A Berry Good Sign

Stacey

After much thought and a little fate, Kris Wittenberg founded a promotional products agency named SayNoMore! Promotions in 1999. She came up with the idea while working as a marketing executive in charge of creating the toys that go in kids’ meals. (Don't worry, you'll like her anyway.) While clients praised her work and offered encouragement, Kris remained reluctant to commit.

One day, Kris was debating "Should I or shouldn't I?" and absentmindedly flipped open a magazine that was on her desk. Looking down, she saw a full-page ad, blank but for a cranberry in the middle with the taglineAh, the Possibilities. "I thought, "SayNoMore!' and cleared out my desk," Kris laughs.

Tapping into San Francisco's dot-com frenzy, Kris had more orders than she anticipated when she began her company. Her passion for finding unique gifts for clients that utilized a company's logo as a brand strengthener quickly made her popular with the "get large or get lost" clique. The referrals poured in at a rapid pace.

Business continued to grow over the next several years, but having reached a plateau short of the million-dollar mark, she needed a vigorous push to get her to the next level. When she was chosen as one of over 500 applicants to receive the Make Mine a $Million Business award, she embraced the opportunity and her company surged ahead.

"Participating in the program has given me focus, sisterhood and courage—courage to take on debt, courage to stop worrying what other people think of me, and courage to grow this business far beyond the million-dollar mark," Kris says.

She is convinced that networking is invaluable at every stage of growing a business. She also feels that women need to atomize their little green monster. "I think women tend to be competitive with one another and allow jealousy to hinder positive networking. Don't let it," she cautions.

Today, with many luxury-brand clients and sales offices in several major cities, Kris has surpassed her goal of hitting that magic million-dollar mark. Her personal life is thriving as well—she, husband August and daughter Addison eagerly await a baby in November. Says Kris, "I never knew I could be this happy, this fulfilled…and this tired!"

Need your logo or brand on a product? Check out SayNoMore! Promotions