The printing industry is fueled by innovation. You see it every day, all around you. And while this is not a new trend, the pace of innovation seems to have accelerated. But what does innovation really encompass? The new products coming out of the digital, inkjet and wide-format space are remarkable. And let’s not overlook […]
As a business leader, you are faced with making the choice between working in the business and working on the business. Finding the time to take your ideas, your aspirations, and turning them into results can be a challenge. Creating a focused action plan is one of the first steps leaders use to get from […]
The printing industry is lead by entrepreneurs who started a business to fulfill their vision. And guess what, those entrepreneurs had families. Those families are often engaged in the business. At times it could be brothers or sisters, and ultimately leads to adding the sons, daughters, nieces and nephews. Over the years though, I’ve […]
Firms are finding themselves in good financial standing as the industry re-emerges from the pause that the pandemic brought upon them. Through careful planning, proper resource allocation and the assistance of stimulus funds, balance sheets are strong. Senior teams are meeting to decide where they should go from here. The options include strategic growth through […]
There are three challenges that will continue to cause business leaders to stand out from the others. They include creating their own handbook for dealing with a changing marketplace, accelerating the pace and improving on the customer experience that they deliver, and effectively managing risk. While the future of how we work seems to be […]
There’s been much discussion about wanting to get back to normal and what the new marketplace has in store for the print industry. These thoughts have become a catalyst for change within many senior management teams. They are evaluating whether or not to stay the course, pivot into new areas, or do both. There […]
Your competitive advantage is your secret sauce. Michael Porter talks about competitive advantage as creating and sustaining superior performance. How would you have defined your competitive advantage prior to March 2020, and how has it changed this past year? Over the years, many print establishments sought their competitive advantage through diversification, and adding products […]
Most management meetings include a recital of the latest Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the business. As they are read out loud, some take notes and others nod their heads. A few questions are asked and once complete, the meeting proceeds to the next agenda item. Wait, what just happened? If you run a company […]
Do you hear that? What? That! It’s your business trying to tell you something. It’s your business telling you what’s going on with your staff, your process and procedures, your customers, your competitors, and your suppliers. Listen closely as some of the sounds may be faint, yet meaningful. Some sounds may be the silent cries […]
When you participate in a sporting event you know the rules of the game, the consequences of breaking the rules (fouls or penalties), how to accumulate points and how to prevent your opponent from scoring and lastly, how to win. We’ve been doing this since we were kids and the concept carried forward to our […]