Under 40 in the Printing Industry: Phillip R. Meier, The Sourcing Group
The following article was originally published by Print+Promo. To read more of their content, subscribe to their newsletter, Print+Promo The Press.
Printing Impressions’ sister publication Print + Promo highlights some of the brightest personalities under 40 that have made a career in the printing industry. Today, we spotlight Phillip R. Meier, Senior Account Executive of The Sourcing Group in New York.
Phillip R. Meier, 32
Senior Account Executive
The Sourcing Group, New York
A Boston University graduate, Phillip R. Meier began his career in online media sales. But a conversation with Dennis Clemente and Billy Caan, co-founders of The Sourcing Group, changed everything. “[Dennis and Billy] laid out their vision to bring the print industry to its highest capabilities by incorporating it with the technologies of the future,” Meier said. From that moment, Meier wanted to be part of their reinvention of the industry. He joined The Sourcing Group as an account manager and later transitioned into internal sales. Today, he is a senior account executive with a focus on new account acquisitions. Meier is well-versed in the various aspects of account management—from order entry and daily customer service calls to intricate new client on-boarding.
Why he loves the industry: Dealing with people from various backgrounds is one of the most fascinating aspects of this industry. In addition, I love seeing how every company manages the same business differently (not to mention, it keeps me on my toes).
Age roadblocks and advantages: At times, the print and promotional world is solely seen as print focused. I, however, believe that the business is advancing due to the merging of the online industry with print. Being a younger person, it can be a challenge to continue pushing the boundaries in this technological direction. The advantage, however, is that I have an inherent understanding of technology trends. This allows me to easily understand, incorporate and implement forward-thinking initiatives for my clients.
His biggest career influence: Dennis Clemente has been the most influential person in my career development. As the president and founder of The Sourcing Group, he has taught me many things, starting with the basics of how to manage sales solutions. He’s influenced me by teaching me client/time management, as well as the unspoken art of being able to read a situation. These skills are critical in knowing if opportunities may pan out or not. People skills are one of the most important aspects in this business, and while that’s not something that can be taught, Dennis has helped me mold the ability to be observant and perceptive of our clients’ needs.
His most meaningful business accomplishment: One of my most meaningful accomplishments is knowing that my clients trust me. I take pride in dedicating myself to fully understand their business, beyond the scope of The Sourcing Group. Being called into meetings and answering internal procedural questions is a reminder that I have earned my clients’ trust. This is an accomplishment because it creates a seamless flow of business.
His differentiating factor: At The Sourcing Group, we embrace technology as a convenience and advantage as opposed to seeing it as adversarial. Being able to embrace change, in no matter what form it comes in, is one of the keys to always having a place in the business. The heart and soul of The Sourcing Group, and one that I personally pride myself on, is the personal relationships we build through our customer service. Our clients are our bloodline, and we work hard to keep it pumping.
What he does for fun: In my spare time, I enjoy snowboarding, golf, traveling and football. (Go Pats!) I am also a family man and enjoy spending time with my wife and dog.
(The following profile appeared in Print+Promo’s “Rise Up” cover story in the February 2017 issue.)
