“The only thing permanent is change”, my mentor and friend Marshall Haas, founder of Haas Publishing Companies used to say and sometimes changes are long past due.
In the publishing world, it is not uncommon to put a publication through a redesign to give it a new look and feel. Most of the time, those changes are made to accommodate the ever changing needs, preferences and tastes of the reader.
After two years and 24 issues of SMALL BUSINESS TODAY Magazine, it was truly time for a change. With little or no fanfare we went about quietly making changes to the magazine to accommodate the growing family of online readers and to give it a more professional and cleaner look and feel.
Our subscribers (online and hard copy) wanted the cover story pages all up front and not started in the front and ending in the back of the magazine. They wanted to an easier to read Content Page with the list of the columns easier to read. After all, the columns are the “meat” of the magazine.
We even redesigned the editorial pages themselves by removing the black/red header at the top of each page and enlarged the title of the column with a more professional and sophisticated look.
Please understand that I am a creature of habit. Change of any type does not come easy. For example, with all of the ways to keep your calendar online, I still use the same paper “Day Runner” that I have been using since April 1984. Yes, 30 years later, you can ask me who I had an appointment with 25 years ago and I can put my hands on that very page in no time and give you the answer.
But, I am good with all of the changes in the magazine and want to express my appreciation to my wife Barbara (Creative Director/Associate Publisher) and our new design team of Lavina Menchaca & Rafa Saavedra for the amazing job they did with the recreation of every page and helping us not skip a beat with the delivery of the April issue! “Kudos”, guys!
In this, our May/W.B.E.A. (Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance) Issue, we honor Ms. Connie Rankin with ITRA Global/Customized Real Estate Services. Connie is a proud WBE and well deserving of the cover honor. You will enjoy her story.
Good Reading, Good Sales, and Great Success to You All!
Steve Levine
President/Executive Publisher, Small Business Today Magazine
