Swag, swag, and more swag! Everyone loves swag!

In this episode of Culture Uncovered, Jena Dunay sits down with Michael Martocci, Founder and CEO of SwagUp, to talk about building a people-first company from the ground up and protecting that culture as the business scales, goes remote, and navigates acquisition.

Michael shares the lessons he learned starting SwagUp at 21, how the company grew largely through word of mouth into a global swag and logistics platform, and why he prioritizes autonomy, trust, and responsibility over hierarchy, titles, or rigid processes.

They dive into what culture looks like in practice at SwagUp, from hiring for curiosity and deep accomplishment to giving people real ownership early in their careers. Michael also opens up about navigating growth and change while staying true to the company’s core belief that great people, when supported properly, do their best work.

What you’ll learn:

What SwagUp does and how it simplifies global swag creation and distribution
How the company grew through referrals and organic demand
Why SwagUp hires for character, curiosity, and problem-solving over resumes
How autonomy and trust show up in day-to-day work
What it takes to maintain culture through rapid growth and acquisition

SwagUp highlights:

Founded: 2017
Team Size: 100–125 employees
Headquarters: Piscataway, NJ
Work Model: Distributed across the US and globally
Culture: High trust, people-first, curious, fast-moving, ownership-driven

To learn more about SwagUp:

Careers Page (They're hiring!)

LinkedIn Page

Michael's LinkedIn Profile

Angelo Carusone & Dana Bye - May 6, 2021