AP: Your nomination form states, “Kristi has volunteered with Young Women Empowered, an organization that provides mentorship programs for teen women in her local community. Kristi is also an active executive member of Ellevate, a networking group for professional women.” Why is mentorship important to you and how has it impacted you personally and professionally?
KD: Mentorship has helped me transform as part of the community and as a leader at The BoxMaker. Most notably, mentorship has taught me much about myself as well as giving to others. Through mentorship, I’ve been able to create a successful yet unconventional career path. My mentors saw something in me, and I’ve worked to develop that skill to help others. I want to provide that same guidance and support for current and future leaders.
AP: It also states, “Ten years ago, digitally printed corrugated packaging was largely new and there was no playbook on how to sell it. Kristi has written that playbook… the selling process that Kristi and her team have developed for this product category has led to greater market adoption of digital print and finishing for corrugated packaging, pushing the industry as a whole forward by increasing demand.” How has digital print positively affected your career and business? What led you to invest in the technology?
KD: Digital print has expanded our client base outside of our traditional packaging capabilities. We’ve added new revenue opportunities with existing clients and opened new doors to support retail-ready, display, and direct-to-consumer packaging. The BoxMaker made investments in digital print to fill a need in the packaging market.
AP: What does it mean to be a woman in the wide-format digital printing industry?
KD: As our industry grows, it’s important for us to attract and retain a diverse group of talent. Coaching and development of that talent are two ways we can achieve that goal. I’m working to pay it forward for others.
Kristi believes that when individuals and teams identify and achieve the potential within themselves, coupled with organizational success, that’s when the magic happens.” — Katy Hart, The BoxMaker
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