Shepherd Express
Shepherd Express is an independently owned Milwaukee monthly alternative news magazine covering arts, dining, culture, LGBTQ+ topics, cannabis, and local politics, monetizing advertising, a $9/month membership program, and event ticketing across print and digital channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersMilwaukee, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Shepherd Express does
Shepherd Express is an independently owned monthly alternative news magazine serving the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metropolitan area, with editorial coverage spanning arts, entertainment, dining, culture, LGBTQ+ topics, cannabis, and local politics. Founded in 1986, the publication operates as Wisconsin's largest locally owned glossy alternative news outlet, distributing 33,000+ print copies monthly across the ShepFinder rack network and reaching a claimed 265,000+ total readers across print, digital, and newsletter channels.
The company is built on the Metro Publisher content management system, which powers the website, event listings, newsletter distribution, and membership management. The product portfolio extends well beyond the magazine to include multiple podcasts (including a WisPolitics partnership "The Insiders"), the Shepherd Tickets ticketing platform, ShepStore merchandise, Best of Milwaukee annual reader awards, Brew City Buzz, and dedicated editorial verticals such as the Cannabis Connection and LGBTQ+ Progress Awards.
Revenue is generated through three principal streams: (1) display and classified advertising sold to local Milwaukee businesses and event organizers, (2) the recently launched "Friends of the Shepherd Express" membership program priced at $9/month, which provides recurring reader-supported revenue, and (3) ticketing and event-related revenue routed through Shepherd Tickets and sponsored community events. The customer base is bifurcated: a broad consumer readership on one side and a fragmented base of local advertisers, event partners, and ticketing buyers on the other.
Shepherd Express firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shepherd Express
- Legal name
- Shepherd Express
- Website
- https://shepherdexpress.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Shepherd Express is an independently owned Milwaukee monthly alternative news magazine covering arts, dining, culture, LGBTQ+ topics, cannabis, and local politics, monetizing advertising, a $9/month membership program, and event ticketing across print and digital channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shepherd Express industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local News & Media
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (51312)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)
Keywords
Where Shepherd Express is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milwaukee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Shepherd Express business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Advertising: Display advertising in monthly glossy magazine, online website advertising, special themed editions, email newsletter sponsorships, and event sponsorships
- Membership/Subscriptions: Friends of the Shepherd Express membership program starting at $9/month, offering exclusive perks to support independent journalism
- Events and Sponsorships: Best of Milwaukee reveal party, Margarita Fest, Old Fashioned Fest, LGBTQ+ Progress Awards, and other event sponsorships
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Friends of the Shepherd Express membership starting at $9/month |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Shepherd Express product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shepherd Express publishes a free monthly glossy print magazine and a continuously updated website delivering independent local journalism on Milwaukee's news, politics, dining, music, film, arts, LGBTQ, and cannabis scenes. Beyond the core publication, it monetizes a portfolio of reader-supported products including the Friends of the Shepherd Express membership program, branded podcasts, the Best of Milwaukee reader-voted awards, a ticketing service, and event sponsorships.
Product overview
Shepherd Express is a locally owned monthly alternative news magazine and digital platform covering Milwaukee. The core offering consists of the print Shepherd Express Magazine distributed to 33,000+ monthly readers with 265,000+ readership, paired with the continuously updated ShepherdExpress.com website. The portfolio includes the annual Best of Milwaukee awards program, five branded podcasts (Laughing Liberally Milwaukee, MKE Sports Express, Sonic Rendezvous, Radio Shepherd Express, and The Insiders), an interactive events calendar powered by CitySpark, the Shepherd Tickets ticketing service, the Friends of the Shepherd Express membership program, weekly print puzzles, LGBTQ+ Progress Awards, and Cannabis Connection editorial coverage. The company also operates ShepStore for merchandise sales and a daily email newsletter with 45,000+ subscribers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Friends of the Shepherd: Membership program for supporting independent local journalism
- Shepherd Tickets
- ShepStore
- Best of Milwaukee
- Brew City Buzz
Products and services
- Shepherd Express Magazine Milwaukee's bold, independent monthly print magazine featuring news, politics, commentary, dining, music, film, arts & entertainment, LGBTQ, and cannabis coverage, distributed free throughout the Milwaukee area.
- ShepherdExpress.com
- Best of Milwaukee Annual reader-voted awards program recognizing top Milwaukee-area businesses and cultural offerings across categories including Arts & Entertainment, Food & Drink, LGBTQ, and Sports, culminating in a sponsored reveal party.
- Shepherd Express Podcasts Portfolio of five branded podcasts: Laughing Liberally Milwaukee (political comedy), MKE Sports Express (sports talk), Sonic Rendezvous (Milwaukee music history), Radio Shepherd Express (news, sports and culture), and The Insiders (Wisconsin politics with WisPolitics).
- Shepherd Tickets Self-service ticketing platform at shepherdtickets.com that enables event organizers in the Milwaukee area to sell and manage event tickets, supported by Shepherd Express's marketing reach.
- Friends of the Shepherd Express Membership Recurring monthly membership program starting at $9/month that funds independent local journalism and offers members exclusive perks.
- ShepStore Direct-to-consumer online store selling Shepherd Express-branded merchandise including t-shirts, apparel, and gift cards.
- LGBTQ+ Progress Awards Annual awards event and editorial program recognizing LGBTQ+ community progress and leadership in Milwaukee.
- Daily E-Newsletter Daily email newsletter covering trending Milwaukee news, politics, human interest stories, arts & entertainment, and dining content; distributed to 45,000+ subscribers with a 22% average open rate.
Companies that use Shepherd Express
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Shepherd Express technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Shepherd Express partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- WisPoliticscoreWeekly podcast partnership producing 'The Insiders' - a political discussion show on Wisconsin politics with Chuck Chvala and Scott Jensen. Presented by WisPolitics and Shepherd Express.
- CitySparkcoreEvent listing platform that powers Shepherd Express's event calendar. Enables easier event submission and browsing for Milwaukee area events.
- Feeding America Eastern WisconsinminorNonprofit partner for Best of Milwaukee reveal party food drive. Donations collected at the event support Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin food pantries.
- Harley-Davidson MuseumminorVenue sponsor and host location for Best of Milwaukee 2025 Reveal Party at The Garage at the Harley-Davidson Museum.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Shepherd Express competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Shepherd Express social profiles
Digital presenceShepherd Express financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shepherd Express leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Shepherd Express funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shepherd Express 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 Shepherd Express
What does Shepherd Express do?
Shepherd Express publishes a free monthly glossy print magazine and a continuously updated website delivering independent local journalism on Milwaukee's news, politics, dining, music, film, arts, LGBTQ, and cannabis scenes. Beyond the core publication, it monetizes a portfolio of reader-supported products including the Friends of the Shepherd Express membership program, branded podcasts, the Best of Milwaukee reader-voted awards, a ticketing service, and event sponsorships.
Is Shepherd Express a public or private company?
Shepherd Express is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Shepherd Express founded?
Shepherd Express was founded in 1986. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Shepherd Express based?
Shepherd Express is headquartered in Milwaukee, United States, in the North America region.
How does Shepherd Express make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Advertising is the primary driver. The others are membership/Subscriptions and events and Sponsorships.
Does Shepherd Express have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shepherd Express.
What industry is Shepherd Express in?
Shepherd Express's product category is Local News & Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAEAO, News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines, with a secondary code of MPAJADAH, Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press. Its NAICS code is 51312 and its SIC code is 2721.