Name: Milene Ribas
Title: Global Business Development Manager – Wide Format
Company: Neenah, Inc.
Company URL: www.neenahpaper.com
LinkedIn Profile URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milene-ribas-15ba7b13/
Did you choose print or did print choose you?
Actually, print totally chose me. I was in marketing for different industries before and never thought of working with printing until I was invited to run the marketing department for a start-up company manufacturer of paper-based products for wide format. This was in 2008 and back then the entire signage market was printing on PVC, vinyl, and foam so to me, it felt pretty great to be part of such an innovative concept and getting to know printers and helping them to make better – and greener choices.
How do you establish credibility with customers, colleagues and bosses?
For customers, it is ideal to really take the time to understand the nature of their business, including stronger and weaker points, roadblocks in their marketplace and their right for success. Helping them creating a strategy that makes sense to their reality results in loyalty and once they see that, your credibility is there for years to come.
For my colleagues, it is pretty straight forward. It is all about contribution, trust, transparency and never feel afraid to express your ideas and concerns. There is nothing more enjoyable than teamwork, when you see everyone making contributions, supporting one another, and cheering the success of a project that everyone touched.
For my bosses is all about liability, ability to adapt to changes and mostly, how capable you are in bringing ideas and projects to the table that works and results in sales growth.
What advice can you offer regarding negotiating salary raises/addressing fair pay issues?
First, you need to know the right moment to pursue that. You must list all the projects that you directly contributed to the success of the department. Take the time researching the salaries for your position and geography, and be ready to have an honest conversation. I always think that you should address how you feel because everyone produces more when we are happy. But mostly, keep that conversation between you and your boss. There is nothing worst than dealing with whining colleagues.
What advice did you receive early in your career that you wished you had followed?
OMG, there were so many… But also my early career happened in Brazil in times of zero to little technology so back then our access to information was very limited. Today I am sure it would be different. However, if I have to pick just one I would say take more risks. It took me a while to learn that either in your personal life or at work, you can do anything you want.
To the Printers: This art is available to download for easy printing and supplying of social distance markers and awareness signage for retail, food service, medical and grocery applications. For a sustainable solution print the floor graphic to Neenah Digiscape Stick-R Weave and add a floor guard laminate. For the window signage print to Neenah Bloxlite or Imagemax.
To the retail locations: Help inform and protect your clients and staff with easily understood social awareness markers. Each set includes 6, floor stickers to be placed at 72” increments and 2 window signs to inform guests as they arrive.
This art is downloadable for any and all applications. Please help protect your community by respecting social distances.
Social Distance Floor Stickers
It’s a pleasure to work with Milene, she is doing great things driving sustainable alternatives into the wide format market. Thank you Deborah for sharing!