fbpx

SFBW’s Fifth Anniversary Edition

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

A top axiom for success in business is: See a need and provide an answer.

About six years ago, Gary Press was chairman and CEO of Lifestyle Media Group, which consisted of the Lifestyle and Life brands of magazines in Broward County. He and I had talked about reuniting since we had spent a decade working together at the South Florida Business Journal where he was publisher and I was his editor-in-chief. Gary is one of the most creative and enthusiastic business leaders you could ever meet, but I balked at being editor of his lifestyle magazines, saying something like, “Do I look like the health, beauty and home decor guy?”

The conversation took a big turn when he came up with the idea of launching a regional business magazine. As the dailies shrank and the Business Journal pivoted to be digitally oriented during my last years there, which was after Gary left, we perceived a need for the nation’s eighth-most populous region to have its own business magazine. I re-enlisted with Gary and spent about a year as Lifestyle editor as we developed the concept for SFBW and ramped up sales. We debated the name of the magazine a bit and decided that “wealth” would be part of its name, since business and wealth go hand in hand.

Our first step was a prototype issue that featured David Beckham on the cover and his quest for a soccer stadium site in Miami. We received a lot of positive support as we ramped up to launch the first issue in September 2014. Many of Gary’s closest friends supported our initial issues, for which we are very grateful. Our very talented creative guru, Lifestyle Media Group Creative Director Melanie Smit, came up with the design, colors and typography for the magazine. She found the Abraham Lincoln typeface used in the headline at the top of the page and our Liberation body type.  Art director Frank Papandrea is the talented artist and designer who creates the look of each issue with input from Melanie.

We’ve had many articles about disruption in the world of business and amid print industry disruption we had to come up with a successful strategy as we launched SFBW.

To me it all starts with our readers. SFBW has a hand-picked audience of C-suite executives, business owners and partners. Our readers are the elite business decision-makers in South Florida. We carefully compiled a database of companies with $3 million and up in revenue and then selected the top managers.

Second, we look to engage the business community  face-to-face way in a fun and thoughtful way. Gary had already started our “CEO Connect” series at the Lifestyle magazines and we switched that over to SFBW. We structured these as invitation-only events so we could have the right mix of attendees. Gary also has a philosophy of connecting people and we have set up many lunch meetings to introduce people so they can do business together.

The engagement has grown to include three major awards programs: The C-suite-oriented Apogee Awards, the Excellence in HR Awards and Up & Comers for high achievers under 40. Gary is a fun-loving guy and we always have lively entertainment and plenty of energy in the room. We subsequently added a “CEO Connect Women of Influence” series and an array of industry panel discussions.

We have developed a full media agency with Melanie’s creative team and the expertise of Digital Marketing Director Cheryl Snyder. Design, print, digital, events? We’ve got it covered.

Of course, all of this would be for naught without sales talent. I want to give a big shout out to Associate Publisher Clayton Idle, who has been leading our team during most of SFBW’s existence. He is incredibly creative, fun to work with and adored by our clients.

Finally, thanks to our faithful readers and advertisers. I like to think that we have jointly created a medium for information, insight, conversation and relationships that is helping elevate business in South Florida. This is a wonderful region for doing business, and I expect SFBW will continue to play a key role. ♦

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

You May Also Like
Apogee Awards 2019
December 30, 2019
The Covers 2019
December 30, 2019
Veterans of Influence
December 30, 2019
CEO Connect and Women of Influence 2018

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] SFBW started out with CEO Connect and later added the very popular CEO Connect Women of Influence events. The invitation-only series

Read More
The Covers 2018

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Well-known business leaders and rising stars have been featured on SFBW’s covers during its first five years. One special cover honored the

Read More
Apogee Awards 2018

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] SFBW has honored nearly 200 with its Apogee Awards, which recognize top leaders in South Florida Business. The awards are unique

Read More
CEO Connect and Women of Influence 2017

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] SFBW started out with CEO Connect and later added the very popular CEO Connect Women of Influence events. The invitation-only series

Read More
Other Posts
Apogee Awards 2017

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] SFBW has honored nearly 200 with its Apogee Awards, which recognize top leaders in South Florida Business. The awards are unique

Read More
Apogee Awards 2016

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] SFBW has honored nearly 200 with its Apogee Awards, which recognize top leaders in South Florida Business. The awards are unique

Read More
CEO Connect and Women of Influence 2016

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] SFBW started out with CEO Connect and later added the very popular CEO Connect Women of Influence events. The invitation-only series

Read More
CEO Connect and Women of Influence 2015

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] SFBW started out with CEO Connect and later added the very popular CEO Connect Women of Influence events. The invitation-only series

Read More

Drew Limsky

Drew Limsky

Editor-in-Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Drew Limsky joined Lifestyle Media Group in August 2020 as Editor-in-Chief of South Florida Business & Wealth. His first issue of SFBW, October 2020, heralded a reimagined structure, with new content categories and a slew of fresh visual themes. “As sort of a cross between Forbes and Robb Report, with a dash of GQ and Vogue,” Limsky says, “SFBW reflects South Florida’s increasingly sophisticated and dynamic business and cultural landscape.”

Limsky, an avid traveler, swimmer and film buff who holds a law degree and Ph.D. from New York University, likes to say, “I’m a doctor, but I can’t operate—except on your brand.” He wrote his dissertation on the nonfiction work of Joan Didion. Prior to that, Limsky received his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Emory University and earned his M.A. in literature at American University in connection with a Masters Scholar Award fellowship.

Limsky came to SFBW at the apex of a storied career in journalism and publishing that includes six previous lead editorial roles, including for some of the world’s best-known brands. He served as global editor-in-chief of Lexus magazine, founding editor-in-chief of custom lifestyle magazines for Cadillac and Holland America Line, and was the founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida. He also was the executive editor for B2B magazines for Acura and Honda Financial Services, and he served as travel editor for Conde Nast. Magazines under Limsky’s editorship have garnered more than 75 industry awards.

He has also written for many of the country’s top newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, USA Today, Worth, Robb Report, Afar, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, Men’s Journal, Ritz-Carlton, Elite Traveler, Florida Design, Metropolis and Architectural Digest Mexico. His other clients have included Four Seasons, Acqualina Resort & Residences, Yahoo!, American Airlines, Wynn, Douglas Elliman and Corcoran. As an adjunct assistant professor, Limsky has taught journalism, film and creative writing at the City University of New York, Pace University, American University and other colleges.