Alim Thompson, who founded New Leaf Distributing Company in 1975, is leaving the New Age wholesaler. "The book business has changed, New Leaf has changed and will change more," he wrote in a long, thoughtful post on New Leaf's website. "I am no longer the man to guide this, and I have been given new 'orders from Headquarters' and am embarking on a new venture/adventure."
Thompson remembered the origins of the company. "I was discovering more and more spiritual/personal growth literature that I had no idea even existed and was hard to find. At this time, yoga was not yet a household word and 'holistic' had not even come into the lexicon. My burning desire was to help change that.
"So there I was full of zeal, but how and why did this translate into success? I am merely above-average in brains and talent, knew absolutely nothing about business, had only about $6,000 in startup capital and was told repeatedly that I was wasting my time and should get a 'real job.' Yet somehow I knew in the essence of my being that New Leaf was destined to succeed, and I worked relentlessly. I did not even know it at the time, but upon reflection, I realize that it was the power of this belief that fueled New Leaf to grow to $25M in annual gross sales, to become the largest distributor in our niche in the world. This belief never left me, and when I returned in 2002, it was again the fuel that drove the actions that saved the company from bankruptcy."
Thompson continued, writing that "for some years now, I have been feeling a sense of completion. Fields of study, disciplines, healing modalities and spiritual paths that were relatively unknown 39 years ago are now commonly accepted throughout our culture. Yoga studios are everywhere, aromatherapy products have been selling for years in department stores and millions have become meditators."
New Leaf, too, is in a good place, he wrote. "While lean, our staff is more experienced and competent than at any time in New Leaf history. Also in place are the key leaders to secure our future. All are seasoned veterans. The owner of the company, Santosh Krinsky, has been involved with our 'movement' from the beginning and will continue to provide guidance and expertise toward the growth of the company. He will also ensure that the company maintains its attunement to its traditional niche. Irv Myers, who has been with New Leaf for four years after a career in a much larger organizations, remains president and will continue emphasis on maintaining and even improving New Leaf's top-quality service. Steven Wallace has joined as vice president for business development and brings deep experience in sales and marketing and a passion for driving growth."