SARAH WHARRIER Regional Sales Director, CMYK Digital
What were your career ambitions growing up?
I was always very academic at school but never really had a career ambition as such…after university I worked in property for a number of years, firstly as a mortgage adviser and then selling international real estate. After the property crash in 2008 I made the change to move away from property to go to a B2B environment…which is how I ended up in the Managed Print sector, and the rest as they say is history!
Tell us about your current role?
I started my current role as Regional Sales Director for CMYK in January 2021. I was recruited alongside my colleague Craig Pratt to assist the business in opening up their Newcastle office. My role is focussed on building on our client base here in the North East, developing relationships with customers, strategic partners and suppliers, and getting the CMYK brand out there in our region.
What is your proudest business achievement?
Without a shadow of a doubt, taking the leap of faith to join the CMYK team and open up the new office in the middle of the pandemic! I think Covid made a lot of us reassess things, whether that be around our careers or life in general. Having quiet time at the beginning of the pandemic made me sit back and realise I was ready for a new challenge. We have got a lot of hard work ahead of us but I really have faith in the business and the team I work with, and I am proud to be a part of it.
How has your industry changed in the last decade?
There has been a lot of change in our industry over the last decade and that has only been accelerated with the pandemic and the need for agile working. Businesses want to move away from paper heavy processes and have a need to improve their document workflows using scanning, digitisation and software. There has also been a need to increase security around print and scan due to GDPR and agile/remote working.
What are you currently working on?
The main focus at the moment for our Newcastle branch is generating new business, so I’m spending a lot of time speaking to customers, contacts and new potential clients, we are also working on building some fantastic strategic partnerships which will help us to achieve our business goals.
Tell us about the team you work with?
What can I say, the CMYK team are just fantastic! It’s one of the things that stood out to me when I was first introduced to the business and why I was so keen to be a part of their journey. All of the staff are highly skilled, professional and go above and beyond for our customers. Everyone works together as a team and the service provided to our customers is exceptional.
What is the best piece of business advice you have been given?
I think the best piece of advice I have been given is to simply ‘believe in yourself’. This is something I have had to work on over the years but I’m definitely at the point now where I do… I think with age and experience you become more confident in yourself and your own skills and abilities. W
hat has been your biggest challenge?
I would say definitely starting our new business venture for the CMYK regional office in the middle of a global pandemic! Let’s face it, the way business is carried out has been turned on its head over the last 12 months! I’m excited for the world to open up again, so I can get out to see clients and have a cuppa and a chat rather than doing Teams meetings. Might not be able to shake hands mind but can touch elbows! The part of my role that I love the most is being out and about meeting people, so I can’t wait for this to become the norm again soon.
Who are your heroes inside and outside of business?
I think I would class Richard Branson as my business hero, I love following his social media posts, lets face it, he’s a business legend and I really admire the way he rewards his staff and holds them in such high regard. As he says ‘If you take care of your employees then they will take care of your business…simple as that!’ My hero outside of business, there is no contest…my mother.
How do you unwind outside of work?
Outside of work I love spending time with my horses which has been my life-long hobby since I was a little girl- and I compete on weekends when I can at show-jumping competitions. I love being outdoors and so most of my spare time is spent with the horses or walking the dog, or with family and friends. I love to cook and have people over for food and drinks… I’m definitely classed as the ‘feeder’ in our family!
Favourite Book and Boxset?
Favourite book has to be the Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I read it a few times when I was younger and I’ve just bought it to read again! Perhaps I’m a feminist at heart! I don’t watch much TV but when I do it usually involves binge watching a boxset…I loved Homeland…I also loved Schitt’s Creek, I found it absolutely hilarious…I just love the characters and it’s so easy to watch!
