Essence Ventures LLC
Essence Ventures LLC is an African-American-owned media company that publishes Essence Magazine and operates a portfolio of digital, experiential, and commerce brands serving Black women and multicultural audiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Essence Ventures LLC does
Essence Ventures LLC is a privately held, independent African-American-owned media company that publishes the Essence Magazine brand and operates a portfolio of digital, experiential, and commerce properties targeting Black women and multicultural audiences. The company is a subsidiary of Sundial Media & Technology Group, headquartered in Brooklyn, with editorial operations at the Time & Life Building in Rockefeller Center. Founded in 2017 and capitalized by the January 2018 acquisition of Essence Communications, the company has subsequently accumulated a multi-brand portfolio that includes Girls United (GU), BeautyCon, NaturallyCurly, Afropunk, Essence Studios, Refinery29, Soko Mrkt (e-commerce marketplace), Ese Funds (financial wellness), and WeLoveUs.shop (e-commerce).
Essence Ventures LLC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Essence Ventures LLC
- Legal name
- ESSENCE Communications Inc.
- Website
- https://essence.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Essence Ventures LLC is an African-American-owned media company that publishes Essence Magazine and operates a portfolio of digital, experiential, and commerce brands serving Black women and multicultural audiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Essence Ventures LLC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Multicultural Lifestyle Media
- NAICS
- Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creator Management & Talent Representation (BPAFAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Content & Creative Studio for Creators (Concepting/Production) (MPAAAHAD)
Keywords
Where Essence Ventures LLC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Essence Ventures LLC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital magazine subscriptions sold directly to consumers with automatic renewal. Subscriptions include 6 issues annually for print/digital access.
- Digital Content & Advertising: Online content across multiple digital properties (Essence.com, GirlsUnited.essence.com) generating advertising revenue through display ads, sponsored content, and native advertising.
- E-commerce: Consumer products sold through WeLoveUs.shop and Soko Mrkt marketplace.
- Events: Revenue from ticketed events including Essence Festival of Culture, Black Women in Hollywood, and GU Summit.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 2-Year Print + Digital Subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | 1-Year Print + Digital Subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | 1-Year Gift Subscription |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Single Copy / Newsstand |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Essence Ventures LLC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Essence Ventures LLC is a private multicultural media company that publishes ESSENCE Magazine in print and digital formats, operates digital content platforms (including Girls United for Gen Z audiences), produces signature cultural events such as the ESSENCE Festival of Culture and Black Women in Hollywood, runs direct e-commerce via WeLoveUs.shop and a third-party lifestyle marketplace (Soko Mrkt), and owns acquired lifestyle brands including Refinery29, BeautyCon, Afropunk, and NaturallyCurly. The portfolio is targeted at Black women and multicultural audiences and is consolidated under parent Sundial Media & Technology Group.
Product overview
Essence Ventures LLC operates a multi-platform media company centered on Black women and multicultural audiences. The core offering is Essence Magazine (print and digital), supplemented by digital destinations including Girls United (targeting younger multicultural audiences), and experiential events such as the ESSENCE Festival of Culture and Black Women in Hollywood. The portfolio includes acquired brands BeautyCon, NaturallyCurly, Afropunk, and Refinery29, as well as sub-brands Essence Studios, Soko Mrkt (e-commerce), Ese Funds (financial wellness), and WeLoveUs.shop. The company functions as a platform media business with content, community, commerce, and events pillars.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Essence Studios: Media and entertainment production studio
- Soko Mrkt
- Ese Funds
- WeLoveUs.shop
- ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
Products and services
- ESSENCE Magazine Flagship print and digital magazine covering beauty, fashion, culture, entertainment, and lifestyle for Black women and multicultural audiences; sold via subscription and newsstand.
- Girls United (GU) Digital-first content platform targeting Gen Z readers with culture, lifestyle, and identity-focused editorial.
- ESSENCE Festival of Culture Multi-day live music, culture, and empowerment festival held annually and ticketed to consumers with sponsor activation.
- Black Women in Hollywood Ticketed annual industry event honoring Black women in film, television, and entertainment, with associated editorial and sponsor coverage.
- WeLoveUs.shop Direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront selling curated lifestyle and beauty products tied to the ESSENCE audience.
- Soko Mrkt Online marketplace aggregating third-party lifestyle, beauty, and fashion sellers serving multicultural consumers.
- Refinery29 Acquired digital lifestyle and editorial brand serving millennial and Gen Z audiences across fashion, beauty, and culture.
- Afropunk Acquired music, culture, and festival brand representing Black creative and alternative culture.
- BeautyCon
Companies that use Essence Ventures LLC
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Essence Ventures LLC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Essence Ventures LLC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Sundial Media & Technology GroupcoreSundial Media & Technology Group is the parent company of Essence Ventures LLC. The company provides corporate governance, legal framework, and operational infrastructure for the Essence media brand portfolio including Essence.com, Girls United, and related properties.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Essence Ventures LLC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Essence Ventures LLC social profiles
Digital presenceEssence Ventures LLC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Essence Ventures LLC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Essence Ventures LLC subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
Essence Ventures LLC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Essence Ventures LLC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments5 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Essence Ventures LLC
What does Essence Ventures LLC do?
Essence Ventures LLC is a private multicultural media company that publishes ESSENCE Magazine in print and digital formats, operates digital content platforms (including Girls United for Gen Z audiences), produces signature cultural events such as the ESSENCE Festival of Culture and Black Women in Hollywood, runs direct e-commerce via WeLoveUs.shop and a third-party lifestyle marketplace (Soko Mrkt), and owns acquired lifestyle brands including Refinery29, BeautyCon, Afropunk, and NaturallyCurly. The portfolio is targeted at Black women and multicultural audiences and is consolidated under parent Sundial Media & Technology Group.
Is Essence Ventures LLC a public or private company?
Essence Ventures LLC is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Essence Ventures LLC founded?
Essence Ventures LLC was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Essence Ventures LLC based?
Essence Ventures LLC is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Essence Ventures LLC make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Magazine Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are digital Content & Advertising, E-commerce and events.
Does Essence Ventures LLC have an API?
No public API is recorded for Essence Ventures LLC.
What industry is Essence Ventures LLC in?
Essence Ventures LLC's product category is Multicultural Lifestyle Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAHAB, Creator Management & Talent Representation, with a secondary code of MPAAAHAD, Content & Creative Studio for Creators (Concepting/Production). Its NAICS code is 7114 and its SIC code is 2741.