Presented by Steve Allen of Graphic Whizard during the GlobalChannelPartnersForum 2015 @ Graph Expo, Chicago

1. Steve Allen, President
GRAPHIC WHIZARD
Burlington, ON Canada
IVEY BUSINESS SCHOOL (HBA)
QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY (EXECUTIVE TRAINING)
WESTERN UNIVERSITY, HBA
ENTREPRENEUR
• 15 YEARS IN OFFICE EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY; SALES, SALES MANAGER, BRANCH MANAGER
• SINCE 2002 PRESIDENT & CEO OF GRAPHIC WHIZARD
• GW EMPLOYS APPROXIMATELY 20 PEOPLE. WE MANUFACTURE AS WELL AS DISTRIBUTE FINISHING
MACHINES AIMED AT THE DIGITAL SEGMENT OF THE MARKETPLACE
• COMPANY BEGAN MANUFACTURING NUMBERING MACHINES AND HAVE NOW DEVELOPED A
BROAD PRODUCT LINE OF OVER 40 MACHINES; CURRENTLY 50:50 MANUFACTURING VS
DISTRIBUTING
• SELL IN OVER 40 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD
• CURRENTLY HAVE 5 FACTORIES IN CHINA BULDING PRODUCT FOR US, PRODUCTS ARE A MIXTURE OF
THEIR DESIGN AND OUR DESIGN

2. OPPORTUNITY
PRODUCT
• ANYTHING THAT HELPS A PRINTER ADD VALUE TO A PRINTED PIECE OR INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY
IS OF INTEREST TO US
• TALK TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE & TRAVEL THE WORLD LOOKING FOR WHAT DIFFERENT
MARKET PLACES ARE DOING
• I.E. ENTERED OFFLINE ROLLER COATER UV BUSINESS ORIGINALLY AS A MANUFACTURER, RETAIL
PRICE DROPPED SO QUICKLY HAD TO ABANDON PRODUCTION AND OUTSOURCE
MANUFACTURING
MARKET
• TO BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY INVESTING IN MACHINERY THAT INCREASES PRODUCTIVITY THE AVERAGE
HOURLY WAGE NEED S TO BE HIGH ENOUGH TO OFFSET THE COST OF AUTOMATION OR THERE
NEEDS TO BE SOME OTHER KIND OF LABOUR ISSUE TO JUSTIFY THE INVESTMENT EG S.AFRICA
(30% ABSENTEEISM)
• GATHER BASIC INFORMATION FROM SOMEONE SUCH AS DANNY & THEN PRIORITIZE YOUR
TARGETS, ATTEND MAJOR SHOWS, SPEND TIME TO DETERMINE KEY PLAYERS

3. FUTURE
• THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT ROR THOSE WITH A VISION WHO ARE NOT AFRAID TO
STEP OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE. NO VISION OR LEADERSHIP WILL LEAD TO
ANOTHER ZOMBIE COMPANY.
• SINCE 2008 THE ECONOMY HAS CREATED MANY ZOMBIE COMPANIES. THEY LACK
THE RESOURCES ($, PEOPLE, LEADERSHIP) TO BREAK OUT OF THEIR ROUTINE AND
THEY CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME THING DAY AFER DAY AND YEAR AFTER YEAR.
EVENTUALLY THEY WILL DIE OR BE TAKEN OVER AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE.
• THE CHALLENGE FOR US AS LEADERS IS TO ENSURE YOU ARE WORKING ON YOUR
BUSINESS AND NOT JUST IN YOUR BUSINESS.
• IT’S TOO EASY TO BE BUSY DOING THINGS THAT HAVE TO GET DONE VERSUS
DOING WHAT IS IMPORTANT.