STAND, a Magazine for Men Who Want to be Better

“I’m just a huge fan of print. When I read something, I want to grab it in print. When Borders (Bookstore) was opened, I would go there during my weekly Friday afternoon routine when I would get out of work early, sit down with a dozen or so magazines and just read through them all afternoon,” says Dwayne Hayes, founder and managing editor of Stand.

“And I think that the digital focus and emphasis in our lives actually provides a great opportunity for really beautifully-made print magazines. People enjoy being able to sit down and have a cup of coffee or have a beer and read something beautifully-made in print,” Hayes said in his interview with Samir “Mr. Magazine” Husni.

Stand is a refreshing break from the typical men’s magazine fare, and Husni is quick to pick up on the vibe.

“With the mission of encouraging men to be much more than just snazzy dressers, Stand magazine challenges all of us testosterone-charged beings to look at everything we do with a bit more conscious thought than we might do normally. To try and be better partners, better fathers, better husbands, better friends and neighbors and better…well, just better men all the way around,” Husni notes.

The quarterly magazine is now in its fourth issue, and Hayes has spent much of the first year experimenting with finding his footing, his format and his fans. While he’s figuring a lot of it out as he goes, one thing is clear — his reason for publishing in the first place.

“Well, I didn’t think there was a magazine out there for men such as we envisioned, and that was one that really promoted a different view of what men and masculinity meant,” Hayes told Husni. “And to encourage and challenge men to reject some of the stereotypes about manhood and to really embrace a view that spurs men to be equal partners in all aspects of life; in raising children; in parenting; in taking a more conscious and ethical look at their work and what they do; reducing violence in the world, violence against women and children.”

“I love men’s magazines. I grew up reading GQ and Esquire and others, and I just felt like there was a place for a men’s magazine that encouraged men to think a little bit more consciously about the decisions that they make,” Hayes continued.

As to why he started a print magazine in the digital age, Hayes is also clear, as evidenced by the quote at the beginning of this post. And he’s savvy about incorporating digital into the growth plan, noting that 2017 will see the addition of a podcast and real-time events.