Leadership Impact

As we prep for the 106th ABMA convention to be held March 22-25, 2023, on Coronado Island in the San Diego, California area, I am really looking forward to the keynote speech on “Leadership Matters” scheduled for the Thursday morning session. With our ongoing celebration of the 125th anniversary for Brushware, I've now had the opportunity to speak with two of the previous owners and certainly those conversations revealed quite a bit about their different styles and my own style in leading the magazine. You'll find the interview with Carl Wurzer who owned the magazine from 1976 to 1999 on page 14, and he certainly provided some fascinating insights about his time with Brushware.

Continuing the theme, in our profile on page 18, CEO Frits Doddema of Montipower also offers an in-depth view on leadership while emphasizing some of the key traits of good leaders. It’s an engaging read and I recommend the piece to anyone aspiring to future leadership.

For the convention overall, I'm excited to get the chance again to squeeze in some conversations with our readers and advertisers to get a reading on sentiment around the industry. While we are still in the midst of the latest round of challenges for business, I am so far a bit surprised that in the Brushware world and many other B2B segments that I am involved in, we are seeing quite a bit of marketing activity. Specifically from the Brushware perspective, we are seeing more leads from the online directory, more general inquiries, more interest in subscriptions, more page views and escalating growth in our digital magazine engagement.

I get the sense that many leaders in business have become accustomed to the headwinds and have simply resolved that they are going to expand business no matter what comes next. It could be impatience, but the attitude seems to be, “we can sit around and worry or we can be active in pushing our business forward.” It's a practical approach no matter what and even more so as many are predicting we are likely to see improved business conditions by the second half of 2023. Of course, I am certainly a subscriber to the move forward and grab the bull by the horns approach when attracting new business. Fight through the storm and come out stronger on the other side.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Brushware and if you are attending the ABMA Convention, please be sure and track me down. I always enjoy meeting our readers and I look forward to great discussion and feedback.

Dylan Goodwin | Publisher dylan.goodwin@goodwinworldmedia.com

Issue #23-02

Brushware – a bi-monthly publication edited for key personnel in the brush, roller, broom, mop and applicator industry. Published continuously through the years, the one publication that is the spokesman for the brush and allied industries: 1898-1923, called Brooms, Brushes & Handles; 1924-1947, called Brooms, Brushes & Mops, 1948-today, called Brushware

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Brushware Magazine

Goodwin World Media LLC P.O. Box 7093

Overland Park, KS 66207 Tel: 913-636-7231

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Susan Goodwin info.brushware@goodwinworldmedia.com

PUBLISHER

Dylan Goodwin dylan.goodwin@goodwinworldmedia.com

EDITOR

Gwyneth Bowen news.brushware@goodwinworldmedia.com

CORRESPONDENTS

Bob Lawrence Phil Perry

Meg Cooper

Katharina Goldbeck-Hörz

Mark E. Battersby

Lisa Anderson

Conor M. Todd

Brushware (ISSN 00072710) (Canadian Sales Agreement Number 0650153) is published bimonthly by Goodwin World Media LLC, P.O. Box 7093, Overland Park, KS 66207 USA. Periodical postage paid at Overland Park, KS 66207 and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the USA.

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POSTMASTER – Send address changes to Brushware Magazine, P.O. Box 7093, Overland Park, KS 66207. Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. Materials in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Requests for permission should be addressed to: Brushware Magazine, P.O. Box 7093, Overland Park, KS 66207.