Case Study: Illinois Business Journal achieves publishing success with SCORE Mentors Berks and Schuylkill Cty

Illinois Business Journal - Customer Case Study

Illinois Business Journal, founded by Kerry Smith in Alton, Illinois in 2000, set out to fill a gap in local business coverage for a six-county region that had no dedicated business journal. As a new publication, the main challenge was creating a workable business plan and launch strategy for a newspaper that would rely heavily on advertising revenue rather than subscriptions.

SCORE Mentors Berks and Schuylkill Cty helped Kerry Smith develop the business plan, including three-year cash flow projections, insurance, distribution, and marketing, through weekly mentoring and extensive ongoing advice. The support from SCORE Mentors Berks and Schuylkill Cty gave her the expertise she needed at no cost and helped the Illinois Business Journal continue to prosper; the paper achieved a circulation of 20,000 and an estimated readership of about 80,000.

Illinois Business Journal

Kerry Smith

Owner