Judy Stephan is thriving as publisher of Nanaimo Magazine and Voyager Magazine, a decade after buying the business through iBC Business Broker.
A decade after buying Nanaimo & Voyager Magazine Inc. and re-inventing herself as a writer and publisher, Judy Stephan is thriving.
It started in 2009 when Judy, a recent immigrant from South Africa, sought out business broker Michael Naprawa. In South Africa, she had worked as a high school teacher but to teach in BC she would have had to go back to school. She decided to change careers but finding the right business wasn’t easy. “I had been an English teacher through out my working life so had no business experience. It was difficult to match my inexperience with a business.”
Michael found the perfect fit: a well-run publication in Nanaimo that needed an owner-editor. The business utilizes Judy’s excellent English skills, ability to instruct, communicate, inform, and vibrant personality. She loves it.
“This business and has been the perfect match for me. It allowed me to move and settle in the wonderful city of Nanaimo. Because I was working in this industry, I was immediately out in the community, interacting with residents, organizations, and businesses.”
At the outset, Judy had help from a previous owner who trained her during the transition. She has since made the magazines her own: imbuing them with lively accounts of life on the west coast, local advertising, and upcoming events. Since Nanaimo & Voyager Magazines are also distributed on BC Ferries and at visitor centres, incoming travellers learn about local restaurants, resorts, destinations, and activities.
Among the advertisers is Michael, who promotes his iBC Business Brokerage Inc. “I admire Judy for making this bold intercontinental move, followed by a career change, and now a decade of success. Every issue I see is an affirmation of how good a match this was.”
Judy has plunged herself into island life. She is a prominent member of the community, serves on several community boards, and leads the Ambassador Program at the Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce.
Her business is financially successful, has been nominated for multiple awards, and the magazines are now an integral part of Nanaimo.