"The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age."— Lucille Ball

Drop cap (noun, typography): A large initial letter that drops below the first line of a paragraph, usually used at the beginning of a section or chapter of a book.

When you’re all of only three years old, as we are here at DropCap, there’s no need to lie about your age and the whole world is still ahead of you! On May 7th, 2018, DropCap officially launched and its founders Mark Levine, Mark Traynor, Allison Olson, and Lindsay Jones began a three year journey that has been challenging, exciting, and rewarding every day since.

DropCap Birthday Q&A:

Who conceptualized the name DropCap?
CEO Mark Levine bought the domain at an auction before the idea of forming the company was ever discussed.

ML: Every time I buy a domain name I always make sure I can picture the eventual end user. Many publishing tech startups have used names like Pronoun, Blurb, etc. I pictured the ultimate buyer being a publishing tech startup…

AO: I had to ask what a Dropcap was! I knew but I didn't know the exact name for it. I remember Mark sharing the idea at our coffee shop meeting that Dropcaps are at the beginning of a chapter, and we want this endeavour to be a revolutionary new beginning for licensing.

What were you most excited about when launching the company?

AO: I was excited to work with a team again after 15 years running my agency on my own.

ML: Getting the band back together [the two Marks and Lindsay previously worked together for 10 years] and our first meeting with Allison when she told us how much of her pre-DropCap time was spent doing admin work for her business. I knew there was going to be something really cool here.

How long did it take to build the platform?
CTO Mark Traynor got it up and running for that very first Frankfurt less than 5 months after we were incorporated, and we have been continuing to develop and improve it ever since.

How do we see the company expanding?

ML: I think it will morph over time and expand beyond just a rights-centric business. I believe we will have our own imprint and that our RightsRank algorithm may become the backbone of other types of publishing data that have value for different customer bases.

AO: To grow our representation of international publishers to license into all languages including into English for the US market, what we've nicknamed "Reverse licensing".

In a new remote world, what was the decision to work remotely from the beginning?
It was much easier because three of us had worked together for years so the relationships were already developed, plus at such an early stage there was no reason to spend money on office space and supplies. Being in-person is critical, but not essential on a daily basis. When Sean and Monica joined this January, we started regular Zoom meetings which have been highly effective. That and daily DMing!

What has surprised everyone most about fellow DropCap colleagues?

Mark Levine will do anything for good sushi.
Sean was an ice cream chef at one point in his culinary career.
Allison is a queen among men!: a husband, three sons, 4 brothers including two Persian brothers, and a boy pup called Kobe.
Mark Traynor has a KitKat addiction.
Monica & Mark L are published authors.
Lindsay powered through a Frankfurt book fair 3 weeks before giving birth to her daughter, who was almost given a German passport when born a few weeks early, just after the Fair.

What is the ethos of the company?
To be disruptors; to provide something exceptional.

In this vein, we’re thrilled to be representing recently published titles on all aspects of business entrepreneurship including:

Be the Go-To - "I've personally learned so much from Theresa about how to achieve and sustain differentiation and market leadership, and I am so glad that she is sharing her vast wisdom on strategy with the world. This book brilliantly shows what it means to be the "go-to" in a crowded marketplace, using compelling examples that really bring the ideas to life."
—Tina Seelig, PhD, Professor of the Practice, Stanford University, and author of What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20

The Power of a Graceful Leader - Alexys Thompson offers this body of work as a testament to her own leadership journey, as well as the journey of hundreds of other leaders. Today, developing a gratitude practice is a key element of her work as a board-certified executive coach. Alexsys also serves as adjunct staff for The Center for Creative Leadership and is a member of the Forbes Coaching Council. She authored The Trybal Gratitude Journals, curated a collection of short stories called Gratitude 540, and is building a sanctuary in Vermont that will be a "safe space for souls to show up."

New Startup Mindset - "Sandra Shpilberg is a unicorn and this book is one, too. Simultaneously profound and practical, replete with the soundest advice and great storytelling while being tender toward the reader's soul, this is a game-changing must-read for anyone who dreams of creating a business--and in particular for those who don't fit the mold. Go Sandra Shpilberg, go!"
—Julie Lythcott-Haims, author of the "New York Times" bestseller "How to Raise an Adult," and "Real American: A Memoir"

This past Saturday marked the International Day of Families. Our happy work family wishes your work and personal families a very joyful celebration too! We're not sure any of our publishers value family more than our friends at Familius. Check out their podcast Helping Families Be Happy for discussions on all things family. Familius titles also happen to be a favorite of little Miss Amelia Jones (who just barely missed out on that German passport!)

Do remember to view Scribe Media, ForbesBooks and Stone Bridge Press in your Dashboard for a wide range of spectacular titles. (If you have not set up your DropCap dashboard yet, you can do so here.)

Happy Spring!

Allison & Monica
Your DropCap Rights Team