When it comes to publishing a business book, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and publisher Rohit Bhargava knows quality when he sees it. Alongside his wife, Chhavi Arya, he’s the cofounder of Ideapress, a hybrid publisher that specializes in out-of-the-box business titles. “We’re looking for originality and non-obvious ideas,” Bhargava says. His expertise and inspiration come from years of professional experience within the world of marketing, media, and communications. Initially traditionally published, Bhargava craved more control over the book development and marketing process and longed to have his books get to market faster. So, in 2014, he took matters into his own hands. He became Ideapress’s first author and launched the Non-Obvious Guide series of instructional books. Bhargava describes the titles as “more actionable than the For Dummies books, written for people who don’t see themselves as dummies. They offer smart advice for smart people.”
Noticing the success of the Non-Obvious series, fellow authors began asking Bhargava for help publishing and marketing their books, and he soon realized that he could build a business to help fellow authors achieve their publishing ambitions faster and with higher quality. Not only that, but he was particularly eager to elevate “under-recognized voices” within the business world.
“We created Ideapress because of our desire to build a no-bullsh*t publisher focused on what authors really want and need,” Bhargava says. Finding those unique voices from business professionals came about organically, primarily through word of mouth.
Bhargava believes that what sets Ideapress apart from other hybrid publishers is the print quality of its books, its pioneering approach to marketing books, and the control that authors are afforded throughout the process of publication. “We’re 100% author-centric,” he says. Bhargava recognizes that no two books are alike. That’s why every title is given his team’s full attention and is respected on its own terms. When it comes to editorial development, cover design, and marketing strategy, “there’s no homogeneity.” He adds that, unlike many traditional publishers, there’s more freedom to experiment, rather than doing things the way they have always been done.
And Ideapress is always welcoming new ideas. When an author has a specific request, “our philosophy is to find a way to make it happen instead of just saying no,” Bhargava says. He credits this unusual approach to the press’s hand-selected network of skilled freelancers that round out the robust in-house services that Ideapress offers. As it does with its authors, Ideapress takes care of its freelancers, paying higher than market rates for quality work. Bhargava ensures that the Ideapress freelancer experience is positive, productive, and gratifying. “We want to be the easiest and kindest publisher for freelancers to work with,” Bhargava says.
Ideapress publishes around 25 books per year. That means being highly selective and turning down around 85% of titles submitted. It also means more personal attention and guidance—what Bhargava calls “the softer side of publishing”—for each author and book. The proof is in the pages of the broad-ranging titles Ideapress has published from renowned experts, both those who previously worked with traditional publishers and first-time authors alike. Recent and upcoming titles include Leading Through Inflation by Ram Charan and Geri Willigan; Empathy in Action by Tony Bates and Dr. Natalie Petouhoff; Data Story by Nancy Duarte; Beyond Diversity, which Bhargava cowrote with Jennifer Brown; and Tom Peter’s Compact Guide to Excellence. Ultimately, publishing with Ideapress ensures expertise, quality, and, above all, a company-wide respect for authors’ unique talents and visions for their books. “We don’t treat authors like afterthoughts. We treat them like heroes,” Bhargava says. “We never put our logo on the front cover of our books, because Ideapress cares most about our authors... not ourselves.”
Learn more at www.ideapress.com.
