Lee Anne Davis

I attribute my success to being raised by my parents and both sets of grandparents with a lot of grit,hard work, creatvity and perseverance. As a result, I learned to take responsibility for my own destiny and happiness.

During the pandemic, the grit hard work, creatvity and perseverance all came into play - I had to find ways to be nimble in my business and guide my team to be successful. My mom used to always say, "Perseverance pays!" As a result, I'm the girl that never gives up when faced with a challenge. It's really about being authentic, owning your strengths and finding how to use them. My mom nicknamed me "Chatty Cathy", and I used to get in trouble in school for that. Now as a businesswoman, I have successfully found a way to channel that when I go to networking events. I enjoy meeting new peopls and the conversations that we have. I've learned to read the room and tapping into my social intelligence. I've learned about DISC assessments and how to embrace interacting with different types of people. Building strong relationships has been one of my most valuable keys to success.

I am also a lifelong learner like my mom who was a teacher and librarian. I participated in the UCLA MDE program in 2020, which was virtual due to Covid. It was perfect timing for me in my business and helped me do a deep dive into how to better postition my business for growth. I recently completed a small business cohort sponsored by SoCalGas and was invited to share my experience and takeaways in front of an entire room filled with SoCalGas employees and the Vice President. Speaking in front of a room full of people is me pushing myself out of my comfort zone,but it is key to building my business.

Take time to find what you love to do, work hard at it and don't give up. Believe in yourself and be your own best cheerleader. It helps to connect with a supportive community of friends family and colleagues. If you're going to spend 40 hours a week doing something, make sure it aligns with your heart and make the time count. I have been fortunate with some great mentors along my journey. It's also important to be a mentor and pay it forward to the younger generation.

Harness AI and work smarter, not harder. To be successful at breaking into the promotional industry, do your homework, stay up with current trends in technology, because our world is changing at the speed of light. This younger generation has plenty of problems that need to be solved, like global warming. Find what positive skills and knowledge you can bring to the table, and that will help you stand out earlier. Make a really good first impression, build those relationships, and then just deliver beyond people's expectations.

I'm really blessed to work with SoCalGas, and they have a big mission to be at net zero by 2045. My team and I are constantly working behind the scenes to find ways to help them walk like they talk with branded apparel that's more eco-friendly and making those decisions to align their supply chain to meet that goal. It's all very well to say that, but you've got to do the hard work. We partner with SoCalGas and other companies to keep them on brand in sustainable style. We have built strong relationships with our vendors to create eco-friendly promos for our clients . Our role as distributor, and decorator gives us an edge to source cool, innovative and eco-friendly promotional products for our clients to distribute to the general public at outreach events. The eco friendly items conveys the message that the company cares about the planet and carefully chooses items that are not wasteful and are reusable, like good quality reusable drinkware, stainless steel straws, plantable seed paperpostcards and reusable bamboo phone stands, etc. There's many ways to make an impact,and it makes a big difference when the giveaways align with the mission of the company.

The three things that make me tick are 1) I'm a creative person, 2) I love people, and 3) I love solving problems. If I'm doing all those things in my work, then I'm fulfilled. That's what fuels me and enables me to bring it back to my clients. I start every day with an open heart filled with gratitude, It's just such a privilege because we work with some Fortune 500 companies. We don't take that for granted for one second. It's a matter of aligning oursleves with people or companies that share our values. As the leader of my company, I'm passionate about the environment and have been on this path since the early 90s. I'm always striving to do better with sustainable solutions. I also believe in honoring things that matter, like family. I am blessed to have a family, and I was privileged to take time to become a mom. The important overall thing tha I work on constantly is to find balance in work and my personal life.