It’s hard to believe that we are starting our second year with this issue!
It was just one year ago that we launched the April 2012 issue (on March 20th, 2012) with Mr. Farouk Shami of CHI Systems as our Premier Issue cover honoree. We launched that issue in grand style with a champagne launch at The Marque-Houston in City Centre. Over 200 people we in attendance to preview this new media who’s total focus was start-up entrepreneurs and small business owners.
When my partner, John Cruise in Legacy Publishing Group, LLC , first approached me with the idea of creating a publication and online edition who focused on the needs of the small business owner and entrepreneur, I knew it was a winner! I had just seen a TV magazine-type show (“60 Minutes” maybe) who broadcast a piece on former top executives of companies who had been downsized by their companies and were now out of their severance pay and some had surpassed their unemployment benefits were too old to be considered for hiring and were now doing menial jobs to supply for their families. I certainly could relate as many of my friends and classmates were “in the same boat” (as they say).
John and I agreed that we needed both a high quality hard copy and a digital edition of the magazine. It needed a powerful Publisher’s Advisory Board, a cover story about a successful Houston based entrepreneur and strong editorial content from experts in startups and small businesses. The articles needed to be not only short and to the point, but, written with the mission to educate, motivate, inspire and empower our readership.
Our first validation that we were on the right track came from our first cover honoree Farouk Shami at our launch event. Towards the end of the evening, Farouk approached me apologizing that he had made a commitment to his partner to visit him at M.D. Anderson Hospital later that evening.
Farouk approached me, grabbed my hand (in both of his) and said the following, “Steve, I didn’t understand what your magazine was all about when I agreed to be on the cover. Now I do! People really do need your magazine and you did a great job with the first issue! Now, I am a “big fan” of yours!”
Wow! If I ever wanted validation…that was it! Wouldn’t you agree?
Now, with testimonials coming in from readers both far and wide and both young and old who had started a business and are continuing the grow a business using the content of our magazine and strategic partnerships with the Womens Business Enterprise Alliance, the Houston Minority Suppliers Development Council, the SBDC, the National Association of Women Business Owners, the Main Street Chamber, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, etc., a powerful blog talk radio show (featuring Hughes & Cruise) heard each weeknight and amazing “must attend” events you can certainly say that we have had a pretty amazing first year!
What’s next, you ask?
Stay tuned right here!
Good Reading, Good Sales & Success to You,
Steve Levine
Executive Publisher
