If you’re in the music products industry, Summer NAMM is the show for you. Appropriately located in Nashville at the Music City Center, Summer NAMM is alive with the sights and sounds of a music enthusiast’s dream. Attendees come from all over the world to network with their peers, learn about business tips, and pick up the latest product trends. PartnerShip is no stranger to the industry’s favorite mid-year event. Senior program manager Harry Centa has been attending for years and is a Summer NAMM veteran.

Harry set up shop near the member center, close to fellow NAMM endorsed service providers. The PartnerShip booth received a good amount of traffic and Harry was able to talk to a great deal of attendees and exhibitors about their shipping needs. As always, Summer NAMM provides PartnerShip with a great opportunity to connect with NAMM members.

A top highlight from the show was the Insight pre-show party, hosted by Vince Gill and Tom Bendell. Harry and the other guests enjoyed food and drinks…and music, of course. Tim Akers & the Smoking Section put on a great performance.

Thank you to NAMM and all those in attendance at this year’s Summer NAMM for making it a great show for PartnerShip!

Julieann has worked at PartnerShip for over a year as one of our customer service representatives. When a customer calls in needing help, Julieann is there to the rescue! She’s a great member of the team and we’re glad to have her. Check out what she had to say.

What do you do for PartnerShip?
Customer service! Quote and schedule all your shipments!

What do you like to do in your free time?
Enjoy time in the outdoors with family! Workout!

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Lion, because I am a savage!

What’s your favorite 90s jam?
Unbelievable by EMF!

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
Abraham Lincoln because the Civil War intrigues me!

Tell us about your family.
My son, 7 years old and in first grade, is my reason for being! He is an outdoors kid who loves to measure flowers, dig for cray-fish, play catch, lift weights, run mini 5k’s and the list continues. He is joyful young man.

Do you have any nicknames?
Oh yea - Fox, Jules, Mom, Mommy, Mommy Mo

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
Finishing a 5k!

What was the best vacation you ever went on?
Mini vacation to Put n Bay with my son who is 7 years old. He loved the boat ride to the island and we got a golf cart and ventured around the island and got ice cream and had a blast! Just him and I :)

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
The people are amazing! Co-workers and customers are great!

Who would win in a fight between Spiderman and Batman?
BATMAN!

If your life was made into a movie, what would the title be?
Prepare yourself!

What do colleagues say is your best quality?
I get things done!

You have a small FedEx® package that's ready to be shipped, but you aren't able to drop it off at a FedEx location. Just schedule a one-time pickup. It's easy and convenient. Here is what you need to do to get started:

1. Go to the Pickups page on fedex.com. You can find this page by clicking on Schedule and Manage Pickups in the quick access section of the homepage or under Ship in the top navigation bar.

2. From here you’ll want to log in to fedex.com to access your account. If you don’t currently have a fedex.com account, you can easily register here.

3. Confirm or update your account number in the Account Details section. If you have multiple account numbers you’ll be able to select the one you want to use from the drop down menu.

4. Your account address will be pre-populated in the Pickup Address section. Look it over to make sure it is correct, and fill in any missing information. You can also use a different address by clicking the Change pickup address link at the top of the section.

5. Specify your pickup details like number of packages, ready time, or special instructions in the Package Information section.

6. If you’d like to set up notifications you can also do that by entering your email address in the optional Email Notifications section.

7. Once you’re ready, click Schedule pickup to submit your information.

You're all set! You can also manage your scheduled pickups under the My Pickups tab on the same page. Here you can view, edit, or cancel your pickups in one easy place.

Through an association shipping program managed by PartnerShip, you can receive exclusive discounts on select FedEx services. If you belong to an association we work with, take advantage of our free shipping benefits today. If you’re not sure if you qualify for one of our FedEx small package shipping programs, contact us and we’ll find the solution that’s right for you.

FedEx and UPS rates are increasing in 2020! Make sure you know what to expect so you can mitigate the impact to your bottom line. Our free white paper breaks down where you'll find the highest increases and explains some of the complicated changes you need to be aware of.

Barbara just celebrated her four year anniversary with PartnerShip as our graphic designer. This New York native brings a lot of great laughs and spirit to the culture here. You’ll see why when you read her answers to our questions. Read on to learn more about Barbara!

What do you do for PartnerShip?
I’m the Graphic Designer. I design the print and web products for PartnerShip.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I love to garden, and have a large veggie garden in the summer. This has given me an abundance of produce, and I can some pretty awesome pickles (if I do say so myself – and I did!) and salsa.

Once I get my studio/office/crafts/sewing room ready, I’m going to start painting again. I feel it’s time to crack out the paints and oil of cloves!

I also love to read! Science Fiction and Fantasy are my favorite genres.

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
A human being. It’s what I’m best at.

What’s your favorite 90s jam?
Orange marmalade, but that’s a classic for all time.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
I like so many of the people that work here. It’s the first place that I felt “at home” after moving to Ohio from New York. I’ve made real friends here. That’s special.

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
Being able to understand when people speak with an Ohio accent.

If your life was made into a movie, what would the title be?
Doctor Who and the Search for a Mets Win

Tell us about your family.
I’m from a relatively small family on Long Island. 3 siblings. Mom and Dad. That was the sum of my family. I married a man that has 9 siblings. In the stroke of an “I do,” I went from having 2 nieces to now having 17 nieces and nephews and 20 great nieces and nephews. I’m Super Aunt!

I met my husband/best friend/soul mate on the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy – Earth Edition website. Two geeks that passed in the night, but turned around and decided to stay together forever.

What do colleagues say is your best quality?
I make people laugh … maybe at inappropriate times … but that’s what I do!

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
It’s a toss-up between Florence, Italy and Paris, France and the reason to go to either place is for the same thing: Art. Can you imagine spending a few days just wandering through the Louvre? Or seeing David up close and personal? I’ll get to both places one day!

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?
Just the other day I was panicking because I couldn’t focus properly on the computer monitor. The longer I worked, the worse it got. Then I realized that I had my reading glasses on. Okay, that wasn’t funny, that was just lame. Forget that.

As a Northeast Ohio based company, we’re full of hometown pride here at PartnerShip. Cleveland is experiencing what some might call a renaissance, and it’s great to see so many big things happening around our city. In the midst of this uprising, a few upcycle projects have caught our eye.

It appears that Cleveland is thinking outside of the box…or the shipping container, to be exact. This summer a seasonal nightclub is slated to open in the east bank of the Flats. What makes this club unique is that it's being constructed from - you guessed it - shipping containers. FWD Dayclub + Nightclub boasts on their facebook page that this interesting architecture pays homage to Cleveland’s industrial past, which was one of their major design goals.

Nightclubs aren’t the only place shipping container structures are popping up around our great city. This past holiday season, an initiative appropriately named Small Box launched in the heart of Cleveland’s Warehouse District. This marketplace features retail shops made of these versatile containers. The spaces are small, measuring 10 feet by 20 feet, but they have big style and make a great home for local retailers trying to expand their businesses.

Local companies like J. Evans Custom Home Construction and Cleveland Container Structures specialize in upcycling steel shipping containers for these types of projects, but these containers aren't just for businesses. Sustainable container homes are also becoming available in the area, helping to give life to shipping containers that would otherwise go unused. Shipping containers are airtight and built to withstand extreme weather and hard impacts, making them great for repurposing into housing. Whether you're looking for entertainment, shopping, or a place to call your own, the shipping container movement in Cleveland has you covered.

Hector is one of our senior account representatives and he’s worked at PartnerShip for over a year and a half. Hector helps to hold down the fort at our California office and is a valuable member of our team. We asked Hector a few questions and he was kind enough to indulge us. Here’s what we learned!

What do you do for PartnerShip?
Securing new business and maintaining customer relationships with the purpose of providing high levels of customer satisfaction.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy playing cards and listening to underground electronic music.

Do you have any nicknames?
Sirak, which is my middle name.

What was the best vacation you ever went on? Why?
“Studying” abroad in Spain has been the best vacation I’ve had since I barely studied, met my girlfriend, and traveled around Europe for 3 ½ months.

NSYNC or Backstreet Boys?
Backstreet Boys all the way.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
I like the work hard, play harder environment.

If your life was made into a movie, what would the title be?
No Nintendo.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go? 
South America, more specifically Argentina so I can try their Mate tea.

What reality show would you like to be on? 
Big Brother because it’s a fascinating game of strategy, with a lot of drama.

Laurie has worked at PartnerShip for over four years and she’s passionate about helping our customers. She has a similar passion for life and has a very inspiring story to share. Read more about her and her story.

What do you do for PartnerShip?
Senior account representative – I sell!

What is the most interesting thing you’ve helped a customer ship?
I’m not sure how politically correct this is, but I had a customer quote a shipment of teat wipes with us. Those are moistened towelettes to clean off cow udders.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
I like the fact that no 2 days are alike. The shipments may range from musical instruments, to farm equipment, to toys and novelties and other items. I love TV shows like Shark Tank and The Profit so it makes me happy to know that we are helping small-medium sized businesses achieve success.

Tell us about your family.
I have been married to George for just over 13 years. We have the crazy cat lady starter kit of 3 cats (Whiskers, Grey, and Ali) and 1 goofy dog (Daisy).

Tell us something interesting about yourself.
I am donating a kidney to my husband George on May 26th. He is my best friend, and I am so excited that I can help him with the gift of life. It’s absolutely amazing to me that I am the perfect match in more ways than one. With that being said, he will never be allowed to pick out a paint color or couch ever again :)

Do you have any nicknames?
My husband kiddingly calls me Pita – pain in the *ss.

What was the best vacation you ever went on? Why?
Puerto Rico is our favorite place to vacation. It’s warmer than Cleveland, we can drink the water, the beaches are gorgeous, the food is tasty (our favorite is lechon – roast pig), there’s lots of history (Christopher Columbus sailed into San Juan harbor in 1493) and the people are the nicest I have ever met on vacation. There is so much to do there – from rainforests to deserts – beaches to mountains – the snorkeling is unbelievable! And they make mean mojitos!

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be? Why?
My mom – she just passed away on May 13th, and I’d give anything to know she’s OK and that she met up with my grandparents in heaven.

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
We would go to Thailand and Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Angkor Wat is one of the largest temples in the world at one mile from end to end. They are still finding smaller temples in the jungle. It was featured in Lara Croft Tomb Raider. We love Thai cuisine and would like to visit some of the famous markets and temples there, ride elephants, and their beaches are gorgeous!

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
My proudest accomplishments are my many happy customers. When they provide referrals to me, it shows how much they trust and appreciate my efforts.

If you have a small package shipment that is time-sensitive – domestic or international, FedEx Express is your best bet. At PartnerShip, our goal is to help you get the most out of these services. Here are a few things you can do to take full advantage of FedEx Express services.

Establish discounts
Through a PartnerShip managed shipping program, you can receive discounts with FedEx, including select FedEx Express services. If you belong to an association we work with, you simply need to enroll. To find out if you qualify, contact us and we’ll find the solution that’s right for you.

Order free shipping supplies
You can order supplies for your FedEx Express shipments for free through fedex.com. Supplies include envelopes, boxes, tubes, shipping label pouches, and more. Getting free shipping supplies means one less cost for you to worry about.

Take advantage of FedEx One Rate^® options
Select FedEx Express services are available with FedEx One Rate. These flat rate options can be very cost-effective for envelopes up to 10 lbs and boxes or packs up to 50 lbs. The best way to see if using FedEx One Rate makes sense for your shipment is to start by comparing the pricing. Click here to enter in your shipment information and generate your rate.

Utilize international tools and resources
If you ever have international shipping needs, FedEx Express services can help you get it there fast, with time-definite delivery in 1 to 5 days, to more than 220 countries and territories. With access to country snapshots, documentation preparation help, and more, the FedEx^® Global Trade Manager is a great place to start if you have an international small package shipment.

PartnerShip discounted small package shipping services are completely free to eligible businesses participating in one of our association shipping programs. If you are currently a member of a professional association or trade group, ask them if they have a discounted small package shipping program through PartnerShip. You can also give us a call at 800-599-2902, or send an email to sales@PartnerShip.com, and we'll find out for you.

Jennifer is our Customer Service Manager and she is a joy to work with thanks to her positive attitude and outgoing personality. She’s been with PartnerShip for 9 years and she’s worked for the NACS family since 2000. In her time here she’s proven to be a great leader to her team and a big help to our customers. Learn more about her from the questionnaire below!

What do you do for PartnerShip?
Help our customers with all their shipping needs. I help my team provide quotes, schedule shipments, create bills of lading and problem solve for our existing customers!

What is the most interesting thing you’ve helped a customer ship?
Pizza stones to Steve Job’s personal chef for Christmas dinner.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Trying out new craft ideas, I really enjoy making jewelry.

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
Dog because they are always so happy to see people and make new friends.

What’s your favorite 90s jam?
First song to pop in my head is Mmm mmm by Crash Test Dummies or Every Morning by Sugar Ray.

If you could have dinner with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
Talk show hosts. I would ask them the questions and get to hear all of their fun stories.

Do you have any nicknames?
J-fer

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
Graduating from Kent State University.

What was the best vacation you ever went on?
My honeymoon in Disney. Disney is magical and creates happiness.

What do you like the most about working at PartnerShip?
My co-workers. I enjoy working with people who make me want to come to work.

Who would win in a fight between Spiderman and Batman?
Spider-Man because I’m a Marvel fan!

Tell us about your family.
I have a loving supportive husband Dave and we have one Harry Baby (Big Hero 6 reference), a kitty named Caroline.

What do colleagues say is your best quality?
Being happy and positive...on most days :)

What reality show would you like to be on?
Nickelodeon Guts or Family Feud (a break room lunchtime staple).

If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Ireland or Scotland because of the castles and the rolling green countryside that dramatically drops into the blue ocean.

Have you noticed a difference on your shipping invoices since the beginning of the year? Small package carriers FedEx and UPS are now applying dimensional (DIM) weight pricing to all packages. This is a significant change from last year, when only packages measuring at least three cubic feet were subject to dimensional weight pricing. If you’re still confused about how to calculate DIM weight or what you can do to keep your costs down, PartnerShip can help. Check out these resources below.

DIM Weight Calculator
This tool makes it easy for you to determine if you’ll be charged at the dimensional weight or your actual package weight. Simply enter in your package dimensions and weight and we’ll do the calculation for you. You’ll be able to quickly assess if your package is affected so you can make any possible adjustments.

DIM Weight Special Report
This report provides you with a detailed overview of the DIM weight pricing changes. You’ll learn what DIM weight is, how it’s calculated, and what you can do to offset the added cost.

Rate Increases White Paper
The changes to DIM weight pricing are only one part of the puzzle when it comes to evaluating the change in your small package shipping costs this year. This white paper takes an in-depth look at the general rate increase (GRI) for small package carriers FedEx and UPS.

Shipping Analysis
If you want someone to help evaluate your shipping and determine how to save the most money, you can fill out this short form to request a free analysis. One of our shipping experts will contact you and find a solution that works best for your business.