Trends in Print and Mail

The Berkshire Company Blog

Schedule Some Downtime

Posted by Mark Fallon on Jan 17, 2024 6:00:00 AM


People today are being asked to take on additional responsibilities, handle new projects, and do more with less. Schedules are tighter than ever. Customers demand quicker response times. More reports must be completed. And more meetings are added to your calendar. Despite working 10-hour days, plus weekends, you still feel overwhelmed. With no end in sight.

If this description hits close to home, then take this advice: schedule some downtime.

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Strategy / Leadership / reading / inspiration / management / growth

Growth and Opportunity

Posted by Mark Fallon on Mar 7, 2023 4:30:00 AM

"Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit." - Conrad Hilton


In the early years of my professional life, I changed jobs about every 18 months. Sometimes the new job would be a transfer within the company, other times I went to a new company. While I did resign from my roles, I never felt that I “quit”.

I would start at a company with a directive to improve the operation. When that was accomplished, I would look for new challenges and opportunities. If I couldn’t find them in my current role, I would start looking elsewhere. I had one boss that understood my personality, and he kept expanding my responsibilities. I stayed at that company 4 years, 4 months and 4 days.

Growth – personal and professional – requires change and movement. Smart managers and smart companies recognize the need for growth, and assist their employees with their development. If you aren’t able to continue to grow in your current job, you owe it to yourself to look elsewhere. 

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Strategy / Leadership / The Berkshire Company / consulting / learning / success / management / growth

My Favorite Books of 2022 – A Baker’s Dozen

Posted by Mark Fallon on Dec 21, 2022 4:30:00 AM

Books have been central to my life – all of my life. From sitting next to my mother while she read to me, to my father taking me to the library for the first time, to rummaging through bookstores during vacations. New books, used books, classics and pulp fiction. Science, history, the history of science and poetry. Genre isn’t important – good writing is.

Theodore Roosevelt, our most literate President, was often asked to list the books people should read.

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Leadership / print / The Berkshire Company / books / learning

Management by Fortune Cookie

Posted by Mark Fallon on Dec 1, 2022 7:37:11 AM

“Sorry, wrong cookie.” – Fortune Cookie

Many Sunday nights in my house begin with a call to the Wok and Roll restaurant. I’m a creature of habit, and I bet the manager writes down “Kung-Pao Chicken” as soon as she sees my telephone number on the Caller ID.

At the end of each meal, I indulge in another favorite habit, opening my fortune cookie. While I don’t believe that my future can be predicted by a random message placed in a mass-produced cookie, I still love those little notes.

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Operations Management / Strategy / Leadership / reading / success / positive / inspiration

The World's Slowest Cook

Posted by Mark Fallon on Oct 4, 2022 4:00:00 AM


Growing up, Sunday morning breakfasts were always special. Whoever woke up first – usually my mother – would fry up bacon in a cast iron skillet. Using the grease from the bacon, we would fry up our eggs in the same skillet. (I said the breakfasts were special, not healthy.)

Getting the chance to make breakfast was a rite of passage. One Sunday, I woke up early, and went down to the kitchen before anyone else. Excited, I heated up the skillet, got the bacon out of the refrigerator, and started cooking. A few minutes later, my mother came downstairs, gave me an amused smile, and asked if the coffee was ready. In my rush, I forgot about the coffee. So I lowered the heat on the bacon, and fired up the coffeemaker.

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Operations Management / Leadership / learning / success / mentorship

I Need to Read More Books

Posted by Mark Fallon on Feb 2, 2022 4:00:00 AM

What I bought on my summer vacation last year.

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Strategy / Leadership / The Berkshire Company / books / reading

The Self-Inflicted Troubles of the Postmaster General

Posted by Mark Fallon on Aug 10, 2020 4:00:00 AM

It’s been eight weeks since Mr. Louis DeJoy began his service as the 75th Postmaster General (PMG) of the United States and Chief Executive Officer of the United States Postal Service (USPS). In that short period of time, he’s done something his recent predecessors could not – have the Congress and the Press shine a spotlight on the USPS.

However, the coverage is around 99.76% negative.

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United States Postal Service / USPS / U.S. Postal Service / Leadership / Vote by mail / Postmaster General

Postmaster General DeJoy Should Know Silence Isn’t Golden

Posted by Mark Fallon on Jul 20, 2020 1:17:52 PM


Last month, Mr. Louis DeJoy began his service as the 75th Postmaster General (PMG) of the United States and Chief Executive Officer of the United States Postal Service (USPS). On his first day in office, PMG DeJoy released a video praising USPS employees and recognizing outgoing PMG Megan Brennan. It was an upbeat message that was received well by employees and customers alike.

There have been no public statements by PMG DeJoy since then. Just silence.

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United States Postal Service / USPS / U.S. Postal Service / Postage Rates / Leadership / Postal Regulatory Commission / Postmaster General

When Backup Plans Need Backup Plans

Posted by Mark Fallon on Mar 23, 2020 4:30:00 AM


On Sunday, I received an email from a client concerned about his disaster recovery plans. In the first line of his message, he acknowledged it was the weekend and added, “Unfortunately my brain won’t allow me to take too much time off!”

We then exchanged some emails and texts, with plans for a call on Monday morning to review his options. I know he didn’t want to bother me on a Sunday, but he had to start working on the problem as soon as possible.

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Mail Security / Strategy / Leadership / mail / disaster recovery / business continuity

Huddle Up!

Posted by Mark Fallon on Dec 2, 2019 6:30:32 AM


Before every play, a football team forms a huddle to call the next plan of action. In the best teams, players give feedback about what they’re seeing on the field, so the quarterback has the best information possible to make the right decision. When they break, everyone knows the objective, and their role in helping achieve that objective.

In businesses, teams should follow a similar pattern. At the start of each day, or shift, everyone on the team should come together for a briefing. We call this “the daily huddle”. It works for all types of organizations, and is especially helpful for print and mail operations.

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Operations Management / Leadership / mail / print