Style Magazine Celebrates 20 Years

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus wrote those words around 500 B.C. in what is now modern-day Turkey, but his words are especially appropriate for America in 2024.

Change is a constant in our modern lives — especially in the publishing world. Rising print costs, layoffs, competition, and the growing popularity of digital media have significantly impacted the publishing market in the first decades of the 21st Century. 

For instance, the estimated revenue for newspaper publishers fell by 52 percent between 2002 and 2020, while revenue of periodicals, (including magazines), dropped by 40.5 percent. 

Even the iconic National Geographic is no longer sold on newsstands. Yet while many national magazines experienced decline, regional publications have grown in popularity.

Lake & Sumter Style is a prime example of a publication that continues to serve as a vital conduit between the community, its citizens, businesses, local events and concerns.

Each issue of Style hits close to home and makes a difference with entertaining stories about local people of all ages and their remarkable accomplishments, the latest health developments, tantalizing spots to eat out, intriguing getaway options, upcoming events and happenings, and more. 

This November celebrates the 20th year of Lake & Sumter Style bringing the best to Central Florida readers and keeping them up to date on what’s happening in their world.

Publisher Kendra Akers takes us back to the beginning of how this award-winning publication came to Lake and Sumter counties.

Early Days

Kendra’s sales career started at Comcast back when it was Lake County Cablevision. From there, she went to Sprint, where her sales efforts earned her a ranking of Top 10 in the nation. Kendra moved on to the Daily Commercial newspaper in 1999 as an advertising sales representative. 

It was while working for the Daily Commercial that she walked into a local Ruby Tuesday restaurant one afternoon and spotted a display rack full of glossy magazines.

“It looked like a national magazine, but when I discovered it was a local publication called Ocala Style, I knew I wanted to be part of it,” she remembers. “I sent in my resumé, interviewed with Kathy Johnson, the publisher, and was eventually offered a job.”

Kendra worked as a sales rep for Ocala Style from 2003 to 2006.

“Several months after starting, I talked with Kathy about publishing a similar magazine for Lake and Sumter counties,” she says. “With the growth happening at the time in The Villages and Clermont, I knew our area not only needed its own magazine but could definitely support one. Kathy agreed.”

Lake & Sumter Style became reality with the first issue in November 2004. The initial issue was scheduled for September, but multiple hurricanes hit Florida that month and pushed back the debut.

Holding that first issue in her hand was a dream come true for Kendra. She worked as director of the magazine for six years until purchasing the publication from Kathy’s company in 2010.

“I really admire Kendra. She’s one of the hardest working women I know,” says Kathy. “She’s very accomplished, generous, and has raised a beautiful family.”

Continued Growth

Following the success of Lake & Sumter Style, Kendra opened Akers Media Group on July 5, 2008. The company’s first publication was Healthy Living, which debuted in October 2008, and continues to be a popular quarterly magazine. 

Akers Media is a full-service advertising agency. The award-winning company has a full team of creative writers, artists, and marketing specialists under one roof.

“We didn’t initially launch as a full-service ad agency—that came later in 2012,” says Kendra. “Our advertisers loved our design and photography services, so we expanded to include media buying, web design, social media management, video production, and a variety of other creative and business solutions.” 

It’s no secret that many readers today prefer digital consumption of media. Although Style and Healthy Living always appear in print, in keeping with the times, both publications are available digitally. 

Akers Media has also expanded its platform to include audio and video storytelling through podcasts. Digital audiences now engage with the “Healthy Living Podcast,” “Style Magazine Podcast,” and the “Sports Hub Podcast.”

“People enjoy receiving information in various formats,” Kendra says. “Adding a podcast provides another layer of connection with our audience, allowing them to engage with us across multiple media platforms.” 

Through the years, Style has been represented by numerous journalists whose exceptional work in writing, photography and design was recognized with awards by the Florida Press Club at its annual Excellence in Journalism Competition.

“Every resident deserves to know what’s happening in their community. With busy lives and demanding jobs, people need a reliable source of information they can trust,” says Kendra. “In our area, we have three major newspapers. Two have drastically reduced their coverage, while the other mainly focuses on The Villages. Over the past several years, Style Magazine has stepped up, significantly increasing its coverage. We report on local sports, community events, and important issues affecting our community. An uninformed community is a vulnerable one; having trusted media is crucial.”

STYLE BY THE NUMBERS

Pursuit of Excellence

From early childhood, Kendra was always a reader, a fact that makes her foray into publishing as an adult most serendipitous.

“I will always remember my first book, The Chocolate Touch. It was about a boy who had a special gift. Everything he touched would turn into chocolate. I remember having a chocolate bar and eating it as I read the book,” Kendra recalls with a smile. 

Lake & Sumter Style has become known for specific issues each year, such as Best of the Best, which highlights businesses throughout the region, with winners and runners-up determined by reader votes.

Two other favorite issues are Business Women of Style each May and Business Men of Success each June. Local business owners who participate in those special advertising sections enjoy an evening of entertainment, food and beverages. Thanks to a reverse drawing, a winner is selected for each issue to appear on the cover and receive a free four-page spread in the magazine. 

As a publisher, sharing impactful stories became a mission for Kendra, who wanted readers to be aware of more than just the latest events. Through the years, Style has covered some hard-hitting subjects dealing with the “darker” side of life that most regional lifestyle magazines won’t touch. 

“When I discovered that Central Florida ranked second in the nation for human trafficking cases, I was completely shocked. Given our audience, I felt it was my duty to share this crucial information with the community,” Kendra says.

“Our first issue on the topic of human trafficking marked a significant shift for us. It was the first time we published an article that didn’t cast our community in a positive light,” she notes. “Our daughter Aubrey was the cover model for that issue, and it was incredibly emotional. I even cried during the photoshoot, imagining what victims endure.” 

The article received an overwhelming amount of feedback, including a personal letter from a judge in Miami, thanking Kendra for the coverage. Many of the human trafficking task forces, programs, and initiatives available in Lake County today started after that article was published.

“Initially, my sales team almost quit because they feared we would get canceled for tackling such a profound and dark topic,” Kendra recalls. “But everything worked out, and once they saw the community’s positive response, they were proud to be part of it.” 

The impact of the human trafficking feature makes that March 2012 issue Kendra’s overall favorite to date. 

The magazine itself and Kendra’s role have evolved through the years. She’s capably worn many hats, but now her primary position is managing the Akers Media Group team. It’s a task she considers both an honor and a responsibility.

“I set the tone for the office, ensuring it’s a positive place to work,” she says. “Many organizations suffer from negative and toxic environments, but not Akers Media. We pride ourselves on being family-friendly, positive, creative and happy. If a team member brings a toxic element, we part ways quickly to maintain our atmosphere.”

Readers, advertisers and fans have been an integral part of Lake & Sumter Style’s journey over the last two decades. As the publication celebrates 20 years, the team at Akers Media looks forward to many more milestones to come. 

“As I reflect on Heraclitus’ sentiment, ‘There is nothing permanent except change,’ I truly believe it’s something we’ve embraced at Lake & Sumter Style, Kendra says. “Over the last 20 years, we’ve grown, evolved, and adapted—and we’re committed to continuing that journey. What will never change, though, is our passion for telling the stories of the people, businesses and communities that make this area such a special place to live and work.”