At iPROMOTEu, we love our Affiliates and are committed to helping them achieve their goals. We also believe in sharing their stories — how they got into the promotional products business, what led them to join our organization, how we’ve supported their success, and what they enjoy most about working with us. Check back often for more Affiliate success stories, and be sure to sign up for our newsletter to be notified when new spotlights are available.
Ascend Promotional, based out of Seguin, Texas, is a promotional products distributor and proud member of the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI). Founded by Steve Pompa in 2017, Ascend Promotional is able to supply companies with every possible promotional product from more than 3,000 suppliers. Their mission is to help customers create long-lasting relationships with their clients through the power of promotional products.
Ascend Promotional deals primarily with real estate and mortgage companies nationwide, but they also do business with tractor and truck dealers as well as construction companies.
Searching for a Solution
With 19 years of experience working for various distributors, Steve is a veteran in the promotional products industry. During his most recent position with a distributor, he disagreed with the way the owner ran the business and wanted to do things differently, so he decided he was going to open up his own business. Steve knew that he wanted to align with a larger organization for support, so it was just a matter of deciding which one would be the best fit.
This led to Steve researching and doing his homework on many of the large organizations in the promotional products industry. “I wanted to figure out who I would rather align myself with, so I spoke to a few of the different organizations that I researched,” said Steve.
“When I first started contacting organizations, iPROMOTEu would answer the phone or would call you right back. There was no automated voicemail system where you may or may not get a call back. That was something I really appreciated right from the start.”
Ultimately, Steve liked iPROMOTEu’s hands-off approach as well as the different perks that came with affiliating with iPROMOTEu. “They handle your billing and collecting, and they have special pricing with major suppliers across the industry,” said Steve. “Their financial backing gives me the freedom to do business with anyone, so I decided that iPROMOTEu was the best fit for me. Once I started getting my stuff in order to open up my own business, I made the decision to affiliate with them.”
Benefits of Affiliating with iPROMOTEu
Along with the many services that iPROMOTEu offers its Affiliates, one thing Steve has appreciated is being able to attend the iPROMOTEu supplier showcases. “Attending iPROMOTEu’s supplier showcase last year was amazing. You get one-on-one time with different suppliers, which allows you to figure out and determine what works best for you and which suppliers you want to work with.”
In addition to the supplier showcases, Steve likes that he receives attention and responsiveness from iPROMOTEu whenever it’s needed. “Having constant support is really nice. If there’s anything I need, I know that I can email or call Ross Silverstein and all the way down to anyone on the office staff. If I’ve ever had a problem or any issues or problems come up, I give them a call or send them an email, and I get the answers that I need.”
Steve feels like iPROMOTEu’s preferred vendor program gives him a competitive advantage in the industry. “I can take advantage of their preferred pricing as well as cashback programs and self-promo sales. When suppliers realize I’m with iPROMOTEu, they let us get specials that are only for Affiliates. The suppliers definitely want to do business with us.”
When asked to cite the greatest benefit of affiliating with iPROMOTEu, Steve said, “The community of Affiliates, as well as Ross and everyone else on the iPROMOTEu team, have been great. Everyone is incredibly helpful.”
A Successful Affiliation
Steve is appreciative of iPROMOTEu allowing him to run his business as he sees fit. “The biggest thing for me is iPROMOTEu allowing me to have the freedom to run my business as I feel and without trying to intervene in anything that I do.”
Looking ahead, Steve and Ascend Promotional are excited about growth. “I’m primarily looking forward to growth and just enjoying life. It’s fun to make good money and have the freedom to work from wherever.” From year one to year two, Ascend Promotional has already seen 15% growth.
“I’m very thankful to the whole iPROMOTEu team. I have a great appreciation for them and everything they do,” Steve said.