The Compass

Good businesses. Great stories. Worth telling.

THE CHALLENGE
Create a monthly publication that went beyond industry news and business advice to celebrate the people behind successful home service businesses. With a small editorial team and a demanding production schedule, each issue needed to deliver useful content while making members feel recognized, connected, and part of a larger community.

MY ROLE
As part of a five-person team, contributed across nearly every aspect of the publication, from art direction and editorial design to illustration, photography, and writing. Coordinated professional photography, developed cover concepts, and worked directly with featured members to bring their stories to life.

THE APPROACH
Every cover started with a conversation. After selecting a member to feature, I’d reach out to learn about their business, their passions, and the people and decisions behind their success.

From there, a writer and I would visit their shop, conduct interviews, gather photography, and look for the details that made their story unique. Those insights helped shape the cover concept and visual direction, creating something more personal than a typical business profile. Whether the subject was a plumber, electrician, HVAC contractor, or roofer, the goal was the same: celebrate the people behind the business and give other members something they could learn from.