Comments on: Hunting for Elk http://www.socialprintexperiment.com/2010/04/21/hunting-for-elk/ Building a digital print company from scratch Mon, 28 Feb 2011 23:08:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Andrew Simmons http://www.socialprintexperiment.com/2010/04/21/hunting-for-elk/comment-page-1/#comment-125 Andrew Simmons Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:08:33 +0000 http://www.socialprintexperiment.com/?p=185#comment-125 I would agree to some extent, that it would be better to build on smaller accounts. But, at the same time, I believe we have a compelling product to get someone to switch. I appreciate the feedback, and certainly we'll be discussing it more. Thanks! I would agree to some extent, that it would be better to build on smaller accounts. But, at the same time, I believe we have a compelling product to get someone to switch. I appreciate the feedback, and certainly we’ll be discussing it more. Thanks!

]]> By: John Roberds http://www.socialprintexperiment.com/2010/04/21/hunting-for-elk/comment-page-1/#comment-124 John Roberds Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:32:03 +0000 http://www.socialprintexperiment.com/?p=185#comment-124 Andrew, I think your friend has, unintentionally, given you some bad advice. He has a long track record in printing but your issue right now is not printing – it is that you are a start up. The only thing important to a start up is cash flow. And for a new printing company the primary source of cash flow is the kind of work you have been writing about. Sure, some of it didn’t turn out too well but you are learning all of the time. The elks you want to hunt are much harder to cultivate successfully. They take time to turn a prospect into a customer and during that time your expenses are still accruing whether you run the printer or not. Many of these elks will already have printing relationships and you will have to convince them to walk away from that relationship. That is difficult even for an established printing company. Being a start up makes it almost impossible. Get enough business coming in to cover your monthly nut before you go elk hunting. Otherwise you may only shoot yourself in the foot, or worse. Andrew,

I think your friend has, unintentionally, given you some bad advice. He has a long track record in printing but your issue right now is not printing – it is that you are a start up. The only thing important to a start up is cash flow. And for a new printing company the primary source of cash flow is the kind of work you have been writing about. Sure, some of it didn’t turn out too well but you are learning all of the time.

The elks you want to hunt are much harder to cultivate successfully. They take time to turn a prospect into a customer and during that time your expenses are still accruing whether you run the printer or not. Many of these elks will already have printing relationships and you will have to convince them to walk away from that relationship. That is difficult even for an established printing company. Being a start up makes it almost impossible.

Get enough business coming in to cover your monthly nut before you go elk hunting. Otherwise you may only shoot yourself in the foot, or worse.

]]> By: Olujide Ojo http://www.socialprintexperiment.com/2010/04/21/hunting-for-elk/comment-page-1/#comment-123 Olujide Ojo Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:14:23 +0000 http://www.socialprintexperiment.com/?p=185#comment-123 We are looking to start a digital press, we used to run a traditional press with a 2 color GTO heidelberg machine. Your Experiment has been of great help. But, hunting elk or rabbit? We are looking at hunting rabbit considering our environment (Africa) and the drive to do business ethically, and to add, ours will not be a social experiment. Elk or rabbit? I guess your strengths, the business plan and environment will determine. We are looking to start a digital press, we used to run a traditional press with a 2 color GTO heidelberg machine. Your Experiment has been of great help. But, hunting elk or rabbit? We are looking at hunting rabbit considering our environment (Africa) and the drive to do business ethically, and to add, ours will not be a social experiment. Elk or rabbit? I guess your strengths, the business plan and environment will determine.

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