Partnerships with other publishers. Plans from SSS.

This plan was a big effort with the SSS. Sales reps were hired. Then this 50+ business plan went out via the mail. The other publishers were contacted based upon past interactions. Dozens of publishers came to consider the plans. 

All in all, the economic business conditions for sales to independent book stores were headed south. Bookstores were going out of business more and more. Printing costs spiked too. 

I was doing Amazon before Amazon was doing Amazon, sorta. The internet was just starting to get into gear. I had SportsReader.com, SportSurf.Net and Sandlot.com, among some other domains. FreeTeam.org too.