Deborah Corn Girl #1 at Girls Who Print, Intergalactic Ambassador to The Printerverse, Print Media Centr
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahcorn
What do you do?
I am the Intergalactic Ambassador to the Printerverse at Print Media Centr, a Print Buyerologist, an international industry speaker and blogger, and the cultivator of Print Production Professionals, the #1 print group on LinkedIn.
I provide printspiration and resources to print and marketing professionals around the world through education, events, Podcasts From The Printerverse, ProjectPeacock.TV and an array of community-lifting initiatives such as Girls Who Print, Elevate Print, Print Across America, and International Print Day.
I also work with OEM’s, suppliers, industry organizations, and event producers helping them connect and engage with PMC’s global audience and achieve success with their sales, marketing, and conference endeavors.
What investments have you made in your professional career development?
I have invested heavily in relationships. As the Intergalactic Ambassador to The Printerverse, my work relies on having the resources and connections that help others, that help me to learn and grow my industry knowledge, that invite me to events and happenings that I can share with people who can’t attend, and who have successfully navigated their careers in often turbulent industry waters.
I am also invested in community building. This isn’t a catchphrase to me. I have built the largest, independent community for print in the world through my site, social channels, and LinkedIn groups. That investment consists of time, engagement, and consistency and I have been at it since 2009.
Without those two investments, and riding them out for several years when there was no income or business model associated with community building, I wouldn’t be here, now. I was willing to take the risk because I knew I could work it out – eventually. I recognized that something was happening all around me, social media was gaining traction, LI groups gained popularity and when people went looking for an online, print-focused community, they found me, and they still do.
I invest in my investments every day, and in every way I can to deliver ROI for the communities I serve, including Girls Who Print!
How can the industry proactively invest in women, and why should this be a priority?
Stop TALKING ABOUT IT, and DO SOMETHING! I am so tired of hearing “We have a workforce development problem” and everyone agrees and no one does anything about it. Who is no one? Let’s start with industry organizations. How about if everyone isn’t paid fairly for the work they do at a printing company, they can’t be members. What if no printers joined orgs that didn’t have serious workforce development programs that helped usher women and people of color into the industry or offered training? What if no companies/corporations advertised with trade magazines/media companies that don’t have an equitable leadership team, or accepted advertising from companies that don’t employ any women?
Don’t even get me started about DEI.
Print has a PR problem. I have been shouting this from rooftops across The Printerverse for years. An actual step of inclusive progress – even if it seems extreme like my examples – could change that. Taking a STAND no matter the size could change everything.
We can no longer settle for less. Expect more, demand more, and figure out how to get it!
Get Involved and Get Empowered
Join Girls Who Print in May for TWO in-person events at America’s Print Show
Get your Girls Who Print Gear at our store!
Join our women-only, Girls Who Print LinkedIn Group
Sign up to join our global mentoring program – it’s FREE!
Listen to the Girls Who Print Podcast series playing on Podcasts from The Printerverse.
Subscribe to Podcasts From The Printerverse where you listen to podcasts so you’ll never miss an episode.
Printspiration is streaming 24/7/365 through our growing library of original programming for print and marketing professionals at ProjectPeacock.TV
