This week, I ask the question, "Who helped shape your career?" Think back to the early days of your career—who took a chance on you? Who inspired you? Who challenged you to be better? Maybe it was a boss or a mentor who guided you, or a client who trusted you before you fully trusted yourself. I wouldn’t be where I am today without some incredible people in my corner. So for this week's coffee chat, I’m raising my cup to some leadership folks from my time in my early career.

Eric took the stage at the 2025 Gift Card & Voucher Association (GCVA) Conference in London to deliver industry insights in his talk: "Demystifying Gift Card Aggregators – What Brands and Buyers Need to Know." Watch the 20-minute presentation here.

Eric interviews Kelly Hinds, Head of UK Accounts, from NeoCurrency

I share a 1-minute overview on what matters when selecting a gift card and prepaid aggregator for your rewards, loyalty, promotions, or employee recognition program. After 25+ years in the incentive industry—winning (and losing) RFPs— I've seen these seven factors influence nearly every major buying decision when it comes to selecting a gift card or reward provider.

Small Value with High Loyalty Impact - let's talk about the power of ‘micro rewards. These small, frequent incentives can increase engagement in loyalty, rewards, promotions, and employee recognition programs by up to 25%.

Are you looking to reward or incentivize Gen Z consumers? Eric's Coffee Chat this week offers pro tips for motivating the younger demographic in your recognition or loyalty program by using gift cards from Uber Eats, DoorDash, and other third-party food delivery service apps.

Eric celebrates 25+ years in the incentive, gift card, and payments partnership industry with the launch of his Coffee Chat video blog series