About the Magazine / From the Publisher

I initially thought it would be a great idea to help out businesses that are suffering. We should care, knowing full well that businesses support families. I've done papers in the past, but costs are taken into consideration, so we cannot have a thick paper for the public. Something thinner would work, to be picked up by the public as needed. For example, pet shops would have a paper related to pets, and the elderly would have a paper related to them, etc. This is not a new thing, but I also thought about articles paying for space, but not necessarily advertorials. The public has learned to glance over ads, but still spend enormous amounts of time to read articles. They would not be advertorials as much as suggestions by the business owners on what articles would best suit them, would be the issues they encounter a lot, and at the same time, what best they can write about -- what would be on their minds lately that they are passionate about.

Well, it turns out, those who continue to be interested in writing are those who are not struggling. I've done papers in the past. Getting in print is not a totally comfortable thing to do for a lot of people. It also turns out that some people do like to write. I also scrapped that pay-for-space idea.

I initially wanted to come out with a financial paper, with financial consultants endorsing what they have to offer. However, it turns out, they have a more structured hierarchy, and because of the Madoff incident, they have become more cautious about what they put out -- basically they need permissions all the way to the top of their groups. Meanwhile, I started getting better responses from other consultants in the business sector, plus I had begun to get business books to review or mention from publishers.

So this is what came about. This is the first issue, which I plan to use to approach others with. The next issue will come as soon as I get the Mahjong cards a little more settled. This paper did not evolve overnight. I initially went to the public library, and made photocopies and then macro pictures from my digital camera of phone books from the 12 midwestern states. I called consultants to see who would be willing to write, and ask about their businesses. I discovered a lot of discontinued phone numbers and businesses that have shut down.

So below you will find articles written by great people, mine included, and books by great publishers. I've met a lot of good people along the way -- the writers, the p.r. people of some publishing houses, the people who have ads. The paper will come back as soon as the mahjong cards get settled. I've had people tell me they want to write as well, and the ones here will write again. I'll let you guys know when the next deadline will be.

- val

BananaQ Magazine October 2009 Cover Image

BananaQ Business Buzz October 2009

The letter-sized Edition is now available (8.5" x 11"). Links to emails and the websites of the writers are also working. (Please come back later for the actual tabloid pdf.)

You can now download the full issue, letter-sized pdf (43 pages, 19 megs). The editorial page, ads and books from the publishers are included in the full copy of the paper. Click here

The cover art was by Thomas S. Nelson, who has a total of 19 works in this issue for sale. Please click here for his article and art (900k pdf file).

Individual Articles, also letter-sized:

pdf	220k	The 5 Small Business Dangers by Tom Anderson
pdf	770k	Cedar-Plank Salmon Recipe by Connie Fairbanks
pdf	160k	Comic Strip by Marc Filerman
pdf	270k	I've Got A Website - Why Can't I Find It? Search Engine Optimization by Kurt D. Guntner
pdf	540k	Hidden Waste and the Million Dollar Report by Gary King
pdf	460k	Personal Plans and Business Plans by Tom Long
pdf	1010k	Are You Giving Up on YOur Business Ownership Dream Too Soon? A Franchise Career Coach Can Open Doors You Never Knew Existed by Joe Marchioretto
pdf	180k	3 Ways To Add Website Usability & Usability Testing Into Your Website Design by Sandy Marsico
pdf	220k	To Go Into Business or Not To Go Into Business by Daniel Mayville
pdf	440k	Your Small Business Recession Rescue Plan: Create Your Own Stimulus Package to Grow Your Sales by Joe Ryan
pdf	470k	Be Seen, Be Heard by Cynthia L. Schick
pdf	400k	Welcome To Chicago David Booth & Deborah Shames!
pdf	380k	The Dawning of the Age of Just OK (Not Everything Worth Doing is Worth Doing Well) by Howard A. Tullman
pdf	900k	How I See Master Artist Thomas S. Nelson by Val Zubiri