We are super excited to have Brighton Style Magazine as one of our summer fair sponsors. We’ve admired their content for a while now, and they are great at promoting local small businesses – which we love too! Find out all about them…
When was Brighton Style Magazine launched and how did the idea come about?
Brighton Style Magazine, launched just a year ago (on 31st July) and came about over cocktails at Koba! We are both qualified journalists who love the city and just happened to chat about feeling that most local magazines didn’t ‘speak’ to us as young professional women. There are a lot of publications in Brighton, but nothing solely digital that was aimed at women – we are Brighton’s first online lifestyle magazine for females and that’s where our brand was built.
We wanted to read about quirky and independent Brighton-based businesses, find out about all the stylish goings-on and be inspired by the stories of local ladies who run successful businesses. A cocktail (or two) later, and Brighton Style Magazine was born!
How do you go about deciding what content makes it to the online magazine, and where do you find the content from?
We have regular content meetings and are so blessed that there is just SO MUCH going on in Brighton, so we never seem to be scratching around for a story! We cover everything from beauty, to fashion, food and drink, events and fitness that there always will be a story we want to write about. Right now, we’re pretty much planned up until October! We love connecting with people on social media and welcome anyone to drop us a line: info@brightonstylemag.com.
Our only specifications are that we will only cover Brighton and Hove events and businesses (hey, you can read about a multi-national company in ANY magazine!) and that it must fit the feel of Brighton Style Mag.
The ‘Women in Biz’ section of the magazine seems to be a popular one. Is it great meeting lots of local business women, and hearing their stories?
From the word go (or shall we say; sip?) Women in Biz was always going to play a big part on Brighton Style Magazine, so much so, we highlight a different business owner each month.
As relatively new women in business ourselves, we never fail to be inspired by local ladies who have an idea, do it and make a success of it – many even juggle other jobs and children, as well as running all aspects of their small business. Amazing!
Over the last year, we’ve really enjoyed meeting with and chatting to Brighton businesswomen, hearing their top tips, advice and passing them on, to hopefully inspire our lovely readers to do whatever it is that they really want to do. It sounds a bit daft, but when writing these features, especially, we do it with massive grins! We’re always planning in advance and looking for future female business owners to feature, so welcome anyone that would like to get in touch.
What would be your top tips for anyone looking to start an online business?
Do your research and PLAN. There’s no point putting your heart, soul and hard-earned cash into a half-baked idea. Take your time to check out any competitors, think about what makes your biz so unique and give yourself reasonable time to ‘go live’. With Brighton Style Mag, for example, the cocktail convo happened in April and we then spent a few months planning, collating content, playing with the design and launching our Twitter account, before nervously hitting publish on 31st July.
Get on social media! Many people shy away from promoting themselves, but if you don’t shout about you and all that you do – how will anyone hear about you? Social media, especially Twitter and Instagram, is a great way of doing this and connecting you with likeminded people and potential clients.
You have a good and active social following and accounts – would you say this is important?
In one word: YES! Most of our readers or those that contact us, have come across us via social media. We check-in on Twitter, over five times a day to post, share info and have a good natter with readers and engage with our bloomin’ fabulous Brighton businesses. Just recently, we created a Facebook page and are already seeing more hits! We also promise to update our Instagram account regularly too. You read it here, so please hold us to it!
Are you looking forward to The Fairy Tale Fair summer fair at Brighton Open Market?
We CANNOT WAIT! We are honoured to sponsor the Fair and honestly feel it encompasses everything that Brighton Style is – eclectic, quirky and FUN. We’ve really enjoyed coming along and supporting local makers previously and have Saturday 15th August firmly in our Filofaxes. Bring it on!
What are your plans or ambitions for the future?
We hope to continue growing the magazine, meet more like-minded ladies and promote the amazing wares and services of more local indie businesses!
Do you have an inspirational motto or phrase?
Anyone who follows us on Twitter will know we LOVE a motivational quote or three! Our favourites flying around on notepads, post-it-notes and postcards here at HQ are…
“Rise up and attack the day with enthusiasm.”
“Do it with passion or not at all.”
“If you don’t do it, someone else will.”
Find out for yourself what Brighton Style Mag is all about at: http://www.brightonstylemag.com/
