Growing up, we had the usual assortment of custom-imprinted potholders and calendars plus many other imprinted products in our house. You see, my father - a schoolteacher by day - turned into an "Ad Specialty Guy" during the evenings and weekends.

As a teenager, I remember sitting at the kitchen table innocently eating my Wheaties when suddenly Dad would appear. "What's this?" he would ask, sticking an object under my nose for me to examine and discover all of its various features. "I have no idea, nor do I care," was my usual reply. "It's a combination flashlight, screwdriver and dog whistle," he'd declare as he stalked off disappointed in my lack of enthusiasm.

I would heave a big sigh and roll my eyes as I pondered how such a sensible person as I could possibly be the daughter of such a hopelessly deranged man. While other fathers played golf, looked through fishing catalogs and brought their children toys when they went on business trips, my father played with tape measures, looked through the Media File and brought home Texas-shaped key chains from the Dallas show.

Becoming a promotional products professional was about as far away as you could get from what I wanted to be. So, what did I do? I got a job selling radio advertising. Sales, yes, but it was better than selling "trinkets." However, I soon noticed that every prospective client's office I went into had a custom-imprinted coffee mug or pencil holder on the desk. Every single one, even those who did not buy radio advertising, had a pen or a magnet or a calendar or something - I was sensing a pattern.

Then the unthinkable happened - my father passed away. No more tool kits for pocket or purse. No more custom-imprinted coffee mugs cluttering up the cabinets. No more trinkets from Dallas. It was then that I knew what I had to do. I stopped selling radio advertising - and took over where Dad left off.

Life is full of surprises. Nothing could have surprised me more than my stepping into his shoes - well, almost nothing. In the last few years, I have been totally stunned by how much our industry has changed and grown. Dad has been gone for 10 years now, but I know he would have loved all the new technology we have at our fingertips. He would have loved the new products and processes we can use and the ability to be creative in ways that were just a dream when he was selling. And another thing has surprised me - how much I love being a promotional products professional.

By Sally Stewart, Stewart/Geiger, Seaford, Delaware, PPB Magazine, September 2004

Reprinted with permission.