Lifestyle Publications: Elevating Community Storytelling Through Localized Magazines

Launched in 2009 in Overland Park, Kansas—where it remains headquartered—Lifestyle Publications has carved out a niche in the world of print media with its community-centric model. The franchise is known for producing sleek, professionally designed monthly magazines that cater to upscale neighborhoods.

Since opening its doors to franchising in 2010, Lifestyle Publications has empowered entrepreneurs to operate their own publications under its nationally recognized brand. Each franchise delivers custom content that celebrates local businesses, highlights neighborhood events, and shares inspiring community stories.

What makes Lifestyle Publications distinctive is its commitment to hyper-local storytelling. Every edition is uniquely crafted to reflect the lifestyle, interests, and values of the neighborhood it serves—helping to build connection and loyalty among readers in ways that broad, regional publications often can’t match.

Training

Lifestyle Publications offers structured training to equip franchisees, known as Publishers, with the skills needed to manage their community-based magazine. This training is tailored for the Principal Operator and may also accommodate other staff or successors with additional fees.

1. Initial Training Program
   The Principal Operator is required to attend and successfully complete the Initial Training Program. This foundational training includes essential aspects of running the magazine, such as ad sales, content management, and publication operations. Lifestyle Publications covers the lodging costs for the Principal Operator during this training.
2. Training for Additional Participants
   If a franchisee wants to send another person (like a manager) to the Initial Training Program, they must pay a fee of $1,000 per additional trainee. This allows teams to onboard multiple people while ensuring consistency in knowledge and execution.
3. Replacement Training
   If the Principal Operator is replaced, the new appointee must attend and complete the Initial Training Program. The fee for replacement training is also $1,000, and the new Principal Operator must meet the same standards as the original.

Territory Protection

Lifestyle Publications offers territory protection to its franchisees by assigning a specific geographic distribution area, referred to as the “Community.” This area is designated by the franchisor before the business opens and is tied to the name and reach of the franchisee’s magazine.

This structured territory ensures that each franchisee operates in a defined market without internal competition from other franchisees using the same brand.

The franchisee's rights to this territory are formalized through the Publisher Agreement, which outlines the franchisor’s right to approve any changes or expansions. By granting a defined Community, Lifestyle Publications aims to preserve the integrity of localized advertising and maintain the exclusivity of content and audience reach.