In this series, I’ll be catching up with the incredible member of our Visionary Community from past and present.

This is a project that I started while I was on Maternity Leave (#VisionaryMama) with my first baby as a way to stay plugged in, inspired and rooted among the community of clients and students that I’ve supported over the last (almost) 8 years.

Enjoy, and if it feels appropriate please support their amazing businesses!

xx. Kels

Meet Michael.

President of Foglio Custom Book Specialists

3 Words He Would Use To Describe Himself…

Creative, Entrepreneur, Craft-driven

Bio…

Michael’s lifelong connection to books grew from early reading habits into a focused pursuit of literature and publishing.

As he moved from childhood favourites to classic literature and academic study, he completed a degree in English and Professional Writing with a specialization in Book Publishing at York University, where he gained experience in editing, book design, and literary journal work.

A course on Marshall McLuhan clarified for him the unique influence books hold in shaping how ideas are received, and it pushed him toward a career helping authors present their work with clarity and credibility. After university, he built practical expertise in editing, cover design, typesetting, and ebook production at a Toronto self-publishing company, working with hundreds of authors across genres.

Today, as founder of Foglio, Michael supports writers through every stage of the publishing process, offering design-centred self-publishing services that help authors confidently bring professional, competitive books to market.

Name

Michael Pietrobon

Profession

President of Foglio Custom Book Specialists

Business Name

Foglio Custom Book Specialists

Founded In

2024

Current Location

Aurora, Ontario

Always…

Be grateful

Never…

Assume

Advice for other entrepreneurs, who are slightly less far along…

Prepare for the day when all your hard work begins to pay off. You build it brick by brick, and although for a while it feels like you’re making little progress, you’ll eventually get to a point where you’ve built something people genuinely care about.

My advice: have a plan ready—people you can call for help, processes and documents to streamline onboarding, and systems in place to ensure every client receives the same great service.

Tool, resource, podcast, book or person you’ve invested in that’s added value to your entrepreneurial journey

I’ve found tremendous wisdom in The Enchiridion of Epictetus, an ancient philosophical text that provides guidance on pretty much every aspect of life, including business. Here’s one passage I love:

Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life.

Beyond that, can’t go wrong with books and newsletters by Perry Marshall!

Tell us more about your business (what do you do, who do you help, what does your workday look like, how do people find out about you).

I am the President and Founder of Foglio Custom Book Specialists. I spend my day designing books, editing manuscripts and meeting with authors to discuss their books.

My work can be found on my website, foglioprint.com.

Recent milestone you’ve celebrated in your business?

Recently got to the top ten of search results on Google (for certain keywords, up from position 53 earlier year–thanks, Kelsey!)

Favourite way to wind down after a long workweek.

Spending time with family and shopping at used bookstores.

Before starting my workday, I make sure to…

Set my intentions for the day and spend a few moments with my family.

Best part of my work is…

Presenting our authors with the first design concepts for their books.

Tips for someone who is hesitant to follow their heart and start their own business?

It’s not for everyone but if you feel like what you have to offer can benefit people in some way, then take the leap.