210. From Vision to Print: The Birth of Pattern Magazine

We made a bet on beauty, permanence, and the tactile magic of print in a fast-paced, digital-first world, and that bet became Pattern Magazine, a 120-page quarterly print publication designed to inspire, inform, and live on your studio table for years to come. In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of exactly how we brought it to life, from the first spark of an idea to holding the finished magazine in our hands.

I share the research that convinced us print is thriving, including how tactile experiences build trust, create emotional connection, and stand the test of time, and why now felt like the perfect moment to bring something slower and deeply human into the world. You’ll hear the full eight-stage roadmap we used, starting with defining the vision and structuring the content into four intentional sections, creating editorial guidelines, budgeting and planning expenses, and choosing the right printer. I talk through the details of working with contributors, designing for print with templates and direction documents, and preparing for a thoughtful launch.

You’ll also hear the challenges we faced, from moments of overwhelm to the uncertainty of stepping into an industry we knew nothing about, and the lessons that kept us moving forward: you don’t have to know everything before you start, you just have to care deeply and be willing to learn along the way.

If you’ve ever dreamed of creating your own printed piece, whether that’s a magazine, workbook, or other tangible publication, this episode will give you a clear framework to follow and the encouragement to bring your vision to life. And to make it easier, I’m sharing a free resource: our Printing Inquiry Email Template & Vendor List, with the exact email we used to reach out to printers and the list of vendors we contacted.

📒 Episode Notes, Links, & Resources 📒

https://www.professionalcreative.com/blog/210

📝 Read the Transcript 📝

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