Under Forty: Shail Patel (Gujarat Print Pack Publications)

When did you decide to join the business?
I decided to join my dad when I chose to go to the Rochester Institute of Technology to study printing.

Where do you learn the tricks of the trade?
Working in the business gives you a lot of practical, on-hand experience. A print education in my case taught me how to follow the trends in the industry - and make the best of them.

What is your greatest print / business achievement to date?
In the 18 months since I have joined, I have taken charge of most of the packaging and labeling side of the business. We are in a major expansion stage in both cartons and labels.

What do you prefer: a mentor in the industry or brain storming with like-aged?
I am surrounded by people that have been in the industry for decades. I also communicate with my peers from college who are involved in different aspects of the industry.

The most frequently used mantra in your organisation? Your motto in life?
Change is constant. At all times, we try to stay ahead of the curve.

If you won Rs 25 crores what would you invest in? Why?
It would go towards aggressive expansion of the business.

3 am print consultant?
My dad.

One person who impressed you with wisdom. Why?
My professors at RIT, my dad and some of my colleagues have spent decades in the Industry. They are an ocean of knowledge.

What’s the first thing you do on entering the office?
I go around the factory floor.

When you see a great piece of print created by your competitor, what is your reaction?Incredible prints are for analysis.

Newspaper / magazine that caught your eye recently
This year’s submissions to the Technical Association of Graphic Arts had a lot of fantastic designs as well as some very creative publication technologies.

The IT system in your firm.
Our custom ERP system. We recently moved from Microsoft Office to Google apps.