Ron Epstein of Los Angeles on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Ron Epstein shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Ron, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity, that’s easy. It’s also difficult to find. Smart people are everywhere. Energetic people are easy to spot. People with integrity are who I want.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m that lucky guy who loves his job. I’m the president of Epstein Custom Media, which produces L.A. Parent Magazine and LAParent.com, the go-to sources for parents here in the greater Los Angeles area. We also engage with our community through our socials, our website, our parenting newsletter and our in-person events. Parents turn to us for info on education in L.A. and their child’s social-skill development, pediatric and women’s health, summer camps, family travel and, most of all, our award-winning calendar of events that features dozens of family-friendly places to go and things to do every day of the year. Why do I love my job? Because among the titles I have in my life — husband, dad, publisher, etc. — this job brings them all together. It’s a blast. We have a great team who works hard every day to make the parenting in Los Angeles easier, so we raise happy, healthy kids.

Our brand started in 1980. My wife and I purchased it in late 2012. We leaned on L.A. Parent quite a bit when our children were young and knew it was a respected voice among the parenting community. Our job is connect with as many parents as we can, so whether you read the magazine, follow us on Instagram, show up at our events or digest our info in any other way, we’re doing our job. It really is fun, and our industry has yet to see a real recession. 🙂

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
That’s easy — my dad. He was always organized, on time and squared away, so I picked up good habits from him. He was methodical, thoughtful and walked into every room as if everyone was smarter than he was. He was a good listener. When I decided to leave the corporate America world — where I had been fairly successful for 20+ years — he wanted to know what he could do to help. As we worked through the negotiations to purchase L.A. Parent, he was my counsel. Listened to everything I offered, asked smart questions and read my business plan that was in an industry that was almost foreign to him. In the weeks, months and years that followed, we talked often about managing people, learning from them and learning to be a good delegator. He also taught me this, which I reflect on every day: You’re going to make mistakes as an entrepreneur. Learn from them so you don’t repeat them, but don’t dwell on them.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Go beyond your comfort zone in whatever it is. Try new things, go on new adventures and you’ll reap the rewards. The status quo is good for a lot, but you grow — personally and professionally — when you branch out and extend yourself. Sometimes it’s traveling, sometimes it’s hiring a new person and sometimes it’s just walking into a room of people where you know none of them and introducing yourself. The more you extend yourself, the more you’ll see what you can do. It took me most of my adult life to realize this was the key to success in business. Take a chance on a new employee, launch a new product and have the conversation with a client. Every time I push myself, good things happen.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I’m big on character. I use it as the benchmark when I meet people because you can get a read on them quickly by evaluating their character. Are they honest and kind? Do they listen and offer help, or are they just pushing their view. For me, the ultimate character guy was John Wooden. His Pillars of Success are a guide to being a good persona and running a good business. Read his books and you’ll understand what he was looking for in basketball players he brought into the program at UCLA. It wasn’t just about talent, it was about character. And through the years, he spoke as highly about those players who graduated and went on to become teachers, CPAs and other professions as he did about those who went on to play professional basketball. Surround yourself with good people and you’ll have a greater chance of being successful. A few years ago we shifted our approach to hiring people at our company. We abandoned Who is the Most Qualified and instead went to Who has a Vision that Can Help us Grow and is a Good Person. Our two most recent hires are our two most recent success stories.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
I think they’d miss my passion for being a parent because that comes across in every conversation I have, be it with a client, a reader, a follower or someone who connects with our brand for the first time. Parenting is the most difficult and the most important job in the world. We’re tasked with raising someone who will be happy, healthy, independent, self-sufficient and who will contribute to our society. The thing is, that life path is full of potholes and, sometimes, worse. So to get a child to an adult in reasonably healthy condition isn’t easy. But that’s why this brand is a fit for me. It brings together my love of being a dad and my love of publishing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.laparent.com/
• Instagram: @laparentmag
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/laparent/posts/?feedView=all
• Twitter: @LAParentMag
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LAParent/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LAParent

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