What is your role at Firespring, and what are some of the things you do?
I am the vice president of custom manufacturing. This means that I work with the production teams in Omaha, Lincoln and Council Bluffs to evaluate equipment and processes for efficiency. I also work closely with the account management team to evaluate their processes and help with anything they may need. For example, if there are issues of miscommunication, I work with them to see what we can do to be better next time, or as Firespring likes to say, find a better way! I was heavily involved with the communication aspect of the most recent acquisition. I also help with our outsource relationships in trying to find good partners who we can send work to, if needed. Lastly, I assist from a sales perspective on a few of our large accounts and step in to answer any questions our account managers of sales teams may have on a project.
What is your favorite part about your job?
I love the team aspect of Firespring. We have so much talent and many, many years of experience on our print floor. Previous business owners and different companies all have their own stories, and I really enjoy getting to learn about them. Helping clients also fills my bucket. We have the opportunity to work with clients in so many industries which makes every day a little different than the last.
Where do you volunteer?
I volunteer at No Footprint Too Small (NFTS). They are a nonprofit organization located here in Lincoln that provides support to families who are affected by pregnancy or infant loss.
What do you do in your volunteer role?
I sew weighted memory bears for families who have lost their little ones.
What got you interested in this kind of volunteering?
No Footprint Too Small was a client of Firespring’s. My contact at the time reached out to me in search of someone who may be interested in volunteering there, so I took her up on the opportunity. I’ve been volunteering with NFTS for 2 years now!
What is the most rewarding thing about your volunteering?
It’s rewarding to provide a family with something that they will treasure and remember their loved one by. Knowing that it eases the pain that comes with loss, and possibly even brings a smile to their face, makes it all worth it.
Do you have any heartwarming stories from your volunteering experiences?
My sister-in-law recently experienced the loss of her newborn. I was able to make a bear for her and her husband. This allowed me to see the work of No Footprint Too Small first hand.
Why do you think it’s important that Firespring requires volunteering?
I don’t know that I would have been connected to this opportunity had it not been for Firespring. I have a pretty busy home life with three kids. Being able to take a day out of every month to sew a couple of bears to help these families in their time of loss makes me feel like I’m helping make a difference.
How does volunteering bring you satisfaction in your personal life?
I love to craft — sew, crochet, paint, build, cricut. I don’t get to do it often with three littles running around, but when I do, it makes me happy. It’s similar to getting to drink a cup of coffee WITHOUT warming it three times and then forgetting it in the microwave until 10PM. Now that’s a good feeling!
Learn more about how Firespring gives back through the Power of Three program.