A Passion for Promotion

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For promotional products juggernaut SnugZ USA, true success comes from the heart

Twelve years after the invention of eyewear retainers, those hard-working straps that hold your glasses on your face while you sweat like a fountain (or try to see where you’re going on skis), the sports fashion world made them a colorful and fun must-have accessory. When five friends hopped on the trend, working in a cramped attic to craft their own line of cotton retainers, they wound up launching one of the most successful promotional products businesses in the country.

That was in 1989. Today, SnugZ USA is setting benchmarks for excellence in manufacturing, creativity, quality, and customer service in the promo gear industry. Offering one of the most diverse product selections and renowned for three decades of unparalleled customer service, their spot at the top is well earned. In January 2022, their acquisition of promotional and gifting products provider Sweda made the Utah-based supplier one of the 10 largest in the industry.

RaNell Lefler

“Our distributor network is where a lot of our growth comes from,” explained RaNell Lefler, SnugZ USA’s Chief Process Officer. “They're aggressive. They're trying to grow every single day, so a lot of our growth comes from their growth as they find new customers and new markets.” SnugZ is aggressive in their product development as well. “We're launching dozens of new products every year that are hopefully the hot new trendy item that will be exciting to give away and to receive.”

Lefler, a 15-year SnugZ veteran, made the uncommon jump from CFO to CPO earlier this year. “I love process improvement, well-run systems, and making things easier for customers and staff,” she said. “This role fits in line with me and what I’m passionate about. I’m fortunate to work for a boss that isn’t afraid to create a role to fit a need and a person.” She went on to describe being able to support the new CFO while working her process magic “different and beautiful … (it) really makes me feel like I'm helping the organization.

“I get to work with great like-minded leaders, and that’s what makes work fun.”

When Covid-19 was on center stage, consumption of promotional products slowed, but sales of sanitizer kept them afloat. “Demand is always changing, which makes it challenging and fun,” she stressed. “Last year we saw a return to many of the normal things and this year we are seeing more economy buying patterns. We are fortunate to have a product catalog that serves almost any need.”

Any good company is supported by great vendors and suppliers, and SnugZ is no exception. Many partners have worked with the company for 20 years, appreciating their expertise and dedication to helping them achieve the best possible outcomes for their business.

One such example is their relationship with New Jersey-based component supplier A+ Products. “They have been such an extension of our business,” Lefler enthused. A+ has accompanied the SnugZ crew to China dozens of times, organizing factory tours and teaching the ways of overseas manufacturing. They have been our bank and helped finance stocked inventory when we were growing faster than our cash flow.

“They brainstorm and look into markets and opportunities every day and truly care about our success. They notice our trends and ask us before we ask them if anything needs attention. They are invaluable,” she added. SnugZ also has a network of freight and logistic partners that bend over backward to prevent delays and are always on the hunt for alternatives and strategies to keep goods flowing into their operations.

“Just yesterday, WorldLink gave me three great leads for a new project we are working on within 10 minutes of asking. Partners, vendors, and suppliers are everything. Find good ones,” she urged.

Although SnugZ has blossomed into an enterprise employing over 1,000 people, they remain passionate about the success of their partners, and invested in providing above-and-beyond service, which includes their ZIP-IT next-day shipping at no additional cost.

Choosing the best promo product company is akin to tiptoeing through a minefield, and responsiveness and quality aren’t a guarantee. “When others can’t be reached or bothered to check for quality orders, that is where we shine,” Lefler noted. “Our sales team is the best in the business and our internal teams are working with heart to make sure we are doing what is right. We aren’t perfect. We make mistakes, but we care and do make it right.”

It should come as no surprise that SnugZ’s company values mandate their people to “care passionately, work like crazy, think big, and do what's right.” As Lefler put it, “We like to change, grow, and experiment. We really work hard and play hard, we care about people on a personal level and when something goes wrong personally, the SnugZ family is there to lift people and be a beacon of hope, whether it’s time off, teams collecting funds, our CEO visiting a hospital, I’m always in awe of how everyone rallies and cares about each other.”

SnugZ also participates in a giveback opportunity with the Basecamp line of products which offers drinkware, bags, coolers, and outdoor-themed products. Each year, SnugZ donates up to $100,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project based on Basecamp sales to support their mission to honor and empower wounded warriors.

At the end of the day, promo products are about more than branding tools, and SnugZ has never lost sight of that reality. “On a deeper level, people love to give a gift. People love to receive a gift, so when you start thinking about promotional products more like a gift and less as a freebie, then you can help everyone's business. Just know that there's a group of thousands of people in this industry that are working really hard to make sure that everything is just right for your name to be out there in the world.”