Wearables talked with Shirley Clark, president of Madeira USA, about her biggest challenge at the office, the best busines-related compliment she ever received and what she thinks Madeira is doing really well.

If you had to describe yourself using three words, they’d be …
SC: Busy. Busy. Busy. Time, it’s said, can be your worst enemy. The challenge with getting things done quickly, accurately and fairly is that the speed with which you respond is often an indication of how you perceive the person, company or challenge. Whether customers or employees – dealing with questions, issues and challenges – we need to find answers or solutions ASAP, in order to make the person’s importance to us obvious and Madeira’s commitment to our clients and employees transparent.

Share the biggest current challenge you’re experiencing at work.
SC: Finding and hiring quality workforce. When the fit is right, you know it immediately. When it’s not, it can take longer and be quite a bit more expensive.

What’s the best business-related compliment you’ve received?
SC: “Your products are simply the best.” We track where our new customers come from and what compelled them to buy Madeira thread products. Over 50% report that Madeira’s reputation in the industry, word of mouth from other embroiderers and requests for Madeira by name from their customers are the top reasons for choosing to buy from us.

What’s your company doing well that you’re really proud of? How does it benefit the industry?
SC: It took time, experience and finding the right individuals. And now, with 14 Customer Service Centers located throughout the U.S., we can ship next day to 99% of our customers via UPS Ground. This represents a savings in shipping costs and expediency that we feel is unmatched by our competitors.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
SC: Treat others as you’d like to be treated! It sounds so simple, but professionally and personally, if everyone followed these simple words, just imagine how pleasant life would be!