How A Young Deaf Entrepreneur Revived Luxury Print Publishing

The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

Multiple articles across the internet have prophesied it, it is a hot-button issue among media circles and everyone below the age of 25 seems to be in agreement; print is dying. In the last decade and a half, sales of print publications have steadily declined around the world. 

The rise of social media and the instant access it offers means that many consumers do not feel compelled to spend money on print publications that come out daily, weekly, or even monthly when they can have a world of content from their phones. 

Despite the aura of doom and gloom that seems to surround the print industry, some publications have been going strong for decades and continue to find their audience even today. There are also publications like Deluxe Version Magazine that were launched in the mid-2010s, right around the time that print was declared dead and 7 years on, have continued to grow from strength to strength.

It is rare to see a publication be launched during the time that its primary medium is falling out of favor with the public and not only survive almost a decade later but actually expand. It is even more impressive considering that Deluxe Version Magazine operates in the luxury publication space which is a very niche industry. However, under the leadership of Timothy Hancock, its founder, Deluxe Version Magazine has been able to do just that. 

How Timothy Hancock Beat The Odds In Publishing 

Timothy Hancock knows all about having the odds stacked against him. Having been born deaf with 80% hearing loss, Hancock knows all about being underestimated by those around him but has always taken it in stride and achieved his goals nonetheless. When Hancock first launched Deluxe Version Magazine in the mid-2010s, he made the calculated move to target the luxury industry as opposed to creating a general interest magazine.

This is because most of the public gets their general interest content from the internet and often do not feel compelled enough to spend money on a print publication. By targeting the luxury lifestyle, he tapped into a very niche market that gets its content from very specific sources and not usually from the internet. He also made sure to put recognizable faces on the cover as Deluxe Version Magazine has had icons like Shania Twain and Olivia Newton-John on their cover which gives an air of recognisability.

While a lot of readers of Deluxe Version Magazine get their information from real-life sources, Hancock also made sure to promote the brand through his social media by curating a feed that is aspirational to the average reader while still showing off the best in terms of lifestyle. This gave further credibility to the publication that helped it succeed.

Finally, Hancock made sure that his publication was as progressive as possible, giving a majority of its assignments to small women-owned businesses and bringing many of these businesses to the forefront of the audience that might have previously overlooked them.

A combination of all of these helped Deluxe Version Magazine become the go-to source for luxury living with a millennial edge. As such, the magazine has remained high in demand and has launched a Las Vegas Lakes version, as well as an Interior and Design edition, showing that there is still power in print.

Hancock’s efforts have been recognized globally with features in Forbes as well as being selected one of the “Top 30 Under  30” entrepreneurs in America by Wynn Nightlife. As he continues on his path to victory, Hancock has shown that the old can truly mix with the new in terms of luxury print and that the industry may not be dead after all. 

The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.