Business | Talking Point


The Online Print Coach I started The Online Print Coach to fill that gap.


Initially, it was one-to-one coaching, but over time, it’s grown into something much bigger with Print Mastermind, training, and a wider community.


What are some common obstacles you see as a coach?


There are a few that come up time and time again.


The biggest one is underpricing. Too many businesses compete on price because they don’t know how to communicate their value properly. The second is inconsistency in marketing. Most companies rely on word of mouth and referrals, which is great, but it’s not predictable. And the third is time. Owners are stuck in the


day-to-day running of the business, which means they don’t step back and work on it. When you combine those three, it becomes very hard to grow in a controlled way.


We also hear you’re writing a new book! What is the new book about?


The book is focused on helping print business owners move from being commodity order-takers like everyone else out there to becoming trusted advisors.


A lot of businesses are stuck reacting to enquiries, pricing jobs, and chasing work. The book is about shifting that mindset and building a business where customers come to you for guidance, not just quotes.


It will cover positioning, marketing, pricing, and systems, but in a very practical, real-world way that people can actually apply, and it will come from my own experiences over the last 30 years.


Why have you decided to write this book now? Because the industry is changing, and fast. Margins are under pressure with all that is going


on in the world right now; competition is increasing, and customers are more informed than ever. The old way of doing things isn’t as reliable as it used to be. I’ve also now worked with hundreds of print businesses, so I can see very clearly what works and what doesn’t. It felt like the right time to bring that together into something structured that more people can benefit from.


Do you have any advice for those seeking a career in print?


Get as much exposure to different parts of the industry as you can. Print isn’t just about press and kit; it’s sales,


marketing, customer experience, logistics, design, and technology. The more you understand the full picture, the more valuable you become. Also, don’t underestimate how much the industry


is evolving. There’s a huge opportunity, especially for people who are open to new ideas, digital marketing, and emerging technologies like AI. If you’re willing to learn and adapt, print can be an incredibly rewarding career.


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PRINT ISN’T JUST ABOUT PRESS AND KIT; THE MORE YOU UNDERSTAND THE FULL PICTURE, THE MORE VALUABLE YOU BECOME


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