Over 32 years of providing high quality branded products for all industries by Anita Flowers LAGO APPAREL
“I grew up in the business, cleaning the warehouse, going on sales trips and filling orders. That’s what prepared me for the apparel industry”
F or 32 years, Lago Apparel has been building relationships across Canada one sales call at a time. Now a custom apparel business, Lago Apparel offers high quality branded products, such as hoodies, hats and sleepwear, for the cor- porate, brewery and souvenir focused markets. Spotlight sat down with Jonathan “Jonny” Lali, Sales Development Manager & member of the Product Development team, and Linsey McTag- gart, Sales Manager & member of the Product Development team, to talk about the company’s impressive 32-year history and remarkable philan- thropic commitment. MEET JONNY LALI: Jonny Lali learned the business from his dad, Sat Lali, co-founder, President and CEO of Lago Apparel. “I grew up in the business, cleaning the warehouse, going on sales trips and filling orders. That’s what prepared me for the apparel industry – all the trips in the summer on sales calls with my dad. Him and Rick Kish were the main driver in sales for many years. What I learned was that it’s more of a relationship building business than anything else. It’s old school mentality.” MEET LINSEY MCTAGGART: After a completing her business degree in Alberta, she had a breif stint in banking, decided it wasn’t for her and moved to Vancouver to study Fashion Design at the Art Institute of Van- couver. Linsey McTaggart began working in the fashion industry in Vancouver initially working the bridal industry. While working as a design assis- tance for a successful fashion-house in Vancou- ver she would also do freelance designs for cus- tomers ranging from musicians, bridal, mother of the bride to grad dresses as well as designed a few mini collections for local fashion shows. “I’ve always had a natural ability to sell and to connect
to people, this and my apparel background was a good fit for Lago.” A LITTLE COMPANY HISTORY: Lago Apparel began with a road trip across Canada. In Dec of 1986, the company that Rick Kish and Sat Lali worked for closed its doors, putting them out of a job. Lali and his family, living in Nova Scotia at that time, made the decision to move back to Vancouver. Upon learning that a new product, the Rick Hansen Yoyo, needed immediate representation across Canada, Lali and Kish took up the chal- lenge to promote it. “Basically, they packed up the house and drove across the country. It was one big long sales trip - hitting every customer they knew. That was the beginning of Lago Apparel, now celebrating 32 years,” said Lali’s son, Jonny. In the early days of the company, Lali and Kish worked repping products for other compa- nies but became frustrated by production and shipping delays.
“I’ve always had a natural ability to sell and to connect to people, this and my apparel background was a good fit for Lago.”
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JUNE 2020 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020
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