Columbia Business Monthly

What Columbia Business Monthly does

Columbia Business Monthly is a regional business publication founded in 1989 that serves South Carolina business professionals, including CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, and rising business leaders across the Midlands region. It operates as part of the Integrated Media Publishing network, alongside sister titles Charleston Business, Greenville Business Magazine, B2B Pee Dee Business, and B2B The Grand Strand, with its listed headquarters at 303 Haywood Rd in Greenville, SC. The publication runs a small team of 1-10 employees, is privately held, and has no disclosed external institutional investment.

The core product is the Columbia Business Monthly Magazine, distributed in print and digital e-edition form, with coverage spanning roughly 25 industry verticals including banking, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, technology, education, economic development, and nonprofit sectors. The company supplements the magazine with a daily Business Narrative Newsletter, an online business directory, a business events calendar, the annual SC Economic Development Guide, and a substantial portfolio of 10 annual awards programs (SC 50 Most Influential, SC Top Workplaces, SC Women in Business, SC Fastest Growing Companies, Legal Elite, Best and Brightest 35 and Under, Excellence in Nonprofits, Health Care Champions, SC Best in Business, and Southeastern Real Estate Awards). The underlying technology is a standard web-based digital publishing platform with content hosted on columbiabusinessmonthly.com and subscriptions managed via the mirabelpages.com platform.

Revenue is generated through two primary streams: recurring print and digital subscriptions and advertising (display ads, sponsored content, and partnered content sections). Distribution channels include the website, e-editions, the email newsletter, Facebook organic social, and in-person events such as CEO roundtables, industry forums, and awards ceremonies. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and there is no mobile app. The business model is regional B2B media, monetized through subscriptions and event/sponsorship-driven advertising rather than technology licensing or platform fees.

Name

Columbia Business Monthly

Legal name

Columbia Business Monthly

Website

https://columbiabusinessmonthly.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Columbia Business Monthly is a regional business publication serving South Carolina executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders through a monthly magazine, e-editions, daily newsletter, awards programs, and events. Founded in 1989, it operates within the Integrated Media Publishing network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business News & Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Magazine & Newspaper Subscriptions / Delivery Retail (CRALAAAH)

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Subscriptions: Print and digital subscription services for business professionals seeking South Carolina business news and insights.
2. Advertising: Advertising opportunities across the publication including display ads, sponsored content, and partnered content sections.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Columbia Business Monthly is a regional business news publication covering South Carolina business news across sectors including banking, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, technology, and economic development. The company sells print and digital magazine subscriptions, advertising, e-editions, a daily newsletter, an online business directory, and runs multiple annual business awards and recognition programs.

Product overview

Columbia Business Monthly is a regional business news publication operated by Integrated Media Publishing, offering a unified platform of print and digital content focused on South Carolina business news. The core product is the Columbia Business Monthly Magazine, complemented by digital e-editions, multiple award programs (including SC 50 Most Influential, SC Fastest Growing Companies, SC Top Workplaces, SC Women in Business, Legal Elite, Best and Brightest 35 and Under), the annual SC Economic Development Guide, a daily Business Narrative Newsletter, and a Business Directory. Additional offerings include event calendar listings and partnered content sections covering various industries including healthcare, manufacturing, banking, real estate, and technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Columbia Business Monthly Magazine

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Integrated Media Publishingparent companyOthersColumbia Business Monthly is owned and operated by Integrated Media Publishing, which also owns Charleston Business, Greenville Business Magazine, B2B Pee Dee Business, and B2B The Grand Strand.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Charlotte Business Journal: American City Business Journals title covering the Charlotte metro and broader Carolinas. Operates the same regional B2B trade magazine model at larger scale, with named awards (e.g., 40 Under 40) and events, and competes for the same Carolinas-based advertiser wallet.
• Mid-South Business Journal (Memphis): American City Business Journals metro title covering Memphis and the Mid-South. Same regional B2B trade-magazine and awards-driven format as Columbia Business Monthly, sized as a mid-tier regional peer.
• Business North Carolina: Long-running statewide business magazine serving North Carolina with print, digital, and awards. Highly comparable to Columbia Business Monthly in editorial format, target audience, and award-driven franchise model.
• Nashville Business Journal: American City Business Journals metro title for Nashville. Mirrors the regional B2B trade magazine model with annual awards and events, serving as a relevant scaled comparable for benchmarking growth and event-driven revenue.
• Triangle Business Journal: American City Business Journals title covering the Raleigh-Durham 'Triangle' market. Same awards-driven (e.g., 40 Under 40) B2B trade magazine format that competes for Carolinas advertisers and shares readership with Columbia Business Monthly.
• Atlanta Business Chronicle: American City Business Journals metro title for Atlanta. Same B2B regional trade-publication model (print, digital, events, awards) at a much larger scale, serving as a relevant benchmark for unit economics and monetization depth.

Direct peers

• Greenville Business Magazine: Another sibling title in the Integrated Media Publishing network covering Greenville, SC. Same editorial format, awards-driven monetization, and parent-company economics, providing a near-perfect operating-comparable for Columbia Business Monthly.
• Gulfshore Business: Independent regional business magazine covering Southwest Florida with print, digital, events, and awards. Highly analogous operating model and size profile to Columbia Business Monthly, useful as a like-for-like regional peer.
• Charleston Business Magazine: Sister publication under Integrated Media Publishing serving the Charleston, SC market. Operates the same business model — print magazine, awards programs, and events — making it the closest comparable to Columbia Business Monthly in geography, structure, and revenue mix.
• SC Biz News: Regional South Carolina business publication (operated by BridgeTower Media/Kokomo) covering statewide business news. Most direct state-wide competitor to Columbia Business Monthly's advertising and subscription product.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Columbia-Business-Monthly/100063612577184
• Xx.com/cbmbusiness

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbia Business Monthly