Metro Woman Magazine changes hands

Angela Frizell officially took the reins at Metro Woman Magazine yesterday, after Audrey Hartman sold the business directory she launched in January 2004.

The magazine is licensed and printed by Hidden Value, the publishing company that also produces Kids Directory with different owners in Springfield. Metro Woman Magazine is distributed as a free publication at 200 locations in Springfield.

“I have been working in marketing in Springfield for over a decade and have always enjoyed the magazine,” Frizell said. “I took the opportunity and am looking forward to growing it.”

Hartman first published the female-focused directory as a monthly, 32-page, advertising-funded publication, Frizell said, but later scaled it back to 16 pages with a bimonthly release schedule. Under the new ownership, Frizell said the magazine will build back up to 32 pages with monthly production by early 2018. Frizell also plans to broaden its advertising and distribution reach to Branson.

Frizell, who works in marketing at QPS Bio-Kinetic, will handle the magazine’s design and distribution, with the help of her husband, David Frizell, a professional illustrator, and daughter Victoria Frizell, a student at Ozarks Technical Community College.

Frizell also works as a freelance digital marketing consultant through her business Social Status Marketing LLC. The previous owners of the magazine outsourced social media efforts, Frizell said, and haven’t posted on Facebook in nearly two years. Frizell has already launched a new website and will publish her first issue in September, as the July issue already is in the works.