Victoria Harris

I attribute my success to always being honest and telling the truth, which is of utmost importance to me. When you notice somebody that doesn't tell the truth, it doesn't feel very good. I also believe in working very hard and surrounding myself with people who have the same values that I do, people with high integrity who are also working very hard and going after their goals. I try to do business with the best of the best people. When I'm evaluating people, I ask myself: do these people inspire me to be a better person, to think bigger, act better, and create more value for myself and for others? That's a core thing that I stand behind. My mentor, Hitoshi Ujiie, who was my professor at Thomas Jefferson University, has been instrumental in my career. He's actually how I ended up at Mimaki, and he's still my mentor in a way.

The best career advice I have ever received is to work with people who share the same values. When I align myself with individuals and organizations that reflect my core principles, I find that collaboration becomes more meaningful, communication is clearer, and decision-making is more grounded. It has taught me that success is not just about skills or opportunities, but about being in environments where integrity, respect, and purpose are mutually understood and upheld.

I would say being confident without needing validation from others is essential. In a male-run industry, it can be challenging, so you have to really be confident and know your worth. You have to be curious and ask a lot of questions, and you need to stay calm under pressure. When you start anew as a really young person coming into a company, always have integrity, even when no one's watching. That's a secret weapon. For opportunities, I'd say connect with as many people as you can. There aren't as many women in the industry, and there are a lot of older people who are going to be leaving, so there's a lot of opportunity here. If you're creative-minded and also intelligent and curious, you get to combine both sides. You can work with digital software and creative applications, or you can be on the sales and communications side, or marketing. It's a massive industry that offers a place for lots of different personality types, and I've worked on almost all sides of it. The people in this industry are really wonderful.

I see the challenges and opportunities as being the same thing. The biggest opportunity is that there aren't as many women in the industry, and there are a lot of older people who are going to be leaving the industry, so there's tremendous opportunity for new people coming in. It's a massive industry with lots of opportunities for young people. If you like combining creativity with intelligence, there's a place for you. You can work with digital software and creative applications, or focus on sales, communications, and marketing. There's a place for lots of different personality types. The people in this industry are really wonderful. As for challenges, in a male-run industry, you need to remain confident without constant validation, know your worth, stay curious by asking lots of questions, and remain centered and keep your composure under pressure and in chaos. Having integrity, especially when no one's watching, is essential.

The values most important to me are honesty and always telling the truth. This is of utmost importance. When you notice somebody that doesn't tell the truth, it doesn't feel very good. I also value high integrity and working very hard. I believe in surrounding myself with people who have the same values, people with high integrity who are strong and working very hard. When I evaluate people, I ask myself: do these people inspire me to be a better person, to think bigger, act better, and create more value for myself and for others? That's a core principle I stand behind. Having integrity even when no one's watching is vital to me.