Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Perla Huisman.
Julia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Ever since I was a child, I have loved reading and writing. I knew from a very young age that my career would be centered around those two activities. Shortly after graduating college with an English degree, I got a job as a part-time proofreader at a local magazine in LaPorte, Indiana. From there, I quickly made my way up and ended up working on the editorial staff of several local magazines over the past 15 years.
This past January, there were layoffs at my job, and I was one of them. Friends and colleagues flooded my inbox with job leads—good, high-paying ones!—but for fields, I wasn’t interested in. I simply couldn’t imagine myself doing anything other than magazine publishing. So I decided to make a way for myself and—with the help of many friends, family members, and a large network I’d built over the years—I started my own magazine.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has definitely been more bumpy than smooth! Even though I knew the magazine industry inside and out, there were still many facets of running my own magazine that were unexpected and that I had to figure out as I went along. I have limited finances and no employees (just independent contractors), so I have to do a lot of tasks myself, which can be overwhelming at times.
Some of the struggles included the naming of the magazine, getting advertisers on board to support us financially, and finding the right sales staff. But I have enjoyed the struggles because I’ve learned so much through them. I am a better business owner because of them.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about HERE Magazine – what should we know?
HERE magazine is a bimonthly print publication that celebrates the unique and fascinating people and places of Northwest Indiana. We feature area tastemakers, influencers, and creatives, offering a fresh look at the growing community of entrepreneurs, artisans and locally sourced businesses that fill our burgeoning downtowns and cultural hubs.
We are set apart from our competitors because HERE’s design, photography, and content are of the highest quality. Because we feature many creatives and artists, it was important to me that the magazine is like a work of art itself, and we’ve accomplished that.
I’m proud that when people get the magazine, they like it so much that they feel compelled to post about it on social media and tell their friends about it, without our prompting. People have said that HERE makes them proud to live in Northwest Indiana, and that’s exactly what I wanted to accomplish.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My husband Justin has been a constant source of strength and encouragement and has never doubted that I could pull this off. He’s had to make sacrifices himself in order for me to do this, and I don’t take that for granted.
When I came up with the idea to start the magazine, I formed a group of brand ambassadors—people I knew would be excited about the magazine, would help contribute to it and would promote it to their circles. This group has been so special to me. They helped me name the magazine, provided story ideas, and are just positive, life-giving cheerleaders that have kept me going.
My creative director Brad Wolf is the reason the magazine looks so good. He is a master of minimalist design and compelling photography, and if I didn’t have him to talk through ideas with, HERE would not be half as desirable as it is.
My sister Jeanine sells advertising for me; my friend Kathy helps with proofreading and editorial direction; my other friend Ashley just loves the magazine so much that she tells all her friends about it. I have many in my circle who are supporting me. I could go on all day.
Pricing:
- Print subscription: $30
- Digital subscription: $15
- Advertising packages range from $400-$3,000
Contact Info:
- Website: readheremag.com
- Phone: 219.230.3320
- Email: julia@readheremag.com
- Instagram: readheremag
- Facebook: readheremag
- Twitter: readheremag
- Other: Pinterest: readheremag
Image Credit:
Penny Frazier, Brad Wolf, Matt Scheffer, Elizabeth Grace
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