Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hello fellow entrepreneurials!

I`ve been asked to work with someone to start a magazine. I`ve got little experience with this but think it will be a fabulous opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a new service. The idea I think is solid although I`ve suggested my friend do some market research which I`ve offered to help with but she`s looking at launching the magazine in one month. Is this too soon? She`s got the layout, content, and graphics all worked out. She wants me to help with ad sales (which I`ve never done before). What sort of things should I be trying to do to help her (and myself). Any suggestions.

Thanks
Ace

I don`t know much about magazines, other than I see scads of them everywhere and they seem to pop in and out of business. If you`ve got a way to pay your bills other than this, what the heck; go for it. But if you`re quitting your other job(s) and expecting to support yourself with this new venture, I`m thinking that NO preliminary research to indicate potential sales is a bit risky. Why the pressure to go to press in 1 month?

1. Time Management!!!

2. Be one of the first magazines that does`nt pollute the pages with all of those "Index-card" Ad-inserts. They interfere with graceful page flipping.

3. Take heed of CraigL`s advice.

This is a magazine venture started by a friend. I am working toward a business degree and she has asked me to help (I was in the market for a job and since I was looking to consult/teach, thought this would be a great opportunity). She is pushing for the first deadline - I`m not sure. I`ll ask her. She has another business and is actually "supplementing" it with this magazine (which will be free to consumer placed with selective stores like real estate guides, local events, etc.) It looks to be very polished though with great long term appeal (people want to keep it to refer to articles). It should be interesting. No index cards by the way Rumpel!

Thanks for your input!
Ace

So this is a "subsidized" business? In other words, you both have another way to pay the bills and survive, and this is more a vanity business?

Magazine launches are difficult. One month seems too short to launch to a
traditional printed magazine. Design of the masthead, cover, content
meetings, articles to be written, copy editing, page layouts, photography
(stock or photo shoot), ad sales, ad layouts, proof reading, printer`s
production lead time to print and bind, delivery, etc. I worked on the launch
of a small single-sponsor (all the ads were from one sponsor) magazine and
the production schedule per magazine was at least 2 months. The monthly
magazines you see where ads come in from different business are planned
as far well in advance as possible.
As far as turning a profit, most startup magazines operate on a plan that
they will not turn a profit until 3 or 4 years into it.

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Mary Hutchison Design LLC design + strategy + counsel 206.407.3460 info@maryhutchisondesign.com

For me I have NOTHING to lose. For her, I have no idea. I think she is using a business loan she got for another business venture (a franchise) but never started. She put the money into an investment. She is using the money from that to pay for this as well as for my wages. I am just selling ad space (tough by the way - I hate cold calling). I`m still not sure if this is something that will pan out. Good idea but feel like she`s going in with blinders. I`m the one asking questions, she isn`t really.

Ace

I found out today that this is more of a newspaper. I have not seen a mock up yet.

I agree, this is a quick turnaround although she has created all of the content - definitely agree with CraigL. More a vanity business to promote her other endeavors. I have nothing to lose and I may learn a lot from it.

I`d love to talk to someone who has experience with this thing.

Ace

Enh...you have nothing to lose, so go for it. As my mom always says, "We`re having an adventure!" :-)

Funny how when you look back on things, "the universe" seems to put you into situations where you learn exactly what`s necessary in order to do something very important later. Most of the time, what you`re using the past-skills for has almost no relationship to those past events. At least there seems to be no relationship until you stop and really think about it.

I am working on something similar. It is a small business newsletter (described in another post). I tried having everything done within two months, and even then I had to push back a month to pull in some additional revenue. My recommendation: Take Your Time! Release a small "Introductory Edition" that will allow you to have something to show to prospective businesses interested in advertising, but don`t rush things when it comes to the first print. Make sure you have a good relationship with your printer, as well. Their prices and quality of work are another one of those "sink or swim" variables.

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