Meet Erin O’Brien | CEO and Editor-in-Chief, 71 Magazine

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erin O’Brien and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
The most important decision I made, other than deciding to work for myself, was recruiting people I’d worked with in the past as core staff members. When I first had the idea to start 71, I knew I would need at least a small team to make things happen, but I wasn’t sure how to go about recruiting. Finances were a factor, but I was also aware that the first people who join your team – especially in key roles – can have a huge impact on how your business is ultimately shaped.

The first people I contacted were a writer/photographer (Mike) and a graphic designer (Elisa), both of whom I’d worked with in past editorial roles. They each had 20+ years of experience in publishing and I’d had a great experience working with them, so I contacted them initially for *advice* about recruiting and some other items. I didn’t expect either of them to be available/interested, but they actually both really liked the idea and the early vision of 71, and decided to jump in with me – and five years later, they’re still with me on Team 71! They’ve had a huge impact on how 71 started and where we’ve gone in the years since, and 71 definitely wouldn’t be what or where it is now if it weren’t for them.

If you’re planning to start a new venture, I highly recommend reaching out to your professional network about anything you need. Even if the person you ask can’t fill the actual need, they may be able to direct you to someone else who can or just give you some great advice. Effectively using your network can make all the difference.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
71 Magazine brings together exceptional creatives from all over the world and from across the arts and tech to take our readers on what we like to call a journey of the arts less traveled. Every issue is an interactive, highly visual celebration of artists and creatives from different worlds in a unique mix of visions that you don’t see anywhere else. We’re 100 percent woman-owned and dedicated to celebrating these artists and their art, providing a safe space where readers can get lost in creativity and positivity.

I started 71 Magazine (and its parent media firm, 71 Publications) back in 2017, in my last semester of graduate school. At that time, I’d been working in publishing, mostly as a magazine editor, for over 10 years and had experienced a series of toxic work environments that made me seriously rethink my career choice. I actually left my editing roles shortly after I started the graduate program, back in 2014. With some distance, and informed by some of my graduate studies (particularly in organizational communication and operations), I realized that leaving publishing – which I loved – was not the only option. If I started my own publication/publishing firm, I could have not only full control in fostering a positive work environment, but also the creative freedom to explore a lot of the artistic avenues that hadn’t really been available to me in my prior editing roles. So I decided to give it a try, formally launching 71 Publications in May 2017 and 71 Magazine in November of the same year.

It was definitely not easy! Nothing can really, fully prepare you for starting your own small business. But I teamed up with some great people, each with 20+ years of industry experience, early on, and did whatever I had to do on my end to make things happen. Most importantly, though, I had faith. 71 just *felt right,* not just to me, but also to my core team members – and that was crucial. There were (and still are) a lot of long workweeks and a lot of sacrifices, and we’re definitely not finished growing or stepping things up. But all of us believing in 71 and being willing to put in the time and effort to make 71 the best it can be, and to continually step up our game, is how we’ve been able to overcome the challenges.

I’ve learned *a lot* on this journey, about all things related to business and about publishing itself. Starting and operating your own publication (or probably any small business) is an education like no other. I still have a lot to learn, but I welcome the opportunity and am grateful that we’ve been able to come so far, as well as for what’s still to come. And this year is a major milestone for us, as we’re turning 5 years old!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In Dallas, I love the Bishop Arts District, the Dallas Museum of Art and pretty much all of the arts and culture! We could go gallery- and museum-hopping and also check out some of the spas and wine tasting tours.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to mention the Texas Fashion Industry Initiative. They’re a 501(c)(3) based in San Antonio that’s making huge strides for fashion industry professionals across Texas. They have an education focus for young professionals/first-time entrepreneurs and are the purveyors of Texas Fashion Week. I have a lot of respect for what they’re doing and am grateful for their friendship.

Website: https://my71mag.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my71mag/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/71-publications

Twitter: https://twitter.com/my71mag

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/my71mag

Image Credits
Mike Brannon Marie + Lee Studio Indira Cesarine Alexi Lubomirski Chris Nicholls Chris Hunt Caitlin Cronenberg Myles Katherine John Bregar