More Than a Printer: Brandywine Printing in Cumming, GA

There are two words synonymous with Brandywine Printing: community and family.

But those aren’t the only words you could use to describe this family-owned, all-digital printing firm nestled south of the Chattahoochee National Forest and northeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Words such as growth, innovation, and networking could also easily roll off your tongue to highlight the legacy of this unique small business.

Introducing Brandywine Printing: All in the Family

Derek Brooks, the owner of Brandywine Printing, grew up in the printing industry helping his dad fulfill print orders out of their basement.

“My dad was a service tech for ABDick,” says Derek. “One day, he brought an old ABDick printing press home and refurbished it. He restored that press like a classic car taking out each and every piece. When he finished it and the person who was supposed to buy the press didn’t, Dad decided to try his hand at printing something. He started printing overflow jobs from his ABDick customers, then started working with brokers. Before we knew it, we had three presses in our basement, and I was 10 years old helping my dad.”

As it turns out, Derek’s dad, Derrell, excelled at printing, and the family business continued to thrive.

Derek continues, “Throughout my high school years, right after supper, I’d go down the basement with my dad, and we’d start printing and didn’t stop until “Arsenio Hall” came on. After I graduated in 1994, I decided to go into printing and was a press operator for a good long while.

We also built a big red barn in the backyard that same year. Since Dad was also a square dance caller at the time, the main floor was a 2,500 sq. ft. dance floor, and the ground level housed a 2,500 sq. ft. print shop.

We expanded that building a couple of times, but in 2006 when I took over the business, we built a 7,200 sq. ft. building that we’re still in today.”

You could attribute Brandywine’s success over the years to their continued growth, but how they achieved that growth is probably different than you might be thinking.

 A New Kind of Growth Plan

While much of the printing world focuses on their numbers, Derek takes a different approach to growing his business that can be broken down into the following tips.

Know Your Why

“A lot of people ask what my growth plan is, but what exactly is growth? Does it mean a big staff or more revenue?” Derek asks.

“I used to want to be the biggest printer in the world, and when that was my mission, I was unfulfilled. Being the biggest printing company doesn’t necessarily mean being the best. More and more, I’ve come to realize that I want to feel good about what we do and be more concerned about happiness than making a profit.”

It’s not hard for Derek’s thoughts to resonate with other print owners, but what does it take to get there?

“As it turns out, money doesn’t make me happy. Helping other people makes me happy. As Zig Ziglar says, ‘You can have everything in life you want if you will just help other people get what they want.’ I think he’s right. When I focus on helping others first, it just works out for me.”

Find a Stage in Your Community to Stand On

“My wife says that I jump out of bed and say, ‘Where’s the spotlight?’” laughs Derek.

“The truth is, I look for stages to stand on because that networking transpires to doing business with a lot of people because they’ve met me personally. For example, I have intentionally ingrained myself with our community’s Chamber of Commerce and currently serve as the board chair-elect. It’s good for me as a vendor to businesses to be in that world.”

Derek’s strategy is to be in the room with the right people at the right time with no other agenda than simply building relationships. Well, that, and Jeffrey Gitomer’s “50-Butt Rule” from his book, The Little Black Book of Connections.

“Gitomer’s rule states that, ‘If there are 50 butts in a room, mine is too.’ I’ve lived by that rule to grow our presence,” says Derek, “and it’s worked.”

Get (and Stay) Out of Debt

While most business owners have come to consider debt a normal and necessary part of operating a business, Derek disagrees, and for a good reason.

“We own our building and land and everything in it free and clear. If it weren’t for that, I don’t think we would’ve made it through COVID,” Derek explains.

When asked where his passion for getting and remaining debt-free came from, Derek explained, “Back in 2008, we financed an expensive piece of equipment. Throughout the last 12 months of payments, we never even turned the machine on because of the ongoing recession. It generated zero dollars in revenue during that time. Then, when we sold all our offset equipment to switch to digital, we sold that piece of equipment at a fraction of what we purchased it for.”

Derek continues, “It was a challenging time but pivotal in helping us figure out who we are today. It’s also when I learned not to borrow money because you never know what will happen. I promised myself that I would never be in that position again. So, when COVID hit, we did ok. We had cash in the bank and no debt.”

Remain Focused on People

Successful growth comes from serving people well, whether they’re your customers or your employees.

“It’s incredibly difficult for small printers to compete with online printers,” says Derek. “So, the next best step is to be as easy as possible to work with and provide better service. This is why we’re 100% focused on people. This is why we invest in a website that serves our customers well.”

Brandywine focuses on its employees as well but a little differently than you might expect. As Derek explains, “For years, we’ve started at 7:00 AM, but our business hours are from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The first hour of our day, we’re not allowed to talk to each other – it’s our focus time. We’re also closed to the public on Fridays and go ‘all hands on deck’ in production from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM. That schedule has worked well for us.”

Parting Words of Wisdom

When asked what words of wisdom Derek has for printers looking to capture a growth mindset, he says, “You have to communicate with your customers the way they want to, not the way you want to. If you have a relationship with your customers, you can figure that out. But, if you’re just selling printing, you’re talking at folks and not communicating with them. Ask yourself why you’re doing the things you’re doing. Is it still the best way? The only way? Don’t be afraid of the things that will make you better. Remember, profit is only a result of doing the right things, and it’s doing the right things that will make you happy.

This article originally appeared in the September 2021 issue of NPSOA magazine. For more information on how you can become an NPSOA member and enjoy the many benefits offered there, contact Member Services at membership@npsoa.org or head to their website at NPSOA.org.