Why Quality Merch Beats Trash Trinkets with Eric Turney

Former bartender and opiate addict Eric Turney hit multiple rock bottoms, including jail and failed treatment attempts, before a surprise wake up call changed everything. When he and his partner learned they were expecting their first child, Eric decided he was done burning bridges. He got serious about 12 step recovery and took a chance on a new life as an entry level sales rep at a small promotional products company. Today, Eric is the President and Sales and Marketing Director of The Monterey Company, a custom branded merch company founded in 1989 that creates premium challenge coins, lapel pins, belt buckles, hats, apparel, and more for brands like Google, Amazon, Target, Bentley, Lions Clubs, military units, and local organizations. After the founder offered employees the chance to buy the business, Eric and his partners stepped up and took it over. In this conversation, Eric and I dig into his journey through addiction and recovery, how he rebuilt his life and career, and why he believes high quality merch beats cheap “trash trinkets” every time. We talk challenge coins and club pins, wild custom projects like Bentley letter openers and ultra marathon belt buckles, the surprising subculture of lapel pin collectors, and how smart SEO and retargeting help The Monterey Company stand out in a noisy world. We also get hungry talking barbecue, smoked salmon, oysters, and crab mac and cheese, and we close with Eric sharing what people often get wrong when they look at his life now and why mentoring others in recovery has become a powerful form of therapy. If you care about second chances, small business, or branding that actually means something, you are going to get a lot out of this episode.Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Your Pet AuPair, your pet care partner in Bel Air, Maryland. They provide bonded, insured, and background checked pet sitters trained in pet first aid and CPR so you can travel with peace of mind. Visit belairaupair.com to learn more. Send us Fan MailCelebrate the Magic of Words in Bel Air, Maryland!https://bookfairatbelair.org/Your Pet AuPairAt Sits & Wiggles, we don’t just care for pets. We care for your pet, exactly the way they like it.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showRate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media:Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | FacebookTwitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennettTikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTokSponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills:Hosted on BuzzsproutSquadCastSubscribe by Email