New Book, Disrupting the Future, Offers New and Unconventional Wisdom for Print Businesses

Harrisville, RI — Executives in the printing industry often use the phrase “the power of print,” but that power has been short-circuited, say authors Dr. Joseph Webb and Richard Romano in their controversial new book, Disrupting the Future: Uncommon Wisdom for Navigating Print’s Challenging Marketplace. Its “power” is down to half of what it should have been, in comparison to general economic growth, and further declines are likely to be the rule rather than the exception.

So what can the industry do about it? Disrupt the future! Rather than hope that the Internet, iPads, e-books, and social media are just passing fads, print businesses can dig into today’s—and tomorrow’s—communication trends and change their strategic outlook. Disrupting the Future concentrates on opportunities and explains, in explicit, entertaining, and often irreverent detail, how to make the transition from “printer” to a range of strategic options, detailing why the old business advice and common wisdom that guided the industry no longer holds true. The book provides a new set of guidelines, advice, and “uncommon wisdom” for today's business, with an eye toward a more robust approach for the future.

Disrupting the Future suggests actionable ideas and recommendations, with lists of strategies and tactics for immediate implementation, detailed explanations of new and social media and how to implement them, resources for supporting information and guidance, and much much more.

Most importantly, Disrupting the Future explains how today’s business owners—especially those who own printing companies—need to regain the entrepreneurial thought process. Each chapter includes a comprehensive set of “weapons of mass disruption.” It also closes with a “flash forward” to 2020 and imagines what the business of the future might look like.

“One of our goals was to give print business owners more confidence in their knowledge about new media, and a practical sense about how to use it in their business, and to build product offerings for their clients,” said Richard Romano. “If you think Facebook is something kept in a police station, or Twitter is the chattering of birds, you'll not only learn what they really are, but why they are important, and how they and other new media formats can be part of a new business strategy,” claimed Dr. Webb.

Success in today’s and tomorrow’s communications is not about jumping on the latest technological bandwagon (i.e., social media), but understanding prevailing and emerging communications and media trends, why they are important, and how they can be integrated into what shops are already doing. “No print business will be able to make a seamless transition,” stated Dr. Webb, “but the idea is to rip the seams from the industry and disrupt continuing downward trends with an entrepreneurial zeal and confident innovation. In the end, it's not about industry trends, but how individual owners decide to take command of marketplace opportunities that others are not prepared to address.”
Here’s what some prominent industry experts have been saying about Disrupting the Future:
- “This is the best damn business book I have read in years.” —Bob Sacks (BoSacks)
- “This book is the ‘Manifesto’ of a new generation of printers.” —Frank Romano, Professor Emeritus, RIT School of Print Media
- “Help is here for printers willing to listen and act—in 200 pages of kick-in-the-pants advice.” —Margie Dana, founder, Boston Print Buyers
- “The blueprint that they lay out for redefining how ‘printing’ companies must evolve to succeed as ‘communications’ companies is invaluable...and should be required reading for everyone who has ever put ink on paper.” —Roy Grossman, partner, MSP Digital Marketing
- “Disrupting the Future is exactly what our industry has needed: a relevant message to an interested audience at the right time” —Kevin Cushing, chief executive officer, AlphaGraphics, Inc.

“Disrupting the Future” is an aggressive way of describing “innovation.” This is how the industry will survive—and Disrupting the Future explores how print businesses can transform themselves into innovative communications providers.

Disrupting the Future is available as a free PDF download at http://members.whattheythink.com/disrupting-the-future/ or, for $19.95, as a printed paperback book available from Lulu.com at http://www.tinyurl.com/disruptingbook. Some printing businesses are using the book as a springboard for strategic planning, and a special 10-copy bundle is available at the WhatTheyThink e-store  http://store.whattheythink.com/printing-industry-definition/disrupting-the-future-printed-book-10-pack.

The authors Dr. Joe Webb and Richard Romano are also available—separately or together—to talk to printing companies privately, at meetings, as well as events via the WhatTheyThink Speakers Bureau, http://members.whattheythink.com/services/speakers-bureau/. Contact Cary Sherburne at 603-430-5463 or [email protected] for more information.

Additional information on Disrupting the Future is available for editorial purposes. Please make inquiries directly to either one or both of the authors, Dr. Joseph Webb at [email protected] or Richard Romano at [email protected].