Color management is the controlled conversion from one color standard to another and between various devices such as monitors, proofing systems and print presses. Its primary goal is to obtain a visual close match across any output medium, and to meet expectations established when the image was initially approved. And this is where color management often fails, and which subsequently requires...

No, I don’t mean we have to be optimists to flourish. I mean that a lot of us must be optimists because we don’t change, yet we expect things to get better. Here’s a recent example. A small shop in the Midwest has sales of $250,000 this year, which is down from $300,000 in 2010. The owner is taking compensation of only $15,000 per year, while a federal minimum wage full-time job would...

Could you imagine buying a house and the seller asks to review your financial analysis showing how much money you’re going to make from the investment? Residential real estate practice would consider this an absurd request, instantly denied. The buyer is paying the agreed-upon price in full with cash at closing and the seller has no reason to pry into the buyer’s affairs. But in the crazy...

Last week I had the opportunity to attend EFI’s Connect conference at the Wynn Las Vegas. Now in its 14th year, EFI Connect caters to graphic arts business leaders' need for continued innovation and education and profitable growth opportunities. Graphic arts professionals had the opportunity to participate in more than 150 sessions covering MIS/ERP software, Web-to-print systems, industrial...

As he handed me my birthday gift last year, my son said, “Mom, before you open this I have to warn you that I’ve committed sacrilege.” He spoke the truth. Resting inside the wrappings was a Nook e-reader. To get the full impact of this, you need to understand that when I say Bob and I are book people, it’s like saying the ocean is a tad damp. After a recent cleaning frenzy, we...

“You are only as good as your worst employee.” I heard this from one of the attendees during a recent seminar. I thought it was so appropriate. There are many shops out there that will never be as good as what the owner desires, because they continue to put up with underachievers or bad-attitude employees. Even though finding a replacement for this type of individual is a top concern for...

By John Giles With all of the cool new print equipment and technology at drupa and at the upcoming Graph Expo, printers need to make sure they are covering the basics before they add something new to their production mix, especially if it requires a big investment. Financials – In this day and time, you need strong financial information before you make a decision and ask your banker for...

By Bob Hall An op-ed piece in this Sunday’s paper caught my eye with the headline: “Writing: more important than ever” Since I’ve blathered on about lousy writing over the years, I had to read the article. Pointing out that documents written centuries ago still influence our lives (the Bible, the Quran, the Constitution, etc.), the authors noted that technology is spurring another...

A MyPrintResource.com exclusive By Mark Vruno, MPR Portal Editor Akin to automakers, press manufacturers face the sullen fact that not very many commercial printer budgets can withstand brand-spanking-new hardware investments. That explains why still-struggling OEMs are more warmly embracing the idea of selling their own used or “pre-owned” output devices, be they conventional iron or...