HEATHER LYNN’S HABITAT: Echoes back on market after hurdles

IT’S BEEN FOUR YEARS since author and publisher David Michael brought out his first heritage magazine, Echoes Caribbean.

Volume 2 is now out, and he told Heather-Lynn’s Habitat the delay was due to a lack of financial and technical support for entrepreneurs and innovators.

It was in September 2012 that Michael launched Volume 1 at a ceremony at the Barbados Museum and Historical Society.

He was a recipient of the University of the West Indies’ Student Entrepreneurial Empowerment Development (SEED) programme, during which he conceptualised the magazine.

“There were some challenges in getting this [Volume 2] out,” he said. This was despite the “gracious” response from the public to Volume 1.

“What would have accounted for the delay was the lack of support. And when I say lack of support, not just in terms of financial support, but in terms of the kind of technical support that you might very well need in terms of penetrating not only the local, but regional, as well as international markets,” he said.

Michael said he now had a greater appreciation for the difficulties experienced daily by young entrepreneurs.

He said marketing and capitalisation were critical to the success of his magazine and, as a result, he wanted to build partnerships with entities in corporate Barbados which had a “vested interest in our culture”.

Michael, who is also the editor, said the design, layout and level of professionalism of the 92-page magazine were far greater than the first.

“It has greater content as it relates to Caribbean heritage. What the magazine will present is diversity as it relates to the Caribbean heritage. That’s important because the brand is primarily a Caribbean heritage magazine,” he said.

The theme of this edition is flora, fauna, landscape and seascapes. It includes a feature on Zimbabwe’s UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as one on Barbados’ 50th anniversary of Independence.

“I am confident about where this brand can go. I believe this is a world-class brand and all that it needs is continued support, continued perseverance as it relates to marketing the magazine and producing the kind of content that people would definitely want to patronise,” he said.

His goal is to publish the third edition in November.