Entrepreneur Editors Ask for Buyouts

Four editors asked for—and received—buyouts this week at Entrepreneur magazine.

The editors include: research editor James Park, associate/copy editor Kim Orr, associate editor (listings) Allison Gergley and associate Web editor Elizabeth Wilson.

“They approached us and said if we were thinking of doing layoffs that they’d be interested” in leaving the magazine, Entrepreneur vice president and corporate publisher Ryan Shea told FOLIO:. “We weren’t expecting to lay anyone off, but figured that if these people aren’t happy then it’s affecting their work here."

“We didn’t have to, but we offered them a nice severance package and parted ways,” he added.

Shea attributed the defections to the departure of longtime editorial director Rieva Lesonsky in April 2008. She was replaced last June by former WiesnerMedia business development vice president Amy Cosper, who serves as vice president and editor-in-chief.

“The editors who left were hired by the previous manager,” said Shea. “Sometimes when new management comes in, certain people hold loyalties to the former manager. And, hey, that’s fine. Loyalty is hard to come by.”

Separately, designer Brian Takeda and junior designer John Cheresh quit recently, Shea said. Entrepreneur has seen numerous departures in recent months. In April, eight staffers—including the executive and managing editors—were said to have been laid off. Longtime president Neil Perlman retired earlier this year.

Entrepreneur plans to take advantage of the recent departures, according to Shea, by combining two of the editorial positions and the two design positions and hiring two replacements, as well as another online staffer.

“Bottom line, we’re producing a better product with fewer, better people,” Shea said.

RELATED LINKS

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Entrepreneur Employees

Submitted by Rieva Lesonsky on Fri, 06/26/2009 - 20:25.

Repeating a factual error does not make it so. So, as I said on another blog--of the 4 editors who left, I did NOT hire nor did I EVER work with 2 of them. Though I understand from people who did that they were smart, hard-working professionals, just like the 2 editors I did work with. And loyalty is not that hard to come by; it just needs to be earned.

One source

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 06/26/2009 - 20:28.

Nice one-source story, Folio. Did it occur to anyone that Ryan Shea might want to positively spin the fact that four editors (not all of whom were hired by the previous editor, as noted in the Fishbowl piece's comments yesterday) asked to be laid off in the worst-ever job market for journalists? Just asking. And did it ever occur to Ryan Shea not to insult former employees? Is that what current employees can expect when they leave?

sources

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 06/27/2009 - 00:10.

do you think folio might have spoken with a number of sources, who were probably the editors who left, and others, and decided not to publish comments from potentially sour grape employees? i'm glad this isn't a sounding board for ex-editors to tell us how they have no confidence in their chief editor. let them leave a comment, or write a blog.

@"sources"

Submitted by original anonymous poster on this thread on Sat, 06/27/2009 - 00:35.

I actually don't think Folio spoke with a number of sources. The only person mentioned in this article is Ryan Shea (by your logic, why not decide against publishing the comments of someone who has a vested interest in an overtly positive spin?). When a journalist interviews numerous sources, those sources' comments and varying viewpoints are most often included in the resulting article. But you already knew that. As for the "sour grapes" employees who you'd like to leave a comment or write a blog, I'd love to hear from them too: That was my point.

Asking to be laid off is nothing

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 06/27/2009 - 01:27.

The people that got laid off at least had a nice severance to walk away with. If you look back in history a bit, a lot of employees have run away from this company even without that severance pay. Yeah, and why is the sourcing so bad on these stories? Those guys are on Facebook no doubt, so why don't you try an anonymous quote from one of them or something? But I guess you can always assume plenty of quotes come from them in the always resentful comments.

"comment"

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 06/27/2009 - 02:44.

“Bottom line, we’re producing a better product with fewer, better people.” Wow, what a slap in the face to the people who left. I wouldn't want to work for a company that shows absolutely no respect and appreciation for their employees. Good for them for leaving. I wish them the best of luck.

Better product?

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 06/27/2009 - 12:47.

Anyone who's read the magazine lately knows its not a better product. Anyone looking for a better product should be reading Inc.magazine.

oh yes

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 06/28/2009 - 23:00.

i hope the associate editor writes here about how her boss rides motorcycles all day or goes to the gym instead of reading pages. thats news.