I Can’t Believe It’s Been 25 Years!

I was talking to someone the other day, and the topic of work came up, and we shared how we got our start in our respective industries. I mentioned I had been covering print and graphics since I graduated from college — Digital Output magazine was my very first post-graduate job! And after a few beats, I realized that was back in 2001. 25 years ago.

Wow, I feel old.

But talk about a wild ride! I’ve been privileged to see the industry evolve in some pretty spectacular ways. Inkjet isn’t niche anymore — but offset is going that route. Automation isn’t science fiction. Heck, even AI is rapidly changing the world, not just our industry, and that’s happening in real time.

But on the other hand, there are a lot of things that have remained the same. The commitment to quality. The struggle to create that quality while adhering to both deadlines and budgets. The passion for craft and excitement for what’s next. The spirit of the printing industry remains the single best thing about it. The technology can come and go, the applications may change, but the people will always remain the heart of what we do. And that is why I still love this industry, all these years later.

Thinking back to my first trade show, when Graph Expo was the big-ticket event in Chicago every year, I still remember the feeling stepping onto the floor. The smell of the ink. The sound of the presses. And the electric feeling that seemed to just get into your blood and leave you energized for weeks and months after. Today, it’s PRINTING United Expo, and while the smell of the ink doesn’t permeate the building anymore (we have learned better!), I still get excited by the sights and sounds, and I still adore talking to the people and getting that electric feeling, every time.

Way back when, when I was fresh out of college just looking for a job, any job, in B2B media, the team at Digital Output took a chance on me. That team has long moved on, and the magazine sold (now under management by the fantastic team at Rockport Custom Publishing), but I’ll always remember that time fondly, since it not only honed the way I think about my craft, it sparked a love of print and graphics that has never faded. And my second job at Printing News (which has also moved to new management under WhatTheyThink in the years since) refined it. It gave me the opportunities to truly become the editor, writer, and print geek I am today. The PRINTING United Alliance team I work with now has just continued a long history of working with amazing people, helping me grow ever more deeply in love with print every day.

So, thank you to those very first editors, publishers, and managers who saw a young kid fresh out of college and took a chance. And thank you to everyone who has helped me grow and learn and try new things since. It’s been a truly amazing 25 years in this industry — and I’m very much looking forward to 25 more!