The Importance of Mentorship in the Wide-Format Print Industry

AT THE 2018 Women in Print Alliance breakfast, Kathy Korman Frey spoke about the importance of mentorship. “When you share aspirations with others, it increases your perceived value of the event and decreases stress,” Frey said, adding that employees with five mentors have 50 percent more confidence than those without. Plus, those who seek out a mentor have higher pay and advance further in their organizational hierarchies.

Whenever someone brings up mentorship, I’m reminded of Kathy’s session and can only think of the incredible opportunities that having or being a mentor bring: less stress, more confidence, increased pay, career advancement, and more.

Last year, I launched The Mentorship Project for our sister publication Screen Printing magazine. The six-month program connected a mentor with a mentee based on their goals, market, and region. Here are some responses from the post-program survey:

“I am grateful for the opportunity to access great information and experience for free,” says Ian Graham, mentee.

“[My mentee and I] learned a lot from each other. We shared a bunch of strengths we had, in all categories of business. Everyone brings something different to the table. It was much more enriching than I had expected,” says Tracey Johnston-Aldworth, mentor.

This year I’m doing the same for you. The Mentorship Project is now available for subscribers to Big Picture magazine. Our goal is to help all types of wide-format digital printers, from beginners to experts, grow their network and increase their skillset while developing a mutually beneficial partnership.

Smart Tips From This Issue

Want to offer 3D applications? Hire a carpenter. (The Big Story, page 16)
If you’re looking to cut shipping costs and have an easier install, consider adding soft signage to your repertoire. (Special Feature, page 22)
Dig into the opportunities and obstacles that come with unlimited PTO before providing it to your staff. (Big Business, page 34)
Train and educate your customers to maximize process efficiency. (Big Business, page 36)

Adrienne Palmer

Adrienne Palmer is the editor-in-chief of Big Picture and Screen Printing magazines. She joined Big Picture magazine in 2012 after graduating from Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism with a BA in magazine journalism. During her time with Big Picture, she has held the roles of assistant editor, associate editor, and managing editor; she added sister publication Screen Printing magazine to her resume in 2019. She is a 2019 Folio: Top Woman in Media; spearheads Big Picture's annual Women in Wide Format Awards and Best of Wide Format Awards as well as Screen Printing's annual Women in Screen Printing Awards; is on the board of Printing United Alliance's Women in Print Alliance and the U.N.I.T.E. Together diversity and inclusion program; hosts the Screen Saver podcast; and represents the Big Picture and Screen Printing teams at numerous industry events year-round as a speaker, moderator, and panelist.