If possible, what positives are you able to draw on from the experiences of 2020?
Change in mindset – act fast, fail fast and test and learn particularly as we’ve had limited resources over the last nine months. Covid-19 has certainly been a catalyst for change in Tradeprint – it’s allowed us to review our manufacturing processes, create major efficiencies and I’m certain when volumes return we will be in a far healthier position than ever before.
What trend do you think has been accelerated because of the pandemic?
It’s undoubtedly accelerated the offline to online shift. More and more people are self-serving so we need to ensure our platform is as simple to use as possible and we provide a tool kit to enable our customers to sell successfully online and connect via our Tradeprint API to seamlessly route orders to us for fulfilment.
What do you think will represent the single biggest opportunity for printers in 2021 and why?
UK manufacturing post-Brexit particularly promotional products, apparel and gifts (PPAG) and photo gifts as people try to avoid paying import levies.
What are your hopes for 2021?
The obvious and most important thing is good health. Professionally it would be hoping many of our customers who have been physically closed, throughout various lockdown cycles, are able to return to work and trade profitably.
We can't believe we're asking this question for the fourth year running: what is your one-word view on Brexit?
Shambles.
What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
Focus on the longer-term. It’s been really easy to become short sighted throughout the pandemic. The most important thing has been to stabilise and minimise any inefficiencies which has consumed a lot of our time, but we still need to plan for the future to provide clarity on direction for everyone in the business.
What, if anything, will you do differently in 2021?
Re-introduce structure! We have been trying out many different things in 2020 in our attempts to recover lost revenue but in 2021 we will join all the dots back together.
What’s your favourite Christmas cracker joke?
What did 52% of Brits order for Christmas dinner?
No Brussels.
Sprouts: yes or no?
Yes, with pancetta!
Are you making any New Year's resolutions? If so, what?
Try to not be so heavily involved and delegate. It’s been all hands on deck the past nine months and we have moved at such an incredible pace, but I need to be able to take a small step back from the day to day and allow my amazing team to execute.
