Taking Clients 'Behind the Velvet Rope': A Distributor's Guide to Supplier Storytelling

When Creative Boulevard's Winston Lo wanted to differentiate his promotional products business, he didn't focus on price or speed. Instead, he discovered something more powerful: the stories behind his suppliers. 

His approach? Taking clients "behind the velvet rope" to showcase the heritage, craftsmanship, and passion of the companies creating their branded merchandise.

 Check out the full video here of our interview with Winston!

Family values drive business success at Creative Boulevard. Winston Lo's approach to building relationships—whether with his father Henry and brothers (shown above) or with suppliers—centres on showing up for each other and working together toward shared goals.

The Philosophy: Deep Relationships Over Quick Transactions

Winston Lo, Founder & President of Creative Boulevard, discovered that clients weren't just buying promotional products, they were investing in stories, heritage, and craftsmanship.

“It’s more than just, ‘oh, I met you somewhere at a trade show and you know, we're going to be partners’. What we do is we really deep dive into their [suppliers] capabilities, their passion, their history of the company and really who they stand for.”

This relationship-first approach has become Creative Boulevard's competitive advantage, allowing them to command premium pricing while building deeper client loyalty.

Case Study: The Canadian Made Premium Apparel Shop

When Winston partnered with three-generation owned Redwood Classics Apparel for the Canadian Made Premium Apparel commonsku Shop, he saw an opportunity to showcase more than products, he could showcase heritage.

“We as a company get to work with a lot of different types of end users and if I had to ask my team what keeps them motivated, it is that everyday and every person is different.” 

The approach of connecting a client to their product, from thread-to-needle, is a practice Winston refers to as “taking the client behind the velvet rope”.

The behind-the-scenes view of Redwood Classics Apparel’s factory

The Personal Connection

Redwood Classics is a generational business shared between a father and daughter who emigrated from Hong Kong to Toronto—an experience that resonated deeply with Winston, who also emigrated from Hong Kong. This personal connection went beyond typical supplier relationships, and Winston sought to convey this authentic story to clients using commonsku's Pop-Up Shops.

Mark Graham (centre) as he tours the factory

The Platform That Makes Storytelling Scalable

"The editing process and ease of changing information on the fly has helped us tremendously," Winston explains.

"Where creating a shop through other channels used to take significant effort, commonsku's standardization gives us a process where everyone can make changes quickly and easily."

Key benefits Winston experienced:

• Real-time content editing without technical support
• Standardized templates that speed up shop creation
• Team-friendly interface for collaborative updates
• Seamless integration between storytelling and ordering

Creating the Canadian Made Premium Apparel Shop allowed Winston to showcase these stories in a way that was both beautiful and functional. He realized he could combine compelling imagery with seamless ordering capabilities for an even “granular view into the creation of merchandise.” 

"The ability to tell stories through imagery has been transformative," Winston notes. "It's not just about visual appeal—the backend allows clients to place orders seamlessly while our production team manages the entire order process. It's been an absolute dream for us."

From Products to Heirlooms: Changing Client Perception

Winston's storytelling approach fundamentally transforms how clients perceive their promotional apparel purchases. Instead of buying commoditized branded merchandise, they're investing in pieces with documented heritage and proven longevity.

"They know they're getting into a piece that is appreciated by themselves and by the recipients, but also, they're investing in a product that lasts a very, very long time," he notes.

This shift in perception creates deeper client relationships. When customers understand the three-generation craftsmanship behind their Redwood Classics garment, they're not just receiving promotional items: they're receiving heirlooms.

Building a Legacy Beyond Sales

Greg (left), Rob (middle), Winston (right)

For Winston, the true measure of success extends beyond client satisfaction to the growth and development of his team.

"To create a legacy for my employees and for them to really flourish in this industry—the time that they spend here in our industry is probably one of my biggest joys: just to see them do really well."

Ready to Transform Your Client Relationships?

Like Winston, you can differentiate your promotional products business through compelling supplier storytelling and seamless client experiences.

See Winston's approach in action:

• Explore the Canadian Made Premium Apparel Shop → Experience the storytelling firsthand
• Schedule a 15-minute demo → See how commonsku Shops work
• Take your own tour → Explore commonsku for your business
• Browse other distributor success stories → Get inspired by industry leaders