Toni Oman Co-Founder, Paragon Visual LLC
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toni-oman
What do you do?
I am sort of a Jill of all trades when it comes to running a company in the printing industry. I co-run our company that sells and services Wide Format Printers, and it’s media. We sell to and service companies, schools, and government so they can keep moving with their Wide Format needs, it’s an amazing journey. I do the behind-the-scenes office work, but that’s not all, I undergo a lot of training in the field becoming certified in servicing what we sell, as well as what we are looking into for the future. Sustainability is important to me so I have also done a lot of training in sustainability so my company can leave as small a footprint as possible, and I can teach others how to do the same.
What investments have you made in your professional career development?
I have invested in finding a mentor who has helped me learn whatever I can learn, and that has helped propel my knowledge in the field and the workforce. I have invested in the service division of my company instead of just sitting behind the desk so I could offer both sides to others, printing is so much more than a pretty poster that came off a machine.
I have invested in business training to enable me to find ways to become more valuable to my company and employees. I have invested in community outreach to network with others, and aid in my community’s growth.
What investments have you made in your personal development?
I have invested in learning time management strategies so I can juggle work, family, and self-care without dropping the balls. It hasn’t always been easy, but the results have been amazing. I have invested in research in my field so I can stay on top of my game making me a real contender with what I can bring to the table. I have invested in mentoring young women by finding what I can learn, wherever I can learn it, to pass it on to others so I can leave a legacy I can be proud of.
How can the industry proactively invest in women, and why should this be a priority?
One way the industry could proactively invest in women is by highlighting their successes. The industry had been a male-dominated field for so long, I do see some changes, but showcasing that women are just as vital as men would go far. Mentorship, and women in the industry speaking up are also amazing ways we could empower women to take their place at the table and get the respect they deserve. Why should this be a priority … because women bring so much to the table, but so much of their work and ideas are overlooked, causing everyone in the industry to suffer. The difference we could make if we utilized the work and ideas of women could change the future of the industry in so many positive ways.
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