Independent Publisher's Caucus 2020 Schedule

Winter Institute 2020 — Independent Publishers Caucus
Tuesday January 21st — Baltimore, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

1:00 - 1:15 pm:
Welcome by incoming ABA CEO Allison K Hill and introductions from IPC Steering Committee

1:15 - 1:50 pm:
Audiobooks: To Sublicense or Self-Produce
Grove Atlantic vice president and editorial director Elisabeth Schmitz, Beacon Press's sales and marketing director Sanj Khabanda, and Soho publisher and IPC Steering Committee member Bronwen Hruska will share their companies' audiobook philosophies. Moderated by Seven Stories publisher and IPC co-founder Dan Simon.

1:55 - 2:30 pm:
Best HR Practices for Indie Presses
Most Indie Presses aren't large enough to have an HR person, let alone a department, and responsibility often falls to the Director and Managers. This panel will share ideas and  "best practices for indie pubs" with an emphasis on diversity, inclusion and staff development. Panelists will include New Press publisher Ellen Adler, Verso Books marketing manager Anne Rumberger, and Beacon Press Associate Director and Editorial Director Gayatri Patnaik.

2:35 – 3:10 pm:
Let’s Talk About Income Statements!
Kevin Williams, president and publisher of Talonbooks, will review the business model for publishing as reflected in the annual income statement, how to use the income statement as a model for budgeting and planning, and possibilities for improving performance. Time permitting, we will transition from the income statement to the profit and loss sheet for individual books.

3:15 – 3:35 pm:
Bookshop and Publishers
Catapult publisher and Bookshop creator Andy Hunter will present Bookshop and how it can help indie presses. In January 2020, Indiebound's eCommerce will be replaced by Bookshop, an online bookstore that financially supports independent bookstores. Bookshop targets book buyers that would otherwise go to the major online retailer, and gives socially conscious book buyers an alternative that supports their values. This session will contain a brief demo of the platform, and discussion of how indie publishers can participate.

3:40 – 4:00 pm:
Town Hall