H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H Must Read | Rising Stars Maddie Hardy, 30 Senior Account Manager Whitestone Branding San Diego Getting Started Joining Whitestone as what she calls “random Indeed hire” in early 2020, Hardy previously worked in retail management. She overcame a brief pause during the early days of the pandemic, then graduated to her current role in April 2021. Earning The Honor Nominator Nikki Rampick, a marketing and brand associate at Whitestone, says, “She has developed a sincere candor with her clients and is known amongst our team as a professional who consistently exceeds her sales targets.” What’s Your Biggest Career Challenge? “I think the biggest challenge is just knowing that you can have a seat at the table no matter what level or position you’re in. If you’re a distributor, you can sit at the table with suppliers, you can sit at the table with chief marketing officers and people that aren’t necessarily at your same level, that you can learn so much just by inviting yourself in.” What Keeps You In Promo? “I love that every day is different. I’m not just making pens. I’m not just making notebooks. I’m creating something unique for every single person that I’m working with. I have such a broad spread in my clientele that I get to work on things that are cool and then also have those quick and easy turns.” How Do You Think The Industry Will Change In The Next Decade? “I think that there will be, as is happening now, a lot more of the sustainability that’s been a big push lately. I think that there will be the death of the PVC plastics and things like that.” What Inspires You To Do Your Best Work? “I think doing my best work inspires me to do my best work. You know, your name is tied to everything that you do.” 52 • DECEMBER 2023 • PPAI
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