Executive Q&A: Nathan Mullikin of Trade Printer Navitor

PN: Tell us a little about your company, the segment of the market it serves, and what you consider to be your "core" users.

NM: I work with a very engaged and dynamic team at Navitor, which is a part of the Taylor Corporation family of companies. We are one of the largest commercial wholesale printers in the country. We provide our programs, products, and technology exclusively to print resellers and retailers.

PN: How did you get involved with the company? What is your background before that?

NM: I’m a business and tech person by trade and training. I started in the tech industry in the late '90s, bought a few investment properties while I was finishing college (it was in the age where the banks gave money to anyone), but always wanted something bigger. I moved to Mankato 12 years ago, and since moving I’ve worked at Taylor Corporation in various leadership roles in manufacturing, sales, business development, even establishing a start-up overseas. I’ve been back with the Navitor team for just over a year now.

PN: What do you consider your greatest achievement in this market to be?

NM: Navitor has continued to adapt. We’ve been able to advance in terms of online ordering platforms that make it easy for our customers to work more closely and efficiently with theirs. We continue to invest in a customer service team that truly listens and responds to our customers’ needs. We’ve also remained cutting-edge when it comes to the newest manufacturing equipment and techniques.

PN: If there is anything you could change, either about your career in regards to the print industry, your company, or the market as a whole, what would it be and why?

NM: If I could change anything about those of us in the print industry, it would be the speed at which we embrace technology. For many years, overwhelmingly, we thought it was a threat, a new trend that would increase our expenses and ultimately drive many of us out of business.  The industry leaders today, and tomorrow, are those of us who’ve figured out how to embrace it as an asset.

PN: What do you consider the greatest challenge to be for the industry right now? What do you consider the greatest asset to be for the industry right now? Why?

NM: Technology really provides us with the biggest challenge and the biggest asset for the industry, depending on how we address it. Technology has been replacing a number of the day-to-day communications like letters, but it’s also given us new ways to add value to customer orders, new ways to manage orders, and new ways to engage with customers.

PN: In your opinion, what have been the biggest changes to the way we communicate with one another in the past few years? How would you recommend this industry take advantage of that?

NM: Communication has become much more short form with the rise of social media, chat, blogs, etc. Instead of having long conversations, our exchanges with customers and others in the industry have become far more brief. The risk is believing that these exchanges are any less important or robust than before. These snippets of communication may only come in 144 characters (or less) at a time, but if you’re really gathering and listening, what your customers are telling you or asking you for, becomes quite vivid.

PN: Looking ahead, what major innovations or technologies do you believe will shape the future of the industry? Why?

NM: While digital printing isn’t new, it’s going to continue to shape the print market in the future with more options for personalization. 3D printing, while it’s not a part of Navitor’s plan for the future, is also changing the landscape of what print can do; we’re only at the start of what it can do.

PN: What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to printers and others involved in this industry?

NM: Stay true to your core, but don’t let that keep you from evolving. Embrace the technology and market advancements that are being made, and understand how you can use them to benefit your customers and your business.

PN: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

NM: From a Navitor perspective, it’s a very exciting time and I’m proud to be part of it. Our growth in the wholesale market will continue to allow us to not only take great care of our customers but integrate new ways to add value so that they can grow with their customers for years to come. For more information regarding our products, services, and the variety of ways we help our partners, check us out at www.navitor.com, or give us a call at 866-628-6868.