| Have you ever visited your local bookstore and | | | | my clients recommended and immediately realized |
| been unable to find the book for which you were | | | | a synergy with the artist. In less than two weeks |
| searching? But did you ever react by writing one? | | | | after our initial meeting she had incorporated my |
| I did. When I couldn't find the perfect memory | | | | color scheme, understood my graphic direction |
| book to document my beloved dog's life, my | | | | and produced the first draft. In fairness to her, |
| entrepreneurial spirit kicked-in and I took the | | | | not only did she integrate my ideas, she added a |
| biggest, yet calculated, risk of my business life - I | | | | lot of pizzazz to the book making it all the better. |
| created and self published "It's My Dog's Life - | | | | It was an affable collaboration that produced an |
| Your personalized puppy memory book." A | | | | awesome final product. |
| year-long project that garnered a commendation | | | | Publishing a book may sound like it'll put you in the |
| from the consummate businessman himself, | | | | diamond lane to financial success, but even with a |
| Donald Trump! | | | | carefully constructed business plan, it's an |
| It all started a few years ago while I was packing | | | | expensive venture. So, after I had depleted my |
| my belongings to move to a new home. I kept | | | | savings account, I had to sell my car to pay for |
| finding mementos from my dog Clicquot's first | | | | the printing of the book. I truly believed in the |
| few months with me - adoption papers, photos | | | | project and knew it was worth the sacrifice of |
| and even a lock of hair from his first haircut. I | | | | my shiny new sports car. Surely the millions of |
| decided to organize all of this memorabilia in an | | | | other dog owners would love an all-inclusive |
| album, similar to a "baby book" to document | | | | album-like book to document their "best friend's" |
| significant occasions in his life. Furthermore, if I | | | | life, too and would purchase millions of copies. |
| were this interested in documenting my | | | | Okay, maybe not millions, but surely thousands. |
| four-legged best friend's life others would be too | | | | Once the book was off the press and with my |
| and this could be a profitable little "hobby." | | | | dog in tow, I began going door-to-door selling it to |
| What started out as a hobby soon became a | | | | small boutique stores. I completely canvassed |
| full-time job requiring me to terminate current | | | | South Florida and in less than a month had sold |
| client agreements so I could spend every waking | | | | the book to 30 stores generating more than |
| hour on my book. I spent six months researching | | | | $4,000 in sales. The following six months I |
| everything from the pet industry to self-publishing | | | | participated numerous trade shows, developed |
| to color trends. I enlisted the help of friends and | | | | direct-mail campaigns, conducted a national media |
| colleagues, including veterinarians, English | | | | blitz, and created a website. I managed to sell |
| professors, and a retail store owner who could | | | | more than 3,000 copies of the book and created |
| help me create and market the ideal puppy | | | | a presence in more than 200 stores nationwide. |
| memory book. I visited marketing executives at | | | | The price of success isn't cheap. You do the |
| Nestle-Purina. I met with the former CEO of | | | | math: The cost to print 5,000 copies, $25,000; |
| Blockbuster, who kindly offered his venture capital | | | | Graphic artists, including the first who was fired, |
| company's services pro bono to help me develop | | | | $5,000; Basic business overhead at $1,000 per |
| my business plan and budgets. I interviewed many | | | | month for 12 months, $12,000; Miscellaneous |
| self publishing companies but in the end I | | | | business expenses, i.e., website, trade show |
| determined I had the academic background, the | | | | booths, air fare, hotels, media kits, boxes, bubble |
| business experience in marketing, advertising, and | | | | wrap, sales brochures, order forms, postage, |
| public relations and, maybe most important of all, | | | | postage scale, postcards, etc., $22,000. Total |
| the fortitude to not only to create the book, but | | | | first-year costs: $59,000. But what about the |
| to form a publishing company to market and sell | | | | income from sales, you ask. I sold 3,000 books at |
| the book myself. | | | | an average wholesale price of $9 each for a total |
| During the process, I found similar products, but | | | | of $27,000 in the first year. That meant a deficit |
| they seemed to have various design flaws. Most | | | | of $32,000 at the end of year one. But I knew |
| books I found lacked imagination and color. One | | | | that going into the project. The business would |
| book was very nice but it was printed on coated | | | | not, could not, turn a profit until the second |
| paper stock and you couldn't write on the pages! | | | | printing and sales of 10,000 books. I should also |
| Imagine that - a journal you can't write in! | | | | mention, initially I tried to get investors, but was |
| Another book was only 6" x 8" and therefore, | | | | unsuccessful except for the former Blockbuster |
| couldn't accommodate photos larger than 4" x 6" | | | | CEO whose company loaned me the initial start-up |
| or 8 ½" x 11" documents. And while | | | | capital for my project. |
| another book was very cute, it's perfect binding | | | | Through my efforts I have sold more than 4,500 |
| wouldn't allow it to expand with the insertion of | | | | books to date; had articles about the book |
| photos and memorabilia. | | | | published in more than 50 newspapers and |
| Having gone to college for graphic design I knew | | | | magazines, AND received a congratulatory letter |
| exactly what the color palette and graphics I | | | | from Donald Trump applauding my "ingenuity and |
| wanted. However, having gone to college so | | | | business acumen." |
| many years ago, I wasn't technically equipped to | | | | I'm still paying off my book project debt, but not |
| produce the print-ready art myself, so I hired | | | | regretting a single moment of my experience. |
| graphic artist, but he was dragging his feet, | | | | You simply cannot imagine the adrenaline rush and |
| couldn't see my vision and would try to get me | | | | sense of accomplishment when walking past a |
| to change my mind. He repeatedly would say "I'm | | | | storefront window where your book is displayed! |
| hoping to convince you," but my mind was made | | | | You want to stop everyone on the street and |
| up. So I contacted a graphics company one of | | | | shout, "that's my book! |