“YOU CAN’T REALLY KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING UNTIL YOU KNOW WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN.”
—MAYA ANGELOU
TEN YEARS AGO, I wrote . . . ELYSIAN, our premise
Greek in origin, the word Elysian means beautiful, creative, divinely inspired, peaceful, and perfect. It is with this idea in mind that our magazine ELYSIAN is launched. ELYSIAN strives to serve the reader with both beautiful visuals and alluring content. I am forever grateful to the team of professionals that has come together in South Carolina to tackle such an endeavor. As a woman left motherless by breast cancer, much of my life has been spent searching for exceptional women to emulate . . . women personifying grace, intelligence, kindness, sophistication, inner peace, and beauty. As a young lawyer entering the workforce in the mid-1980s, it was challenging for me to find relatable female role models. So, too, were my findings in later years when I was recruited into the business arena.
In light of these experiences, each edition of ELYSIAN will explore the private lives of four extraordinary women. Intimate interviews will delve into the intricacies and nuances of how these women came to achieve notable uniqueness. Excerpts from candid interviews will be published in the printed edition, while our digital presence will air the actual interviews.
Most importantly, ELYSIAN is for the curious individual. While ELYSIAN is woman-centric, it also serves as a regional resource, spotlighting the arts, culture, beauty, style, dining, drinks, philanthropy, health, fitness, home, travel, and exploration. These extrinsic experiences build a breadth of knowledge that encompasses the authentic ELYSIAN reader.
TODAY, with gratitude . . . ELYSIAN, the journey
Throughout the years, we continued to carry forward a simple mission, “Women inspiring women.” We believe in the transformative power of curated content to connect women and stimulate positive change. Our purpose has always been to embolden, encourage, and provoke authentic communication . . . that builds and not divides. What began as a women-centric regional magazine ten years ago has today grown into a global, multidimensional ecosystem.
Yet, the path was not always easy. Covid devastated the magazine businesses with the price of paper skyrocketing and the trepidation of touching any substance (paper) that could potentially spread the virus. Additionally, our sources for distributing the magazine were all closed, having been declared “non-essential” businesses. However, ELYSIAN quickly adapted, meeting the audience where they were in the digital realm, and simultaneously began integrating eight verticals into one cohesive platform spanning print, digital, film, television, e-commerce, apps, international events, and philanthropy. Today, our philanthropic arm, ELYSIAN Impact, focuses on charities across five key areas: women, children, service, pets, and the environment, and has disbursed over $16 million to organizations within these vectors.
ELYSIAN’s focus continues to be its stellar quality and robust curation of content, as recognized in the award-winning global publication. ELYSIAN, too, solidified its place in the world of film with the launch of multiple international award-winning documentaries—covering such varied topics as philanthropy to the horrors of war.
I am again overwhelmed with gratitude for our small team of professionals, headquartered on Main Street in Spartanburg, South Carolina, who have weathered unimaginable storms and built a deep trust and impenetrable loyalty to the vision and one another.
TOMORROW, with focus . . . ELYSIAN, the future
As we celebrate the achievements of the past decade, we look to the future. Our ELYSIAN Circle of Women will expand as we grow our platform and its foundational components: exceptional content, connecting women, and creating change.
CONTENT: The sheer volume of articles and interviews in print paved the way for our organic digital presence (with a weekly eNewsletter boasting a pool of 10MM and 30% open rate from our house file of 35,000). But this is just the beginning. We believe that the innovation, creativity, and inspiration that fueled ELYSIAN will explode with new collaborations and strategic partners. As we work toward our 20th anniversary, ELYSIAN will also continue to produce unique and inimitable films, all crafted from a woman’s perspective.
CONNECT: Building the ELYSIAN Circle of Women is an intrinsic part of our mission. We have traditionally focused on Inspiring Women— those among us who have achieved great things throughout the world in art, business, entrepreneurship, professions, public service, technology, philanthropy, and more. However, in the future, the enigmatic and accomplished Dr. Christina Rahm will help us to grow our footprint to also include Aspiring Women, the next generation of female thought leaders. Our ELYSIAN Circle of Women will expand by embracing all Aspiring Women who can learn firsthand…from the trials, tribulations, and successes of prospective role models. It is our hope that through ELYSIAN mentorship, Aspiring Women will be empowered to unleash their creativity, innovate, and build in ways that surpass us.
CHANGE: Women are multi-dimensional and have complexity in their philanthropic breadth of interest. For that reason, ELYSIAN Impact will expand the perspective on fundraising goals from dependency to self-reliance. The concept “teach a person how to fish . . . and you feed her for a lifetime” is the core of ELYSIAN’s future philanthropic endeavors. The ELYSIAN Circle of Women will define its legacy by using resources to amplify individual and collective purpose.
Finally, as we celebrate ten amazing years, the wise and eloquent words from author Maya Angelou resonate. I hope that by sharing the history of ELYSIAN, you will not only understand our vision but also join our movement.
Thank you for making this journey possible. May we continue the walk together, “Women inspiring women.”
With much love,
Karen Floyd
Publisher