Sourcebooks has acquired Simple Truths, a publisher of motivational and inspirational books. It is, Sourcebooks CEO and publisher Dominique Raccah told PW, both the 15th acquisition and the largest in her company’s 26-year history. Both companies are headquartered in Naperville, Ill., a Chicago suburb. All 15 of Simple Truth’s current employees will continue to work for the company, which will become a Sourcebooks imprint publishing books in hardcover, e-book, and digital audio formats. Sourcebooks also intends to produce calendars under the Simple Truths imprint.
Simple Truths was founded in 2005 by Mac Anderson, who will continue to acquire content for Simple Truths as executive editorial director, reporting to Raccah. Simple Truths has, to date, approximately 100 titles in print, including its bestseller, 212: The Extra Degree by Sam Parker, which has sold almost one million copies since 2005. Simple Truths has only recently started publishing books in e-book formats. All of the books are full color and many are accompanied by a three-minute movie illustrating the themes of the book.
Since its launch eight years ago, the company has sold its publications direct-to-consumer, primarily through its Website; approximately half of its 1.2 million customers are corporations; the rest are individuals. According to Raccah, the acquisition of Simple Truths is adding approximately $10 million to Sourcebooks’ top-line sales.
"There were 38 reasons that we came up with to acquire [Simple Truths], besides the fact that they’re three blocks away from us," Raccah said, noting that Sourcebooks intends to add Simple Truths books to its Put Me in the Story digital platform, with a 2014 rollout. “We can grow their business and they can grow our business.”
