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ROBIN BREARD,
CUSTOM PRINTING II
Texas. I was young and just experiencing all
the different aspect of production, shipping,
order entry, art, etc. I learned a lot. But prob-
ably the biggest thing I learned is that it is
not easy to run a business, and you need a lot
of great people and a lot of support. I have
been blessed to be personally taught by two
of my most favorite people in the world, my
mother and father. They were never easy on
me and always made me work. But the things
they taught me over the years are priceless.
Who has had the biggest influence on your
professional career and why?
Besides my mother and father, I would
have to say several of my college professors at
Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton had a lot of
influence on me. I had the great fortune to
have some of the best professors in my fields of
study—economics, finance and accounting.
They brought real-world experiences into the
classroom and pushed us to be ready for the
business world that awaited us. I still have close
relationships with many of them. I can hon-
estly say that they certainly helped develop me
as a young adult into the person I am today.
What motivates you in business and in life?
I am motivated by success. I strive to be
successful in all aspects of my life. I aspire to
be the best business leader, mom, wife,
daughter, friend, Christian and ultimately the
best person I can be all the way around. It
isn’t easy sometimes, but I am always moti-
vated by being better. Being involved with
Custom Printing from day one, I have had
the privilege of seeing and being a part of the
whole process. I remember when I would
come in to work during high school and help
with order entry and answering the phones. I
remember how excited we were when we got
our first order, then 12 orders, and then they
just kept growing and growing. We celebrated
the first dollar we received (which Bob and
Judy still have). I remember watching the
company grow and how much work it took
from everyone involved. I experienced the
growing pains right along with everyone and
that is where the motivation for success was
implanted in me. It became part of who I am.
What is your greatest professional accom-
plishment?
I would have to say that I think my
greatest professional accomplishment has
been in developing my career. Staying 32
years at the same job and in the same indus-
try takes persistence, drive, patience, ambition
and love of the job. I see very few people in
the labor market today that have stuck with
one career choice. There have been many
times throughout the years I have questioned
if there was something else I was meant to
do, but I honestly love my job, and really
couldn’t see myself doing anything else.
While taking over a family business is not
always easy, my mother and father have made
it an extremely easy transition in all aspects.
They have said they are thankful I was inter-
ested in taking on the business, but I am
thankful for the opportunity and am blessed
to be in such a position.
What advice would you give to an industry
newcomer?
First, I would welcome them to one of the
best industries on the planet. It never stops
being exciting and fun. You truthfully never
stop learning. And the people within the
industry are great people. My advice would be
to learn as much as you can about all aspects
of the industry, both on the supplier and dis-
tributor side. Meet as many people as you can
within the industry. And finally, get involved
and help make the industry even better.
Julie Richie is associate editor for
PPB.
86 •
PPB
• AUGUST 2016
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Robin Breard and her husband, Frank,
enjoy the sights in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
A bird’s-eye view of the
Custom Printing plant in Belton, Texas.