South Sound Business

What South Sound Business does

South Sound Business is a regional business-to-business and consumer media publication serving the South Sound region of Washington State — specifically Pierce, Thurston, and South King counties — headquartered in Tacoma. The publication operates as part of Premier Media Group, a private media holding company. It produces a print magazine published ten times per year, maintains a digital news website at southsoundbusiness.com, and distributes free email newsletters. Editorial coverage focuses on local business news, executive profiles, and regional economic developments.

The publication runs on the BLOX Digital content management system, a standard platform widely used across U.S. regional newspapers and business journals, indicating a traditional regional-media operating model rather than a custom technology stack. Revenue is generated through two streams: print and digital subscriptions priced at $29.95 annually or $49.95 biennially, and local advertising sales targeting regional small and mid-sized businesses.

Beyond the core publication, South Sound Business operates several branded community-engagement programs: the annual 40 Under 40 recognition event drawing 200-plus attendees, the Best In Business awards program, the CEO Roundtable discussion series, and the Faces Of South Sound Business editorial franchise. Operational leadership sits with Premier Media Group, where Josh Dunn serves as President and Publisher. A content partnership with Bonneville Seattle, announced in 2026, extends the publication's distribution into adjacent regional media channels.

Name

South Sound Business

Legal name

South Sound Business

Website

https://southsoundbiz.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

South Sound Business is a regional business magazine and digital news platform serving the South Sound region of Washington State (Pierce, Thurston, and South King counties), generating revenue from subscriptions and local advertising, and operating event franchises including 40 Under 40.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tacoma

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital magazine subscriptions providing business news, profiles, and special section content to subscribers in the South Sound region. Subscription provides 10 issues per year for $29.95 or 20 issues for $49.95.
2. Advertising: Advertising sales to local and regional businesses seeking to reach the South Sound business community through magazine display ads, digital placements, and sponsored content opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

South Sound Business is a regional B2B media brand that publishes a monthly print and digital magazine covering business news, executive profiles, and economic activity in Tacoma and the Puget Sound area of Washington State. It also runs an email newsletter and recurring editorial franchises such as 40 Under 40, Best In Business, CEO Roundtable, and Faces Of South Sound Business, which serve both as editorial content and as advertising/sponsorship products for regional businesses.

Product overview

South Sound Business is a regional business magazine and digital news platform serving the Pacific Northwest's South Sound business community. The publication operates as a multi-platform media company offering a print magazine (available via annual/biennial subscriptions), a comprehensive news website, and free email newsletters. The product portfolio includes special award programs such as the annual 40 Under 40 recognition and Best In Business awards, as well as dedicated editorial sections including CEO Roundtable and Faces Of South Sound Business profiles. The publication generates revenue through magazine subscriptions and advertising services, with content also distributed through partnerships with broadcast media outlets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• South Sound Business Magazine Monthly print and digital magazine delivering local business news, executive profiles, and economic coverage of Tacoma and the Puget Sound region to business readers and advertisers.
• South Sound Business Email Newsletter Email newsletter delivering South Sound Business editorial content and advertising messages to subscribers and registered readers on a recurring basis.
• 40 Under 40 Annual editorial franchise recognizing young business leaders in the Tacoma / Puget Sound market, sold as a sponsored print and digital special section and recognition program.
• Best In Business Annual editorial franchise and awards program recognizing top businesses in the South Sound region, sold as a sponsored print and digital special section.
• CEO Roundtable Recurring editorial franchise and event/conversation series featuring CEOs and senior executives from the South Sound market, sold as a sponsored print and digital special section.
• Faces Of South Sound Business Recurring editorial franchise profiling local business leaders and individuals in the South Sound community, sold as a sponsored print and digital special section.
• Print and Digital Advertising Packages Advertising placements sold across the South Sound Business print magazine, digital edition, website, and email newsletter to regional businesses targeting the South Sound business audience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 Under 40 events attract 200+ attendees annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bonneville SeattlecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier Media Group and Bonneville Seattle partnership allowing MyNorthwest.com to share select content from Premier Media Group's network of magazines including South Sound Business. This collaboration expands content reach to audiences of 97.3 FM KIRO Newsradio, 710 AM Seattle Sports, and Seattle Red.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Idaho Business Review: Regional business journal serving Boise and broader Idaho with subscription, advertising, and event revenue streams. Functionally comparable Pacific Northwest regional B2B media operation.
• Oregon Business Magazine: Oregon-based regional business magazine covering Portland-area and statewide business. Comparable regional B2B print and digital model with events.
• Portland Business Journal: American City Business Journals publication serving Portland, OR with a comparable subscription + events + advertising model. Direct functional peer for a Pacific Northwest regional business title.
• Puget Sound Business Journal: Long-established regional business journal serving the greater Seattle/Puget Sound market. Direct competitor in Pacific Northwest B2B media with overlapping advertiser and reader base, but covers a larger and more affluent metro.
• Spokane Journal of Business: Regional business publication serving Eastern Washington. Closely analogous regional business news outlet in the same state with similar subscription, events, and advertising model.
• 425 Business: Sister publication under Premier Media Group covering the Eastside (425 area code) of the Seattle metro. Closest functional mirror of South Sound Business in editorial model, format, and parent-company distribution — same regional B2B print + digital model.
• Alaska Business Monthly: Regional business magazine covering Alaska with a print + digital + events model. Comparable standalone regional B2B publication targeting a defined Pacific Northwest / Western U.S. business community.
• Seattle Business Magazine: Monthly regional business magazine covering the Seattle metro with a print + digital model analogous to South Sound Business. Competes for overlapping advertisers in the broader Puget Sound region.

Emerging players

• GeekWire: Seattle-based digital business and technology news outlet covering the Pacific Northwest. Emerging digital-first player that competes with South Sound Business for regional tech/business advertising dollars.
• Crosscut (Cascade PBS): Pacific Northwest public-affairs digital publication covering regional business, politics, and culture. Competes for Pacific Northwest regional news and digital advertising attention, though with a non-profit/newsroom focus rather than a traditional B2B magazine model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SouthSoundBiz_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrCaBTz9BvEhh_Xyuo-97lw
• Facebookfacebook.com/southsoundbusiness
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-sound-business
• Instagraminstagram.com/southsoundbusiness

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 South Sound Business