Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his encyclical, Spe salvi, ” we should recall that no man is an island, entire of itself. Our lives are involved with one another, through innumerable interactions they are linked together. No one lives alone. No one sins alone. No one is saved alone.”
It’s an important principal to remember, both in life and in business. Simply put, Voyage is still afloat today because of a variety of strategic partnerships. If I had tried to steer this ship by myself, it would have sunk a long time ago.
Our partnerships take a variety of forms. One of the simplest ways we partner with others is through our Affiliate program, where individuals who are excited about our products, share them with the world.
In the past few years Ignatius Press has become one of our biggest supporters, especially through their Book Fair program. It’s essentially a Catholic version of Scholastic Book Fairs.
The Augustine Institute has also been a close ally, working with us to produce many of our most popular comics, such as Digital Disciple: Carlo Acutis and the Eucharist.
Most recently we have been engaged with Dominic de Souza of Legend Haven to create comic-art for Saints in his Saints & Sagas Short Story Contest, which may be of interest to some of our followers who aspire to write Catholic non-fiction and fiction. The site also offers a convention, community, and an online creative writing school.
We also continue to enjoy working with various organizations, such as local Dioceses, Guilds and religious orders who want to inspire others to lead heroic lives by telling the story of a future saint. Our North American Saints and Causes collection has all the current comics that are the fruit of such collaborations.
Last but not least, YOU are part of our strategic partnerships. We are always surprised at how many people come to know about our products because a friend or family member told them about it. You are a very important part of our success, now and in the future.
We hope and pray that these collaborations will continue to grow and that we will link ourselves with more organizations and individuals in the weeks and months ahead. (Always feel free to reach out to us if you want to work together on a project).
One of my greatest pieces of advice for any entrepreneur trying to start a business is simply to make friends, ask for help and link arms with another organization. No one lives alone. We are made for community and need each other.
Let’s continue to keep each other in prayer.
Godspeed,
Philip Kosloski
