Publisher's Letter : Why a Magazine?

August 6, 2013  by Bob George in Business Strategy, Industry   

Let’s get that question behind us. Simply put, the mission of the Impact Consulting group of companies is to integrate information into the management process of furniture retailers and manufacturers in order to create high performance companies.

We have accomplished our mission through management consulting (Impact Consulting), market research (FurnitureCore.com), performance groups (Impact Performance Groups), industry reports (Impact Reports), and now publishing (Home Furnishings Business). The acquisition of Home Furnishings Business will complete the spectrum of information delivery. The following graphic illustrates:

What is the Objective?
First, Home Furnishings Business will continue its commitment to journalistic integrity by publishing an unbiased perspective of what is happening in the industry.
What will change is the depth of our discussion. Our masthead has been changed slightly from “Strategy for the Furniture Retailer” to include all industry participants.

The fine line between manufacturer and retailer has increasingly blurred.
Next, using our proprietary industry databases and models, we will address the strategic issues facing the total industry. In order to frame the issues, we ask for participation from the industry—retailers, manufacturers, and suppliers. We will supply the research. Our mission is to initiate a true dialogue within the industry, and we invite you to be a part of this dialogue.

What is the Publisher’s Role?
A publisher’s role is not unlike that of a president of a company or a managing partner of a consulting firm.

In the case of a magazine, it encompasses the responsibility for all aspects of the periodical from creating content to transmitting the product via print or the Internet all within the parameters of generating a return on investment. Overlaying all of this is a commitment to pursuing a mission within the parameters of a code of ethics.

This is our pledge to our readers. We are confident that this commitment long term will be the foundation of our success.

As always, we ask for your input. Teaming our readers’ input with our industry knowledge and analysis will allow us to continue building a strong industry publication.

Do not hesitate to contact me with your comments. My e-mail address is bobgeorge@homefurnishingsbusiness.com.