TranslateLook up the word “go-getter” in the dictionary and you might as well see a picture of D.J. Heckes, owner of EXHIB-IT!
CEO/Owner of EXHIB-IT!, a GSA Certified, w oman-owned s mall b usiness h eadquartered i n A lbuquerque, NM since February 2000. EXHIB-IT! was founded and organized by DJ Heckes, for the express purpose of providing quality products with exhibit marketing and design services to federal agencies and commercial enterprises. She also practices the philosophy: Priorities are What We Do. Everything Else is Just Talk!
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
Among her many accolades, in the past year alone, she has won---
• Top Ten Women of Influence” by NM Business Weekly, February 2007.
• Ranked #8 out of 100 Fastest Growing Business in New Mexico, February 2007.
• SBA Winner “The Small Business Person of the Year for the State of New Mexico” and competed in Washington, DC in April 2007 for national award.
• Ranked #35 for Top Women Owned Business in New Mexico for 2007. NMBW
• One of 20 women across the nation for 1 to 5 million revenues dollars as 2008 Enterprising Women of the Year, by Enterprising Women Magazine.
• 4th Fastest Growing Company on the 2008 New Mexico Business Weekly Fast Tracker List
• #25 Top Women Owned Business in New Mexico, New Mexico Business Weekly
• 2009 Top Performing CEO of New Mexico, New Mexico Business Weekly
• 2010 Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce Small Business Person of the Year
• Award Finalist, 2010 Finalist in USA Book News for Full BRAIN Marketing for the Small Business book.
• Top 5 Healthiest Business, March 2011, New Mexico Business Weekly Award.
• November 2012 First Business Owner to receive “Honoring Heroes” Award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
• September 2013 Listed as One of Top 50 Small Businesses in New Mexico.
• 2015 Women on the Move Nominee
• 2015 Healthiest Places to Work Nominee
• 2016 Graduate of Goldman Sachs National 10,000 Small Business Scholar Program.
• Ranked #32 for Top Women Owned Business in New Mexico for 2016. NMBW
• Best of 2017 Women Owned Small Business, Albuquerque Award Program.
• May 2017 Freedom Award Nomination, National Guard Employment Support Program (NGESP)
• April 2018 Gold Level Family Friendly Business in New Mexico.
• February 2019 Top 50 Women Owned Business in New Mexico, Albuquerque Business First.
• April 2019 Gold Level Family Friendly Business in New Mexico.
• June 2019 Top 100 Privately Owned Companies in New Mexico, Albuquerque Business First.
• February 2020, Fastest Growing Company List in NM for year 2019, Albuquerque Business First.
Today, EXHIB-IT! is revered as a premier company of tradeshow marketing experts, having earned many national awards.
DJ speaks on motivational and inspirational topics and thoroughly enjoys sharing her knowledge in branding, marketing strategies, social media, leadership and diversity training, and how to deliver exceptional customer service across multi-generations. She speaks and lives by the E-Myth principles of how to grow your business to work on your business more than work in your business. She plays an active role both locally and nationally in supporting small businesses and is very actively locally and nationally in many organizations as a volunteer.
DJ is actively involved in the State of New Mexico. Her current volunteer roles include Exhibit Designers Producers Assoication (EDPA) National Board Position; Board of Director for NM Workforce Solutions; Ambassador-Albuquerque Economic Development; and Site Visit Recertification V olunteer f or W omen’s Business Council. Her past volunteer roles include PASC (Presidents Assembly Steering Committee); NAWBO National Certified Mentor for SCORE NM Chapter for mentoring business owners in the Mentor Program; Past President of NM American Marketing Association, and won Chapter of theYear for 2005 for the NM Chapter and served a three year term as National Professional Chapter Council Board Volunteer for the American Marketing Association; Past President for KeepitQUERQUE (Albuquerque Independent Business Alliance) to support their buy local-grow local-thrive local message; Past President of NAWBO NM Chapter (overseeing Pubic Policy) and the chapter grew from a small to a medium size chapter; Past Board of Director-Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce. DJ believes in being active in the community to help show that small businesses can have big impact in growing New Mexico!
She is firmly committed to growing business opportunities through involvement and dedication. Marketing and strategic growth are her passions and are what have driven her company to the success it has achieved since opening in February 2000. She has helped many businesses achieve this same level of success through her marketing and strategic development consultation.
If you know DJ, she is a community “servant hearted” person through her dedication and a volunteerism in the community for building economic development and tourism awareness. Her Annual B2B-B2C Signature Event demonstrates her“Pay it Forward” mentality for through her annual Best Local Brand Contest with over $6800 in marketing and advertising awards for the top winner in each category. Her event draws in over 900 attendees each year.
E X P E R I E N C E & A C C R E D I T A T I O N S
• Associate Degree – Pre-Law – Coastal Carolina College.
• B.A. – Organizational Management – University of Illinois (Carbondale).
• Published Author – Full BRAIN Marketing for the Small Business 2009 and revised in 2011.
• Published Author (Red 7 Media, Publisher): The NOISE Behind Business (How to Put Tradeshows to Work), May 2013.
• Small Business Administration E200 Graduate from First Class offered by SBA Program in 2008.
• Over 26 Years of Exhibit Tradeshow Experience & owner of EXHIB-IT! since February 2000 in Albuquerque, NM.
• May 2016, Goldman Sachs Scholar Recipient for 10,000 Small Business Program (@Babson College)
• July 2021, Goldman Sachs Back to the Classroom Course for Building Opportunities in Your Business.
• November 2021, graduate of CNM Expert in Digital
