2023 Top Distributors: Something Inked's Bill Feldberg

As part of Print & Promo Marketing's 2023 Top Distributors list, we asked some of the top-ranked distributors about how they managed to continue their growth throughout the uncertainty that has still loomed over 2021 and 2022.

Read on as Bill Feldberg, executive vice president of business development for Something Inked, which ranked No. 21 on the Top Distributors list, details how the return of live events like sports, concerts, and travel contributed to the company's growth from 2021. Also, Feldberg discusses reasons for optimism within his company's key sales verticals.

Something Inked, Nashville, hangs its hat largely on live events, so the return of sporting events, concerts, and festivals after the pandemic made quite a difference in their revenue.

Bill Feldberg

Bill Feldberg, executive vice president of business development for Something Inked, says that the number of live events the company worked on rose significantly as a result of post-COVID rebounding. As travel grew, too, destination retail also saw an uptick.

It was enough for Something Inked to reach $68 million in revenue for 2022, up 91.5% from $35.5 million in 2021.

How They Recovered (And Then Some)

"Live events returned in late 2021 and really peaked in 2022, with people wanting to get back to sports, music, and travel, so fortunately we were in a position with our client base to really support that growth," Feldberg said. "Our biggest challenge in 2022 was the supply chain and labor management, but like everyone else, as the year went on this variables improved and normalized as well."

How They Stay Optimistic

Feldberg found that the public perception of the sales verticals Something Inked specialized in, like entertainment, sports, and travel, didn't often match the reality.

"The news, while often doom and gloom, is not always an accurate representation of niche markets," he said. "We continue to keep an eye on global trends to be able to help our clients offer the latest and greatest designs and styles at price points that meet their needs, while also watching the supply chain, labor variables, and doing what we can to minimize al of these challenges with a little secret sauce and Something Inked magic."