More Than a Printer: Mojave Printing Solutions, Victorville, CA

Print owners are a one-of-a-kind, stellar group of people.

Speak with any number of them, and you’ll quickly find incredible, talented, and hardworking people who simply want to serve others well and make a living in the process.

It is a true joy and pleasure to work within the printing industry and meet these incredible men and women stretching themselves and their companies to meet the needs of an ever-expanding industry.

Sam Pulice of Mojave Printing Solutions is no exception. Learn how he’s taken their printing business to new heights and the inner workings that make it possible.

Introducing Mojave Printing Solutions

Nestled in the High Desert region of Southern California between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Mojave Printing Solutions has made its mark in Victorville and surrounding areas.

In 1987, when big copiers were just coming on the scene, Mojave Copy was founded by Howard Kack. In addition to copying, this quick print shop found its niche in one- and two-color printing. But all that began to change in 2007 when Sam purchased the business and renamed it Mojave Printing Solutions.

Sam’s history in printing began as a press operator at a company called Anderson Lithograph. “One day, while I was watching our boys play baseball, I was asked if I’d ever considered owning my own company. I immediately said ‘no,’” explains Sam. “That conversation took place in 2006, and the guy who asked me that question happened to be Howard Kack’s CPA. Soon after, conversations with Howard began. However, it took me a year to fully decide and eventually purchase the company.”

Sam continues, “You see, I never really had a desire to own a printing company, and soon after I purchased the business, I remember asking my late wife, Carol, ‘What am I doing here?’ She looked at me and said, ‘You’re exactly where God wants you to be.’ That has stuck with me, and looking back, I can see how God’s hand had a hold of me.

As the printing industry changed, so did Mojave Printing Solutions. In 2013, Sam sold his last offset duplicator and went 100% digital.
“It didn’t take us long to move more into doing mailings and wide format printing. Soon, we began doing work for some of the fastest-growing companies in the High Desert, and I quickly realized that our future would be in signs and interior wall graphics.”

For over 15 years, Mojave has adapted and grown to remain relevant to the needs of its audience. Curious to learn how they’ve done it? It came down to five focus areas.

Five Focus Areas to Grow Your Print Business

1. Rethink How People Do Business with You

Even in all the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, some positives came as a result.

For Mojave Printing Solutions, Sam says, “COVID caused us to rethink how people do business with us. We started switching what we were doing, making more online availability for signs, and providing a way for our clients to order and pay online easily. Having people come into our shop or pay in-store was no longer conducive to what was needed, and it pushed us to change.”

That change has been a big step in the right direction for Sam and his team. “Those changes we made are still successful for us. After we realized what we were seeing, we started seeing ourselves as an online business, which made things a lot easier not only for our customers but also for us.”

2. Put Your Confidence in Your Team

Helen Keller famously said, “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.”

As business owners, you’ve most likely come to recognize the importance and impact a good team can have on your company, just as Sam and Mojave Printing Solutions have. “Turnover is so painful and expensive,” explains Sam. “Good quality employees play a huge factor in our success and are worth investing your time and effort in. We’re efficient at our shop because of our people, our equipment, and the confidence of our people working the equipment.”

3. Seize the Opportunities That Come from Thinking Differently

One of the most prominent areas where you’ll see the growth at Mojave Printing Solutions is in signage and wide format printing. While some think of wide format printing as posters and banners, Sam and his team have taken it to a whole new level.

“We’ve been doing a fair amount of indoor LED signage that doesn’t require an electrical license but does require a lot of creativity. We use multiple layers of material to create backlit LED signage for medical facilities, eye doctors’ offices, staffing agencies, and more. Signs is a much broader stroke than people realize. Even as a medium-sized printer, there are hundreds of types of signage we can be doing,” explains Sam.

“Once we purchased a CNC Router, we began to broaden our horizons even more. While we’re still making signs, this equipment also allows us to mill different things for manufacturing, such as little parts or trinkets,” says Sam. “In fact, I’d say that 60% of the time we’re thinking about printing on paper and direct mail, but 40% of the time we’re thinking, ‘What can we cut? Do we even need to print?’ and we end up just cutting out of metal.”

A leap in business model like this may seem scary to some, but Sam says, “Don’t be afraid to go into the sign business. It takes a lot of small steps to get to a bigger place, but it’s so worth it. We’ve been working on it since 2013, and in the last few years, it’s started to take off. Take the steps.”

4. Understand A Fluid Target Market

Thinking differently can often change your aim toward a different target market. In the case of Mojave Printing Solutions, their target market has changed to focus more on manufacturers.

“These manufacturers use safety signs, floor and wall graphics, privacy graphics, employee signs, etc. All of these we can produce in-house,” says Sam. “We’ve changed our focus to market to the HR, Plant, and Tech managers of these manufacturing plants. We’ve done signage for the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company and Church and Dwight, the ‘mothership company’ for other brands, such as Nair, Orajel, and Arm & Hammer. I’ve never marketed to most of these companies, but our signage opportunities have really opened the door for us.”

5. Capture the Power of Peers

In speaking with Sam, one of his greatest attributes is his humility in seeking and giving help. He recognizes the power of connection and coming together for mutual success.

“We’ve been a part of a peer group called ‘The Next Level Group’ for a number of years. The group consists of printers that range in sales from one million to over 10 million. We’re also a part of NPSOA. These groups are two of the most important things we have at our disposable,” explains Sam. “Having these kinds of consultants in our peers is invaluable. We can share ideas, and we can steal ideas. In the world of the internet, we can’t hide anyway. There’s no secret sauce and no reason we shouldn’t be sharing ideas with other people.”

Capturing a “More Than Print” Mindset

While some might spout technically savvy or radical ideas, Sam’s advice for capturing a “More Than Print” mindset is all about connection.

“Simply calling a customer and asking them how they’re doing can pay dividends in your business relationship. Call them up and see if you can come by and say hi,” explains Sam. “It’s a really great time to start being personal again. People are more open and want to see you. They’re not as stand-offish as they used to be.”

Parting Words of Wisdom

Sam’s parting words of wisdom for other printers are centered around one key idea: Listening.

“Listen to the people working with you and helping to make a difference in your company. Sometimes they don’t freely come out with ideas; you have to be willing to listen and engage them for the success of your company. When you do this, you’ll end up with some really good ideas. I know we did,” says Sam. “Also, utilize your peer groups, like the PrintOwners list. Plenty of printers have done the things you’re looking to do and are willing to share info if you just ask.”

 

This article originally appeared in the May 2022 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.