Impressions - May 2020 - 28

many others, relied heavily on how things work when inventing and
developing new ideas and processes.
Impressions: Hybrid printing is currently the next trend poised to
take over the industry. What's your take on this technology and how
decorators can leverage it to increase sales?
Coudray: Hybrid printing is an interim step to full implementation
of DTG. It is following the exact same path that happened to the
graphic screen printers before digital wide-format printing made them
largely obsolete in the early 2000s. If you are a decorator, this is the
natural evolution.
The biggest advantage for leveraging hybrid printing is through a
process called variable data printing (VDP) This is where different
designs or colorways are printed on a common base. You also can use
VDP for applying different names and numbers.
The current application of VDP is very simple. It is an incredibly
powerful tool when combined with other data sources to create fully
variable data. That is too big of a step at the current time but is fully
developed on the graphic side (non-textile or wide format.)
Impressions: You have had to redefine yourself throughout your career.
Discuss how you approached this redefinition and what helped you
do it successfully.
Coudray: I was forced to redefine my role because of multiple factors
beyond my own control. Two of these were the market changes resulting from the 2008 recession and a personal tragedy that came right
as we were coming out of the recession. The combination proved too
much and we ended up closing our own print operation. When I regrouped from that, I realized that all the elements that caused my own
apparently healthy business to collapse were present in virtually every
other business I looked at. Consequently, I pivoted my focus toward
the marketing and finance optimization necessary to create a healthy,
resilient business that can weather cyclical hardships.
Impressions: Discuss innovation when it comes to your approach to
cash flow and profit. How is "Profit First" a good foundation of this
innovation?
Coudray: Profit First is a proven, documented method that gets you
paying yourself first and taking your profit first. If you do that, and you
don't have enough at the end to pay your bills, you have just discov-

ered the reality you have a business that isn't viable. I brought Profit
First to the industry in the spring of 2018 and was the Profit First
Professional of the Year for 2019 globally because of the success it has
delivered to decorators.
It takes six to 16 months to fully transition from your current state
to a fully functioning Profit First business. The results are amazing and
transformative. There is a Profit First for Screen Printers Group on
Facebook. There are about 400 members as of this time.
Impressions: As a consultant, are there any clients whose stories stick
out as memorable or teachable moments for others looking to grow
their businesses?
Coudray: There are many. The successes follow a documented path. The
first step is assessment to determine the current state of the business.
The second is to implement Profit First and select up to four key niches
or areas of specialization. This allows for focus and optimization. I call
this my Personal Fitness Training Plan for Business. A particularly
good success story is Ali Banholzer from Spirit Warehouse. She has
exploded her growth and market using these strategies.
Impressions: Social media is proving to be indispensable as a marketing tool. What's your opinion of innovation in this area? How should
apparel decorators be using social to reach their audiences?
Coudray: Social media is one of the most popular and newest channels
through which to market. The various platforms are only channels, in
the same way that retail, direct mail, online stores, etc., also are channels. The more evolved model is called omnichannel and involves the
integration of all channels.
Coming out of the COVID-19 crisis will be a redefining of how
we do business. It will be a time of tremendous opportunity for those
who were fortunate enough to survive. Sadly, there will be many casualties. At the very least, decorators need to know their niches and
where the customers in those niches are hanging out. Their role is
to be a voice of authority and expertise to their markets. This might
mean trending design, but more importantly, it is understanding the
needs of their markets.
The very worst thing they can be doing is pushing out messages
basically saying, "Buy my stuff." The role to take is one of being helpful
and an expert in your understanding of the market and how decorated
apparel and promotional products can enhance the market experience. 

The progression of digital printing,
including wide-format applications,
represents a natural evolution for
graphic screen printers.

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