11 Reasons Sourcebooks Joined Simple Truths

This morning, we announced that Sourcebooks has acquired Simple Truths.

Here are 11 interesting things about Simple Truths:

1.Their philosophy is "less is more." These are books that can be read in 30 minutes or so. As Mac Anderson, their founder, likes to say "Not everything, but the most important things."

In past years there have been a number of faster approaches to business and motivation titles as our world had gotten faster paced (see for example, GetAbstract and SoundView Executive Book Summaries). Mac’s approach strikes me as having the most heart and reach.

2. Mac Anderson is a remarkable entrepreneur who founded McCord Travel (1979), Great Quotations, Successories (1988) and Simple Truths (2005).

3. As with any book publisher, their authors are the key. And Simple Truths has numerous bestselling authors:

• John Maxwell (The Right To Lead)
• John Murphy (Leading With Passion, Pulling Together, The How of WOW!)
• Nido Qubein (Seven Choices for Significance and Success)
• Brian Tracy (Eat That Frog!, The 7 Secrets of Exceptional Leadership)
• Vince Lombardi (What It Takes To Be Number One – speech with audio)
• Zig Ziglar (Create A Life You Can’t Wait To Live)
• Stephen Covey is coming out in a future title.
• Mac Anderson is not only Simple Truths' founder but also a great author.

4. And they have created numerous bestsellers:

• ​212 The Extra Degree by Sam Parker and Mac Anderson (780,000 sold)
• The Simple Truths of Service by Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz (405,000 sold)
• The Dash by Linda Ellis and Mac Anderson (360,000 sold)

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5. Companies like Disney, FedEx and Southwest Airlines have all used Simple Truths books.
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6. Movies are an integral part of their marketing. Over 100 million people have watched Simple Truth's inspirational movies. In fact over 30 million have watched The Dash.

7. Theirs is primarily a direct to consumer model (their books are largely NOT found in stores). Their website gets 1.3 million unique visitors a month. They have 1.2 million customers (which is pretty amazing).

​8. They are #669 on the Internet Retailer Top 500 (part of the second 500 list), which is the list of the largest retail websites in the country. There are few book publishers on that list.

9. The free Simple Truths app ties to both movies and books.

​10. For Sourcebooks, we've always been interested in how Books Change Lives. It's fundamental to what we do and think about. I thought Dan Green's story about Simple Truths' book Finish Strong was a great example of how a small, easy to read book could influence a lot of people.

11. And then there's the Simple Truths team (who know a lot about how to have fun): check out their Harlem Shake. We're all looking forward to a lot of fun moments together...

Ultimately what was most meaningful to us at Sourcebooks was that Simple Truths has (and will continue to) reach and touch a lot of people. That’s what books are meant to do. We’re excited to create what’s next together.

Coverage in the News:

Publisher’s Lunch (paywall)
Crain’s Chicago Business
Publishers Weekly
Publishing Perspectives
Media Bistro
The Bookseller
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