My name is Jack W Perry.
I created 38enso Publishing Services in 2009. I advise publishing companies, authors, booksellers, agents, anyone involved in the book industry. My work is split between helping publishers adapt to working with start-ups entering the publishing industry. I also consult regarding sales force structure; distribution models; and creating verticals within the publishers.
Basically, I help companies embrace digital and integrate it into their business.
I have written numerous research papers and reports. I have created many strategic plans based on this research. I am also available to help execute these plans. The digital world has rocked publishing, I can help set up policies and internal structure to take full advantage of the new world.
I have been in the book publishing and selling industry since 1987. I graduated with a BA in History and a BS in Finance and was starting a masters program at Univ. of Missouri – Columbia. I had a job as a receiving clerk in a Waldenbooks backroom in Columbia, MO. After three months, I was promoted to store manager. I moved to St. Louis to take that job. After two years in St.Louis, I re-located to south Florida and then to the home office in Stamford, CT. I was a national book buyer for the chain [1200 stores strong] for 3.5 years. I also earned my MBA at this time from Univ.of Connecticut — Stamford. I went to school two nights a week and every other weekend.
I moved to Ballantine next [a division of Random House]. I worked in National Accounts. Then I moved into a corporate position and helped to establish the NAMR program. It was a group dedicated to working with and in the B&N and Borders stores but employed by RH. Inc. I worked my way up at RH to VP-Sales Director. I worked for many imprints including little Random; Knopf; Vintage; Modern Library; and approximately 30 other imprints. After 8.5 years, it was time to move on. I returned to my mid-west roots and took a position as VP – Sales/Marketing/Publicity at Sourcebooks, an independent publisher based in Naperville, IL. A very productive two years but it was time to get back to NYC. I didn’t realize how much I had missed it here. I took a position at Scholastic as VP of Sales. While there, I helped direct the sales and distribution efforts of HARRY POTTER 6. I then returned to Random House and worked directly for the publisher (not Sales as before) working with sales, marketing, publicity, authors, agents and editors. I stayed there for three years and left in January 2009.
After leaving Random House, I decided to take a few months to review the industry. This was early 2009 and eBooks were just starting to shake the foundations of publishing. Amazon’s Kindle was barely a year old. I started meeting with hundreds of publishing people. I wanted to learn what was (is) happening in our industry. It is going through MAJOR TRANSITION. What was a sure way of publishing three years ago may not even be necessary today. I have learned a lot in my coffees, teas, lunches and continue to listen.
My goal is to add value. My goal is to solve problems for companies and set them up for the future within the publishing and book-selling world. Over the past five years I have taken on over two dozen clients. I have worked for Fortune 100 corporations, major and independent publishers, numerous start-ups and literary agencies. For more detail please check my CLIENTS AND PROJECTS page. What I enjoy about consulting is each company has a unique set of challenges, but also there are numerous best-practices that can be applied.
In October, we incorporated in New York. The company is simply 38enso Inc.
I have been focusing most of my time on Digital Strategy — what is it, what are the options, who is doing what? It touches every area of book publishing. Adopting new processes will help bring publishing into a prosperous future.
Digital is not the answer — but a big piece of it.
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