2019: The Year Of____________________????

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. It was downright Dickensian, 2019 was.

BEST OF TIMES: A dream I had had when Project Peacock was born came true.  I got to participate in all but the LA one. I truly believe that happened in part because I very clearly stated back in 2017 that I wanted it to happen. I owe Deb a huge debt of gratitude for putting me on the team, and a huge thanks to all the companies who participated and all those who came to see us. My hope for this movement as it goes forward is that it gains in strength and message and we keep traveling the country, nay THE WORLD, with the message that the convergence of print technologies and those that seek to learn more about them will continue to thrive, change and evolve.

THE WORST OF TIMES: I was not always my best self. I have looked myself in the mirror and found myself lacking in focus, discipline and the drive that I need to take my professional life forward. At times I felt scattered. At times I felt stretched thin. At times I felt that I was not using my time as wisely as I could, or that I should be doing something else, or that I was not doing ANYTHING as well as I could.  But then…..

THE BEST OF TIMES: I figured out a way to forgive myself and move on. While I celebrate the self-awareness that it has taken for  me to be in this moment right now telling you about all of this, I am now fiercely focused on 2020 and how I can be better, do more, and make sure that the end of next year has me celebrating successes and enjoying the fruits of my labor in the form of fame and fortune. And I’m not kidding about that. I was to be famous, as famous as I can be in this industry, and I want to make more money as a result of that. And I’m not even sorry about it.

And then there was the MEH of times. Print ’19 was pretty small. I didn’t get to go to Printing United and I had mad FOMO about that.

What did 2019 mean for you?

I hope you got more open minded – Social media. Kombucha. Tik Tok.

I hope you decided to try something new – Same as above.

I hope you learned to ask for help when you needed it. From a co-worker. From a friend or loved one. Or an industry pundit. Ask. You’ll get the help you need and deserve.

I hope you had an opportunity to mentor a young person. BECAUSE….

I hope you are starting to recognize that we are at a critical juncture where we need to start attracting LARGE numbers of talented young people to our craft. I hope you understand that you might need to offer them something more than what you have n the past. And I’m not talking about money. I’m talking about a career path. Growth. Opportunities to learn, contribute and have a voice in your organization and a seat at your table. We have SO MUCH to learn from the younger generations and so much to teach them. What I great time to be alive and in business.

If some or all these things were on your list, consciously or sub-consciously, but they didn’t quite happen, I have great news for you.

It’s never too late.

The future is now.

Go out and make it happen for yourself, for you company, for your family, and for the future of our industry.

GO YOU!

See more posts from Kelly

As a sales and marketing coach and consultant at Success In Print, Kelly Mallozzi advocates for graphic arts companies to start a revolution and fight to keep print relevant.  She may be irreverent, but what she lacks in convention, she makes up for in smart-assery.

Connect With Kelly: Twitter @SuccessInPrint and check out her weekly blog on Printing Impressions.

Listen to Kelly’s Podcasts From The Printerverse: Achieving Success In Print and Sales with Kelly Mallozzi / Strategies for Sales Success with Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi

Check out her book, co-authored by Bill Farquharson: Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing…and How