PPB April 2017

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Whoorwhat has had the
greatest influence on
your career andwhy?
I once read a Vera Wang quote
on the value of learning from
someone already doing what
you want to do. Tim and Laura
Voss have been most influential
in my success. They identified
my potential from the first time
we met, offering me, a recent
college graduate, a job when
there really was not an open
position. I worked my way up
in the company and after seven
years was named president. In
general, the Millennial instinct is
to please and “collect gold stars,”
but I feel I’ve learned much
more from the challenging times,
the failure points. You make a
mistake, correct it, learn from it
and move on.
What do you enjoy
most about yourwork?
The creativity. I enjoy bringing
ideas to life—whether that’s
designing a best-selling card or
an inside verse sentiment, or
instituting a production strategy
or a new-product launch. The
start of every year is most exciting
as I anticipate the opportunity
that lies ahead.
What was your first
job, and what lessons
did you learn?
I worked in a gift boutique
in downtown Lexington. I
remember my first large sale:
It was a piece of nice jewelry
that sold for about $150. The
owner praised my good work,
but I remember thinking how
easy it was to just be friendly
and helpful. I didn’t realize I
was “selling.” I stocked shelves
of invitations and greeting cards
and that allowed me to study the
retail-card industry. Every receipt
was hand signed with a “thank
you”. For me that was an early
lesson in good customer service.
What motivates you in
business and in life?
A commitment to being my
best self in order to impact
others for good. I want to use
my talents and circumstance to
make a difference where I can.
I am passionate about small
businesses; the opportunities it
can offer for individuals, families
and communities. I am also
motivated to be an example to
young women looking for role
models in leadership.
What is your
greatest professional
accomplishment?
After completing a
presentation in college, I
overheard one of my most
accomplished professors make
a side comment to a fellow
student, predicting that I would
run a company one day. I am
competitive and driven; hearing
that professor’s confidence in me
set my course in action. When
I became president, at just 29
years old, I smiled at my college
self. I’m very proud to be a young
woman leader.
What’s it like being one
of the youngest (or the
youngest?) presidents
of an industry supplier,
andwhat is your
management style
as amember of the
Millennial generation?
It’s great! We work with some
of the best distributors in the
industry, and my age has never
been an issue. If anything, it’s a
benefit to be an innovative young
leader. I’m also very fortunate to
have a great support team, so I
never hesitate to ask for help. I
try to manage as I would want to
be managed, giving everyone the
opportunity to blast it out of the
park with a winning idea or job
well done. Leading by example,
expecting efficient, productive
work habits and teamwork brings
success. I want my employees to
Mary Ellen
Harden’s Tips
For Selling
Greeting Cards
We’re surprised at how many
distributors have overlooked
the potential of greeting
cards—an $8 billion industry.
Most likely, your client is
buying cards, but they don’t
know they can do so from you.
• Just ask, “What are you
doing for holiday cards?”
• Do not wait for October;
start asking about holiday
cards now.
• Every e-store should include
a branded note card.
• Don’t carry a heavy sample
book of cards; everything is
electronic now.
For more helpful tips, visit
distributors/.
Ingeneral, the
Millennial instinct
is topleaseand
“collect gold
stars,” but I feel
I’ve learned
muchmore from
the challenging
times, the failure
points. Youmake
amistake, correct
it, learn fromit
andmoveon.
| APRIL 2017 | 77
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