The Dscoop Podcast

Can someone who’s been in the print industry for 25 years still gain a competitive edge at Dscoop? Martin Aalsma says ABSOLUTELY. Martin says that the Dscoop forums, conversations, and information shared have helped improve his organization’s business processes. As Martin moved into leading companies, he saw another huge benefit: the community’s openness about sharing work and insights to gain more sales. But you only get out of it what you put into it, Martin adds. Hear how you can get the most from your Dscoop membership.

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If you want to know how to get the most out of a Dscoop event, ask a PSP who has attended 12 out of the 14 Dscoop Americas! Howard Owen, founder of Stafford Printing, says he and his team get plenty of benefits from taking time off to attend Dscoop, where the three-fold value proposition is strong and consistent: “One, education that my employees and I get from the classes; two, the conversations we have with partners who help us grow our business with their equipment and technology; and three, the relationships we build with other PSPs and HP folks.”

What’s Howard’s #1 tip? “Go to sessions outside of your element. If you’re an operator, go to a sales or leadership session. If you’re an owner, go to an operator’s session. Dscoop has something for every segment of your company’s org chart.”

From a broader perspective, Howard is a big believer in associations. “We are professionals and we have a professional association: it’s Dscoop. It has been a constant resource 14 years.” To keep this association going, says Howard, requires volunteers, and he has given back in many ways – from the newsletter committee to the Board of Directors and most recently, hosting an Operator Saturday for PSPs and operators throughout northern Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland. Tune in to see how can you leverage all that Dscoop has to offer.

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We are all from different backgrounds and different places all over the world, but we share a passion for print, learning, and helping each other succeed. That’s the message from Laurensius Candra, Dscoop APJ Board Member and Board Chair for Indonesia. Laurensius is Director of Bintang Sampurna, a commercial printing company in Indonesia, and he attributes Dscoop with widening his vantage point about the industry, and applying what he learns to help his company grow. Hear what’s Dscoop Indonesia is planning in the coming months for education, business growth, sales, and operator training.

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With over 35 years in the industry, Kathy Wise, President of DME Delivers, says that she always gains a huge amount of knowledge and experience at Dscoop’s conferences -– knowledge that includes problem-solving, technology, and creativity. She attributes that to the openness of the partners showcasing at Dscoop Edge; the HP executives and staff, and the collaborative spirit of other PSPs. As a Dscoop Board member on the Education committee, Kathy says she’s become a better leader in her own organization by being involved in Dscoop. That, in turn, has helped her business and her employees grow, too. She points out that Dscoop.com is also a value-added platform with its 24/7 anytime, anywhere education and inspiration.

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David Bennett, president of Bennett Graphics, is a second-generation print business owner. Of all the industry events he could attend, David says he always chooses Dscoop. The differentiator is the quality of the relationships that he and his team build. “Whenever we need something, I can pick up the phone, explain that we ‘re having this problem or we’re looking at a certain piece of equipment, and everyone is very willing to share.”

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For Kelvin Gage, Dscoop has helped shape the style and nature of his business. Kelvin is the APJ Dscoop Chairman and part of Dscoop’s Global Board. He says he fell in love with Dscoop years ago because of the ability to make connections with top PSPs and innovators, while building his business. His goal is to help others gain the same value from Dscoop as he has. Part of that goal is creating local events in Australia, including a recent sports branding seminar, and the first Dscoop Operator Saturday held in Sydney. Hear more about Kelvin’s vision for Dscoop and his top tips for getting the most out of the Dscoop experience.

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Want to know everything that Dscoop Edge conferences have to offer? Who better to learn from than the Edge Orlando Conference Chair herself: Amanda Free! Hear how Dscoop has helped Amanda and her team deliver better, more cost-effective print and marketing solutions to her customers, as the Operations Manager for Aflac’s in-house agency. She says that during her 11 years attending Dscoop, she has found that no other community collaborates like the members of Dscoop. She explains that they share advice, experience, and expertise openly and without competition, “and that’s something you just can’t clip on to another industry conference.” Amanda adds that while many people think of innovation at the conference as the technology, she says that Dscoop spotlights innovation as creativity and a vision, enabling attendees to see new ways to bring ideas to life.

New to Dscoop? Listen to Amanda’s three-step action plan for making the most of your time at any Dscoop conference!

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Yogev Barak, Head of Strategy and Business Management for HP Indigo, says Dscoop is like family. "It's a place where you’ll find beautiful ideas about how to run your business better and what others are doing with their Indigo gear. You bring one idea to Dscoop, you take back seven!" Yogev adds that HP customers are " eternal innovators." They like to try new things; they want to reinvent themselves all the time in order to stay on top of their game. And Dscoop, he says, is THE place to come to learn, share and grow your business. What to do once you're here? "Talk with people. Don’t be shy -- be open. Ask questions, bring your own experiences and difficulties. There are hundreds of years of experience here to help you solve challenges, from people who love print. Talk to them."

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If you are a press operator and have not been to a Dscoop Edge event lately, you’ll want to make a change this year! “Dscoop has moved the education programming back to where it needs to be,” says Chris Reine, Indigo Operator and in-house engineer for Franklin Press. As chair of Dscoop’s Technical Committee and a member of the Board of Directors for Dscoop Americas, Chris understands the type of training and education that operators need. “We brought in HP trainers last year and it was packed. A great success. This year we let them really take off with the Make It Real track –- highly technical hands-on [training] -- with a 30-seat computer lab, and it’s standing room only! HP brought their Master Series in; I was in the session and I was really impressed. “

Chris has been in the print industry for more than 41 years, and has been an active Dscoop member, board member and Dscoop Edge attendee for nine years. “The first time I came to Dscoop I was totally blown away,” says Chris. “It’s a tremendous value for your business and your personal life.”

Chris adds that he sees Dscoop as the driver that moves partners forward. “We have a great opportunity to mold what our future looks like. It benefits Franklin Press because we get to see the technology before a lot of other companies do, if they’re not coming to Dscoop.

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Jon Bailey, CEO of UK-based Proco and Dscoop board member, talks about the evolution of Dscoop from a US event to a series of worldwide events and an online community via the Dscoop.com platform.