Is print really dead? That is the question that lingers on the minds of many as technology in the modern world continues to evolve. In the latest episode of The Roadmap, host Ted Jekin is joined by Joanne Hayes, Publisher of Simply Buckhead Magazine, to refute that very question.
When Hayes first “stumbled” into the magazine industry in 1996, she helped a magazine company build another magazine company. Twelve years later, she discovered Simply Buckehad Magazine, a free upscale lifestyle magazine focused on the best and brightest individuals, businesses, and events in the Atlanta and metro Atlanta area.
Key Takeaways
1. Hayes’ magazine employs freelance journalists who write every word. The editors are also degreed journalists with experience working for other national and international magazine companies— like USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Bon Appetite.
2. Although Simply Buckhead Magazine doesn’t have a formal office, they treat their staff like family and host events three to four times a year to appreciate and network with them. “Somehow, by networking, it has catapulted us as a standard in the industry of how to start,” says Hayes.
3. The magazine generates its revenue from advertising, both digital and print copies. Hayes asserts, “As of this month, the magazine is currently located in 427 locations, carefully curated within the Upper West Side of Atlanta.”
4. As a business owner, it’s important to get involved in the community. For instance, Hayes carefully curates the non-profits they support, and she asserts, “It takes a lot of time, personal money, effort, and editorial to represent them well.”
5. Simply Buckhead Magazine typically partners with The NSORO Foundation and CURE Childhood Cancer, and this year, they supported The Bow Wow Brunch Human Society and the 2024 Fashion a Cure, which are both meaningful to the magazine and reflect the community they serve.
"It is all about networking." – Joanne Hayes.
