Kickstand Magazine Update

[ratdaddy]

Saw this on Facebook this morning. It was in response to a post that went something like this (my paraphrase):

KS: Gonna ride this new cruiser we got for free from 3G tonight
other person: blah blah blah
other person: blah blah blah
Frustrated Reader: Maybe in your spare time you could put out another magazine.

Kickstand Magazine: ‎@JC i know! we have just finalized a deal with REI, which is the reason for the delay in issue 10 coming out. In one fell swoop, the magazine's circulation is expected to x10 by the end of 2012 (going from 20k to 200k). This requires massive retooling of our operational structure and a large cash infusion.

KSM has been a passion project from the beginning, and has pretty much been created by burning the Midnight Oil... As you can imagine, the success of any project depends on its commercial success, and we have successfully bootstrapped this project with 9 full issues with a skeleton crew of unpaid, yet committed, staff; we are proud of doing it in the WORST ECONOMY since the 1930s. I am certainly not making excuses for our tardiness, but attempting to share with our fans friends and supporters the challenges we have faced the past few years.

Our hope is to generate enough revenue this year to be able to hire a full-time staff to regulate the flow of our magazine and get it into a more periodic production cycle. With this new partnership with REI, we hope to extend our love of the freewheeling life to a larger audience and turn our passion into "real" jobs.

So there ya go. It's going to be a while for the next issue...again. But it looks promising I must say. I too have been impatient, but they have been doing this unpaid, and have been putting out a pretty decent magazines. I have only published smaller newsletters and zines, and have spent inordinate amounts of time trying to do those. I can't imagine the work it takes to put out a magazine. Getting advertisers, artwork, blah blah blah.

So yes, I have been frustrated by their inconsistency, but I get excited every time an issue comes out. I'm just stoked somebody thinks our little subculture of bike weirdo's is worth publishing a magazine for. I'm up for cutting them a little slack till they get their crap together.

All the news worth repeating....

jeff

 

[Rat Rod]

Thanks for sharing that Jeff.

I had traded emails with Brad last week about it all and wasn't sure when he planned to announce the merger.

Hopefully it will help put things on track to more consistency.

 

[big kountry]

Who do we contact to get a subscription started I'd be willing to pay upfront I love magazines an the fact that these guys are doing it outta there own pockets is awesome that means they believe in what they are doing an will put out a great ragg

 

[Rat Rod]

Brad could speak more to this than me, but I think a majority of their magazines end up being sent to bike shops around the U.S. and I'm not sure that they are charging the shops for them.

My LBS carries the magazine and they give them away for free.

 

[CCR]

It works great for potty training btw

 

[bradkevans]

Thanks for sharing that Jeff.

I had traded emails with Brad last week about it all and wasn't sure when he planned to announce the merger.

Hopefully it will help put things on track to more consistency.

It's not a MERGER! we are partnering with REI to provide their customers with Complimentary magazines starting with issue 10! This is a pilot program that will launch in all REI stores in UT, MT and CO with an eye on a national presence in the future. It's an exciting next step for our baby publication, and one that has been in the works for almost 2 years! We've continued to publish the best magazines as fast as we can with our limited staff and resources... it's a miracle of sorts that we have gotten this far!

 

[bradkevans]

S

So yes, I have been frustrated by their inconsistency, but I get excited every time an issue comes out. I'm just stoked somebody thinks our little subculture of bike weirdo's is worth publishing a magazine for. I'm up for cutting them a little slack till they get their crap together.

All the news worth repeating....

jeff

jeff, thanks for your patience. We've committed to this project over and over, nine times and counting. Both in time and in real dollars. As you can imagine, starting something is always fun and new, but once you get rolling with that "great" idea, one asks themselves what am I doing this for? The real deal is that we love bikes, and that passion continues to radiate throughout everything we do... we caught something on the line with the magazine, and sometimes it turns out to be a whale on the the end of the line... yup, I said it... KSM is a whale.

whether or not I ever really get my crap together, that is an entirely different story. I'm not pretending that we knew what we were getting ourselves into, but we are committed to continuing the quest to be THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR A FREEWHEELING LIFE. Our new partnership with REI is going to reach a HUGE audience - which will allow us to fund this project more fully so we can build a top-notch staff that can produce a magazine that comes out more regularly like People Magazine! Until then we thank each of your for your patience.

Jeff, thanks for your support. To all of our friends and supporters, we will continue to publish, and everyone that has paid for their subscription will received their full allotment of magazines.

To those that post here that we are dead, or are some how scamming our readers... maybe you should listen to what your mom told you and if you don't have anything nice to say. Mom's advice applies to the internet and blogs too.

 

[inshane64]

To those that post here that we are dead, or are some how scamming our readers... maybe you should listen to what your mom told you and if you don't have anything nice to say, STFU. Mom's advice applies to the internet and blogs too.

Exactly the attitude that will inspire me and MANY others not to subscribe, takin' notes from Spirit Airline's CEO? Public Relations is KEY and word of mouth spreads fast on this forum.

 

[509clunk]

Thanks for confirming my attitude toward the mag, I will never re subscribe! !

 

[largek9]

I replied to the other post on 4/28.after a email Brad sent to me. As far as I'm concerned he told me an UNTRUTH saying that all subscribtions where up to date as of 4/15/2012! and it would take me 6 weeks to get mine :roll:. Boo on this Mag. You cant mess in your mess kit! and expect it to be forgotten! :!:

 

[user 135]

It works great for potty training btw

hahahahahha nice picture.

 

[Vipon]

yeah, not getting a warm and fuzzy feeling from this guy.

 

[Road Master]

wow

 

[Dorian]

To those that post here that we are dead, or are some how scamming our readers... maybe you should listen to what your mom told you and if you don't have anything nice to say. Mom's advice applies to the internet and blogs too.

Maybe you should have listened to "your" Moms advise about not talking down to adults like they were "children" as you did with the above statement - 'cause it makes YOU look bad! Many people who have supported you have a right to be concerned about whether you can get issues out in a timely manner. This is not a question of "nice" its a question of whether you have what it takes to get the job done in a professional manner "ie" publishing and customer relations. A lot of people seem to have legitimate beefs, so don't go blaming "them" when they voice frustrations with your ability to deliver on the goods. Comprende?

Dorian

 

[Dorian]

Interesting:


http://www.thedenveregotist.com/editori ... brad-evans



..................

 

[largek9]

Interesting:
http://www.thedenveregotist.com/editori ... brad-evans

Very much so! :roll:

p.s. note listen what he says @ 11:55. :lol:

 

[GameBent]

It's one thing to disrespect people who aren't happy with an event you started (not cool, but understandable).
It's something completely different to disrespect people who pay you for a product and simply want to know when they will actually receive that product.

 

[GameBent]

Still no updates.

 

[Rat Rod]

I think I might rather get poked in the eye with a stick...LOL! :lol:

 

[Xcruiser]

Interesting:


http://www.thedenveregotist.com/editori ... brad-evans



..................

Im not 100% familiar with whats going on but Ive read the entire thread and then I read this interview or whatever word for word and my conclusion is this: If this is the guy that represents our passion/hobby I am embarrassed.I wouldn't plan on folks seeing a successful magazine from this guy.
At a glance he lacks class,tact and professionalism.
Id guess due to as much as he said F-u in the article he's likely saying F-u to his subscribers as well.