Why did you call your consulting firm “Erazmus”?
Erasmus is actually my first name, spelled with an “s” but pronounced with a “z.” My full name, Erasmus Hervey Evans, is an old family name handed down since the 1820s. (No, really — it’s a Southern thing.) I lived in the Midwest for over twenty years and started out there before moving to Baltimore. Erasmus is also the name of a 15th century scholar and writer—an appropriate name for the magazine world, don’t you think?
What was your inspiration for starting Erazmus?
I worked for a number of magazine companies over the past 25 years and saw specialty magazines struggle to find creative solutions that were consistent with their vision. At the same time, I was involved in a number of launch projects and spent several years with a leading consulting firm learning how to help businesses find solutions that had integrity and “fit” with their capabilities and philosophy.
Then, in August of 1995, I made up my mind to do something I’d always wanted to do—start my own business helping specialty magazines succeed. It was a way for me, through Erazmus Inc., to make a difference for my friends and clients.
Any words of wisdom?
I’m not sure about “wisdom”, but my experience has taught me these things:
- I’ve learned that each magazine is unique — and has unique, creative opportunities to connect with its advertisers and its potential readers.
- I’ve learned that magazines exist in the space between the anticipating mind of the reader and the creative vision of the publisher.
- I’ve learned that business is about managing risk, not just accepting it.
- I’ve seen advertisers buy “involved” readers and “involved” readers remember advertisers and associate them with a strong magazine brand.
- I’ve seen magazines thrive in the current of interchange within and among communities and can help those communities achieve identity and thrive.
- I have seen information accumulate quickly in the magazine business. I help people use that information to their advantage. Planning is best when it captures vision and, at the same time, is very practical.
- I have learned that integrity is about rigorous honesty. It is also about orienting your life and work around what you know and believe.
What’s the most interesting/unusual/strangest client or project you’ve taken on?
Is there such a thing as normal in the magazine world? All of my clients have been/are “interesting, unusual, and strange” in some way. Recognizing that each client is essentially unique helps me avoid making too many assumptions about what will and will not work in a particular situation.
Some of my recent clients show this best: • Tall Magazine: “Because life is short – and we’re not.” • Fierce Magazine: “For women too bold for boundaries” • Authentic Living Magazine: “Creating the life you love” • Community Transportation • Specialty Chemical Manufacturing
