“What’s your
twenty?”
That’s another
way of saying, “Where are you?” And it’s a great question to ask as we
celebrate our “twenty” – the 20th Anniversary of Creative Source.
We’ve come a
long way in 20 years. Dave Hess and I started the company with three other
associates in 1996. We had previously worked together in the marketing
department at Camelot Music, once one of the world’s largest music retailers.
Based in North Canton, Camelot and other retail music chains began to disappear
in the 1990s as the industry scrambled to keep up with the digital age. Seeing
the handwriting on the wall, a group of us struck out on our own to form
Creative Source.
Since then, the
world has been turned on its head by technology. When we opened our doors, the
Internet was still a novelty. Most people didn’t own home computers to connect
to it, let alone enjoy the convenience of smart phones and other mobile devices
we take for granted today.
The music
industry had experienced rapid change in the 1970s and '80s. Record albums and
45s gave way to 8-track tapes, then cassettes, and then CDs. Movies and TV
shows moved from VHS tapes to Laser Discs to DVDs and Blu-ray. Today, it’s all
about the Internet and apps.
In the sign
industry, similar changes have occurred. I recall when we were at Camelot and
desktop computing technology became available. We were told that we could have
one computer for a department of five graphic artists. (Our IT department
thought they were being generous when they gave us 2GB of server space!) The
breakthrough came when we finally got five computers (one for each artist),
each with 560MB of storage, along with a scanner and a black-and-white
printer—all for $50,000. Systems that are infinitely more powerful today can be
purchased for a fraction of that cost.
Over time that
computer technology, combined with the speed of delivery available over the
World Wide Web, reduced production times from weeks or even months to just
days, and sometimes even hours.
 |
| (An early version of our logo) |
Even as we’ve
witnessed breathtaking technological progress over these past 20 years, we’ve
been reminded that some things are timeless. I remember Paul David, the founder
of Camelot, saying, “Success in business comes from offering a great product,
providing outstanding service, and building strong relationships.”
Maybe that’s
why our company is built as much on relationships as anything else. Sure, we’re
experts in producing signs, banners, displays and large format printing for
businesses of all sizes. But, more than that, we strive to be a unique and innovative
resource center for good ideas. We get to know our customers and help them
develop cost-effective marketing solutions. It’s a formula that has served us
well.
As we celebrate
20 years in business, I want to extend my personal thanks to all those who have
been a part of the journey. What began out of necessity has developed into a
small but powerful example of the American Dream. We’re honored to be a part of
the community and hope you’ll join us in 2016 as we celebrate this important
milestone in our company’s history.
Mike Boyd is the president of Creative Source, a Canton, Ohio sign company.
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