LA Style Magazine Co-Founder Steven Marshank

LA Style Magazine was a monthly magazine about fashion, art, and lifestyle in Los Angeles in the 1980s. Steven Marshank was an original investor in, and co-founder of, the magazine. Steven Marshank first invested in the magazine in 1986. LA Style quickly became a leading international. It was well known for its fashion section, which detailed new trends and had a well-loved shopping guide. LA Style also was known for its high level of journalism with award winning writers, which told readers about critical issues like water in California in addition to the local entertainment scene. LA Style photographs quickly became a fixture at many big social events in LA. Steven Marshank and his partners oversaw the business and administrative functions of the magazine with Marshank focusing on distribution.

LA Style was successful in the fashion world, but it was a success from a business standpoint as well. Much of this success can be credited to Steven Marshank’s leadership. The magazine was very successful and made a good profit in both subscriptions and newsstand sales. It was also very successful in advertising sales. LA Style doubled its advertising sales in its second year. LA Style sold mostly in southern California, but it did have subscribers across the United States and in Europe. In 1988, LA Style Magazine was sold to American Express Publishing by Marshank and his business partners. American Express Publishing publishes nationally known magazines like Travel & Leisure, Food & Wine, and others. American Express transitioned the magazine to a wider audience while keeping its California focus and the elements that made it successful in LA.

After his time in Los Angeles, Steven Marshank moved to Oregon. He now lives in Ashland, Oregon. He has left the magazine business but he continues to work in business development through his own company, Marshank consulting.