Business Publications Corporation, Inc
Business Publications Corporation is an Iowa-focused business media company that publishes the Business Record and dsm magazine, producing newsletters, podcasts, specialty publications, and awards events for Iowa business professionals across real estate, manufacturing, innovation, and women's leadership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersDes Moines, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Business Publications Corporation, Inc does
Business Publications Corporation, Inc. (BPC) is a privately held Des Moines-based business media company founded in 1983 that operates the Business Record and dsm magazine, serving Iowa's business community with statewide and Central Iowa editorial coverage. The company's product surface spans two flagship publications, nine email newsletters (including Business Record Daily, Commercial Real Estate Weekly, Innovation Iowa Weekly, and Fearless), six podcasts delivered through the 2025-launched BPC Streaming Network, eight specialty publications such as the Annual Real Estate Magazine and Book of Lists, and a recurring calendar of business events and awards programs including Forty Under 40, CFO of the Year, Women of Influence, and the Commercial Real Estate Forum.
Underlying technology is a multi-channel publishing stack: a WordPress-based digital hub at businessrecord.com, email delivery via DragonForms, and the BPC Streaming Network built in partnership with Iowa Everywhere to distribute video and audio podcasts on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. The company also operates physical venue operations through its Krause Group partnership at the Krause Gateway Center.
BPC monetizes across five revenue streams: advertising placements across publications, website, newsletters, and streaming; premium subscriptions for exclusive content and member benefits; membership programs; event and awards revenue; and branded specialty publications (e.g., Book of Lists, Annual Real Estate Magazine). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with annual billing for premium tiers. Customer segments center on Iowa business professionals, real estate and development stakeholders, manufacturers (via the Made in Iowa vertical), women leaders (via the Fearless initiative), and economic development organizations. National credibility has been earned through repeated Alliance of Area Business Publishers editorial excellence awards in 2025 and 2026.
Business Publications Corporation, Inc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Business Publications Corporation, Inc
- Legal name
- Business Publications Corporation, Inc.
- Website
- https://businessrecord.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Business Publications Corporation is an Iowa-focused business media company that publishes the Business Record and dsm magazine, producing newsletters, podcasts, specialty publications, and awards events for Iowa business professionals across real estate, manufacturing, innovation, and women's leadership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Business Publications Corporation, Inc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Media and Publishing
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (51312), Book Publishers (513130)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Business, Personal Finance & Careers Trade Publishing (MPAJAAAK)
Keywords
Where Business Publications Corporation, Inc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Des Moines
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Business Publications Corporation, Inc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Advertising: The company generates revenue through advertising placements across its publications, website, newsletters, and streaming network. Advertisers include local businesses, healthcare organizations, financial institutions, and other Iowa companies.
- Subscriptions: Premium subscription model providing access to exclusive content, newsletters, and member benefits including Business Record Daily, Commercial Real Estate Weekly, Business Record Iowa, Innovation Iowa Weekly, and Fearless newsletter.
- Membership: Membership program offering premium subscriber benefits including exclusive content, events access, and networking opportunities.
- Event Revenue: Revenue from hosting business events including awards programs, conferences, forecasts, and networking events such as Forty Under 40, CFO of the Year, Women of Influence, and Innovation Iowa awards.
- Specialty Publications: Revenue from specialty publications including Annual Real Estate Magazine, Book of Lists, innovationIOWA Magazine, Made in Iowa, and other branded content publications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Premium subscription with full access |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Business Publications Corporation, Inc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Business Publications Corporation is an Iowa-based business media company that publishes the Business Record and dsm magazine, alongside nine email newsletters, six podcasts distributed via the BPC Streaming Network, specialty annual publications (Annual Real Estate Magazine, Book of Lists, Innovation Iowa Magazine), and a calendar of business events and awards programs. It sells subscriptions, advertising, premium memberships, and event sponsorships to Iowa business professionals, real estate practitioners, manufacturers, and women leaders.
Product overview
Business Publications Corporation operates a multi-platform media company consisting of digital and print news publications (Business Record, dsm magazine), multiple email newsletters (Business Record Daily, Commercial Real Estate Weekly, Business Record Iowa, Innovation Iowa Weekly, Fearless), a podcast and video streaming network (BPC Streaming Network with 6 podcasts including Made in Iowa, Iowa Economy, Fearless, and Iowa Stops Hunger), specialty publications (Annual Real Estate Magazine, Book of Lists, Innovation Iowa Magazine), and events/awards programs (Forty Under 40, CFO of the Year, Women of Influence, Power Breakfast, Economic Forecast). The portfolio covers Iowa business news, commercial real estate, innovation and entrepreneurship, and lifestyle content.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Annual Real Estate Magazine: Business Record's Annual Real Estate magazine providing market analysis, detailed listing information and showcasing leaders within the industry.
- 90 Ideas in 90 Minutes
- Book of Lists
- Made in Iowa
- Innovation Iowa Magazine
- Pillars of Philanthropy
- Greater
- Fearless
Products and services
- Business Record Digital and print business news publication covering Iowa business news, trends, and analysis across industries including banking, real estate, health care, manufacturing, and economic development.
- dsm magazine Lifestyle publication covering food, dining, arts, culture, and wealth topics in the Greater Des Moines area.
- Business Record Daily Newsletter Twice-daily email newsletter delivering local business news, business trends, original reporting, and curated state and national stories.
- Commercial Real Estate Weekly Newsletter Weekly Wednesday newsletter keeping real estate and development professionals informed about industry news, trends, challenges, and people.
- Business Record Iowa Newsletter Weekly Friday newsletter aggregating Iowa's top statewide headlines from Business Record and news outlets across the state.
- Innovation Iowa Weekly Newsletter Thursday newsletter reaching a statewide audience, connecting and activating people and organizations transforming Iowa.
- Fearless Newsletter Newsletter initiative to empower Iowa women to succeed in work and life, covering entrepreneurship, leadership, childcare, and gender equity topics.
- Iowa Economy Podcast Monthly expert insights podcast on Iowa's economy, workforce, and business climate, hosted by Chris Conetzkey.
- Made in Iowa Podcast Manufacturing podcast celebrating Iowa's makers, manufacturers, and business leaders, hosted by Leisa Fox.
- Business Record Iowa News Headlines Podcast Weekly briefing podcast providing focused recap of top stories from across Iowa, hosted by Sarah Diehn.
- Fearless Podcast Podcast featuring conversations with women trailblazers on courage, resilience, and impact in work and life, hosted by Emily Wood, LaDrina Wilson, and Macey Shofroth.
- Iowa Stops Hunger Podcast Podcast exploring food insecurity issues and solutions in Iowa, featuring conversations with businesses and nonprofits creating solutions.
- dsm Wealth Podcast Monthly podcast on finance, investing, and building wealth, hosted by Suzanna de Baca.
- Annual Real Estate Magazine Annual magazine providing market analysis, detailed listing information, and industry leader profiles for the commercial real estate market.
- Book of Lists Definitive resource guide for Central Iowa business professionals with over 70 industry lists, local leader profiles, and market facts.
- Innovation Iowa Magazine Magazine showcasing Iowa innovators and their stories, focusing on practical innovation in various industries.
- BPC Streaming Network Digital streaming platform in partnership with Iowa Everywhere, delivering video and audio podcasts on demand including six BPC podcasts, available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
- Business Record Events and Awards Programs Annual ticketed conferences, networking events, and recurring awards programs such as Forty Under 40, CFO of the Year, Women of Influence, Innovation Iowa Leader Award, Commercial Real Estate Forum, Economic Forecast, Manufacturing Forecast, and Best of Des Moines, serving Iowa business professionals and community leaders.
Companies that use Business Publications Corporation, Inc
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Business Publications Corporation, Inc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Business Publications Corporation, Inc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Iowa EverywherecoreBPC Streaming Network is a partnership with Iowa Everywhere, a locally-owned statewide digital media company. This partnership allows BPC to extend its trusted journalism through video and audio podcasts on demand, reaching audiences across multiple platforms including YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
- Krause GroupcoreBusiness Publications Corp. partnered with Krause Group to serve as the booking and logistics partner for the Krause Gateway Center event space. The partnership advances business and community initiatives at the Des Moines venue.
- Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue ShieldmajorWellmark serves as the presenting sponsor of the Made in Iowa Podcast, supporting coverage of Iowa's manufacturing economy and innovative makers and manufacturers.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Business Publications Corporation, Inc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American City Business Journals: The largest US network of regional business journals (40+ city editions including Minneapolis/St. Paul, Kansas City, Milwaukee). Operates the same multi-platform model — weekly business journals, Book of Lists franchises, events/awards, newsletters — making it the closest direct peer and competitor for BPC's model and product set.
- Crain's Chicago Business: Long-running regional business news publication (Crain Communications) covering a major metro business community via print, digital, events (e.g., Crain's Most Influential), and awards — directly comparable in structure and audience model to Business Record, though at much larger Chicago scale.
- Indianapolis Business Journal: Indiana-based regional business journal operating weekly print, digital, IBJ Magazine, and a heavy events/awards calendar (Forty Under 40, Best Places to Work). Nearly identical GTM model to BPC and a useful size/scale comparable for a Midwestern city business journal.
- Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal: ACBJ-owned Twin Cities edition covering the Minneapolis-St. Paul business community. Direct geographic and product analog to Business Record as a Midwestern ACBJ city journal, with comparable newsletters, events, and Book of Lists franchise.
- Buffalo Business First: ACBJ's Buffalo/Niagara regional business journal. Smaller-market ACBJ city edition sharing the same Book of Lists, events, and weekly print model as BPC, providing a useful smaller-market comparable for valuation and operating benchmarks.
- Crain's Detroit Business: Crain Communications' Detroit regional business publication with weekly print, digital, events, and awards. Comparable regional business media GTM with a metro-market focus similar to BPC's Iowa focus.
- BizTimes Milwaukee: Wisconsin-based regional business publication covering Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin business news via print, digital, and events. Closely comparable in size, market type, and product mix to Business Record's Central Iowa focus.
- Corridor Business Journal: Iowa City/Cedar Rapids 'Corridor' regional business publication serving Eastern Iowa. Closest direct geographic competitor to BPC, sharing the same state-level business audience with overlapping potential advertisers and subscribers.
- Crain's New York Business: Crain Communications' flagship New York City regional business publication. Comparable product structure (weekly print, digital, events, awards) though at much larger NYC scale; useful for understanding how the regional business journal model scales in a major metro.
Regional players
- Des Moines Register: Gannett-owned daily newspaper serving the same Des Moines/Central Iowa market as BPC. While a general-interest newspaper rather than a pure business publication, it covers overlapping local business news and competes for the same local advertising dollars and reader attention.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Business Publications Corporation, Inc social profiles
Digital presenceBusiness Publications Corporation, Inc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Business Publications Corporation, Inc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Business Publications Corporation, Inc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Business Publications Corporation, Inc M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Business Publications Corporation, Inc
What does Business Publications Corporation, Inc do?
Business Publications Corporation is an Iowa-based business media company that publishes the Business Record and dsm magazine, alongside nine email newsletters, six podcasts distributed via the BPC Streaming Network, specialty annual publications (Annual Real Estate Magazine, Book of Lists, Innovation Iowa Magazine), and a calendar of business events and awards programs. It sells subscriptions, advertising, premium memberships, and event sponsorships to Iowa business professionals, real estate practitioners, manufacturers, and women leaders.
Is Business Publications Corporation, Inc a public or private company?
Business Publications Corporation, Inc is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Business Publications Corporation, Inc founded?
Business Publications Corporation, Inc was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Business Publications Corporation, Inc based?
Business Publications Corporation, Inc is headquartered in Des Moines, United States, in the North America region.
How does Business Publications Corporation, Inc make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Advertising is the primary driver. The others are subscriptions, membership, event Revenue and specialty Publications.
Who are Business Publications Corporation, Inc's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American City Business Journals, Crain's Chicago Business, Indianapolis Business Journal, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Buffalo Business First, Crain's Detroit Business, BizTimes Milwaukee, Corridor Business Journal and Crain's New York Business. Des Moines Register is listed as a regional player.
Does Business Publications Corporation, Inc have an API?
No public API is recorded for Business Publications Corporation, Inc.
What industry is Business Publications Corporation, Inc in?
Business Publications Corporation, Inc's product category is Business Media and Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAM, Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines, with a secondary code of MPAJAAAK, Business, Personal Finance & Careers Trade Publishing. Its NAICS code is 51312 and its SIC code is 2721.