Kathleen Castore, Disability:IN Supplier Mentoring & Development Consultant, is very excited to ‘Spotlight’ our mentee and mentor pair, Sharp Mill Graphics and Southwest Airlines.
KC: Hello Jeremy, tell us your story – how/why did you begin your journey as an entrepreneur?
JS: Having the muscle-weakening disease, Muscular Dystrophy, does not define me. Instead, my story demonstrates that true strength extends well beyond physical capabilities, leaving a lasting impact on those around me.
My entrepreneurial journey began in my teenage years and continues today. Along the way, I encountered many obstacles, circumstances, experiences, and opportunities, which led me to discover my entrepreneurial spirit. However, it wasn’t until my freshman year of college when that spirit transformed into passion, which ultimately became my purpose.
Please visit https://sharpmill.com/about/jeremy-siegers/ to learn more about my story.
KC: Can you let the readers know about Sharp Mill Graphics? i.e. services, sell yourself here, locations served, what you do…
JS: Sharp Mill Graphics is the partner you can trust to manage the commercial printing, promotional products, and corporate signage solutions your company needs to create a cohesive brand identity across all the multiple surfaces necessary for marketing success.
Our belt has the tools to make your job easier, save time, solve problems, and help your company look sharp at every angle and on every surface.
- We have over two decades of branding management expertise to bring your brand to life in the real world.
- We manage the selection, design, production, fulfillment, and installation of your projects on a national scale.
- We are your company’s brand steward and an extension of your marketing department.
- We effectively maintain your company’s brand standards on surfaces of any shape, size, and material.
- We offer an online company store platform to manage your bulk apparel and merch programs efficiently.
- We streamline your branding efforts and fulfill your supplier diversity goals simultaneously.
- We have a widespread network of talented suppliers and sub-contractors across the United States.
KC: How long have you been a certified Disability:IN DOBE and why has the certification become an important part of your business journey?
JS: Sharp Mill has been a certified disability-owned business with Disability:IN since 2014. Our certification opens up many doors with larger companies for procurement, educational, and relationship opportunities. Those doors would be very difficult, if not impossible, to open without our certification, which we are very proud to have been awarded.
KC: What drew you to sign up for the mentoring program opportunity with Disability:IN? How has it helped your business?
JS: It isn’t every day that a small business gets the opportunity to learn about the nuts and bolts of one of the largest airlines in the world, so I was very interested and excited to participate in this opportunity! I learned a lot from Sabrina about how Southwest Airlines manages its procurement processes, what goods and services they buy, and the responsibilities of several of its employees she introduced me to in the categories aligned with my interests and Sharp Mill offerings. The entire experience has been fascinating, helpful, and resourceful, providing a lot of clarity for when I pursue large companies Sharp Mill Graphics is interested in building relationships and doing business with.
KC: You have a great mentor in Sabrina, what are the keys to your success?
JS: I went into this mentorship opportunity with Sabrina to get to know each other, build a relationship, and work together so that she could help me get the most out of it. I’m happy to share that I did get everything out of this opportunity that I was hoping for, and more! I look forward to continuing to build my relationship with Sabrina after completing this mentorship program.
KC: As we know, having specific goals are paramount to a good outcome, how did you decide what you wanted to focus on during the program?
JS: I decided on my goals as if Sabrina Rangel were Willy Wonka, Southwest Airlines was the Chocolate Factory, and I was holding the golden ticket. Whatever questions I had pertaining to navigating and learning about a massive and impressive company like Southwest, Sabrina was interested and willing to be my virtual tour guide, and she did an excellent job!
KC: What are some of the future goals?
JS: I want to continue building relationships that serve companies by utilizing my valuable skillset and unique perspectives cultivated over a lifetime of being disabled and awesome. Fulfilling their supplier diversity goals along the way as a proud certified DOBE with Disability:IN is an additional bonus.
KC: Once you complete the program, how do you intend to keep implementing what you have learned and stay focused on those goals?
JS: I intend to keep implementing what I have learned and staying focused on my goals by continuing to work hard, build relationships, be persistent, and follow up occasionally to stay top of mind so if/when a project opportunity does come up, people will think of me and Sharp Mill Graphics.
KC: What advice would you give to potential mentees that might help them get the most out of the DOBE Mentoring Program?
JS: I would recommend potential mentees go into the program the same way I did by focusing on getting to know their mentor, building a relationship, and working together so that they could help you get the most out of it. If you have any questions about my experience, please contact me. I would be happy to answer any questions and help you in any way I can. You can also follow with me on LinkedIn if you’re interested.
KC: In closing, is there anything you would like to mention regarding Disability:IN?
JS: What Disability:IN has done, and continues to do, for disabled folks everywhere has been absolutely incredible! Whether you’re an ambitious entrepreneur like myself or someone interested in a career working for a company that recognizes and supports disability inclusion, with a partner like Disability:IN you’ll have abundant support to accomplish your goals. Thank you to Disability:IN for this opportunity to participate in this mentorship program, I am truly grateful!
KC: Thank you, Jeremy.
KC: Greetings Sabrina, our readers would love to know more about your role at Southwest Airlines, can you give us some background?
SR: Happy to! I’m Sabrina Rangel, a Supplier Diversity Partner in Supply Chain at Southwest Airlines. I started as an intern right out of college and as hard as it is for me to believe, I have been at SWA going on eight years. Time flies when you are having fun!
KC: How come Disability:IN is important to you professionally and personally to be so involved as a DOBE mentor? What have you gotten out of it so far?
SR: I have always been proud to work with Disability: IN. It’s important both in my personal and professional life. In Supplier Diversity, we certainly work with all certifying agencies and organizations in support of the growth and development of small and diverse-owned businesses. Personally, I hold a special place in my heart for Disability: IN because of the great work that they do each day. The growth of the organization has been incredible, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a small part of something so great.
KC: One of the main assets a mentor can provide to a mentee is helpful and actionable advice to help them achieve their goals. How did you do this with Jeremy?
SR: It has been such a joy mentoring Jeremy. From day one, I wanted to ensure that our business relationship was helpful and personable. Sure, we have connected from Corporate Partner to Diverse Business owner, but most importantly, we have connected as people. I was able to get him connected with Category Managers in my space who look for businesses like his. We’ve talked about several practices of his business and what SWA usually looks for. His business is stellar and has already accomplished so much. Our relationship has been a two-way street, I’m learning too!
KC: What has your mentoring experience been like with Jeremy as an example of an engaged and committed mentee?
SR: Disability: IN has continued to provide great content throughout the year for us to continue to learn, grow and then discuss. We both continue to be engaged in these discussions and presentations as we value making and keeping connections. The experience has been great. I value our time together and appreciate Jeremy’s candor.
KC: Can you give us an example or two on how you have approached some of the goals with Jeremy internally and any outcomes you have already had. What was that process like?
SR: We worked on a few pieces of Jeremy’s business, and I connected him with subject matter experts in my space who then had a conversation with Jeremy as well. I was able to get him connected with our internal Employees who procure for his commodity code or work in his space for SWA. We also looked at his business website and Linked IN and had discussions about, in my experience, what works best.
KC: As a Corporate member of Disability:IN, why do you feel it is so significant for Southwest Airlines to be involved with the DOBE community from a business perspective?
SR: Our Employees, our Suppliers and our Customers make up a diverse array of communities. The work that my Team and I do is vital in creating connections and keeping those connections from Southwest Airlines to DOBEs. My work in Supplier Diversity is focused on driving innovation, expanding into small and diverse businesses, and fostering a more equitable business process. I’m proud to work for Southwest Airlines who places such significance on our partnership.
KC: Have you had any mentors in your career? How has that experience helped you in your work life and now as a supplier diversity leader?
SR: Yes! My mentors, current and past, have played such an important role for me. The idea of mentorship is guidance and information sharing in a trusted relationship. This speaks to much of who I am as a Mentee and am becoming as a Mentor. It’s a privilege to be on either side of the relationship as the growth for both parties are unmatched.
KC: Would you share with potential first-time mentors why they should consider volunteering to become one and the benefits they will receive from their involvement?
SR: It’s a great benefit to you to become a mentor. With my work in Supplier Diversity, volunteering my time to chat with a Small and/or Diverse businesses just makes sense for me. I love learning, growing, and developing new relationships that often lead to unique opportunities and insights. For Corporate Partners, it is important to be connected to such an important organization!
KC: Thank you for participating in the Disability:IN Spotlight on Mentoring and wish you both continued successes.
