Name: Patricia (Pat) Begrowicz
Place of Employment: Onyx Specialty Papers in South Lee
Title: President and Co-Owner
What is your 3 sentence biography? / What is your personal elevator pitch?
I started out as an engineer who loved playing with data and solving technical and operational problems. I became a manager who loved playing with data, teaching and coaching others to solve technical and operational problems, and tackling the “people” related challenges of a business. Now I am a leader who motivates, challenges and encourages those in the company who do the real work of our business – and I still love playing with data!
Tell us about the challenges you faced on your path, and what you learned from it.
I could write a book on the challenges I’ve faced in my career – which makes me no different than most people my age! Everything I have learned in my career (and life for that matter) came from some type of challenge. I often talk about my career path as being a series of sharp slopes followed by a plateau period – the slopes are where I experienced a change or a challenge that triggered explosive learning and growth for me, while the plateaus are periods of mastery and stability, where I take what I have learned and build my confidence around it. To maintain balance in life, it was important that the patterns of plateaus and slopes for my career were different than the patterns for my personal life. I actively managed that balance, making important decisions and making tough choices – for instance, I passed on a promotion opportunity at work because I had just become a mother for the first time and I was on a steep learning slope personally.
What “secret to success” would you share with young women entering the (Berkshire) workforce?
Everyone’s definition of success is unique and different. Your definition of success is likely to change many times throughout your lifetime. Set personal goals and measure your personal success against how well you do in achieving those goals. Don’t let others define what your success should look like.
What Berkshire women in business inspire you and why?
Kate Maguire of the Berkshire Theater Group. Some people don’t think of the theater as a business but it has revenue, operating costs, personnel issues, and cash flows just like mine. Kate manages her business with passion, intensity, and creativity. I admire her ability to smile and laugh even in the face of daunting challenges!
