Hi! I’m Chloe! I can’t help admiring all of the Olympic athletes in Rio. They have passion and dedication, and they are showing the world their best.

It got me to thinking that everyday we participate in a number of Olympic sports of our own as we go through tryouts, work to meet deadlines, wait on judging, and use all of our skills to deliver. As one of my readers, you are most likely one of our sports’ participants!

Do you do quotes? I think of it as a tryout because sometimes I have to send samples or fill out a questionnaire to be considered. It’s like living through the preliminary heats in races, hoping to make the finals. Every time someone picks me as their partner I take it seriously and personally!

Have you done the 100m Sprint? How many times have you had to run between departments or even company locations to make sure that a job gets started and finished? I did a lot of that this summer and I wasn’t always sure I’d make it. Is the paper I need where I need it? Did the creative arrive in time? Has the color correction been done? When is the press check? All of this comes together to create some stress, but making it to the finish line is essential for you and your client.

Many Olympic sports rely on judges to make the decision about who is the best.

While in tests of speed it is all of us against the clock, in sports like diving, gymnastics, dressage and many others performance is graded by expert judges who decide if the requirements have been met, and if they have been met, how they compare to the idea of perfection for the sport. Those of us Girls Who Print (and even Guys Who Print) live this every day as we take jobs form our clients, execute the requirements, and wait for their review (and payment). You get a gold medal when the customer looks at the work and judges it acceptable!

Even as the Olympics wind down, the need to keep up the passion, and ensure that we’re looking at every opportunity with an eye to how to get the best product produced lives on. I hope you’ve been enjoying the Rio Olympics. Don’t forget that you’re a medal winner too!

Until next time… Watch this space for more from the life of a Print Diva.