Meet Susan Williams of Denver Parent Magazine in River North (RiNo)

Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Williams.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Susan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
After graduating from university with a degree in Journalism and doing some graduate coursework, I went into public relations, working for years both in the house (corporate) as well as PR agencies. That’s where I discovered my passion for writing, specifically news-style writing such as press releases. That evolved into interviewing customers and clients to write articles, brochures, and other marketing collateral materials. Once I had my first child, I decided to work from home doing freelance writing which worked on and off for many years. Once my children were in high school and college, I began volunteering on the PR Taskforce for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) 17th Judicial District in Adams County, using my PR/writing background to help the non-profit organization recruit volunteers who advocate for children suffering from abuse and neglect. That’s where I met the publisher of Denver Parent Magazine, and we decided to work together to re-launch the effort to publish quality journalism and parenting articles in her online publication. I manage a talented team of writers and love putting my passion to use: I write every week and my work is published regularly. I’ve met some fascinating individuals who I’ve interviewed in the city and continue to be honored to tell their stories.

Has it been a smooth road?
Every life has challenges, and like many moms, my biggest worry was moving from my sporadic freelance work to getting back into what I love: writing and editing. I think many mothers who take time away from the rat race to raise their kids face similar concerns. But for me, the biggest challenge was to find a way I could continually write and edit quality work I can be proud of. I’d always been on the PR side of things, and when I moved into editorial management in publishing, I realized that it fit my skills far better.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Denver Parent Magazine began as a blog back in 2010, and when I joined last year, we re-launched it and successfully ramped up editorial content. As far as we know, we’re the only exclusively online parenting magazine in the area, and we pride ourselves on being certifiably green always taking measures to maintain a small ecological footprint, and be the go-to resource for parents. With over a dozen seasoned writers, which include a TED Talk speaker, as well as parenting experts, and those with backgrounds writing for The New York Times and The Denver Post, we are able to produce high-quality articles that serve our readership: the parenting community. Not only do we cover parenting issues, but those of local children and teens as well. We publish roundups of Denver area activities, as well as useful recipes, young adult book reviews, and general articles that concern the communities. We profile executives our ongoing work/life balance series, as well as non-profit organizations.

What role has luck played in your life and business?
Luck was definitely a factor in me joining Denver Parent Magazine. I met the publisher while volunteering at CASA. She’d come to CASA as a marketing executive, and we instantly hit it off. When she left that organization, she and I teamed up to make Denver Parent Magazine what it is today. We’ve increased online engagement through many social media channels and continue to do so. Had we not met, I’m not sure I’d be writing for such a dynamic publication.

Contact Info:

• Address: Denver Parent Magazine, c/o Green Spaces, 2590 Walnut Street, Suite #55, Denver,
  Colorado 80205
• Website: www.denverparent.net
• Phone: 720-808-0064
• Email: managingeditor@denverparent.net

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