From Prayer to Publisher: Atira Rodriguez Launches Long Beach City Lifestyle Magazine
- Jackie Rae
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
For nearly six years, Atira Rodriguez dedicated herself to the growth of the Long Beach Post, one of the city's major news outlets. Her career with the Post began as in advertising sales and culminated with her role as Director of Community Partnerships.
Working in a close-knit atmosphere, Rodriguez wasn't looking for a new career. That changed in 2024 when the Post laid off most of its staff. Although Rodriguez survived the layoffs, she knew it was time to consider other options.
"It really wasn't something that was on my radar until I knew that my time at the Long Beach Post was coming to an end," she said. As she began exploring opportunities, Rodriguez felt uncertain about her next career move.
"Quite honestly, I just got down on my knees and prayed," she recalled — noting that her faith is the cornerstone of her life.
A week later, the answer to her prayers arrived in the form of a LinkedIn message from a recruiter representing City Lifestyle, a national luxury publisher.
City Lifestyle provides operational support for over 230 hyper-local magazines that spotlight the heartbeat of each community through local business profiles, neighborhood stories, food, fashion, events, and travel.
Operating through a franchise model, the company empowers local publishers to build their own businesses while supporting their communities and local economies.
Despite the alignment with her values, Rodriguez initially hesitated. "I saw it was a print publication," she said.
“After overseeing the production process of the Long Beach Business Journal—with its demanding deadlines and production schedules—I had no desire to take on that level of stress for myself.”
After careful consideration and a meeting with the recruiter, Rodriguez realized the role would give her greater creative control without the intense production pressures she'd experienced before.
"I've always been a good mix of a creative mind and an analytical mind," she said, noting that most of her previous roles never fully tapped into her creative side. That changed in May 2024, when she signed her publishing agreement and began working toward her first issue.
The nine months leading up to her February 2025 launch presented unexpected challenges. "The biggest was realizing that it wasn't exactly the same as what I was doing at the Long Beach Post," Rodriguez said.
Although she had a proven track record of securing advertising dollars, City Lifestyle required a different approach. It's not just about ad space—it's about partnerships.
"My partners can submit content for my events calendar, my City Scene section, my Business Monthly section," she explains. Rodriguez also offers exposure through the magazine's social media platforms and creates business networking opportunities through specialized events.
The model provides business partners with significantly more value than traditional advertising with partnerships lasting one to three years. Rodriguez emphasizes that this long-term approach reflects how customers actually make purchasing decisions.
"It's typically going to take anywhere from 10 to 14 touches before a lead becomes a customer or a client," she says. “For the advertiser, it gives them long-term exposure and brand awareness, that just doesn’t come with a one, two, three [month] marketing campaign.”
Her commitment to community impact is reflected throughout the magazine’s content. In addition to highlighting women and minority-owned businesses, she showcases individuals making a difference in the community.
December’s issue spotlights homeless advocate Duke Givens and community activist Tito “The Hood Santa” Rodriguez. Both are well-known Long Beach changemakers whose work embodies the spirit of service Rodriguez seeks to celebrate.
From a prayer in a moment of uncertainty to launching her own publication, Rodriguez has found her calling. Long Beach City Lifestyle Magazine represents more than a career change—it's a platform where her creative vision, business acumen, and passion for community can finally converge.
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