Meet the 2025 Women in Wide Format Winners: Monique Berg

Monique Berg
Vice President of Operations
BIG INK | Eagan, MN

MONIQUE BERG IS A respected leader in the wide-format printing industry, known for her strategic operational expertise, commitment to continuous improvement, and a relentless focus on customer-first innovation. With nearly 25 years of leadership experience—including managing a parts distribution business before joining BIG INK in 2016—Monique has successfully led all areas of the company, from project management to sales.

Her influence extends beyond the workplace through community service, mentorship, and industry involvement. A passionate advocate for women in print, Monique exemplifies how determination, adaptability, and a “never-say-no” mindset can drive transformation across teams, technology, and customer experience.

How has your background in distribution and finance influenced your approach to operational leadership and process improvement in the wide-format printing industry?

My experience in distribution has been crucial. Establishing an efficient workflow lies in creating strong, repeatable processes. At Big Inc, we’ve introduced tools and refined or eliminated steps to streamline operations. In a fast-paced industry like ours, every minute counts.

For example, during COVID, we re-evaluated the flow from receiving artwork to RIP, removing unnecessary steps. This sped up data transfer and printing times, which was critical then. We continue to monitor and adjust our processes to improve efficiency across the board.

How do you engage your team in a mindset of continuous improvement?

I believe leadership is about asking questions rather than issuing orders. I encourage team members to share where they face challenges, what’s frustrating or time-consuming in their day. This open dialogue inspires creative thinking and fresh ideas. While not every suggestion is implemented, listening and involving the team fosters ownership and helps us identify meaningful improvements.

What systems or tools have driven continuous improvement across departments such as production, project management, and sales?

We hold company-wide quarterly meetings where I ask, “What can we do differently?” The responses range widely, sometimes surprising me, but often uncover new ideas worth exploring. One major advancement has been redesigning our master dashboard, which every employee uses daily to track incoming work, due dates, and changes.

This real-time visibility helps teams prepare and identify bottlenecks early—whether it’s workload on prepress or material prep for finishing teams. The sales team benefits too, seeing jobs progress and confidently communicating timelines to clients. It’s transformed how we collaborate and manage capacity.

What advice do you have for women entering technical or creative roles in printing, and how can companies better support their advancement?

I don’t separate myself from others based on gender, but I recognize women bring unique perspectives and creativity that enrich the industry. My advice is to be bold—don’t limit yourself or shy away from challenges. Embrace possibilities, learn from failures, and keep pushing forward. Courage and resilience are key. Companies can support women by fostering inclusive cultures that value diverse ideas and encourage risk-taking.

Are you seeing more women enter the wide-format printing industry, and what might be driving this change?

Yes, there’s definitely increased participation, possibly fueled by greater visibility through social media and growing industry awareness. Collaboration and partnerships have also improved—whether it’s reaching out to competitors for support or sharing hiring insights—which strengthens the community. Women seem especially willing to engage in this cooperative spirit, which benefits everyone.

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How do you cultivate a customer-first mindset internally, and how does it foster innovation and long-term client relationships?

Putting customers first is essential, but it starts with taking care of our team. I remind everybody internally every day that we have to take care of one another first in order to take care of our customers.

Motivating employees with a customer-first focus drives energy and goal alignment. However, challenges happen, and when they do, transparency and honesty with clients are key. Whether it’s a delay or an unexpected issue, we communicate openly about the situation and how we’ll improve next time.

This builds trust beyond just delivering perfection—it’s about partnership. Our team thrives on creative problem-solving, often stepping in when clients are stuck, providing innovative solutions to complex challenges.

What advice would you offer to women in the wide-format industry?

For any job that presents challenges, always consider all the possibilities vs. walking away from a job and saying “No, we can’t do that.” Even if you fail, you’re ready to take on the next challenge because of what you’ve learned. Being successful sometime means taking risks and what’s the worst thing that could happen? A banner falling off a wall?

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