Why I Said No: Letting Go to Make Space for What’s Next
The future of customer communications won’t be built on print volumes or legacy platforms. It will be shaped by those willing to climb higher and reimagine what’s possible.
Not long ago, I was invited to be an advisory member and contributing editor for Document Strategy Magazine serving the U.S. customer communications management (CCM) and customer experience (CX) industry.
At first, it seemed like an easy yes. I’ve spent a big part of my career in this space. I know the people involved, respect their work, and care for the community they serve. And let’s just admit, it’s also a great ego boost to see your name in print.
When I originally accepted the role, I hadn’t yet fully formed the direction for TreelinePress. It felt like a way to stay connected and give back to an industry that shaped so much of my own journey.
But over the past six months, my perspective has shifted.
As TreelinePress began to take shape, it became clear to me that I couldn’t keep one foot in the legacy CCM space and the other in the future I’m trying to build. Saying yes again would have been easy, but it would have blurred the very lines I’m trying to sharpen.
So I said no to be an continuing advisor.
This wasn’t an easy decision. It felt uncomfortable. But I’ve learned that moving forward often requires letting go, not out of anger or disregard, but out of respect for the work that lies ahead.
You can’t build what’s next if you’re still tethered to what’s fading.
The industry is already shifting
The customer communications industry is at a turning point.
From printed mail to digital experiences
In much of the world, digital delivery has become the default. Markets like the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Singapore aren’t debating whether to go digital they’re refining how to make it seamless, secure, and customer-centric. In contrast, the U.S. still operates within a paper-first mindset, a bubble that to some (myself included) is as much as a decade behind the rest of the world.From CCM to Martech
The traditional customer communications management (CCM) platforms of yesterday are being absorbed into broader Martech ecosystems. Journeys, behavioral data, and AI-driven orchestration are replacing document-centric workflows as companies strive to manage the entire customer experience. Customer Experience Management (CXM) is the mid-point between two.From volume to value
Success is no longer measured in pages printed, but in engagement, retention, and lifetime customer value. The future will require new ways of thinking, selling and operating businesses that intend to create value as communication service providers by making invisible digital processes visible.
This is the future TreelinePress was created to explore. A place for new conversations about innovation, digital-first strategies, and how global vendors and PSPs can succeed in a U.S. market that is overdue for disruption.
A commitment to what comes next
When I first joined the DS Magazine advisory board, TreelinePress was still just an idea. I thought I could contribute while also exploring something new. But as I started to shape TreelinePress, I realized that to lead the industry forward, I needed to make a clear choice.
I don’t like the term “influencer” it’s overused and often misapplied, but if it means anything in this context, it’s this:
Industry leaders don’t follow trends. They create them.
And that requires focus. It requires stepping away from what no longer aligns and committing fully to what’s next.
Letting go to lead
This decision wasn’t about rejecting the people or the publication or the market. I deeply value the work they’re doing and the role they play in serving their audience. But my energy is now firmly with TreelinePress, where we’re asking harder questions about the future:
What happens when print is no longer the core but an additive channel?
How do global innovators enter and thrive in the U.S. market?
And how do we help organizations see customer communications not as compliance overhead, but as a strategic asset in the customer experience journey?
This is the work that excites me and the work that I believe is necessary.
Above the Treeline
At TreelinePress, the view is different. It’s not about preserving what was. It’s about preparing for what’s next, and hearing from voices that are driving the industry forward.
The view is clearer above the treeline. You can see where the industry has been, but more importantly, you can chart a new path forward.
Letting go of the familiar isn’t easy. But every time I’ve done it, I’ve found more space to innovate and more freedom to lead in my thinking and writing, and I am being rewarded for it with new customers and Substack subscribers.
As I considered my decision to step away from the DS Magazine advisory board, it occured to me: this isn’t just my decision, it’s a reflection of the bigger choices the entire customer communicaitons industry faces right now, especially print services providers struggling with a future where printed communicaitons will be increasingly under pressure.
The question for you
Where in your work or your life are you holding onto a legacy that no longer fits?
What might happen if you let it go?
I encourage you to check out a different point of view from Above the Treeline, where you may not only see your past, but your future as well.