01732 759725 INTERVIEW 20 In 2023, PrintIT Reseller is celebrating ten years in print. In a series of exclusive interviews over the next year, we’re inviting industry veterans to share their experiences over the past decade, what they’ve learned, and the highs and the lows of our unique and challenging industry. Here, Jonathan Whitworth, Managing Director at DSales, shares his thoughts A decade in print PITR: What was your first job? JW: My first job after leaving school was with NatWest bank – and this actually marked my entry into the print sector too. I was charged with folding and posting out customers’ statements as well as printing cheque books. Back then, there wasn’t a centralised print function and printing chequebooks had to be done in branch – that was a huge part of my first job. PITR: What has been the high point of the decade? JW: Right now, I’d have to say successfully riding out the COVID pandemic and coming out the other side. But truthfully, there have been many highs over the past ten years – not least of which has been seeing the business grow and expand, I recall celebrating when we hit a turnover of £10 million and this year, we’ve achieved £15 million. There hasn’t been one singular thing I would highlight; we’ve had several bumps along the way, but we’ve come back bigger and better, and I wouldn’t change a thing. PITR: And the low point? JW: I know I am not the only one saying this, but the low point was the pandemic. Having to close the office and furlough my team was the absolute low point. The pressure of running my own business, knowing I was responsible for paying the bills and for my team’s jobs when it could all have disappeared overnight, was something I hope we never have to face again. PITR: What (or who) has had the greatest impact in the sector in the last 10 years? JW: That’s a tough question. Again, my answer relates back the pandemic, the changes to working practices will have a long lasting impact on the print channel. With large corporates making hybrid working the norm and the permanent closure of office buildings nationwide, print volumes are unlikely to come back to pre-pandemic levels. From our perspective, we’ve not been as heavily impacted as others, many of our partners serve the SMB and SoHo sectors and their customers are back to working in the office full-time, the local trusted partner is still very much in demand and for them, business is bouncing back which is great news. PITR: If you could change one thing about the last decade, what would it be? JW: I wouldn’t change a thing. I am not one to look back and have regrets. I am very much of the mind-set that it’s better to have tried, setting up DSales was a gamble, but I did it and I’m delighted that I did and that we’re very close to marking two decades. PITR: What has been your proudest moment of the past 10 years? JW: There have been loads of proud moments. But if I had to pick one, it would definitely be the fact that as a business, we are committed to giving back. I am very proud of the support we have given to many charities in particular Joining Jack and how onboard my whole team are in giving up their time freely to help and support our local community and a number of well-deserving charities including Overgate Hospice that are close to home. PITR: Sum up the decade in three words. JW: Tough but fun. PrintIT Reseller (PITR): You’ve been working in the print and IT industry for more than ten years. What led you to enter the sector? Jonathan Whitworth (JW): It wasn’t a conscious decision; the opportunity came along, and I took it. My first job involved knocking on doors in Kilburn collecting compliment slips and trying to sell fax machines. I then moved back up north and began to promote the Muratec brand of fax and then MFPs. We partnered with Develop for a while and that presented an opportunity for me to set up DSales as the exclusive UK distributor for the brand, that was 18 years ago, and I haven’t looked back. Jonathan Whitworth www.dsales.co.uk
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