Advertise on podcast: Raising the Stakes

When his son Elliot passed away last June, SanMar CEO Jeremy Lott told his board he didn’t know if he’d ever come back. Recorded live at PRINTING United in Las Vegas, this episode of Raising the Stakes finds Jeremy returning to work while trying to carry forward Elliot’s instinct to say “I’m in” to whatever life offered. Jeremy speaks openly about growing up in a business that felt like a third sibling, about feeling he had to outwork everyone to prove he wasn’t just “Marty’s son,” about a divorce that made him rethink what being present means, and about cutting every employee’s pay during COVID, which he calls one of the hardest calls of his career. The second half turns to giving back: his family’s push to fund a cure for type 1 diabetes through Breakthrough T1D after his son Micah’s diagnosis, and the bilingual school SanMar helped build in Choloma, Honduras, where its factories are. The episode offers a different perspective on carrying grief as a connection to the people we love, and shows how a T-shirt business can change lives.”

In this episode, Patrick Bardsley shares the story behind Spectrum Designs — from printing shirts out of a backyard barn with one machine to building a 100+ employee apparel company where 70% of the team is neurodivergent. Patrick talks about the parent conversation that changed the course of his life, the decision to promote from within and put a neurodivergent employee in charge of marketing (a move that led to 30+ million views and a spot on Kelly Clarkson), and why he believes "we don't employ people to make t-shirts — we make t-shirts to employ people." He also opens up about fatherhood, his daughter's health scare, and what it really costs to build something this meaningful.

In this episode, Ross Hunter shares his entrepreneurial journey spanning childhood inspiration, starting Reviation Industries and a personal pivot point, ultimately leading him to COO at Liquid Graphics today. Ross also talks about his passion for helping people- starting Women Rock, a nonprofit United Together, and how making connections in the industry inspires us all to do good, give back, and raise underserved voices.

In this episode, Dan Frank shares how he went from entrepreneur to private equity executive to print owner operator – ultimately following his calling to care for employees and create opportunities for his business and community through B.R.A.I.N. Nevada and the Empowerment Center for women.

In this episode, Ryan Moor shares his personal journey as an entrepreneur and how his work with Allmade Apparel in Haiti makes an environmental and local employment impact.

In this episode, Rick Roth explores the intersection of screen printing and advocacy, highlighting his work with Amnesty International and how creative businesses can champion causes that matter.