LEADERStory: By The Numbers

For Dana Raymond, crunching the numbers isn’t a chore, it’s a passion.

“I am in charge of all things finance and accounting. So, all the numbers,” she said. “Financial statements, but all of the details, accounts receivable, accounts payable, how our invoices get paid, how we get paid… anything numbers related.”

Born in Pasadena, California, Dana’s family moved to Texas before settling in Ohio when she was in the third grade. When college came, Dana eventually found herself following her dad’s field of work.

“I started off as a chemical engineering major, realized that I hated chemistry, so that was not going to work,” Dana laughed. “But I like numbers, my dad was also an accountant, so he was like, okay, we’ll try this and see if you like it.”

Dana’s career included 14 years at Nationwide Insurance and work in government accounting before she found her right size with the growing team at Leaderpromos.

She also has taught accounting for the last 12 years at Franklin University. “I think what I love most is actually being able to lead, teach, and mentor,” she said.

Get to know Dana behind the numbers.

What’s your life story in one word and why?

Family. I’m a mom of three boys, and I just feel like that’s one of the greatest things that I’ve accomplished, really. I work hard to be a good example for them.

What do you love most about Leaderpromos?

I love the creativity. I’ve never worked in a promotional marketing company before, so it’s amazing to see all the different things that we have to offer and all the different services that we have.

What do you like about working at a company this size?

You really feel like you can make a difference, and what you do has an impact on the organization. And that’s the cool thing, because you can actually see how your role impacts the entire company.

What’s the most challenging part of your role here?

There are always challenges when you’re a growing company, because with that comes a lot of documentation. So how can we improve the process? And how can we document the process? I think that’s the most challenging part… putting all that in place.

What advice would you have for someone who wants to get into promotional product marketing?

My advice is to be open-minded and flexible. In this industry, there are a lot of changes. Being able to adapt and adjust to different situations is always the best thing. And being able to live, even if it’s just for a moment, in the gray where not everything is black and white.

Do you have any hobbies?

With three boys (ages 19, 17, and 13), we spend a lot of time at basketball gyms, football fields, and baseball diamonds. I enjoy getting my evening workouts in as well.

What advice would you have for your younger self?

The one thing I would say to my younger self is everything’s going to be okay. And what I mean by that is to not overthink and stress and sweat the small stuff. There’s a bigger picture to everything, and everything always ends up okay.