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August 11, 2000/10 Av 5760, Vol. 52, No.48
BizAZ racks up success
LEISAH NAMM
Staff Writer
In September, the third anniversary issue of the business publication BizAZ - pronounced Biz-A-Z - will hit magazine racks throughout the Valley.
This is no minor milestone for publisher Brian Sacks, who founded the magazine as "Lynx" in 1997, although he had no publishing experience or investment backing.
Instead, Sacks, 29, capitalized on contacts he had made when he worked in telecommunications and sales to kick off his new venture.
"I was going to do a newsletter and talk about the power of networking ... and kind of just walked into a magazine," he says.
The magazine, part of his publishing company "The Lynx Group," covers local topics geared to the Valley's small to medium-sized business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals.
Each issue includes topics like marketing, finance, multimedia, tips for the entrepreneur, interviews with local business leaders, success stories and networking.
"Business was booming (three years ago). I just thought, business people need to do more networking. ... I didn't know the first thing about publishing a magazine or anything about cost or how to do it or paying writers or design, and I just learned as I went."
Sacks, a Long Island native, worked out of his home, hiring freelance writers and photographers and selling advertising.
"My whole family is pretty much entrepreneurial," he says.
His parents, who still live in New York, have been in the antiques business for about 60 years and his brother started what is now a multi-million dollar advertising agency in his New York City home.
"He's older than I am so I definitely look up to him," Sacks says about his 34-year old brother Steve, "He definitely provides the role model situation."
Sacks moved to the Valley to attend Arizona State University in 1990. He was interested in sports broadcasting and landed an internship at a CBS affiliate station.
He earned a communications degree with a concentration in public speaking.
"I love sports but I didn't end up wanting to go that route," he says. He's still an avid college football fan and enjoys playing basketball.
When he started the magazine - he changed the name from Lynx to BizAZ in 1998 to avoid confusion with a golf publication - Sacks handled almost every aspect, from selling ads to editing and distribution. He printed 5,000 copies of the magazine's first 20-page black-and-white issue.
Today he employs three full-time staff members, 12 freelance writers, a freelance design team and two photographers, working out of an office in Phoenix.
He oversees the bimonthly magazine, which has grown to a circulation of 25,000, "from start to finish for each issue." Issues average 76 four-color pages.
He handles invoicing and remains involved in distribution and editing, although now he has a full-time editor. He also handles large advertising accounts and works with his account executives "to help them get more business and help them to become more efficient in sales."
To promote networking among his clients, he hosts parties at various Valley spots. Future plans include expanding the magazine's Web site, www.bizaz.com, and getting more involved in trade shows and charity events. Sacks has also considered expanding the magazine into other markets, San Diego being his first choice.
"I love the ocean, I love the water," he says. "The heat in the summertime (in Phoenix) is getting overwhelming."
Although he is not currently active in the Jewish community, he did attend Hebrew school as a child and became a bar mitzvah and hopes to become more active in the future.
BizAZ is distributed free at more than 150 Valley locations, including AJ's Fine Foods, Barnes & Noble Bookstores, Blue Burrito Grill, Borders Books, Coffee Plantation and Einstein Bros. Bagels. It also is mailed to 600 hand-picked Valley businesses.
The September/October issue will be distributed Sept. 6.
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