What makes something feel premium the second it lands in your hands?

Eric and Crissy unpack the hidden psychology of quality and why people make instant judgments about products based on weight, texture, stitching, materials, and fit-for-purpose design.

From cashmere pashminas for executives to fleece-lined scarves for sports fans, Crissy shares story after story showing that quality is not just about price. It is about context, emotion, usability, and how a product makes someone feel in a specific moment. Together, they explore why the wrong "premium" item can fall flat, why cheap bags and apparel can quietly damage your brand, and how thoughtful details can turn a simple giveaway into someone's favorite thing.

If you lead a brand, plan events, or want your merch to actually mean something, this conversation will change how you think about quality, value, and lasting impact.

Additional Resources:

Learn how to build your strategy to swag!

Connect with Crissy on LinkedIn

Learn more about Robertson Marketing

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn

Subscribe to PFN's YouTube for more insights like this!

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn

Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Key Takeaways:

• Quality judgments happen almost instantly through the senses.
• Weight, texture, seams, and materials shape perceived value.
• Premium only works when it fits the moment.
• Cheap bags and apparel can damage brand trust.
• Favorite products balance quality, utility, and budget.

In this episode of Working Forward, Jason Cochran sits down with Rob Eyler, CEO and co-founder of Capturely, a photography platform that deploys vetted photographers for professional headshots at scale. Rob shares how he co-founded Capturely in 2019, landed LinkedIn and Facebook as early clients, then watched revenue drop to zero when COVID hit. After two difficult years of pivoting into product photography and video, the team finally launched virtual headshots in 2024, allowing anyone with a phone and a window to get studio-quality headshots in minutes with a real photographer controlling their camera remotely.

Rob discusses Capturely's vision to democratize photography by building the world's first agentic AI photographer, where human creatives move up the complexity chain rather than getting replaced. He also shares why vision and communication are the two most important tools for leading through change, how routine check-ins at every level prevent teams from filling silence with fear, and why genuine human connection remains the connective tissue of effective teams, even in fully remote environments.

Additional Resources:

Connect with Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-eyler/

Learn more about Capturely: https://www.capturely.com

Watch the Working Forward Podcast on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@Jason.Cochran

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-d-cochran/

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/

Learn more about PeopleForward Network: https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/

Key Takeaways:

• Staying obsessed with your customer can reveal pivots hiding in plain sight, even when survival mode makes them easy to miss.
• AI will elevate creatives rather than replace them by automating routine tasks and moving human talent up the complexity chain.
• Vision and communication are the two most critical tools for leading teams through uncertainty and change.
• Consistency in habits, communication, and personal development will always outperform occasional great moments.
• Genuine human connection is the connective tissue that holds remote and distributed teams together.

What makes an unboxing moment feel unforgettable and why are so many companies still getting it wrong? 📦

Eric and Crissy unpack the psychology behind anticipation, belonging, curiosity, and emotional connection, and why the moments before someone opens a box can be just as powerful as what is inside. From new hire kits to influencer campaigns, Crissy shares why packaging is never separate from the gift. It is the experience, the signal, and the story all at once.

Together, they explore how thoughtful unboxing can build brand love, strengthen employee connection, and create meaningful moments people actually want to share. For leaders looking to elevate onboarding, customer experience, or branded merchandise strategy, this conversation is full of practical insight and fresh perspective.

Additional Resources:

Learn how to build your strategy to swag!

Connect with Crissy on LinkedIn

Learn more about Robertson Marketing

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn

Subscribe to PFN's YouTube for more insights like this!

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn

Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Key Takeaways:

• Anticipation makes unboxing emotionally powerful.
• Packaging shapes meaning before products are revealed.
• Curiosity is a powerful driver of action.
• Personalization strengthens belonging and brand connection.
• Great unboxing turns moments into earned media.

What looks like a simple swag order can quietly spiral into a logistical nightmare that drains time, money, and employee energy. Eric and Crissy unpack why procurement thinking often kills the true potential of merchandise programs.

Together, they explore the hidden complexity behind what many leaders treat as a commodity decision. From balloon vendors multiplying across an organization to global gifting programs that unravel without strategic alignment, Crissy reveals how merch can either strengthen culture and brand impact or create internal friction that leaders never see coming.

If you are a people first leader trying to balance cost control with meaningful employee experiences, this conversation will challenge your assumptions and help you rethink what it really means to create value through branded merchandise.

Additional Resources:

Learn how to build your strategy to swag!

Connect with Crissy on LinkedIn

Learn more about Robertson Marketing

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn

Subscribe to PFN's YouTube for more insights like this!

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn

Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Key Takeaways:

• Procurement focus on cost can undermine strategic merchandise value
• Multiple stakeholders shape merchandise outcomes across organizations
• Vendor partnerships should prioritize insight, not just pricing
• Logistics complexity increases exponentially in global programs
• Strategic swag programs enhance culture, efficiency, and brand consistency

What if the biggest branding opportunity your company has is quietly ending up in the trash? 🗑️

Eric and Crissy unpack the hidden emotional, financial, and environmental costs behind the billions spent on promotional products each year. Together they challenge the idea that branded merchandise is just a giveaway, reframing it instead as a powerful people-first experience that can shape trust, loyalty, and identity.

From cultural missteps that lead to wasted budgets to the surprising science behind creating a product someone actually loves, Crissy shares actionable frameworks leaders can use to turn "brand filler" into meaningful brand equity. If you've ever questioned whether swag really matters, this conversation will change how you think about connection, strategy, and the objects that live in people's everyday lives.

Additional Resources:

Learn how to build your strategy to swag!

Connect with Crissy on LinkedIn

Learn more about Robertson Marketing

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn

Subscribe to PFN's YouTube for more insights like this!

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn

Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Key Takeaways:

• Promotional waste costs companies nearly six billion dollars annually
• Merchandise should connect emotionally, not just functionally
• Culture shapes how branded products are received globally
• Purpose driven merch creates lasting brand equity
• Measure impact through usage, not just distribution

That branded mug on your desk might be doing more than holding coffee. It could be shaping memory, emotion, and loyalty in ways most leaders never stop to consider.

Eric and Crissy have a fascinating conversation on the psychology behind why some merchandise becomes meaningful while most gets tossed aside. Together, they explore how neuroscience, sensory engagement, and emotional attachment influence whether a simple object turns into a lasting brand connection. From favorite pens and nostalgic mugs to innovative gifting strategies that drive real engagement, Crissy shares practical insights leaders can use to make every branded moment intentional and impactful.

If you have ever wondered how to turn everyday touchpoints into powerful relationship builders, this episode will change how you think about swag, storytelling, and the small details that shape culture.

Additional Resources:

Learn how to build your strategy to swag!

Connect with Crissy on LinkedIn

Learn more about Robertson Marketing

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn

Subscribe to PFN's YouTube for more insights like this!

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn

Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Key Takeaways:

• Emotional connection determines whether branded merchandise is remembered
• Utility increases frequency of use and brand visibility
• Sensory engagement strengthens memory and loyalty
• Choice increases perceived ownership and product value
• Intentional gifting drives measurable engagement and influence

In this episode of Working Forward, Jason Cochran sits down with Wes Bender, Head of Business Development at Admired Leadership, and Mikey Ames, Digital Marketing and Social Media Lead at Admired Leadership, to explore what it takes to build and deploy AI that creates genuine value for organizations. Wes and Mikey share how their firm developed Alex, an AI executive leadership coach grounded in 35 years of behavioral leadership research and why most leaders are getting AI wrong. They break down the difference between AI slop and real value, explain how AI actually works at a fundamental level, and make the case that the most important question isn't whether to use AI, but how to use it to make your people better.

Additional Resources:

Connect with Wes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleybender/

Connect with Mikey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeyames/

Watch the Working Forward Podcast on YouTube!

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-d-cochran/

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all

Learn more about PeopleForward Network: https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding how AI works, specifically next token prediction, is foundational before any leader can effectively deploy or trust it.
• Use AI to make people better, not replace them; organizations that take this approach drive higher adoption and more sustainable outcomes.
• Don't outsource your AI strategy; the values and cultural DNA of your organization need to shape how AI tools are built and trained.
• Starting a conversation with AI by asking "what's the best way to use you?" and providing rich context dramatically improves the quality of responses.
• Watch for skills erosion; AI can take over tasks, but leaders must protect the foundational sub-skills those tasks were quietly building.
• Human moments can't be outsourced; AI is great for preparation and analysis, but the relationships and conversations that build trust must still come from you.

A cheap pen or a lasting symbol of belonging. In this special kickoff to The Psychology of Swag series on Working Forward, Eric Bransteter sits down with branded merchandise strategist Crissy Manwaring to unpack why the physical artifacts companies send say more about their culture than they realize.

Drawing from decades of experience, Crissy reveals how thoughtful merchandise can move relationships from transactional to meaningful. Together, they explore the hidden psychology behind why some branded items become trusted favorites while others end up forgotten or discarded, and how leaders can use intentional gifting to strengthen connection across the employee and customer journey.

If you care about building people-first cultures, this conversation reframes swag from a marketing afterthought into a powerful strategy for belonging, loyalty, and long-term impact.

Additional Resources:

Learn how to build your strategy to swag!

Connect with Crissy on LinkedIn

Learn more about Robertson Marketing

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn

Subscribe to PFN's YouTube for more insights like this!

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn

Learn more about PeopleForward Network

Key Takeaways:

• Branded merchandise signals culture, value, and organizational intention.
• Strategic swag builds belonging across the entire employee journey.
• Cheap giveaways often create waste instead of lasting brand equity.
• Physical artifacts strengthen emotional connection more than digital messages.
• Quality, context, and timing determine perceived value instantly.

In this episode of Working Forward, Jason Cochran sits down with Beth White, Founder and CEO of MeBeBot, to discuss how organizations can build practical and responsible AI strategies. Beth shares insights on the urgency of AI adoption, emphasizing that companies must move beyond hesitation to experiment and learn in real time. They explore how AI is already solving tangible business problems, particularly in HR, and the importance of leadership engagement in driving adoption. The conversation highlights the value of identifying clear use cases, measuring ROI, and establishing strong governance to ensure ethical and sustainable AI deployment.

Additional Resources:

Connect with Beth on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitebeth/

Watch the Working Forward Podcast on YouTube!

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-d-cochran/

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all

Learn more about PeopleForward Network: https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/

Key Takeaways:

• AI adoption is no longer optional; it's a business imperative.
• Leaders must actively support and model AI integration to drive momentum.
• AI is best implemented when aligned with a clear business case and ROI.
• Small, test-and-learn pilots help build internal confidence and buy-in.
• Responsible AI requires proactive governance, including policy and oversight.

In this episode, Jason Cochran speaks with Steve Sorensen and Jordan Lindstrom from Johnsonville about the company's approach to culture, values, and the integration of artificial intelligence. They discuss the importance of reimagining company values, the process of communicating and embedding these values into the organization, and the role of workshops in fostering cultural change. The conversation also explores how Johnsonville is cautiously implementing AI to enhance productivity while ensuring it aligns with their core values and culture.

Additional Resources:

Connect with Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-sorenson-994a5915/

Connect with Jordan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-lindstrom-60786b84/

Watch the Working Forward Podcast on YouTube!

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-d-cochran/

Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peopleforward-network/posts/?feedView=all

Learn more about PeopleForward Network: https://peopleforwardnetwork.com/

Key Takeaways:

• Johnsonville emphasizes the importance of company culture and values.
• Feedback is viewed as a gift and is integral to their culture.
• The company has redefined its values to be more memorable and actionable.
• Workshops are used to engage employees in living the company values.
• AI is being cautiously integrated to enhance productivity and efficiency.