the past decade. One industry in which we often hear this referred to is in healthcare, especially with many systems and facilities switching over to electronic medical records. While this may be the popular belief, studies have shown that there is still significant print being utilized in healthcare facilities.

A study by InfoTrends indicates that healthcare facilities expect 38 percent of communication spend to come from printed materials, a higher percentage than online/web materials, video, audio, events, and mobile communication. The same study by InfoTrends found that an average of 35% of a healthcare facilities’ print is ordered over the internet, with expected annual growth of 15%.

With many facilities re-evaluating their print programs and switching traditional print to digital print, now is a great time to understand that resources and technology tools available in the market to enhance productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency. By creating an online portal to house all print on demand and inventoried items, facilities can ensure that brand standards are controlled, applicable approvals are in place, and time spent ordering items is minimized.

Working with American Solutions for Business makes creating an efficient and effective print program easy. To learn more about print and promotional product programs and our eCommerce system, reach out to your American sales associate or find one near you!

The importance of engaging shoppers in traditional retail environments has never been greater. With all the attention paid to and growth of eCommerce, you might ask, how can that be?

Consider the following statistics:

• The Census bureau reports online sales in the US to be $453.5 billion in 2017
• Business Insider predicts US eCommerce sales to grow from 12.7% in 2017 to 17% by 2022

Another important statistic to keep in mind is that if Business Insider’s forecast holds true and 17% of all US retail consumer spending is done online in a few years, that translates into over $3.75 trillion of sales still taking place in traditional retail locations by 2022. No reasonable person would deny the importance of eCommerce, but smart brick-and-mortar retailers and the brands that sell their merchandise within are and will continue to invest in their in-store presence.

Retailers and brands understand the need to create experiences in-store to drive foot traffic while providing consumers a reason to leave their homes, computers and mobile devices to make the trip to stores. In addition, while major retailers want to capture their share of e-commerce business, the sale that takes place in-store can be more profitable than the online purchase while also providing the opportunity for additional items to be added to their basket. Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers and the brands that sell their products aren’t going away. They need and want the kind of innovative and impactful brand, category and department re-inventions that American provides.

American’s retail team recently provided Wawa convenience store displays to optimize the buying experience.

American’s retail team is comprised of industry-leading people who have a proven track record of creating effective custom display and fixture programs for retailers and brands alike. We are excited to bring these significant capabilities to you. To learn more about how American Retail can help to achieve your in-store goals and objectives, contact your American representative. To find your local representative, click here.

Employee ownership is something that sets American Solutions for Business apart in our industry. In 2001, our founder & CEO, Larry Zavadil, sold this company to its employees in order to maintain its integrity, traditions and success. To this day, Larry remains at the heart of American as the CEO. For our hundreds of employees and sales associates who benefit, this ownership means many things.

Name: Mike Kahler
Location: Tempe, AZ
Joined: 2011

Why you love American: I have the complete freedom to take care of my customers, my business and my family.

What employee ownership means to you: Everyone gets to make decisions that help us grow!

Name: Ashley Fens
Location: Tysons Corner, VA
Joined: 2017

Why you love American: We’re all one BIG family – it’s a great company to work for!

What employee ownership means to you: Ownership means that I can be in charge of my business.

Name: Ron Vanderpool
Location: Atlanta, GA
Joined: 2013

Why you love American: I can do what I know is best for my customers rather than take direction from a large organization who doesn’t know them. I never have to feel like I’m trying to put a square peg in a round hole because I get to call the shots.

What employee ownership means to you: It brings me a sense of pride that I am given an ownership stake.

To learn more about American, visit our website or find an American associate near you! 

Photo: Thumbs Up 5k

In 2012, our account manager from Cambridge, MN, Jake Forslund, met Katie Shatusky. She was his contact at another company he was consulting, and when she left to found her own non-profit organization, Jake was there to help every step of the way. After struggling with her own mental health, Katie co-founded the Thumbs Up 5K Run for Mental Health Awareness with friend and business partner, Jessica Hackenmueller.

“Even when I worked with Katie at her previous job, it seemed like something was bothering her,” Jake explains. “I just wanted to see her succeed with Thumbs Up. I tried to keep her morale up and offer my perspective after building up my own business. We’re both entrepreneurs.”

Over the years, Jake has donated his design time, printed pieces and has helped provide creative solutions in promotional products and marketing strategy for Thumbs Up. Items include apparel, banners, signs, wristbands, pins and other products to help spread the message. Last year, he decided to join their committee and helped organize and work the 5K event.

Photo: Thumbs Up 5k; Jake helped create a campaign called “Buy Someone a Smile Today” to promote the cause. He got the idea from one of our supply chain partners, who sent him a similar item. He modified it to fit this project and added signage and an acrylic box to transform it into a point-of-sale piece.

Photo: Thumbs Up 5k; Branded sweatshirt and drawstring bag for participants

Photo: Thumbs Up 5k; Embroidered sweatband and decorated shoe laces

“I am really proud of what the Thumbs Up organization has accomplished. These smile pins really can make someone’s day, but this group keeps working hard to make someone’s week, month, year, decade, and most importantly the chance to catch those at a difficult crossroads in life…it’s these moments where someone needs every glimmer of hope and light they can get. It might be a button, a cheer bag, or even a scholarship for the mental health field – but the conversations they create can mean the world to someone.” -Jake Forslund, ASB Account Manager

Photo: Thumbs Up 5k

American Solutions for Business is a national marketing solutions company with hundreds of account managers all over the United States. We strive to find creative ways to help our customers succeed across all markets. Find an American Representative near you here or visit our website to learn more about us.

Did you know promotional sales in the education market increased 2% from 2015-2016, making it a $5.8 billion industry?

Because of this growth, now is the time to reevaluate school programs and take advantage of the latest tools and products on the market. Understanding the opportunities available can help beat the competition while ensuring that students and faculty remain engaged and devoted to a school’s message. Here’s a snapshot at the market numbers:

In order to powerfully drive a specific message, color can play a big part in a school’s identity. Almost every school, sports team or organization establishes a color (or color scheme) to represent themselves and create a clear indication of their presence. Whether it’s demonstrated using apparel, bags, hats or accessories, there are endless style options to choose from. Whether a team is known for its bold red, bright yellow or vibrant blue, we have the tools and resources to find the perfect fit.

Working with American Solutions for Business makes it both easy and fun to build team spirit programs that rock! To learn more, visit our website or click here to search for thousands of unique promotional products.