Who/ what inspired you to go into marketing?
It wasn’t as much an inspiration as it was a gamble on trying something new; 3 of us started the company, but only one of us had background in the branding space. 10 years later, we are about to expand into our third space, so it was a good gamble!
Tell us one thing we might not learn about you right away?
I am a Boston Red Sox fan, even though I grew up in Illinois.
What do you love the most about what you do?
Interfacing with our clients. I am on the sales side of the company, and it fits me well. The printing and production sides are better managed by others here who like that attention to detail. I thrive on interacting with and keeping clients happy.
Where did you grow up?
My hometown is Ottawa, IL, about 80 miles southwest of Chicago. My family, whom I’m very close to, all still live out there.
What's your event gone wrong horror story?
Because we are on the dimensional branding side of events, our horror stories can be a bit different. I think the one that stick out in my mind was an order of 1000 shorts we were embroidering for a huge LGBTQ+ softball event that ran late due to a machine malfunction towards the end of the run. One of the owners got in his car and drove them to Columbus, OH and delivered them just as the event was beginning. We met the deadline!
What made you interested in participating in ILEA?
We have a good sized footprint in live events world, and Patrick Crosson was a major factor in showing me the real benefits of being a part of the organization, and I’ve already had the opportunity to work with both him and Cory Fowkes on new projects this year. We are happy to be a new member!
Connect with Billy:
Instagram: iCandee Apparel
LinkedIn: Billy Stevenson
Facebook: iCandee Apparel