AI only creates value when it hits the P&L. Amy Servi-Bonner explains why most print companies are getting AI wrong, and how to build the governance, metrics, and knowledge capture needed to make it pay off - before the hype leaves you behind.

Colin Sinclair McDermott, the Online Print Coach, continues the Printing United Expo series with Amy from Printing AI, whose career spans 30 years of business technology transformation, ERP, e-commerce, cloud, retail operations, and now sovereign AI in print. Amy shares how she moved from California to Michigan and into the print industry, how an early AI workflow for customer inquiries changed her perspective, and why she became convinced that AI is not a trend to watch, but a capability to manage strategically.

You'll discover why so many AI projects fail to deliver commercial value, why the print industry's history of failed ERP and MIS rollouts has made teams understandably cautious, and why starting with the tool is almost always backwards. Amy breaks down her MAP-style governance approach through decision authority, override ownership, baseline metrics, and review cadence, and explains why the right question is not "What can AI do?" but "What problem are we solving, and how will we measure it?"

She also makes a strong case for sovereign AI and knowledge sovereignty, arguing that one of the biggest opportunities in print is capturing the tribal knowledge locked inside experienced operators, estimators, and production leaders before it walks out the door. With the average commercial inkjet operator now around 48 years old, the stakes are real: if that knowledge is not captured, businesses risk costly disruption, lost customers, and a dangerous overreliance on tools that do not understand their workflow.

Amy also previews the Printing AI Pavilion at Printing United Expo in Vegas, where the focus is on real P&L impact, curated sponsors, deeper conversations, and practical use cases, not a vendor petting zoo. Add in her book Owning the Machine, her no-nonsense take on overhyped AI use cases, and a quick-fire round that reveals the tools and processes she actually trusts, and you have an episode packed with straight-talking insight for print leaders who want to move from experimentation to real business outcomes.

Essential listening if you're in print, operations, technology, or leadership and you want AI to do more than entertain you.

Trade shows are not dead - they are where industries still make the deals, meet the people, and spark the ideas that change everything. Joshua Carruth, Executive Vice President of Expositions at Printing United Alliance, reveals why the best events are built on buy-in, serendipity, and a lot of controlled chaos.

From hurricane evacuations on dive boats in the Cayman Islands to bomb threats, sprinkler disasters, and even a live goat request, Josh shares the wildest moments from a career spent keeping major expos running when everything threatens to go sideways. But this conversation goes deeper than behind-the-scenes stories - it’s a sharp look at what makes a truly great trade show, why virtual events can’t replace real-world connection, and how Printing United is building spaces where the right conversations happen on purpose. You’ll discover:

• Why exhibitors, not organizers, are the real owners of a great trade show
• How convergence is reshaping print and why technologies spread faster when industries collide
• What the Spilled Ink District is designed to unlock for attendees, from peer roundtables to headshots and workforce support
• Why the AI Pavilion is becoming a must-see destination for practical, business-changing ideas
• How unexpected hallway conversations can lead to business shifts you never planned for

Joshua also explains what surprised him most after entering print through the apparel world, why the industry is far more connected than outsiders realize, and why live events came roaring back after COVID. If you care about trade shows, print, or the power of getting the right people in the same room, this one is essential listening. Perfect for exhibitors, printers, marketers, and anyone who believes the best opportunities still happen face-to-face.

In this episode, Colin Sinclair McDermott speaks with Ford Bowers, CEO of PRINTING United Alliance, about his unconventional path into print, the lessons he learned running production operations, and why he believes the industry is stronger when it works together.

Ford also shares the thinking behind Printing United Expo, the challenges of membership growth, and why advocacy, workforce development, and promoting print as essential are now central to the alliance’s mission.

Key Topics Covered

• How Ford accidentally entered the print industry
• Learning print production from the ground up
• Managing a vertically integrated retail print operation
• The collegial, supportive culture within print
• The difference between running a print business and leading an association
• How SGIA evolved into Printing United Alliance
• Why unified industry advocacy matters
• Workforce development and attracting new talent
• The role of Printing United Expo in the industry
• Membership growth, value, and the challenge of long-term engagement