Business | Talking Point
talks to...
Colin Sinclair McDermott...
If you had a wealth of knowledge about printing, where would you display it? For Colin Sinclair McDermott, a published book was his decision. We spoke to The Online Print Coach to fi nd out about his last year, his life and his new publication in progress.
It’s been just over a year since we last interviewed you. What has happened since? It’s been a big year, both professionally and personally. From a business point of view, The Online Print Coach has continued to grow, but more importantly, it’s evolved. I’ve put a lot of focus into building out Print Mastermind as a proper community rather than just a coaching programme. We now have regular sessions, twice each week, more structured training with new educators on board, and a growing network of print business owners supporting each other, which has been great to see. I’ve also spent a lot of time speaking at industry
events, working more closely with partners across the sector, and doubling down on content through my podcast The Printerviews, articles, and LinkedIn. The goal has really been to reach more businesses and help them think differently about how they position and grow. Behind the scenes, I’ve also been exploring how AI can support print businesses, which is becoming a bigger part of what I talk about now.
How did you get started in the print industry? Like a lot of people in print, I didn’t exactly plan it! I originally wanted to be a marine biologist, but I fell into the industry through family connections. My stepfather was involved in reprographics, and that opened the door. Once I got into it, though, it stuck. There’s
24 | April/May 2026
something about print; it gets under your skin. The mix of creativity, production, problem-solving, and people makes it hard to leave. My print connections are like a second family.
What’s kept you in the industry for so long? Two things, really, the people and the opportunity. Print is full of genuine, hard-working people who care about what they do. That’s quite rare. Over the years, I’ve built some great relationships, and that’s a big part of why I’m still here. But equally, I think print is often underestimated. There’s so much opportunity for businesses that are willing to evolve. Whether that’s through better marketing, smarter systems, or simply changing how they communicate value. That’s what keeps me interested: Helping businesses unlock that potential.
How did The Online Print Coach come about? It came from my own experiences, both good and bad. I’ve built businesses, lost businesses, and
worked inside other companies, so I’ve seen the industry from all angles. After years of doing that, I realised there was a gap. A lot of print business owners are brilliant at production, for example, but they’ve never been shown how to build a business around it. Things like marketing, positioning, pricing, and systems. I was that soldier.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
