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Success Story: Iowa

Dina Stroud Faith owns The Best of Floyd County Hometown Value Magazine, an advertising magazine coming out in August 2014 that focuses on local businesses and activities in Floyd County, Indiana. The local publication will be sent to higher income Floyd County residents only.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Dina started her direct mail career 25 years ago,spending the first 10 years selling advertising for Val-Pak.  Dina has also sold advertising for a couple of local direct mail coupon magazines and has spent eight years selling database-driven and targeted solo direct mail products to businesses on a national level.

When asked why she chose this business to get involved in, Dina answered, “I’ve enjoyed all of the products I’ve sold, but there was always “something I would fix” about each program, so I decided I would take the best that each product had to offer, include some added value aspects, and create what I think is the best possible product for local businesses to reach the consumers in the local area.”

Dina’s mission for her business is to provide a high quality, affordable direct mail magazine for local businesses to market their brand, products and services to residents of the local community while apportioning proceeds back to a community development, educational or charitable organization. 

Dina really enjoys the positive feedback she has received while meeting business owners and creating her magazine.  She is proud that most people she meets with and talks to about her magazine express that they believe she has a great, well thought-out product to offer.

Sometimes, however, Dina’s business can become frustrating when people do not give her a chance and learn about her magazine. She believes that if she is given time to talk with the business owner, he or she will enjoy the magazine and realize what is has to offer for local businesses. While the magazine may not be a fit for them at that time, it may be something down the road that would benefit their business.

Because Dina’s business is at the start up stage, she hasn’t faced any severe road bumps yet. Her challenge moving forward is being able to personally survive financially for the first few months until her publications reach the number of pages that she needs to not only cover production costs, but to draw a salary.

After designing and printing her marketing materials and making decisions such as mailing area, frequency, mail dates, etc., Dina was ready to open her business and start talking to business owners and Floyd County residents. Dina has not been able to measure growth yet, since the magazine’s first issue comes out in August 2014, but she is looking forward to August and is excited to get feedback from business owners and consumers who receive the magazine. If Dina decides to expand her business, she plans to hire more employees along with develop a website.

Dina enjoys working with the community and looks forward to helping out local businesses and organizations. For Dina’s first year of business, she is giving her front cover to Develop New Albany at no charge to promote community events and a portion of the total sales will be donated to them as well.

Dina, a client of the Southeast ISBDC since March 2014, says of her Business Advisor, Blayr Barnard, “Blayr was extremely encouraging and gave me the added confidence to move forward.  She has been great with the follow-up and making sure that I have everything I need to be successful.”

Blayr Barnard, Southeast ISBDC Regional Director, says of Dina, “Dina is taking her years of experience in marketing and direct mail to provide a unique service in Floyd County. She has already partnered with one local business association and is moving forward quickly.”

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