Anything is Possible

“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult undertaking which, more than anything else, will determine its successful outcome.”

William James, American Philosopher, 1842-1910

I had the pleasure of attending an open house and media dinner this past week in Chicago. By all accounts, it was a fantastic event that included spending time with some of the printed apparel industry’s nicest folks, lots of laughs, a great Moroccan restaurant, a professional belly dancer (as well as some not so professional belly dancers—you know who you are) and even a tarot card reader.

I am quite the skeptic, and when I sat down for my reading I thought to myself, “Hmm, I am sure this will be way off the mark.” In actuality, she was pretty much on target. For me and my family, the tarot reader saw a house and she was right in this vision. In a time when most wouldn’t touch the housing market with a 10-foot pole, we are embracing it, and looking for the silver lining that surely exists.

While there are no tarot reader predictions in this issue, (we report just the facts to help grow your business) Print Professional’s distributor readership will gain valuable insight and tips on how to survive this soft economy. Maggie DeWitt’s feature piece, “The Makings of a Merger,” provides an inside glimpse into how one distributor company turned the tides, and Elise Hacking’s E-Commerce feature offers valuable information on the Web 2.0 movement and how mass collaboration efforts can positively impact your business, both online and off.

In a time when the media tends to latch onto all that is negative, I, being a part of that media, am pleased to report that growth and movement into positive territory is still possible.