2023 Wide-Format Rising Star: Hannah Smith

Hannah Smith found the wide-format print industry by sheer accident. In high school, not knowing what she wanted to do after graduation, she took an internship with an ad agency where she found that she really enjoyed working in a creative field. But graphic design didn’t feel like the right fit. Project management, however, seemed right up her alley.

So she went to college with that goal in mind, taking the courses that would allow her to graduate with a degree that would help her get her foot in the door somewhere doing exactly that. “I went from not knowing what I wanted to do, to finding exactly what I wanted to do,” she says. “Not a lot of people’s jobs align with what they studied, but with the way I approached college, mine does perfectly!”

While Atchley Graphics wasn’t her first job out of college working as a project manager, COVID and the massive changes it brought to the travel and trade show industry meant that first company ended up going out of business — and their loss was Atchley’s gain, as she joined them as a project manager, and has excelled.

“Hannah started at zero here at Atchley Graphics and rose exceptionally fast to taking over more and more accounts and responsibilities,” says Derek Atchley, CEO and founder of the company. “She takes on all that is asked and is highly self-driven and motivated. She has made a marked improvement in our company’s growth.”

What Smith loves about the job the most, she notes, is that every day is a bit different, with different clients, different projects, and different elements to manage. “It is never boring, and I never feel like a robot processing the same orders over and over again,” she says. Whether that is trade show graphics — as that market has picked back up — banners, signs, or other elements, she has taken over a steady stream of clients and projects in the three years she has been with the company.

In that time, the biggest thing she has learned has been to rely on her team. “Teamwork makes the dream work,” she laughs. “It’s cheesy, but making sure my team is happy, and my clients are getting what they ask for, and that we’re all working together makes a huge impact.”

She goes on to note that, “my biggest goal is to make sure production, press, and design are all happy. That makes my job easier, so I try to keep everyone in the loop as much as possible, and always check with them before agreeing to any deadline with a client. It really does make a world of difference when everyone is on the same page.”

She also says that she has learned to think outside of the proverbial box. With clients often coming in with an idea for a project, but then diving deeper reveals that specific application might not be the best to achieve the results they are looking for. Maybe there is a better material, she notes, or a better solution to the problem. “It’s about guiding them to ensure they get what they want, and helping them narrow down what’s possible, and what will look the best.”

On the flip side, the biggest challenge she has faced so far is gaining the trust of long-time Atchley Graphics clients. “I have taken clients off [Derek Atchley’s] plate, and I am much younger and female. So, I have had to learn how to get them to trust me.” To do that, she has focused on ensuring projects are getting done fast and efficiently, and making sure all the various elements of a project are always moving forward. “These are fun challenges to have!” she says.

Color management is also a challenge she faces on a regular basis, noting that it can be difficult to try and educate clients about why the bright reds and oranges they see in a Pantone book can’t be reproduced on their wide-format presses. “They see the color, and then don’t understand why we can’t hit it,” she says. “And using different materials, the colors always come out a bit different, and it is so hard to explain why that is. We’re getting somewhere with color management, so hopefully in the next 10 years we can start hitting Pantone colors on the presses. But in the meantime, it’s tricky to explain.”

So where does Smith see herself in 10 or 15 years? “Derek [Atchley] and I were just talking about this! I really enjoy managing events — the Columbus Arts Festival, Columbus Book Festival, etc. It is so fulfilling standing in the event space after setup has been completed and reflecting on the project. The first meeting usually includes a rough sketch of the event map and a list of potential graphics, if that, and then over a month or so everything comes to life! Another reason events are so fulfilling is because they involve every department at Atchley Graphics — design, press, production, installation, and of course project management. The types of graphics needed for events such as banners, yard signs, and other wayfinding graphics are ones we produce daily, so they fit very well in our standard production schedule. It’s also a bonus if we can involve partners that include other services that are needed for events, as we are supporting our partners and assisting our clients with another aspect of the event, which means less work for them.”

For those looking to build their own careers in the print industry, and find their own niche in this diverse space, Smith has a few pieces of advice. “First, I’d say do it! Dive in headfirst, there are a lot of different things to learn, and whether you start off as production, or creative or wherever, this is a great industry to work your way up on any level. You can be an installer, a project manager, dealing with customers, etc.”

The second piece of advice she has is that multitasking is a skill to cultivate. “That is a valuable skill to have — there are busy seasons, and multiple projects, and you have to be able to adjust to the sometimes unexpected ebbs and flows.” And that will only become truer, she notes, as technology continues to evolve, pointing out that she is excited to see how things like AI impact print, and how technology and print can mix closer together in the future to open up even more interesting applications she can produce for customers.

All in all, while Smith’s career is just getting started, she has big plans, all of which feature staying in the wide-format print industry. The wide range of projects and challenges, new customers to serve, events to plan and execute, and a chance to stretch creative muscles while doing what she loves have demonstrated to her that a career in this space is a perfect fit. And it will be exciting to see where she goes next.