The 2016 Top 50 Distributors: No. 4, iPROMOTEu

Each year, Print+Promo provides the definitive ranking of the Top 50 Distributors in the industry. As part of this issue, we feature exclusive interviews with the CEOs, presidents and owners of our top five companies. Be sure to check out the full Print+Promo 2016 Top 50 Distributors list, along with in-depth analysis.

No. 4: iPROMOTEu
Answers provided by Ross S. Silverstein, CEO and president

What was your company’s biggest accomplishment over the last year?

Ross S. Silverstein: Last year, as a result of iPROMOTEu’s increasing popularity within the industry, and as a result of the tremendous sales and marketing tools offered to the company’s affiliates, iPROMOTEu enjoyed its largest annual sales increase in the company’s history.

What is your company’s top priority for 2017?

RSS: Continue to attract more affiliates; continue to help our existing affiliates grow their business; continue to evolve as an organization to better support our affiliates generally; and, to introduce exciting new technology initiatives to help our affiliates grow their business and be more efficient, productive and profitable.

What do you think is the biggest challenge for distributors in our industry, and how can we work toward a solution?

RSS: A distributor’s biggest challenge is to continually generate meaningful sales volume at healthy margins. In the midst of increased competition (seemingly, from all directions) and more knowledgeable and scrutinizing buyers, this is a difficult challenge indeed. One needs to regularly prospect for new customers, maintain strong relationships with existing customers and work tirelessly to develop creative ideas. In addition, distributors need to stay on top of all the paperwork, all the details and all the mind-numbing, non-revenue generating tasks. Of course, distributors must also be able to finance their orders, their growth and their operations generally. How can distributors overcome these challenges? What is the solution? It’s simple: Affiliate with iPROMOTEu.

Give us a glimpse of who Ross Silverstein is outside the office. Where would people most likely find you when you’re not at work?

RSS: When I am not spending time with my family, reading or playing and watching sports, I am at my boxing gym. I box two or three times a week and spar at least once a week. I’ve participated in many “smoker” fights over the years.