Crystal Kovach says she’s very much an accountant and a perfectionist, two terms she uses as if they’re synonymous. That’s stellar news, considering we put her in our accounting department!
But beyond Crystal’s daily number crunching as an Accounts Payable Specialist, it’s what’s she’s been whipping up on the side that’s getting her extra attention at Border Foods. For the past year, Crystal has been dabbling in special event decor for us, creating balloon arches and garlands, button pins, banners, homemade ornaments, centerpieces, and cardstock creations — all just for fun.
At Border Foods, we want team members to live más in all facets of their lives — and unleash their passions!
For Crystal, it all started with throwing baby showers for co-workers and just took off from there. She’s now volunteered her creative talents for several company events, including our 250th restaurant celebration and the retirement of one of our longtime Region Coaches. Crystal’s most recent gig was creating decor for our third annual Swinging for Scholarships golf tournament!
Crystal doesn’t want the company to feel forced into utilizing her talents, though, she says it’s just become a really meaningful creative outlet for her.
From Career Pursuits to Creative Outlets
Crystal has spent most of her career in foodservice accounting, most recently at the University of Minnesota. She joined the Border Foods family about three years ago. She says she’s always loved graphic design, and originally wanted to major in business management and interior design. Creativity has always found a place in her life.
In fact, a little over a decade ago, when she had a small child at home and was caring for a sick parent, Crystal took a break from accounting to start her own invitation business on Etsy.
Her business was profitable from the start, but she soon found she couldn’t hire fast enough to meet demand and maintain her high standards. The result? Stressquickly took all the enjoyment away.
“When I did the business it took everything out of me,” Crystal confesses. She realized she needed to go back to “a solid, safe zone” — solid income, a security net — and that’s how she landed back in the professional world.
But she couldn’t ignore her passion for creative projects. “I learned from my mother how to care about people and make them feel special,” she shares. This is what inspires her ideas.
For Crystal, tapping into her creative side makes her feel good because she knows it’s helping to make other people in the company feel special. Decorations, she says, set the mood for any gesture of appreciation.
In return, Crystal says in doing “one little thing in her own time,” she feels supported and appreciated by her supervisor.
We’re so lucky to have Crystal’s multifaceted talents on our team!
