LOOKING FIT Acquires TanToday.com

[frankie]

Amen to that Mac.

[Alan @ TanToday]

At the end of the day, its the membership that makes the community regardless of who turned on the lights. In the 3 years I was priviledged to call TanToday mine, I am so proud of what all of us accomplished together. Indoor tanning salon owners, all around the globe, still need a resource to go to from time to time, to gain new ideas that will help them in the operations of their salons. I believe TanToday fills that void nicely due to the amazing members that come here on an almost daily basis.

TanToday was/is a huge part of my life and I know it's a big part of many a salon owner's. We are here for you and you are here for us.

I am really excited about Looking Fit coming onboard because at the end of the day, they will provide additional site content that will help all of you.

[Jim Carlton]

You are right Alan, I have been too busy running my business and sitting on the Florida Department of Health rules and regulations committee protecting Florida's indoor tanning salons from unfair or restrictive regulations.

Some one sent me an unsolicited email with some information in it that I felt like commenting on. I felt Bruce needed to get the credit he deserves.

Thanks for the dis though you can always count on that here when you ruffle feathers or disagree with the party line. It reminds me of the halcyon days of old when ad hominem was the rule of the day.

Peace.

[Alan @ TanToday]

As a member of this site, you registered and agreed to receive messages from time to time. I sent you said message and I guess yesterday you were not so busy, doing all that you do, saving the Florida tanning world that you had to come on here to bust balls.

Bruce has gotten the credit he deserves for what he did, when he did it. The fact of the matter is he has done nothing for the New TanToday and has absolutely nothing to do with what I started 3 years ago even though he was invited personally by me. It is not about agreeing with the party line, it's about talking the truth and stating the facts. What Looking Fit purchased had nothing to do with Bruce other than he bought the name years long ago. Not one thing other than that domain did I inherit" when I bought the domain from Planet Beach in '05. Not one thing!

[kookyguy]

Allen,

I have been on this site for about as long as it has been online.

What I meant to say was after you took it over, only about 5 people posted on any regular basis.

Yes I know you had 2400 registered people as I was one of them, but no one was posting here untill you sucked up TSO.

The folks from TSO just kinda stuck with this site after the merger with TSO.

In any event...congrats on the sale.

[Alan @ TanToday]

And again, I disagree with you on that. Jim and I, both had very active forums at the time of the merge and that is why it made good sense to merge them together. TSO had many of the original TT Mods while my site had a very large # of new salon owners which is what my advertising was targeted at. We both had similar philosophies, maybe because we're both Maryland boys, on how to run the community. When they were finally merged, we really distanced ourselves from the other sites out there and I think it was a big turning point on creating what currently is TanToday.

The Looking Fit PR was not written to leave anyone out or slight anyone, as they don't know the whole history, nor do they need to. Most of the readership wouldn't know Bruce, Jim or myself when they read the press release. Again, online communities are not about their owners. It's all about the members and always will be. Looking Fit shares my view as well.

[Drew]

a board edited to please the advertisers in looking fit would be the quickest way to kill a board.

Luckily, there is not much in looking fit to critisize as it is now under 50 pages. Nowhere to go but up huh?

since this board has a "leaning" towards the staff and company of Island Sun Times, I hope that this too will not become Red China of online.
Just let it go and increase ad sales and all will be good. Tan Talk Sucks!

[brownsuze]

Originally Posted by brownsuze

Will you start Beaconing us ?

Originally Posted by Drew

a board edited to please the advertisers in looking fit would be the quickest way to kill a board.

... Nowhere to go but up huh?

!

If they start tracking our clicks to sell to advertisers they won't need to change the board or the mag...

[Alan @ TanToday]

Drew, the relationship between myself and the Island Sun Times, mainly John Ribner because other than Liz I don't really talk with anyone else over there, will not change. It was another piece of the puzzle that I was very adamant about. The relationship we have will not change whatsoever nor was it ever even hinted that it should. We will still push the Island Sun Times Industry Choice Awards each year as I have done so in the past.

Looking Fit wants to remain a visitor and have me do what I have been doing for 3 years. As far as I know, advertising in their magazine and on their site doesn't stop the truth from being told via this forum.

[solarmeter®]

Bruce said:

It was fun and worthwhile to have been a tiny part of that process.

You were so much more than a tiny part. New threads started every day by you... some for fun and some for controversy. But started by you non-the-less.

Alan... SizzleTan salon sold and now TanToday. What will you focus on in the future?

I hear GRIP might be for sale lol.

[JeffK]

If I was LOOKING FIT and just shelled out my money to pay for this site I would be groaning at this thread. I'll be honest I don't know the past of this site and I don't particularly see how it matters in terms of this transaction..

The former proprietor of this site (Alan) sold it as a web property and asset to the new owner (LOOKING FIT, a media company).

I am far more interested in hearing what LOOKING FIT has in mind for the site once the transition period (aka: nothing will change for now! time) is over, than who used to be who in the zoo.

If someone from the new ownership group has anything to say about planned improvements the next 1 year or 2 years, please feel free to share if you can.. (I understand competitive reasons may limit what you can say)..

By the way, congratulations to both parties on this transaction. It seems it was a win, win - as they say.

[looking_fit]

Hello Jeff,

We aren’t bothered by the thread but I appreciate your concern. Prior to the acquisition we spent a lot of time on TanToday and understand the dynamics of the forum.

Most of our initial improvements will be around increasing the membership base. We plan on using the Looking Fit database to let salon owners know about TanToday. Additionally we plan to be more involved in the site on a daily basis creating discussions. Salon owners contact us regularly with questions about their business. We’ll look to this community to help us answer those questions. We’ll also look to the community to help us - through polls and discussions - create ideas for content. As we continue to create our plan for improvements we’ll communicate them.
If you have any questions feel free to email me at mikes@vpico.com or call my direct line 480.675.8177

Mike Saxby
Group Publisher
www.lookingfit.com

[Alan @ TanToday]

Well said Jeff, when I relaunched in '05 the ghosts of the past were really deadset against what I was doing. But over time, I came to realize that the community wasn't about who "used" to be there. Sure the memories will remain there for some but at the end of the day, they are just that, memories.

I have had long discussions on what Looking Fit had in store for the site on our end, the stuff you see everyday. Content, content and more content was the buzz word and you know what, thats awesome! I had not the want, time or desire to sell new advertisements on here and since I am not a publishing company, I could not invent more content.

I think the deal that was made was in the best interest of all of those involved but more importantly, as you said, was a WIN, WIN, WIN for me, Looking Fit but more importantly, the Members of TanToday.

More content = More help to salon owners!

Thanks for those who have chimed in on the topic, you have all been heard. Now, lets use this thread to show Looking Fit your appreciation and give them some feedback on how they can make their magazine and now TanToday even better.

What else do you want out of your TanToday experience? Let's see if they can help make that happen.

[solarmeter®]

The "aquired" gets "aquired":

Contact:
Jenny Bolton, President & CEO
Virgo Publishing
480-990-1101

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Arlington Capital Partners Acquires Virgo Publishing

PHOENIX – Feb. 26, 2008 - Virgo Publishing is pleased to announce it has been acquired by Arlington Capital Partners, a Washington, DC based private-equity fund with more than $1 billion of committed capital under management.

Arlington Capital Partners is a middle market private equity firm focused on buyouts and recapitalizations in targeted growth industries in partnership with management. The firm leverages a combination of private equity and operating experience, as well as an extensive network of strategic contacts, enabling Arlington to be a value-added partner and investor.

“Arlington Partners is pleased to partner with CEO Jenny Bolton and the Virgo management team. The team at Virgo has built an extraordinary track record over the last 20 years, and we look forward to our partnership during the next phase of the company’s growth,” said Perry Steiner of Arlington Capital.

Founded in 1986 and based in Phoenix, Virgo publishes 17 national trade magazines and produces 10 trade shows and conferences across several industry groups including natural products and healthcare, telecommunications and business solutions. Virgo is the producer of SupplySide - the largest show in the world for innovative and healthy ingredients. The company has been successful in leveraging its category-leading events, publications and electronic media to provide integrated solutions to the markets it serves and will continue to focus on expansion through key, strategic acquisitions.

Virgo Publishing has an accomplished and experienced management team and will continue to be led by its President and CEO, Jenny Bolton. The entire publishing, events and online organization will also remain intact.

Regarding the acquisition by Arlington, Bolton commented, “We are very excited about our new relationship with Arlington Capital Partners. Their contacts, financial expertise and acquisition experience make them an invaluable partner during this time of accelerated growth for the company. Arlington brings a rich combination of operating and private equity experience that we believe will enable them to be a truly “value-added” investor.”

This e-mail was sent to you by:
Virgo Publishing
3300 N. Central Ave., Suite 300
Phoenix, AZ 85012
(480) 990-1101

[RobertK]

Maybe they will want to do a Vegas show.......

[Editor-in-Chief]

2 weeks later, Tantoday and Looking Fit / Virgo Publishing are all sold to Atlantic Capital Partners.

TanToday / Looking Fit / Virgo Publishing Sold To Arlington Capital Partners

[Maria]

Amen Bruce.

Hope all goes well in life.

Maria

Originally Posted by Bruce

Peon's is a mark OF respect. You got yer tanning kings, and your tanning baron's, and of course, the tanning Borg. { .... resistance is futile, you WILL be assimulated } and the rest of the pack, are the peon's.

It was absolutely unexpected how the "Peon's" banded together, created a community, and more or less changed the dynamics of the industry in less than a year.

With creativity, zerve, chutzpah, and comraderie that merry band of miscreants and malcontents daily gathered, to share, grow, and explore better ideas and to confront some of the excesses of the Baron's and Kings.

So, Alan, some are less concerned with AUTHORITY and power, than others, and some were happy and content to have fun, zing and zang, yin and yang, and create communities where before you had isolated solitary islands.

Indeed, the concept flourished and grew and grew and GREW.

It was fun and worthwhile to have been a tiny part of that process.

[Alan @ TanToday]

Great post Maria. You should come back more often and actually contribute something to someone.

[Maria]

Originally Posted by Alan @ TanToday

Great post Maria. You should come back more often and actually contribute something to someone.

Thanks Alan.

I have "actually contributed" -- for years, on Lonn's Suntanning.com, Bruce's Tantoday, and Larry's Tanformation. No disrepect to sites not mentioned but seems those were the boards I fell into dialogue.

Times and circumstances change. Attending to my parents make it a balancing act managing time, the salon and other family affairs. I guess I am retired from active participation at least for now, though appreciate checking in.

[sunsally]

Maria is one of the ALL TIME BEST on these boards! Always helpful, always pleasant! She set the standard for mods in my opinion.

Warm regards as always Maria. You have had a VERY full plate for a few years now. Hang in there!!