Loading ...Publisher’s Letter: Why Having a Chip on Your Shoulder is a Good Thing (August 2008)
I’ve got a chip on my shoulder, and it’s getting larger every day. The more and more I hear about our economic woes and tough times, I get more and more steamed. If one more person tells me “everything will be fine because the economy is cyclical and it will come back,” I am going to lose it.
It ain’t coming back! How about them apples?
Now, don’t get me wrong. That isn’t a negative outlook. It is meant to be an analysis of the landscape. We simply can’t continue to bank on the market coming back. We can’t wait for some economic engine to come around and uplift us all. Some would say, “well, we’ve been through this before and everything will be OK.” However, I am not sure we have been through this based on the different variables in play now. The world has changed, and we can get on board or sit on the sidelines with our fingers crossed.
Global competition, Internet, wireless, blah blah blah. We’ve all heard it before and we get it. The problem isn’t that the landscape is changing. The challenge is that we are not educating ourselves fast enough and within the appropriate arenas.
This is why the best print salespeople I know are not sitting around waiting for a second wind to propel offset lithography to new heights. They are controlling their own destiny by discussing new
applications with customers and determining how their printing company can alter their offering or model to better serve. These are the same people that understand that thoughtful people need to collaborate and connect with others in order for our industry to soar.
So, yes, I’ve got a chip on my shoulder and it’s getting bigger. However, I love that chip and I encourage you all to get one. They are available anywhere passion and excitement is sold for the printing and marketing services industry. If enough of us get one, we won’t have to wait for things to “come back.” We will already be there!
As you start building the chip on your shoulder, I would like to remind you of a group with the biggest chips I have ever seen … our sponsors. These companies and the individual thought leaders they employ are supporting our efforts to bring you relevant insights and ideas. They, also, believe that continuing education and controlling your own destiny is the only path. In turn, I would suggest that if you want to develop a good-size chip, then start by supporting the advertisers who have passionately brought you CANVAS.
Mark Potter
Publisher
