I celebrated my five-year-anniversary of working in the digital print industry last year. In just this short amount of time, I’ve witnessed quite a bit of change. I began my digital print journey by consulting photographers and fine artists for their in-house print needs, allowing me to use my art school education. What I remember enjoying most was helping clients discover possibilities with digital print and strategically develop new business through collaborative diversification. It was easy to encourage and re-energize all types of creatives in this way because that’s naturally how they think, myself included. But there was often skepticism about how exactly to develop business in new markets. I quickly learned an invaluable and fundamental principle; one simply cannot create in a vacuum.
It became apparent I wasn’t alone in thinking: “Let’s start inspiring traditionalists and sign-shops to print more creatively.” There was an influx of print service providers eager to venture beyond signage and wayfinding, which I believe was a direct correlation to the decline of brick-and-mortar retail. OEMs were also promoting improved equipment and inks, allowing for far more exciting applications than previous generations. Plus, consumers began shifting trend authority away from retailers and manufacturers through social media, ultimately triggering an onslaught of bloggers and influencers keen on branding, cool aesthetics, and long-tail marketing.
Along with the expansion of print technology, the crashed housing market in the mid-2000s birthed the DIY home improvement rush and big-box home stores thrived while most retailers began to tailspin in competition with e-commerce. The interior décor boom happened shortly after and design shows bubbled up from HGTV, creating a new pastime for consumers and design junkies. And let’s not forget Pinterest or Houzz, too. Designers gained celebrity status. (Admit it: you all know Chip and Joanna Gaines.) Soon after interior design became widely commercialized, the digital print community had an aha! moment, recognizing décor as the hottest growth market and the gateway to on-demand customization.
Here, I’ll be sharing three inspiring and entrepreneurial women in creative and technology industries, all leveraging the power of digital print and through collaboration.