Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Adam Rutkowski moved to Charlotte to acquire something new: AlphaGraphics CLT, located in Pineville. Since leaving his previous printing company behind that he had been part-owner of for 15 years, Adam is experiencing a new side of the industry he has always worked in and nurturing a customer-focused culture for everyone in his company. A Snowball Effect Though a business with tight deadlines and stringent requirements, printing needs an artist’s eye to get it just right. Following his love of art and his passion for technology, Adam found printing at the crossroads. “I liked art, but I wasn’t super artistic. I also liked technology, and printing was a cross between the two,” Adam explains. “I get to be creative, work with technology, and create a physical product, as well, that you can touch. I’m not really into art anymore, but I am creative in my designs, production, and finishing techniques, as well as solutions we can offer our clients.” “I worked in the industry in both business development and operation management roles at a printing company in Maryland for over 12 years. But I’ve always wanted to move to Charlotte or North Carolina, and acquiring an AlphaGraphics location was just reason to do that.” Leaving the life he had known and the company he had helped grow, Adam found himself facing several changes. “This company is much smaller than my previous one; I’ve gone from 100 employees down to a dozen,” Adam says. “I’m also more involved on the sales side, working directly with customers daily on an array of projects; before, I was more on the operations, workflow development, and technology side.” This transition has given Adam a chance to experience a new, fresh side of the industry. “It just wasn’t typical to meet and work with the number of clients before; I wasn’t involved on the direct-sales side. We had a sales team of over a dozen account representatives. I would get involved with the client on unique and complex projects. Now, I meet new people daily, visit customers onsite or at our office often to discuss their needs, and I see the reaction when we’ve solved a problem or how the deliverables are used. I’ve been able to meet all kinds of different people and companies, and that’s really opened this up. It’s a snowball effect, and the most enjoyable part of the job now,” he adds. Getting Business Since last year, Adam has continually grown many aspects of his company. “We’ve grown a lot since last year — in sales volume, in number of employees, in new customers, both large and small. Referrals have been a big reason for our clientele growth,” Adam shares. “When we do a good job for one customer and then get referred, it snowballs from there. We did networking prior to COVID, and we’ve been bringing that back, but we’ve mostly grown through word of mouth.” “We already do social media, I have someone that helps us with that, and we are also exploring SEM as well,” Adam continues. “It’s been a good avenue to go down, it has definitely helped.” Improvements to the equipment have also been a great boon to AlphaGraphics CLT’s success. “We have put in a new digital color press; it’s doubled our capacity and speed,” Adam notes with a touch of pride. “It’s got inline booklet-making capabilities, printing and binding all in one unit. We turn jobs extremely fast now.” All of this progress has only fueled Adam’s desire for more, and he uses this drive to shape his future plans. “I have many goals for the future: I want to continue to grow the business, double in size, continue to provide good quality products quickly for customers, help them solve their problems, whatever they may be,” Adam emphasizes. “Maybe it’s a sign, a poster, a direct mail campaign or promotional product; we will do what we say we do. ‘Get noticed, get business’ is our motto to help customers grow their brand, and continue to get business.” Skills and Success Accomplishments like Adam’s don’t come easily without years of experience and a few tricks of the trade. “I’m involved in several different products and applications, and I’m familiar with the equipment and how to produce them, knowing the right steps, the processes,” Adam points out. “The key to our business is planning backward, asking ‘What does the final product look like?’ And then, ‘What do I need to do to produce it, how much time, and with what materials?’ That lets us shave time where needed. I never say no to a project, and I always figure out a way to get it produced on time,” he notes. All this builds to Adam’s success, which extends far beyond financial security and a booming business … happiness outside of work is just as important. “I define success as having personal and family happiness, a good company culture, and a strong reputation,” he says. AlphaGraphics CLT’s company culture is dedicated to more than productivity and efficiency, and their reliable reputation is built on that friendly, customer-focused culture. “I think we are motivated and relentless. We have fun and joke, but we also know when to get to work and when to get serious,” Adam concludes. “Our job requires accuracy and precision and we’re customer focused. But we’re also flexible, accessible, reliable, and easy to work with. We’re fast to respond, we have many different points of contact. Whatever you need, we get it done.” When you need quality printing, look to AlphaGraphics at www.agCLT.com or call 704-541-3678.