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Interviewer: Hi Joshua, thank you so much for joining me on In the Publisher's Chair for our in-person interview. It's great to have you here.

Joshua Tallent: Thank you! It’s great to be here.

Interviewer: I wanted to start by asking—what has motivated you to build your career in the publishing industry, and what motivates you to stay?

Joshua: I got my start in publishing 25 years ago as an ebook developer. It was mostly because I love books, and I had some knowledge of ebooks. I got involved in that space, and it was really fun. I started out developing ebooks, built a team around that work, and eventually, we were acquired by Firebrand—around 11 years ago or so. I love working for Firebrand, and I love working with publishers.

What keeps me here is helping publishers unlock potential. If a publisher can grab onto something new—whether it’s better marketing or better data—it can make a huge difference in sales. But they often need someone who can help guide them, advise them. That’s what I try to do: be a resource to help them understand how to make better data and marketing decisions—basically, how to advance the sale of their books.

Interviewer: Over the past few years, what have been the biggest changes you’ve seen in the publishing industry?

Joshua: One big change has been the rise of audiobooks. Publishers who are doing audiobook sales have seen massive increases in both sales and visibility. It’s interesting because years ago, everyone was talking about ebooks being the future—that they’d make up 95% of sales. But what we’ve actually seen is a resurgence of other formats that ebooks never overtook.

I love that audiobooks are growing so much. Another big shift is in print. More publishers are investing in high-quality hardcover books—even bespoke, collectible editions. There’s a renewed appreciation for the book as an object, something with lasting value.

And of course, data continues to be a huge area of change. How is data impacting a publisher’s ability to sell a book? How is it affecting decisions at the acquisition stage? There’s so much data available now—the question is how to use it effectively to benefit the company.

Interviewer: Looking back on your career, what would you say is the most valuable piece of advice you've received that you’d like to share?

Joshua: I think having a “baby steps” approach is probably the most important piece of advice. We tend to see problems as these big, overwhelming things. But if you can break those problems down into smaller, manageable pieces, it makes a huge difference in how you feel about them—and how you approach them.

That applies to everything—data issues, marketing, sales, workflow management. Often we’re so busy that we push the big problems aside, thinking we’ll deal with them later. But if we take a little time each day to tackle small parts of the issue, it can have a real impact.

I’ve found that principle helpful not just in work, but in life. Breaking down frustrations or concerns into small steps and dealing with them gradually—that daily practice really helps you move toward your goals.

Interviewer: That’s really amazing to hear. Thank you so much for joining us today.

Joshua: Thank you. It’s been a pleasure.