Ready to Launch

New trails are the best kind. You never know what obstacles you will encounter. It’s a test of your off-road skills and vehicular capacity. Every success is uniquely triumphant. Every failure is a true learning experience. It’s better than real life.

After 20-plus years in the automotive publishing game, I can tell you there is no greater thrill than assembling the first issue of a new magazine. Jeepin’ Central Florida may have topped them all. There was a lot at stake. Our vision for this magazine was ambitious. We want to be more than an editorial or advertising vehicle. We want to be a resource in the truest sense of the word.

My brother, Eric, and I are dedicated Jeepers, and it’s a passion we share as a family – with our wives, our kids and our dearest friends. It’s easy to make friends on the trail, where everyone is equal. We have seen the mantra of “No Jeep left behind” played out countless times. We have seen how Jeepers from all walks of life band together to come to the aid of charities, law enforcement agencies and each other. Every event we have attended has been tied to a worthy cause.

We have launched many publications and trade shows over the years. They have always been based on detailed business plans with ongoing revenue projections. JCF was very different. Our primary goal is to support the Jeeper community and your causes. We want these pages to be filled with feel-good stories as well as useful, practical advice for building your Jeep and taking it off-road. Thanks to the contributions of experts in the fields of automotive sales, repair and customization, off-road navigation and safety, law enforcement and more, we were able to pull together an inaugural issue to be proud of.

To keep JCF going, we need your help. We need your stories. We need to know about the events you’re organizing and the charities you support. We need your technical expertise, your trail leadership and your advice. We need your war stories. And if you know any advertisers, we need them as well.

So please enjoy this first issue of Jeepin’ Central Florida, and as you peruse these pages, think about what you like and dislike and what you would like to see in the next edition. Then let me know. This is your magazine, after all, and Jeepers are like family. Thank you for reading.