After 17 years of publishing Bus Conversions Magazine, I've decided to step down and let someone else run with it. It has been a fun and interesting 17 plus years, but over the years I've been side tracked with the wife, kids and other interest. My thanks go out to all of you that have made the magazine, subscribers, advertisers and bus nuts. I do not have a buyer yet, (This is the first notice I've put out) so if anyone has any interest in taking it over, I'm interested in any and all proposals, please contact me by emailing mike@motorcabin.com. I will continue to publish it under a new publisher is found.
Wow! I'm sorry to hear that. I hope someone other than a "big publisher" steps forward to carry the torch. I wish I had the money to make an offer, but in my current situation, I couldn't offer more than a handful of quarters :(. But I wish you the best in all things that you pursue.
Mike,
I'm sure it was a tough and sad decision.
Does the BBS go with the sale of the Magazine?
Thanks
Skip
I can't see a big publisher taking this over as I recall reading something about Bus Conversions magazine actually losing money and MAK's bus sales are subsidizing the losses.
yeah, does the bbs and web site go with the magazine. i'm sure there are a lot of busnuts that could care less about a computer, but i don't know anything about magazine publishing, so even if i had money, wouldn't do much good.
Congratulations on being a successful publisher, MAK. i define success as writing a good magazine that many people enjoy, and have for many years. in your case, it may have been like owning a bus - more a labor of love than profitable.
in any case, thanks.
I would not be suprised if magazine sales are falling due to all the bus conversion stuff on the Internet now. I work at a major newspaper and times are tough right now due to the Internet and the economy.
Brian,
That wouldn't be fish publications in dinky town would it? :o
Just kidding..............Paper in any form of comunications is getting harder to maintain Profit margins.
USPS is losing money again.........seems everything comes back to the cost
of fuel ??? (not trying to start that again)
Skip
If anyone is intrested in the mag, they should snatch up Dennis before he hit's the road...
I think Dennis Mayers would be an asset because he seems to have the intrest and expierence as an editor.
Good Luck MAK
Nick-
Hi Guy's,
There are many, many major advertizers in the mag now. Prevost, Marathon, ABC Bus Sales, Liberty, ect..
Seems like it can be had at a fair price for the right buyer..
I can think of many ideas that can be made to happen with the Mag. Think about it!
I wish it was what I was into but, I'm a Reefer man....
Nick-
Bus Conversions Magazine is my favorite magazine. I read it immediately after taking it out of my mailbox. I keep all of them, and have all of them since I became a busnut in 2001. I now own two busses. I read this board daily.
Mike will have an easier time selling the magazine if he can show potential purchasers that revenue is going up. He can't very well ask us to subscribe or extend our subscriptions now, because the buyers would see that since they will read this thread. But I can suggest it, since I have no connection to Mike. Here is the subscription url: http://busconversions.com/subscribe.htm
I think it would be a kind and generous thing for all of us to buy a three year subscription to the magazine today. If we already have a three year subscription, like I do, we can extend it. Even if Mike doesn't find a buyer, this vote of confidence in him will probably make him happy.
I think Mike will have a difficult time selling the magazine to a non busnut. It might be productive for us to discuss here how perhaps a group of us could collectively buy the magazine, because if he doesn't sell it, it might close, which would be very sad. For example, if a hundred of us invested $3,000 each, that would be $300,000. I have no idea how much Mike wants... I'm just making up figures here. Mike already has Dennis Myers hired as Editor, and the magazine looks more polished than ever, so there is a team in place to run the magazine if we were to buy it collectively.
I'll put the first $3,000 on the table if it's wanted. I'm not in any way suggesting a sales price by the way... my comfort level is $3,000. Maybe the business is worth $10M or $1M or $100,000, I simply don't know. But I do know that many here may be able to kick in $3,000 in support of their passion for bus converting.
Mike has done a really great job over the years, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart.
Kevin
San Francisco, California
Shoot with my budget I'll get sent the empty wrapper it comes in COD! Oh well I've added my 2cents!
;D BK ;D
It may not be worth much, especially if its only breaking even. One way or another all investments are valued based on the expectation of future cash flow.
There were a group of small specialty magazines that my nephew worked for. They were sold to a larger company, I'm trying to get contact details to pass on to you Mike.
Cheeez!
As the first editor and even with my past experience with MAK I am sorry to see this happen.
As has been posted, print media is having a rough time of it now although some DIY magazines (such as woodworking) seem to be making a go of it.
I wish I was in a position to take over (just so no one else could), but given my present circumstances and age, it's not a viable situation.
Maybe a less controversial and confrontational publisher might make a go of it.
Quote from: 1967_MCI5a on August 08, 2008, 12:42:25 PM
I think it would be a kind and generous thing for all of us to buy a three year subscription to the magazine today. If we already have a three year subscription, like I do, we can extend it. Even if Mike doesn't find a buyer, this vote of confidence in him will probably make him happy.
He might appreciate it, but it might hurt more than help. If a large number of 3 year subscriptions hit right before the sale, it would cut back on projected revenues for the first three years of the new ownership.
I sure hate to hear this! :'(
I wonder what will become of the Board and Magazine now. My fear is that someone else will buy it and then try to change everything. Especially if someone is looking for a tax writeoff. I've seen it happen before.
Thanks for the ride Mike!
The magazine sure has improved since you hired Dennis to head it up. He's done a good job of filling your shoes.
Not sure I would have posted anything until a buyer was found though. It will either scare people away or cause us to get what we can while we can. :-X
Paul
http://www.fwpublications.com/
Mike, this is the link to the pub house that bought several small local publications here. They have a number of boutique, small circulation magazines. You might check with them.
Hey, Mikey try the young man in SD that published the Coach Enthusiast Magazine several years back he may be instrested