Colin McDermott

Quick Search In this Industry Tips, Colin Sinclair McDermott, aka The Online Print Coach, says if your onboarding process is nothing more than a quote and a hope, you are leaving repeat business on the table before the ink is even dry Colin Sinclair McDermott June 29, 2026 I had a coaching session earlier this week with the owner of a sign business. It’s a good company with a solid team and decent turnover.

I see it so often in print businesses I work with. There is usually one person in the building who is seen as completely invaluable. Often it is the owner, but just as frequently, it is a long-serving manager or a production lead who has been there since day one. They know every client quirk, remember the exact material used on a job three years ago, and are the only ones who truly understand how to set up that one tricky machine. On the surface, this person appears to be your biggest asset.

I see it so often in print businesses I work with. There is usually one person in the building who is seen as completely invaluable. Often it is the owner, but just as frequently, it is a long-serving manager or a production lead who has been there since day one. They know every client quirk, remember the exact material used on a job three years ago, and are the only ones who truly understand how to set up that one tricky machine. On the surface, this person appears to be your biggest asset.