Christina Warrick

I attribute much of my success to helping transform a brand that many people in the industry thought was no longer active and bringing it back to the forefront. As a one-person marketing team, I had the opportunity to help reintroduce and reposition a 113-year-old company with a renewed voice, stronger visibility, and a clear message: we are still here, we are still strong, and we are very good at what we do.

At Menardi, we often say we are the thoroughbred of our industry because we take great pride in the full customer experience. From the first quote to long after the sale, our customers know they have a team that stands behind them. Helping communicate that value, rebuild brand recognition, and bring fresh energy to a long-standing company has been one of the most meaningful accomplishments of my career.

It took nearly two years of consistent effort to build the brand presence into what I envisioned. Today, sister companies reach out to ask how I developed campaigns, strengthened social media, and built marketing momentum — and that has been incredibly rewarding. I am now leading a global project focused on teaching marketing automation across our marketing departments, which has allowed me to share what I’ve learned and help others build stronger customer engagement strategies.

Last year, I was honored to receive two awards at our Global Marketing Summit: the Rising Star Award and Best Innovation of Social Media. Those recognitions were meaningful not only because of the work behind them, but because they represented the impact of perseverance, creativity, and the willingness to step into unfamiliar territory.

My personal motto is, “You can do hard things.” It is something I remind myself of often, something I tell my children, and something I shared when speaking to a Women in Leadership group. I believe women should not be afraid to make noise, ask questions, bring new ideas forward, and create meaningful change. Growth does not always feel comfortable, but we are capable of doing the hard things.

I have also been incredibly blessed with strong mentors and leaders who have helped shape my journey. Brandi has been with me since the very beginning of my marketing career, and her influence, knowledge, and guidance have impacted me tremendously on a professional level. But beyond her expertise, it is her sweet spirit, compassion, and steady encouragement that have impacted me personally. She has always encouraged me to reach for more, to believe in my own value, and to remember that I am worth the opportunities I am working toward. Marianne, from Sweden, has also been a true cheerleader and source of encouragement, which means more than words can express when you are navigating a demanding role as a one-person marketing team. I am also deeply grateful for Kirk, our Vice President at Menardi, who was the first leader to ask me, “What do you want to do?” That simple question helped open the door to my current role in marketing and gave me the opportunity to grow a passion into a meaningful career path. Each of them has been instrumental in my success, and I am deeply grateful for the way they have supported, challenged, and believed in me.

The best career advice I ever received came in the form of a simple question: “What do you want to do?”

Kirk, our former Vice President at Menardi, was the first leader to ask me that. At the time, I do not think he realized how much that question would impact me. It gave me permission to think beyond the role I was in and consider where my passion, strengths, and future could grow.

That question helped open the door to marketing, which has become one of the most rewarding parts of my career. It taught me that sometimes the right leader does not just tell you what to do next — they help you see what is possible.

Since then, I have learned to ask myself that same question in different seasons of my career. What do I want to build? Where can I grow? How can I make an impact?

That question reminded me not to stay small, not to be afraid of change, and to believe that I was capable of stepping into something new.

My advice to young women entering this industry is simple: don’t be afraid to do the work, and don’t be afraid to do the research. Be willing to learn, ask questions, dig into the details, and put in the effort it takes to understand both the industry and the people you serve.

I would also encourage young women to network and build meaningful connections. Find people in your field you can reach out to, but also connect with people outside of your specific business or industry. There is so much value in having conversations, sharing ideas, swapping stories, and learning from one another. I believe that is a huge opportunity we do not always take advantage of enough.

Social media can also be a powerful tool when used with purpose. Find groups, communities, and professional spaces that align with your goals and can encourage you, lift you up, and give you new ideas. Surround yourself with people who challenge you, support you, and remind you that you are capable.

Most importantly, don’t be afraid of the unknown. You do not know what you do not know until you are willing to learn it. Do not doubt yourself before you even begin. Do the work, stay curious, and remember: you can do hard things. The reward on the other side of hard work is often more than you can imagine.

Marketing, especially in manufacturing, is not an easy field. It is demanding, creative, analytical, fast-paced, and sometimes overwhelming — especially when you are working without a large team. But it is also fun, rewarding, and full of opportunity. My biggest encouragement is this: find your people. Find the ones you can bounce ideas off of, learn from, work alongside, and lean on when you need support. Having the right people around you makes all the difference.

One of the biggest challenges in manufacturing marketing right now is keeping up with how quickly the way we reach customers is changing. Industrial companies can no longer rely only on reputation, relationships, or word-of-mouth. Customers are researching online, comparing options, and forming opinions before they ever speak to a salesperson.

That challenge is also a major opportunity. Many long-standing manufacturing companies have powerful stories, strong products, and deep expertise — but they need to bring that value forward in a modern, clear, and consistent way. That is where marketing can make a real impact.

For me, the opportunity is in connecting technical knowledge with human connection. It is not just about creating content or running campaigns; it is about educating customers, supporting sales, building trust, and making sure people understand the value behind what we do.

Marketing in manufacturing is demanding, especially when you are part of a small team, but it is also full of opportunity. The companies willing to adapt, use digital tools, invest in customer education, and stay personal in the process are the ones that will stand out.

The values most important to me are faith, integrity, perseverance, service, and connection.

In both my work and personal life, I believe in showing up with honesty, doing what I say I am going to do, and treating people with respect. Whether I am working with customers, supporting my team, mentoring others, or raising my family, I want people to know they can count on me.

Perseverance is also a big part of who I am. My motto is, “You can do hard things,” because I have lived through seasons where I had to keep going, keep learning, and keep believing that growth was possible. I try to bring that same mindset into my work and into the way I encourage my children and other women.

I also value service. Success means more to me when it helps someone else — whether that is helping a customer solve a problem, helping a teammate grow, or encouraging another woman to step into her confidence.

At the heart of it all, I value meaningful connection. I believe people matter most. The work is important, but how we make people feel, how we support them, and how we show up for them is what leaves the lasting impact.