In this episode of In The Club Podcast by Club Colors, Jeremy Lott, President and CEO of SanMar, shares insights into the company's journey from a screen printing business to a leading supplier in the promotional product space. He emphasizes the importance of inventory and customer service as key drivers of success. SanMar's flat pricing structure fosters strong partnerships with customers, allowing them to compete based on merit rather than price. Lott highlights SanMar's purpose-driven approach of creating lasting connections that elevate lives and discusses the significance of product expertise in the industry

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Sanmar is a company that emphasizes creating lasting connections that elevate lives as its core purpose.
• The company sees its role as more than just providing products; it's about building a sense of community and identity through the apparel they supply.
• Sanmar differentiates itself by focusing on service and building strong partnerships with its customers. It believes that service is a critical component of its success.
• Sanmar's approach to pricing is flat and fair, meaning customers pay the same price regardless of their size, fostering a level playing field.
• Inventory is seen as an asset, not a liability. Sanmar maintains deep inventory to support its customers and believes it's crucial for success, even though it might seem counterintuitive to some.
• The company's journey has evolved from being primarily a distribution business to becoming an apparel company, combining product innovation with efficient distribution.
• Sanmar's purpose-driven approach and interconnectedness with its partners are key factors in its success. It seeks to create value for its customers, employees, and the communities it serves.
• The company places a strong emphasis on product quality and strives to elevate the products in its industry.
• Sanmar believes in delivering value through its products, services, and expertise, rather than engaging in price competition.
• The company's growth has been gradual and focused on building strong partnerships over the long term, allowing it to weather challenges like COVID-19 effectively.
• Sanmar's approach to business is centered around creating a community of partners, rather than just customers, and aligning its goals with theirs to achieve success together.

QUOTES

• "We're in this garden, and the moss that's growing benefits by the tree and the tree provides shade... It's the way I've always thought about our business. So we're here together going out and trying to grow a business together." - Jeremy Lott
• "Create lasting connections that elevate lives. That's our purpose as an organization." - Jeremy Lott
• "We look at it as, we're laser-focused on how we service our customers. That's our mentality as a company." - Jeremy Lott
• "We want to make products that people want to wear. We wanted to elevate products in our industry." - Jeremy Lott

Connect and learn more about Jeremy through the link below.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-lott-56581020/

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