Following a record 2003, Entrepreneur Press is looking for another solid year, said Neil Perlman, president of the publisher's parent company Entrepreneur Media. First quarter 2004 revenue, Perlman said, was 20% ahead of plan, and the April 1 switch of distributors from National Book Network to McGraw-Hill Trade is expected to give a further boost to sales. "Our line fits nicely with their business book program," Perlman said.
The change in distributors will "give us new markets to play in," marketing director Jere Calmers said, referring to such outlets as schools and corporations. MHT is also taking over responsibility for international sales and foreign rights.
Entrepreneur will publish 58 titles this year, including the third edition of its biggest seller, Start Your Own Business, which has sold more than 100,000 copies. Calmers also has high hopes for the just-released Masters of Success, which had a first printing of 36,000 copies. The company is also revising and updating the Smart Start series that it acquired as part of last year's acquisition of Oasis Press. The addition of Oasis and publication of new titles in 2004 gives Entrepreneur, which focuses its publishing program on entrepreneurs and small and midsized companies, a backlist of more than 100 titles.
Entrepreneur joins the American Diabetes Association as MHT's second distribution client. MHT group publisher Philip Ruppel said the company is "interested in other arrangements that have strategic fits with our core competencies."
