PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2016

by Angela Bole, Chief Executive Officer, Independent Book Publishers Association

Angela Bole

When was the last time you called the IBPA office to talk to someone about your publishing plans and how we can help?

In order for IBPA to fulfill its mission to lead and serve the independent publishing community through advocacy, education, and tools for success, we need to hear from you … and we do! IBPA members call the office every day to gather feedback on their publishing goals, ask questions about their member benefits, or simply share a story of success and inspiration. Unlike other associations, IBPA guarantees that your phone call will be answered by a real person working from our Manhattan Beach, California, offices.

IBPA headquarters staff, from left: Paige Greco, Joanne Kenny, Angela Bole, Mimi Le, Terry Nathan

When you do call the office (soon, I hope!), the first person you’ll reach is IBPA’s new administrative assistant, Paige Greco. Paige came to IBPA in July 2016 from New York City—with prior stints in Philadelphia, Colorado, and Portland. In the short time she has been with us, she has quickly become a key addition to the IBPA family.

Since so much of IBPA’s success lies in the amazing work accomplished by our small but diligent staff, I wanted to introduce you to Paige and invite you to join me in welcoming her to her new position. On the next page, she answers some questions, but if you have additional questions, feel free to reach out to her directly at paige@ibpa-online.org. Or, just call the office at 310-546-1818. I know she’s happy to help!

4 questions for IBPA’s Paige Greco

What were you doing before you joined IBPA?

Before I joined the IBPA team, I was working in visual arts. I also worked with fashion and art publications, which taught me how special the world of printed matter is. Eventually, it led me to self-publishing limited edition books of photographs and literary pieces of my work and of my peers’ work. Through that experience, I was able travel around the country and attend book fairs and literary readings. The community of passionate and talented people I encountered was so moving and empowering it helped grow my motivation toward assisting independent publishers.

What made you want to work for an organization like IBPA?,

Working for an organization like IBPA seemed natural for me. Not only is publishing one of my passions, but so is helping anyone who has an independent spirit and understands the importance of publishing. I believe that anyone with an independent spirit is unstoppable and can truly create authentic and inspiring work. It is such a rewarding feeling when I can use my knowledge and tools to aid in helping them chase their publishing dreams.

Which IBPA projects are you most excited about?

I have started to work with the IBPA affiliate program in an effort to strengthen our IBPA community at the local level. Learning about our different affiliates and what they bring to their regional communities has been exciting. IBPA affiliates are a great resource that IBPA members can use to further network and volunteer on a local level. I encourage all our members to find out what IBPA affiliate is in their area and what they are up to!

Who inspires you?

I have a long list of inspirations that grows by the day. I am inspired by everything from botany to Bowie. But, essentially, an inspiring person to me is someone with a distinct vision and unstoppable drive—in other words, every IBPA member!

For example, I recently spoke with an IBPA member who wrote and self-published a book focusing on a traumatic time in their life. It was the first book they had ever written and the first they had published; they knew their story needed to be shared. What was most important to them was not to bring attention to themselves but to spread hope to others. The title was placed in IBPA’s NetGalley review program that allows thousands of reviewers, media professionals, booksellers, librarians, and bloggers to share their reviews.

As the reviews started to come in, it was clear that the member’s story resonated deeply with most who read it. I spoke to the IBPA member about their feedback, and they expressed that it was worth all the struggles that can happen in self-publishing to know that ultimately it benefited someone else’s life. It is those moments that inspire me. One of my favorite quotes comes from the author P.D. James: “Open your mind to the study of other people. Nothing that happens to a writer—however happy, however tragic—is ever wasted.”

I sincerely believe in what P.D. James said here and believe it applies to any content creator. It is a beautiful thing to realize that we have the power to create and can change the world one story at a time.

Just before Angela Bole became IBPA’s Chief Executive Officer, she was Deputy Executive Director of the Book Industry Study Group, Inc. (BISG), which fosters conversation and consensus across all sectors of the book business. Before that, Angela served for two years as BISG’s Associate Director and two years as its Marketing and Communications Manager.

Angela also serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of IDPF, the International Digital Publishing Forum.