The Berkshire Company Blog

Tell Me Your Story

mmf@berkshire-company.com (Mark Fallon) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:30:00 GMT

“Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark.” – Kate DiCamillo

Some of my favorite memories from childhood were when my uncle, Father John Fallon, a Catholic priest, would tell us stories. He would talk about my grandfather and great-grandfather, about growing up during the Great Depression, and about adventures he shared with my father. He would finish one story, and then somehow, the ending would lead into another memory.

Even the saddest stories were told with a smile. My grandfather’s death wasn’t about their loss, but about how people crossed economic lines and religious affiliation to show their respect to his memory. Having to sell the family farm didn’t end with tears, but with a joke my ancestors played on the wealthy buyer.

I was never bored, even when he repeated the same story from the week before.

Be the Light

mmf@berkshire-company.com (Mark Fallon) — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” – Edith Wharton

The Unseen Strength of Beauty

mmf@berkshire-company.com (Mark Fallon) — Wed, 13 May 2026 08:14:59 GMT

“Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.” – Alice Mackenzie Swaim

I love watching the first blooms of early spring. Tulips, daffodils, and crocus have been lying dormant for almost a year. When they make their appearance each April, it reminds me that warmer weather is on the horizon. The promise of more daylight, more time outdoors, and even more flowers.

Every so often, winter ignores the calendar.

5 Elements of an Optimal RFP

mmf@berkshire-company.com (Mark Fallon) — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:30:00 GMT

In previous posts on requests for proposals (RFPs), we’ve discussed the team, the process, and the reasons why RFPs work. It’s just as important to consider what is included in the actual RFP document. With that in mind, here are the five elements of an optimal RFP:

Clear directions, with a single point of contact
Distinct sections for each subject
Provide answers to all vendor questions to all vendors

Redefining the Problem

mmf@berkshire-company.com (Mark Fallon) — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Real life situation: approximately 1 to 2 tons of material has to be moved.

There are no power tools, so the material has to be moved manually.

There’s only one person available to perform the work. Unfortunately, that person is an elderly person with a disability that limits how much they can lift.

Sounds like an impossible problem.

But it wasn’t.

Changing Times: 5 Ways to Improve Your Professional Network

mmf@berkshire-company.com (Mark Fallon) — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:29:59 GMT

Several years ago, I wrote a post about the “Boomer Brain Drain” at the US Postal Service (USPS). The article talked about the growing number of retirements at the USPS, and the need to train replacements. The post is almost evergreen, as the points it makes remain relevant today. It seems we are constantly receiving industry alerts from the USPS announcing the departure of another senior leader.

These changes aren’t limited to the USPS. Each week, my LinkedIn feed includes another peer sharing their transition to retirement. When we send out volume emails, there’s always return messages with the phrase “unknown user”. More and more, friends and contacts are transitioning out of the industry.

At the same time, we are seeing a surge of new people entering the industry. Almost every major trade show and conference reported record numbers of first-time attendees. From young people starting their careers, to others making a change in professions.

My Top Books of 2025: A Baker’s Dozen

mmf@berkshire-company.com (Mark Fallon) — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:29:59 GMT

"To live wonder-smitten with reality is the gladdest way to live." - Maria Popova

As my friends and clients know, I have systems for tracking many of my activities. For books, I have two systems – an MS Access Database and posting on Goodreads. The database allows me to track different categories, quickly organize by title or author, and create the content for a page on my website.

To choose my “top books for 2025”, I narrowed my reading list to only those that I gave a 5-star rating on Goodreads. Many of the books I read were published years ago; sometimes many, many years ago. My tastes range from history to poetry to science to social commentary. And sometimes I read books that involve mail. (Note: I do read fiction, but rarely do any of those books rate 5 stars.)

In alphabetical order by author, here are the thirteen books I most enjoyed in 2025.

Poor Richard and Today's USPS

mmf@berkshire-company.com (Mark Fallon) — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 09:30:00 GMT

“Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.” – March 1736

As we close the 250^th anniversary year for the US Postal Service (USPS), we should remember that it is one of the longest enduring government institutions serving our citizens. Almost every day, almost every address in the country receives a visit from a letter carrier. These visits are part of the USPS “obligation to provide postal services to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people.”

Ben Franklin recognized the importance of an effective and efficient public postal service.

Poor Richard and Networking

mmf@berkshire-company.com (Mark Fallon) — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 09:29:59 GMT

“Reading makes a full man, meditation a profound man,
discourse a clear man.” – October 1738

“Generous minds are all of kin.” – March 1734

Ben Franklin understood the importance of networking. Whether building a printing company, founding a library, or creating a postal service, he was successful because he involved others. Significant achievements are never completed alone, but with the help of others.

The best way to connect with the people who can help you – networking. And how we define success determines how we network. A lesson I learned from my father, Bill Fallon, I’m sure Mr. Franklin would approve of my choice for a role model – Bill had a career at the US Postal Service.

Poor Richard and Shop Hours

mmf@berkshire-company.com (Mark Fallon) — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 08:30:00 GMT

“Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee.” – June 1735

The print and mail industry is an era of innovative technologies that are transforming the largest and the smallest operations. The rise of cloud-based systems and software-as-a-service remove the obstacles to improved address management, document enhancements, and workflow. Inkjet printing, wide-format equipment, and better finishing hardware continue to drive down costs. In-plant operations and service bureaus have more options to exceed their customers’ expectations.

An option that always needs to considered is changing your operating and customer service hours.