I Built An Amazing Print Business...
Then I Wrecked It...
Over 30 years in print at the highest levels has taught me how print businesses REALLY grow and scale, and FAIL.
Would that be helpful information for you? When I share the eight reasons why my business failed many business owners shake their heads as they can relate to some of those mistakes. Others shake all over as they can relate to them all.
Today I use those lessons, the good ones and the bloody painful ones, to help print and graphics businesses become more profitable, less dependent on their owners and considerably harder to wreck.
Does Some Of This Sound Familiar?
Busy, but cash flow is often tight.
Staff issues never seem to stop.
Prices under constant pressure.
Kit payments that don't care about quiet months.
Increasing customer demands.
Marketing just doesn't work as well as it did.
Not enough hours in the day.
I'm guessing you nodded at a few of those. Perhaps more than you'd like to admit. None of them are unusual in print, but that doesn't mean you have to accept them as normal.
The challenge is working out which problems need fixing first.
PRINT IS DIFFERENT.
SO GENERIC BUSINESS ADVICE DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK.
The rules change for print and graphics businesses, the "proven" methods from other industries rarely work. They don't appreciate the high fixed overheads, the investment in new and ever changing technology, and how aging equipment erodes margin through inefficiencies
If you've never felt it, how can you fix it?
Few appreciate the pricing pressures in the trade, and all this in an industry that is wrongfully seen as dated, and wasteful. It's time for print to fight back.
Would you like some help with that?
I Don't Teach Print Businesses From A Textbook Or Manual
I Built: an award-winning, multi-outlet, multi-million-pound print business.
I Scaled: and became the largest independent print chain in the country.
I Wrecked: that business failed on its 20th birthday.
I Learned: that most of the reasons were avoidable.
Corporate: Production Director at Tradeprint, involved through the Cimpress/Vistaprint acquisition, then Plant Director and shareholder.
I Wrote: How To Wreck Your Business, which became an Amazon #1 bestseller.
I Now:
help print businesses spot the problems I didn't see.
Some Of The Trade Publications That Listen To What We Say... Which Is Always Nice
How To Wreck Your Business - The Amazon #1 Best Seller
the story of amazing print success, and the hull crushing lows of avoidable business failure
THE MOST DANGEROUS PRINT BUSINESS ISN'T ALWAYS THE ONE THAT'S STRUGGLING.
It's the one that looks successful.
My business didn't fail on its 20th Birthday, that's just when it died.
It failed many years before that. It looked amazing, and was hugely successful on paper, but I ignored the warning signs. I was
arrogant and complacent, I can blame many things for my demise, but the
real reason why my amazing business failed, well, I can find that in any mirror!!
The warning signs are always there, they hide in plain sight, it's up to us to
read the signs, change the course, and
take the action.
Print businesses can look healthy right up until the point they aren't. Turnover does not guarantee profit. Growth does not provide stability. Most print businesses that fail, fail after they looked successful. That's a sore one, that was me!! Can you recognise any "False Successes"? They often hide in plain sight.
Where Do You Want To Start?
You don't need to do everything. You just need to do something. Pick the option that best describes where you are right now.
Want To Improve The Business Every Week?
Print Mastery
£49 per month
52 practical modules.
One every week.
Around 29 minutes.
No 10X bullshit, just consistent improvement.
All for just £49 +VAT per month
Want To Talk About Your Business?
The Power HOUR
£0.00
One hour.
Your business.
Your agenda. Growth, profit, marketing, systems, people or whatever is keeping you awake.
It's your hour. It's FREE
Not Sure What Needs Fixing?
Print Business REALITY Check
£0.00
This is where you need to start, the blunt and honest REALITY of where your business is today, right now.
16 questions. Five minutes. Identify where profit, growth or value may be leaking from your business. FREE.
Want Different THINKING?
The "Disruptors Club"
£0.00
Monthly discussion for owners who don't want to look and sound like everybody else.
This is NOT networking.
This is getworking.
52 Weeks
52 Improvements
29 Minutes A Week
The Print Mastery Programme was born out of frustration with the hype-driven courses flooding the print and graphics industry, the ones promising 10x growth or seven-figure months with nothing but empty claims behind them. It's built to be the opposite: substance over waffle, fact over open-ended promises. Print Mastery Weekly delivers 52 focused modules, one a week, each designed to be digested in under thirty minutes. It's all about consistency and small, continual improvements, for £49 a month.
Take The Reality Check
Get Your Personalised Print Business Reality Report
Once you have completed the Print Master Reality Check you'll get to see your score and how to improve your business, all stuff you can use straight away. But there's MORE, we're also going to send you a Print Mastery Reality Report. A more detailed breakdown of what to improve to get your business exactly where you want it to be.
people say the nicest things
We're Awesome... But Don't Take My Word For It
I just wanted to touch base and say I am thoroughly enjoying the book so far. I love your "say it as it is" way of storytelling and the fact of how open and honest you are. I wanted to let you know that up until this point of my life, I always thought that because I never gave a crap about Maths in school and didn't apply myself to certain subjects, I was destined for failure. Well, your book so far has changed my views on that. You're an inspiration sir, and I am very glad to have made your acquaintance. Thank you for the book. I am hooked!
James Reader
Patron Print Ltd (January 2026)
I have been running my own business for over 10years now and I took away numerous nuggets that I will be implementing in my business. Stuart talks very openly of the good times and the bad times of running a multi million pound business
There is a saying that it is a wise man that learns from his mistakes and an even wiser man that learns from the mistakes of others. Stuart is refreshingly honest about the mistakes he made first time round and I think they are mistakes that any of us could/would make/are making
This is one the most comprehensive business development courses I have ever come across
Alec Sharples
Fineline Printing
A Bit About Me - I know, boring!!
Hi, my name is Stuart Mason. I'll be your guide on this mission.
30+ years in print | Amazon #1 Bestselling Author | Former Tradeprint Production Director | Built and wrecked a multi-million-pound print business.
Do I need to waffle on?
Oh, and yes, I know - I have a face for radio.
Stuart Mason
"There are so many nuggets of knowledge in there that really help you focus and create a plan!"
Nadin Thomson - Business Image
YOUR PRINT BUSINESS DOESN'T NEED MORE INFORMATION.
It Needs The Right DIRECTION
You've probably already got a good idea where some of the problems are.