Unvarnished

Hiring might be a challenge, but the real problem? Retention. According to Claudia St. John, founder and CEO of The Workplace Advisors, companies that focus solely on recruitment without investing in leadership development are missing the mark.

Jay Dollries says he's "mostly retired now," but as you'll see in this video, his perspective and ideas about the digital print industry aren't going away -- they can guide and inspire any printing pro at any time. Jay was an early adopter of digital print. After starting ILS (Innovating Labeling Solutions) in 1996, he essentially re-created the business in 2005 to focus on digital technology. During that time and since, Jay has been an active, enthusiastic Dscoop member, often volunteering to help organize events, contribute thought leadership and connect with others. In this episode of "Unvarnished," Jay reflects upon... • Why he and his team at ILS got into digital print back in 2005 • How Dscoop has helped him personally and professionally • How print leaders can impress clients and prospects who are looking to boost their brands • A key mistake today's printers make when thinking about digital print technology • How ILS created projects that truly stood out on the retail shelf • The importance of getting internal team members aligned and motivated to help customers thrive • The need to recognize your own limitations, and the challenge of finding and hiring people with different skills Jay says plenty of printers have digital technology, but "most companies out there aren't selling the true capabilities of what digital can offer. They look at it as a way to reduce their internal costs" instead of going to market with messages about the power of enhancing their clients' brands. Thank you, Jay, for sharing your thoughts and opinions with Dscoopers in this "Unvarnished" conversation!

Dscoop is a collection of industry mavericks — people around the world who aren’t afraid to make mistakes, to push the envelope and to eagerly share ideas with others. Kjetil Hovland is the epitome of that description. When he's outside, skiing in the nearby mountains or boating on the picturesque fjord next to his office, Kjetil is peaceful in his element. He loves the fresh air, mountains and glaciers around Gaupne, the location of his impressive company, Digital Etikett. But when he's inside the company's remarkable all-wood office, Kjetil is ready to crank up rock-and-roll music and guide his kick-butt team. He loves using digital print to delight brands of all sizes. This maverick will be a magnificent resource at the Greening the Bottom Line, set for June 8-9 in the village of Songdal, about a half hour south of Gaupne. Kjetil is eager to talk to fellow printers about his company's extensive sustainability practices. In the "Unvarnished" video above, Dscoop's Chris Hyde and Darin Painter caught up with Kjetil to talk about the coolness of Norway, his personal and business journey to protect the environment, and why printers should attend Greening the Bottom Line.

Adam Peek thinks packaging is awesome, and he loves sharing that passion with anyone who will listen. Thousands of podcast listeners and social media followers already do, especially on Peek's popular LinkedIn page. They enjoy hearing Peek — nicknamed the "Packaging Pastor" — profess his love for great projects and people in the packaging industry. Peek is also VP at Meyers Printing, a sustainability consultant, a part-time rapper and a soon-to-be children's book author. All of that makes him an awesome guest on the "Unvarnished" video series, which shines a spotlight on mavericks and thought leaders in the print industry.

Helen Smith of Precision Proco Group attacks her job with gusto, fresh ideas and infectious positivity. She approaches the company's branding on two different fronts — customer relationships and internal communication. Watch this episode of "Unvarnished" below.

Dr. Mozhgan Tavakolifard, a highly accomplished AI expert, data scientist and machine-learning pioneer, is eager to teach printers how to use AI to grow their businesses. The TEDx speaker is a pro at empowering businesses with the transformative power of AI. Mozhgan recently joined Dscoop's Eugenia Cifuentes and Chris Hyde for this episode of the "Unvarnished" video interview series. She talks about potential uses of AI for print teams, her excitement around hyper-personalization in print and more:

Tertius van Eeden gets inspiration from the historical figures adorning his red wall, as you'll see in this episode of the "Unvarnished" video interview series. He jokingly calls these 16 influential people, including Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali, his "trusted Board of Directors." Tertius' own ambition, passion and business sense have led to serious growth for his company, Print On Demand in Cape Town, South Africa. The company started eight years ago with one black-and-white printer and four staff members in a 64-square-meter space. Today, the company is thriving with advanced digital print technology in a state-of-the-art facility. Tertius begins the interview by quoting Nelson Mandela: "Education is the most powerful weapon which can be used to change the world." He loves that digital print can push forward that mission, as Print On Demand's online system and digital presses enable the delivery of customized books with very short turnaround. Where will the business go next, and what aspirations will he focus on in 2023? He takes regular meditative hikes to help him discover answers. We're glad we caught Tertius before he went on that hike, and you'll catch some great insight in this "Unvarnished" episode. Tertius is great example of a business maverick whose passion makes a real difference to people who touch and feel print.

Salespeople in the print industry should have an individual marketing strategy - branding yourself has moved from neat to necessary, says print trainer extraordinaire Bill Farquharson in this episode of "Unvarnished." In every minute of this interview, Bill delivers smart sales concepts and his passion for the print industry.

Several years ago, print provocateur Richard Askam gave a presentation at Dscoop's flagship event and encouraged attendees to "get off Print Island." His point was that it's common and comfortable to act inwardly, without realizing the effects of rapid change occurring all around you. In this episode of "Unvarnished," Richard revisits the issue of institutionalized thinking in our industry, and talks about the beauty and opportunity of print leaders who embrace constant change and seek outside perspective.

You know those days when business feels way too complicated? You're not alone. As a PSP, you have clients to please, tasks to juggle, technology to learn… and the list goes on. Which is exactly why this episode of "Unvarnished" might be valuable to you. It features the straightforward, candid reflections of Michael Warshall, Executive Chairman at Emot Wedding Photography.Michael is an Australia-based entrepreneur who has been both a professional photographer and photo printer.

Marketing is a self-described problem among many print businesses, and it's constantly on the mind of Lindsay Nutley, Marketing Director at QLM Labels. He's responsible for pleasing two kinds of customers - external ones who want their labels to "come alive," as he puts it, and internal employees who need to be able to articulate the company's brand and messaging. Lindsay breaks down his approach in this "Unvarnished" interview.

Kelly has sold print and digital as well as the equipment itself. She understands the challenges salespeople face and creates content, writes a blog, and mentors salespeople through coaching. Kelly is also the co-author of the book titled Who's Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing...and How? For years, Kelly says, print sales were largely transactional exchanges. "When I got started selling, it was, 'These are the kinds of printed things I do. Do you buy those things? Can we talk about it?' and that actually worked... The audience doesn't really have an appetite for that anymore." Kelly discusses why consultative, exploratory problem-solving requires more than just good ideas; it requires genuineness and empathy -- the ability to shift the point of view to the client or prospect instead of yourself or your company's products and services. This interview of "Unvarnished" is a telling, honest, refreshing and sometime funny interview with an expert sales mind and sales motivator.

Jim Benedict and his team have important mission -- to connect with brands through relevant, integrated communications and technology. He's Marketing Director of a company that just completed a rebranding of its own, Enpointe Branding and Marketing Solutions (formerly GLS / NEXT Precision Marketing), and shares some great tips and concepts in this episode of "Unvarnished":

Stephen Yu of Willow Data Strategy obviously knows data -- he has been in the data and analytics industry for 35 years. What's better, he understands how to connect data to make it understandable and usable for marketers and designers. In this interview, Stephen uses stories and examples to illustrate his four pillars of successful personalization campaigns: data, analytics, creative and delivery.

Kate Dunn from Evolve Sales Group has amazing energy, along with a refreshingly straightforward approach and style. She also has great insight into what it takes to succeed in print sales, whether there's a pandemic or not. Kate shares a heap of great sales concepts in this interview.

Bill Gillespie has been in the print industry for 44 years and has written more than $100 million in business. He loves the industry - and sharing ideas with fellow printers. Bill isn't just a print salesperson and sales manager; he's a sales motivator. In this interview, Bill shares his views on the current state of sales and why now is as good a time as any to find opportunities.

Brands that want to stand up to their competition must find creative ways to stand out. That's why more and more brands are turning to The BoxMaker, a custom box manufacturer and packaging distributor that continues to innovate and advance. The company delivers truly stunning and highly effective packaging solutions that conventional print and finishing methods cannot produce. This episode of "Unvarnished" features Katy Hart, Director of Marketing and Communications at The BoxMaker, and Kristi Duvall, the company's Vice President of Sales. They share insight about how The BoxMaker approaches marketing and sales, developing the company's new website, the adoption of new technology in the packaging space, how COVID united the company and more.

Jay Menashe is an impressive blend of creative maverick and business optimizer. As Sr. VP of Sales and Marketing for EDE Corporation, he leads a team that creates personalized experienced for specific vertical markets — trade shows, museums and branded environments. Why should Dscoopers pay attention to what Jay and EDE are saying and doing? Because how your company prints or designs something should begin with how end users will experience the work. Take trade-show booths and related materials, for example. Jay believes creativity and experiential design is the most valuable element of those booths, and works with clients to create exhibit spaces that generate impressive traffic and leads. In this episode of the "Unvarnished" video series, Jay joins Dscoop's Darin Painter and Chris Hyde to talk about the value of experiential design, and why EDE decided to focus its efforts on specific markets.

Every company in the print industry wants to improve its online presence -- to get noticed, to get leads and to get business. In this interview, John Bracamontes of Acumen Studios and Alyssa Willey of Pryntbase share tips and tricks that can help your company boost its online presence and effectiveness: The pandemic has led to an important truth: As marketing and sales become more digital, it's smart for PSPs to use technology that empowers them to find and convert leads without exhausting their resources. John and Alyssa talk about how digital marketing has evolved in the print industry, what today's PSPs are doing (and not doing but could) to reach target clients, what to consider when judging the effectiveness of your marketing tactics, and more. In one answer (starting at the 22:45 mark of the video), they talk about why it's smart to create and develop a strategy for using LinkedIn. "From what we've seen, many printers are targeting too broadly," Alyssa says, adding that today's end users want to know specifically what a printer can do for them. Also, she and John agree that one prevailing marketing problem in the print industry is simply inactivity -- PSPs not updating their websites, messages and strategies for attracting new business and showcasing their value. Acumen Studios provides an online marketing model specifically for the print industry that "fills your inbox and floods your phone with high-quality, low-cost leads," according to the company. Pryntbase, a sister company of Acumen Studios, helps companies find and win new customers through content marketing tools even the smallest companies can use. Pryntbase's mission is to give printers the knowledge (online courses) and simple tools (ready-made content, etc.) to grow their businesses online.

Through PrintMediaCentr.com, her social channels and Printerverse audience, Deborah Corn engages with more than 200,000 print and marketing professionals on an ongoing basis. She's smart, unconventional (that's why Dscoop's Chris Hyde chose the zebra shirt for this "Unvarnished" episode) and has the coolest job title in print — Intergalactic Ambassador to the Printerverse. Deborah has interviewed many printers and partners for Dscoop, but in this episode of "Unvarnished," we turn the camera around and interview her. The topic is how printers can work more effectively with creatives and brands.

In the 1990s, "we really had an identity crisis," recalls Brian Benson, CEO and Founder of [Benson Integrated Marketing Solutions](https://yourbenson.com/), based in Alpharetta, GA, USA. Was his business a print company? An apparel provider? A promotional products vendor? "People wondered, 'What do you really do? Why are you different?'" Today, Brian and his firm know exactly who they are and why they matter to customers. Benson Integrated Marketing Solutions offers a comprehensive, efficient and transparent centralized marketing platform that helps multifamily-property marketing teams buy, personalize and track their marketing activities. If that sounds ultra-specific, that sounds great to Brian. He's a visionary whose company's [deep dive into one key vertical market](https://community.dscoop.com/home/tags/Vertical-Markets-64ec879463f7656889e89a7c) has led to extremely high client retention. He and his team know the nuances of each need property owners, marketing executives and field workers have, thanks in part to their own original research. Benson Integrated Marketing Solutions now has more than 20,000 registered users of its online web-to-print platform. In this episode of "Unvarnished," Brian talks about getting his first multifamily apartment order in 1992, his commitment to making each client look like a superstar, his sales process, his approach to turning down business that doesn't fit the company and his appreciation for other innovative Dscoopers.

In this episode of *Unvarnished*, we speak with leadership coach Jakob Bovin of Leading2Results. Jakob emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and continuous improvement, while highlighting the significance of understanding one's strengths and weaknesses to make managing more authentic and human. Jakob shares strategies for managing conflict and providing constructive feedback. He emphasizes the importance of addressing issues promptly and transparently, while also nurturing a culture of trust and open communication within your team. Whether you're a seasoned manager looking to refine your skills or an aspiring leader seeking guidance, you'll walk away with something to become a better listener and ultimately a better leader. If you appreciate what Jakob says in the interview, he will be providing a leadership series exclusive to Dscoop this January. The three-session series will provide valuable insights into leadership, effective execution of strategies and the creation of high-performance teams within organizations. The first session, Unlocking Your Leadership Potential, explores self-awareness, leadership styles and Leading2Results' Leadership Circle model. [Register for free here.](https://community.dscoop.com/home/events/unlocking-your-leadership-potential-2024-01-09-1)

That mix is fueling growth at online label provider etikett.de, part of CCL Label.

Eric Vessels, the CEO and president of WhatTheyThink, is many, many things. And we're all better for it.

In this episode of "Unvarnished," Elly Chichester explains how and why Allied partners with Print Releaf.

What does the next generation of industry talent like? Look no further than these five impressive Ferris State University students.