The BookMachine Podcast: Conversations in Publishing

Apr 24 2024
The BookMachine Podcast: Conversations in Publishing artwork

The BookMachine Podcast: Conversations in Publishing shines a light on the unsung heroes of the publishing industry, sharing the career journeys of inspiring people across all departments. Hosts Gavin and Gemma will guide you as we speak with brilliant guests and explore topics of interest to publishing professionals, industry hopefuls and anyone interested in what goes on behind the pages.

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Coaching and Developing People: Publishing’s Untapped Super Power - with Rebecca Smart, Leadership & Talent Coach at Penguin Random House

Apr 24 2024 37 mins  
Building a career in publishing – whether in a large or small company – requires a great amount of self awareness. Key to this is understanding how you have to be, and what you have to do, to be successful. We were delighted to speak with Rebecca Smart, about her role as Leadership and Talent Coach at Penguin Random House as well as an accomplished career leading teams at publi

Marketing to schools and the power of teacher case studies - Olivia Tanner (Digital Marketing Strategist at BookMachine)

Mar 28 2024 37 mins  
We were delighted to speak with Olivia Tanner, Digital Marketing Strategist at BookMachine Creative Agency and experienced education marketer about the importance of marketing to schools in the right way. We asked her about what techniques and approaches she uses to get busy teachers on board and why teacher case studies and hearing directly from their peers is so powerful. She als

Production: Book Publishing's Unsung Hero - Srishti Kadu (Book Production Professional)

Feb 29 2024 41 mins  
With spiralling costs and huge disruption to the supply chain, publishing production departments have had it tough of late. We speak with award-winning production professional Srishti Kadu to get her take on the recent changes and challenges that production colleagues are responding to. We discuss her thoughts on production careers, global impacts on the industry, diversity and inc

Infusing Inspiration in Publishing - Shannon Cullen, Group Publishing Director at Quarto Kids

Dec 12 2023 36 mins  
Managing teams across generations and departments can call for a variety of approaches and working styles, which is why hearing from experts on the topic is key. We were delighted to speak with Shannon Cullen, Group Publishing Director of Quarto Kids, about her career and journey to her role where she is now. We ask about her experience moving from Editorial Manager all the way up

Leading in Changing Times - Emma House, Founder and Managing Consultant of the Oreham Group

Nov 28 2023 35 mins  
The publishing industry has changed a lot in the past few years, how are industry leaders changing with it? We were thrilled to speak with Emma House, Founder and Managing Consultant of the Oreham Group, about her approach to leadership and what lights her up when managing teams and company strategies. We talk about the challenges posed by the pandemic, Brexit and cost of living cr

Leading with Inclusion - Jaini Haria, Campaigns Manager (Ebury) at Penguin Random House UK and Lydia Cronin, Demand Generation Manager at Bright Network

Nov 01 2023 50 mins  
People in leadership roles in the publishing industry have a lot of responsibility to lead the way with diversity and inclusion in the front of their minds. They are responsible for opening doorways and creating space in an industry that’s often been described as opaque or tight-knit. But how can publishers do this the right way, from hiring, in their campaigns and beyond? We spo

Printing in the Digital Age - Jonathan Huddart, Head of Sales, Books and Journals at CPI Books

Sep 26 2023 40 mins  
Whether it's paperback, hardback, colour books, journals or directories, the book production industry grows more complex by the day. Businesses in this field (and professionals heading them) need to acquire a specific toolkit to stay afloat during these changes. So, we were delighted to talk with Jonathan Huddart, Head of Sales, Books and Journals at CPI Books, about his caree

When Pixels Meet Pages: AI and Design with Micaela Alcaino (Designer and Illustrator) and Rebecca Blake (Advocacy Liaison at The Graphic Artists Guild)

Aug 29 2023 50 mins  
Are you a creative and a little bit frightened of our new AI overlords like ChatGPT and Mid Journey? In this episode, we talk to Micaela Alcaino, award-winning Designer and Illustrator, and Rebecca Blake, (Advocacy Liaison at The Graphic Artists Guild) about their insights on the current AI boom in the design sector. We’ll be discussing how AI feeds into different parts of the cr

Claire Fenby and Marcela Torres - Head of Marketing and Marketing Executive at Boldwood Books - From freelancing to small press of the year

Jul 25 2023 35 mins  
In this episode, we have two guests from Boldwood Books, Claire Fenby and Marcela Torres. Get ready as they share their journey in transforming a small publishing press into a resounding success, with their recent win of “Small Press of the Year” at the British Book Awards 2023. Claire, Head of Marketing, had a pivotal role in the founding of One More Chapter division at Harper

Dr. David Barker - Senior Lecturer in Publishing at The University of Derby - From Commissioning to Curriculum

Jun 27 2023 47 mins  
In this episode we are joined by Dr. David Barker, Senior Lecturer in Publishing at the University of Derby. With years of experience in commissioning editorial, including founding Continuum’s unique “33 ⅓” series, David offers valuable insights into skills needed in commissioning, including fine-tuning your editorial eye. We ask David about his experience as Editorial Dire