Women are an integral part of Family Industries, and to close out Women’s History Month we would like to highlight the women behind the scenes at Family Industries. These women are an essential part of the team and they bring a lot of creativity and value to our business.

Meet Kerin

Kerin is Family Industries’ Fulfillment Department Manager, her role is vital to our fulfillment operation and more than a manager, she is the master behind our DTG projects. Kerin has been with family industries for a long time and has become the go-to person for many projects. She is also a very creative and talented designer and has designed for some of our clients such as Amoeba Records. And as if that was not enough, Kerin is also a big part of our Live team, helping with live events as a printer and a brand ambassador. She is without a doubt a force to be reckoned with.

Get to know Kerin

Q: What do you do at Family Industries?

Kerin: I'm a part of the art department, however, I occasionally jump from art to post-production. I also take care of any DTG orders.

Q: What do you like about your day-to-day tasks?

Kerin: I like that I get to problem-solve. I enjoy a challenge and having to figure out how to get people's ideas into the real world.

Q: How did you become interested in the Screen Printing business?

Kerin: I love art. I took several printmaking classes in college and fell in love with the process.

Q: Are you an artist? if so, what motivates you to make art?

Kerin: I'm originally an illustrator/animator. I make art that I want to see. If I don't see enough of a thing I like, I'll make it.

Q: Who are the women or who is the woman in history that has had a big impact on your life or career?

Kerin: Obviously I'm going to go with my mother. When I was growing up, there weren't that many women in power that you could look up to, but my mother was someone who got shit done and never let anyone belittle her. I strive to be that kind of person every day.

Meet Andrea

Andrea is Family Industries’ main graphic designer and also provides superb customer support. Andrea is a master of design and has a very important role within the company as she talks to the clients and helps them with their designs. Many clients come to us with a basic idea and Andrea is able to translate their ideas into a kick-ass graphic. She is a key and integral part of our client success rate - she helps us keep our clients happy and coming back.

Get to know Andrea

Q: What is your day-to-day like at Family Industries?

Andrea: At Family Industries we use Monday.com, which allows sales and live reps to create a checklist of things that need to be done for the day. I go through that checklist as the day progresses. Each of us in the art department creates CADs and mock-ups for clients to review. Sometimes we get art requests for businesses, events, or parties.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about working at Family Industries?

Andrea: I enjoy creating fun designs for events and companies.

Q: What woman in history or in your personal life has had the biggest impact on your art and/or your career?

Andrea: I don't know if I really have anyone that I can really say influences or inspires me, but I've always liked the story of Annie Oakley, a sharpshooter. kind of a crazy reference but I went to preschool/kindergarten in the south. She grew up in a home where her father taught her at an early age to hunt, which was a crazy concept for "proper girls" back in her day. She was poor though, so it was out of necessity and she ended up taking that skill to travel circuses and was able to support herself. I think it stuck with me because she was a woman that was unconventional but practical. Her fame was based on her skill and nothing else. As a note, I'm not for guns but I admire people being themselves and celebrated for it.

10 Thing You May Not Know About Annie Oakley

Gertrude Stein was another figure I was fascinated with. I was pretty lucky to go to good schools with strong female teachers also. Cal State Long Beach has a lot of great professors that helped me gain my skills and direction during my time there. If I hadn't taken graphic design and printmaking I wouldn't be at family.

Q: What motivates you to make art or be creative?

Andrea: I think creating is the motivation itself. I think artists are just people that have ideas that they need to get out or they'll implode. I love doing doodles and designs just for fun. And when you see others enjoy them it makes you want to make more.

Although it’s not all gems, if I'm lucky, the drawings I put together come together to make something I like. There are a lot of versions and failures before I get to something I really like and make me want to create more. LOL

Q: Were you familiar with Screen Printing before you started working for Family Industries? What do you find interesting about what Family Industries offers to their clients that maybe other similar businesses don't?

Andrea: Yes I went to Cal State Long Beach for printmaking and my main focus was actually drypoint and screenprinting. I actually interviewed because a friend of a friend knew there was an opening and felt it could be something to check out.

Family Industries probably caters more to clients than the other companies. We definitely try hard to make sure all orders are treated the best they can. Attention to sizing, detail, and print quality. We try to catch errors and work with the clients to make sure we can give them the best product.

Andrea’s Work

Meet Gabi

Gabi is the newest addition to the team, she is our customer service specialist and focuses on new clients by providing quotes and taking the client from the initial contact phase to the production phase. Gabi has been a much-needed addition to the team and has helped us manage all of the inquiries we receive on a daily basis.

Get to know Gabi

Q: What your job title is and what is your day-to-day like?

Gabi: My official job title is Customer Service Specialist. My days are pretty much filled with emails with clients, phone calls, and building quotes. I handle the quotes email, so whenever we get a request for a quote, I’m one of the people that respond. When putting together a quote, a lot of it involves searching for the right garment, amount of placements and colors in the art (which sometimes can be super hard to tell lol), and also finishing services if needed.

I also handle custom order requests, for example, we just started an order with custom tie-dyed socks and a custom dip-dyed shirt that looks like a watermelon! For an order like that there's a lot of coordinating with outside vendors for the tie-dye and socks since we don't produce those in-house. Luckily, we work with awesome vendors that produce the best quality for us! Another thing that happens during my days is print approvals; whenever the guys in production start printing an order, they bring up the first print for us in sales to approve. We make sure the placements are right according to the mock-ups/CAD's. Sometimes Pantones and placements can be tricky, so it’s always best to have another set of eyes on it!

check out How To Dip Dye Your Clothes

Q: What do you like about working at Family Industries?

Gabi: I love the crew so much! Everyone here is so nice and so chill which makes it a great work environment. They welcomed me with open arms and taught me so much about screen printing (I literally knew nothing about it when I started). I feel like a part of a team which is great and something I lacked in my past work experience. We have fun and joke around but always get our work done on time.

I also LOVE all the cool prints we do and the clients we get to work with! Seeing an order come together from start to finish is an awesome process. I get blown away sometimes by the beautifully detailed work we produce. Screen printing is literally an art!

Q: What woman in history or in your life inspires you and why?

Gabi: I'm going to be cheesy here and say my mom, but she is such a huge inspiration to me; she's tough, hardworking, and loving. She started her own business in Philly just after she left her job and literally a year after my sister was born. Now, the company is one of the biggest real estate companies in Philly and they have about 12 employees and manage HUNDREDS of properties. She should be retired by now, but she still goes to work every day - I definitely get my ambition and drive from her. She always supported my dreams and choices, which I didn't always get from others. I hope one day I can be a boss babe like her!

Q: Do you have any artistic or creative interests? If no, what do you like to do in your free time?

Gabi: I love art but I am no artist. However, I live and breathe music! I'm always listening to Spotify and love finding new and eclectic artists. I'd say my favorite hobby is making playlists on Spotify, and honestly, I think I'm pretty awesome at it.

Other than that, I'm usually watching a good show/film relaxing with my cat and pup, or online shopping for things I DON'T need.

Q: What are your top 3 favorite movies?

Gabi: My favorite movies are Empire Records, Almost Famous, and The Craft.

Gabi’s Pets

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

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Our showroom at 2755 Fruitdale Street, Los Angeles, CA 90039 is open by appointment only from 10 am - 4 pm Monday through Friday.