NOW turns 25

Frankly, we were a bit embarrassed to tell some of our friends that we were starting a business. Marrying a loud, opinionated social consciousness with entrepreneurialism was like going to the dark side in those days. It was funny, but it was uncomfortable back then, too. Right from the start, we got a dose of how it felt to be ahead of our time. And it really hasn’t changed that much.

-- Michael Hollett and Alice Klein, co-founders of NOW magazine, celebrating its 25th anniversay issue this week. To read the whole of their reflection on the growth of the weekly alternative magazine which started out selling for 50 cents a copy but has long been free, and now makes about $13 million a year from advertising, go here.