Meet the 4th Annual Rising Stars of Screen Printing: Danielle Diarbakerly

Danielle Diarbakerly
Owner / King Production, Boston, Massachusetts

Q: Your nomination form states: “After being told none of the printers in the shop she worked at after college were going to listen to her because she is a 5’3” female, she was told she ‘better learn to print,’ so she decided she was going to be the best printer she could be.” How has this affected your career?

DD: This has motivated me so much. It actually made me very competitive. It taught me to always talk to the reps about the newest products, to be knowledgeable about what mesh to use, to know my orders to prioritize, etc.

Q: It also states: “Dani started King Production with no equipment and no real idea of what she was going to do. Without even having a bank account she started getting orders and even checks, so she got herself set up with a proper business and has been able to run a profitable business ever since.” Can you explain how you grew your business to where it is now?

DD: I grew my business mainly through referral. I was dedicated and worked hard and honestly, I said what I wanted. If I wanted a client, I would tell them straight up – “I want this job!” and I’ve been super lucky to earn the business.

Q: What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from building your own business?

DD: If you don’t run your business, it will run you! So, make sure to organize your time and set boundaries. With printing, people want access to you 24/7 and learning to say no or not reply outside business hours can be hard at first because you want to give good service. But, you have to make sure you save some time for you to reset and re-energize, as well.

Q: You employ predominantly females at your design and printing company. What’s your advice for young female screen printers entering the industry or starting their own shop?

DD: Female printers can be the leaders of the shop. Women are great at multitasking, they are hardworking and organized. Dominate your area and always focus on learning all the new technologies.

Adrienne Palmer

Adrienne Palmer is the editor-in-chief of Big Picture and Screen Printing magazines. She joined Big Picture magazine in 2012 after graduating from Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism with a BA in magazine journalism. During her time with Big Picture, she has held the roles of assistant editor, associate editor, and managing editor; she added sister publication Screen Printing magazine to her resume in 2019. She is a 2019 Folio: Top Woman in Media; spearheads Big Picture's annual Women in Wide Format Awards and Best of Wide Format Awards as well as Screen Printing's annual Women in Screen Printing Awards; is on the board of Printing United Alliance's Women in Print Alliance and the U.N.I.T.E. Together diversity and inclusion program; hosts the Screen Saver podcast; and represents the Big Picture and Screen Printing teams at numerous industry events year-round as a speaker, moderator, and panelist.