Nicole Pape has done just about everything you can think of in the decorated apparel world. She began with a company called Uniforms Express in San Diego as a customer service representative, but quickly found her way to the screen print side. From there, she opened her own screen printing business, got poached by Ryonet, and eventually sold her business and went into the sport licensing side of things.

When COVID hit, she took a step back and spent some time with her son, but she didn’t stay out of the game for long. Now an account executive at ROQ US, Nicole also spends her time teaching classes. It’s a journey, one that’s been filled with challenges; however, as Nicole would tell it, you learn from failure, you sometimes learn the hard way, and ultimately, you become stronger.

Not Taken Seriously

If you’ve ever met Nicole, you know that she’s fun yet tenacious. Her strong work ethic has developed over years of grinding and dealing with the challenge of being a short female in a male-dominated industry. “Being a short female, I was used to challenging environments; however, I worked hard every single day to show my tenacity and work ethic early so I could overcome some of the people who thought I was maybe a bit too small, or ‘wouldn’t like this type of work,’” she says.

Standing a shade under 5’, Nicole often found it a challenge to be taken seriously early in her career. “I have struggled at many trade shows, vendors showrooms, and more through the years to be acknowledged,” she states. “More often than not, I have to go out of my way to introduce myself and why a vendor would want to get to know me.”

She recounts a time when she was informed by a coworker that she was being underpaid based on the job as well as her value and effort. In fact, the previous person in her role (a male) had earned significantly more annually with less experience. “If it wasn’t for [the coworker’s] integrity in informing me, I would have continued performing that role, underpaid,” she recalls.

Through the ups and downs, Nicole has fought her way through, letting both challenges and failures help propel her forward. And nowadays, she feels the industry has made some amazing strides, strides that she has played a part in. “Once 2020 began to take its toll, it also brought with it change and more inclusivity in terms of people banding together to make our industry work,” she says. “Women have been at the forefront of change and helping companies pivot in necessary ways … You see the trade show producers are starting conversations with women to promote a more equal environment. You are seeing a shift.”

Know Your Worth

The beautiful thing about Nicole’s story is it’s one she’s sharing in hopes of helping other women succeed. Especially in an industry that can seem large and daunting, she encourages women to take the leap, but do so wisely.

“Like all good things, jumping into a huge industry can be daunting, exciting, and more, but it’s best to prepare for a marathon and not a sprint,” she advises. “You will fail, not because you are a woman, but because the quickest way to success is through failures.”

A lot of what Nicole wants other women to know is they don’t have to settle just because they think they’re only going to get one chance or their worth is lower. In fact, she wants women to know their equal worth and be confident in it. “Don’t take no, [but] don’t take your first yes either,” she states. “Learn to negotiate and be comfortable with finances, numbers, and empower yourself.”

In the end, she also feels that you shouldn’t let your career define you as a person. “You must be separate from your ‘career self’ to have true power and perspective over yourself and your career,” Nicole feels. “They are two separate things. Do not solely identify with your career. It’s a thing, but it’s not you.”

Luckily, as our industry continues to make strides, there are so many good people, both male and female, that will inspire you and help you along the way. “This industry is full of amazing souls that make being a printer a good time,” Nicole says. “You have to have persistence, will power, and believe in yourself enough to do any job you want in this industry.”