You’ll see on page 9 of this month's print issue that Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. held its annual publishers’ conference a few weeks ago in Marco Island, Florida, and welcomed three new publishers into the fold. I wasn’t able to attend, but seeing the photos made me remember my first training sessions almost five years ago and my first full conference three years ago.

Of course the sessions taught me about the many disciplines involved in publishing Natural Awakenings: selecting editorial, creating a pleasing and effective layout, organizing a distribution plan, and helping local businesses reach our readers. But the most important thing I learned at training, and later at the conference, was what a real family of caring souls Natural Awakenings is. I had worked in business for many years before buying the franchise, and have felt part of a corporate family before. But nothing prepared me for the love and commitment to each other shown at the conference.

Larry Levine, NAPC president, wrote afterward, “The greatest joy of the 2015 publishers’ conference was the experience of being with everyone in the room. The experience in the room was of an aligned mission, one purpose, pure love, one for all and all for one, and unity. There was no ego, no separation, no opposition, no you or me. There was only totally responsible beings, committed to the success of each individual and the whole Natural Awakenings enterprise, with perfectly aligned vision.” When was the last time you heard that about a business meeting?

What started with one woman, Sharon Bruckman, and one small magazine more than twenty years ago has become America’s leading healthy living magazine, reaching almost 4 million readers a month!  

I’m thrilled to be part of the mission and proud to be sharing this magazine with readers and businesses in my “neck of the woods.”