museums&MORE Fall 2015

Colleen Manzi

Director of Sales and Marketing Colleen Manzi
The Mountain
Keene, New Hampshire

Q: Could you describe your position at The Mountain?

I work with our designers to create marketing collaterals and to put together campaigns for all our new products. … I work with publications and media on press releases, but a big part of what I do is catalog production and new product development.

Q: What’s kept you with the company all these years?

First of all, it’s a great product. It’s a great company … There is a lot of flexibility, and they pay a lot of attention to their employees. It’s always been a good place for me. … We’re one of the area’s biggest employers with 220 people. Even so, there is still a real family feel to it. Every month, we have cookouts and get-togethers and there is a childcare center for employees’ kids, and there are great benefits.

Q: How does customer feedback play into product development?

We very much value feedback from our customers. We’re always encouraging them to share their ideas and feedback with us via social media, via email, via phone calls and at shows. … We always have people make suggestions for new designs, and every season when we came around for choosing artwork for our new designs, I always review those suggestions. … It’s very helpful.

Q: What would you tell a retailer who is selling your products?

One of the biggest selling points that differentiates us is the quality of the artwork on the shirts. It gives people the opportunity to wear their passion — that’s what we like to say is that it helps amplify their personality because the people that wear our shirts are passionate about something. … It’s being an art company. It’s our green philosophy. It’s being a U.S. manufacturer. It’s our water-based inks. Everything we do is special, and it’s done with using the most eco-friendly technology available.