Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron Epstein
Hi Ron, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Got my degree in Journalism and landed a job as a sport writer with the LA Daily News. Loved the work and the people, but the working nights eventually wore me out so I moved on to city government public affairs. That wasn’t a fit, and after that I landed an editor job of a consumer/membership that served the recreational vehicle industry. Loved it and stayed with that company for 14 years, leaving as associate publisher and overseeing a group of magazines, with my hand in lots of other parts of the business. A recruiter contacted me about a job at an academic publishing company that was closer to home and looking to grow in the consumer market, I made the move. Worked there for 5 years with a good amount of success, but left in early 2012 with a goal of doing something on my own, Toward the end of that year, I learned LA Parent was for sale. Knew the brand from when my kids were young and knew the business model, but hadn’t seen the publication in a few years since we aged out of the demo. I contacted the owner, which was a large company based in Virginia, did my due diligence and over the next few weeks ironed out a deal to puchase LA Parent. My wife and I took over on Dec 1, 2012, so we’ve been in business for 13 years. The early years were bumpy, as they are for many businesses, trying to set new direction and launch new products. We moved the office, revamped the staff and went heavy in digital. In the years that followed, with a great team, we grew in print, digital, in-person events and socials — and we needed all of that to survive the pandemic in 2020. Today we’re a leaner team that is less reliant on print, but still with a mission to connect with parents and help them find resources and activities in our community.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Running a small business is like raising kids. There are times when you think you know what you’re doing, but for the most part it’s about trying to make the right decision and doing your best. The first 2 years of our business were marked by a team that didn’t get along, overpaid vendors and unstable clients. Oh, and we moved offices. But as our vision took shape, we found the right people, made better decisions and immersed ourselves in the community by way of speakers, education fairs and more visibility for our brand and products. The 6 years that followed were all about growth: new products, new clients and new ways to connect with parents. Then Covid hit, and it nearly wiped us out. We were all digital for 9 months and had to lay off half of our team. But as we rebounded and rebuilt, we found new people to help us grow and a focus on digital and social to engage with parents. Today there is still a ton of room for us to grow, but the biggest change has been in who we hire. Where it was once about skill set only, now it’s about sharing our vision of community and enjoying your job. We have a great team — the best I’ve had in 13 years here — that leans on each other and shares info. I don’t spend much time mediating arguments, and instead spend that time brainstorming about new products and where we’re going.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in setting the direction of the company, launching new products and listening to what our team and our community tells me they need. I’d say I’m known for being organized and having good follow-through, and I delivering good service to our internal and external customers — a skill that is a must-have for everyone on our team. I’m most proud of hiring good people, of listening to the ideas they bring to the table, and of the complements we receive from readers, followers and clients about how we’ve helped them be better parents or helped their business grow. I don’t know that any of those traits set me apart from other business owners, but I’m proud of them just the same and of the fact that we took a business that was on the brink of going under, revived it and set it on a path to success.
How do you define success?
I define success in three ways.
1. Are you fulfilling your mission? Your mission statement should be a reminder of who your business is all about, and that in turn helps you stay focused every day. Our mission is to make parenting in Los Angeles easier by connecting our audience with resources in our community. Check
2. Are you growing? No business can survive on the same product line and pricing structure year after year, so you need to grow. That’s easier said that done. To grow, you need to identify holes in your product line and have products to fill them that can make your money and connect you in new ways with your audience. Our ideas come from our team and from our clients, but we listen, launch new products and thus grow. We’re never the same from one year to the next. Similar yes, but not the same. Check
3. Are you profitable? This is the obvious one, so it goes last, and there’s a lot that goes into it. Do your products work and are your prices fair? Do you have the right team to sell them? Do you stay engaged with clients after they’re initial business with you. Do you share new product info? Do clients pay on time? If not, how do you follow up and enforce rules? If you can check all of these boxes, and you control your spending, you’re in good shape. Check.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.laparent.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laparentmag/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LAParent
- Twitter: https://www.x.com/laparentmag/
Image Credits
No image credits needed
