The person behind TenaciousB
Tenacious Brands, Inc. is the result of a lifetime in promotional products — and that lifetime started early.
Rich Wilens grew up learning the business from his dad, Don Wilens, an industry veteran and genuine raconteur. Before Rich ever had a business card of his own, he was already in a factory learning how promos get made. That foundation, combined with a degree in Advertising from Michigan State University and more than 30 years in the industry, means he doesn't just sell promotional products — he understands them from the inside out.
Rich founded TenaciousB on a simple belief: the best results come from actual conversation. As voicemail heads toward the same fate as the fax machine, he's doubling down on being mildly old school. A few minutes talking with a client teaches him more about a business and its goals than any algorithm ever could. That's not nostalgia — it's strategy.
There's no shortage of options when it comes to buying promos. Big e-commerce sites will offer you plenty of flash and the same catalog they're showing everyone else. Rich's value is in the match — pairing the right product to the right moment for the right audience, with three decades of creative instinct behind every recommendation.
Outside of work, Rich's world revolves around family. His wife Carrie has dedicated her career to helping others. His two sons make him smile multiple times a day — usually right before they raid the refrigerator. He's endlessly proud of his six nieces and nephews.
When he's not working, Rich is probably playing volleyball (enthusiastically, if not vertically), softball, basketball, or wallyball. Given any excuse, he'll be out catching live music with family and friends.
Several years back, his niece Ellie gave him the best four words he's ever put to work as a mantra:
"Have fun. Eat cake."