Group Publisher and Editorial Director
Heather Vreeland is a deep-thinker and problem solver, who has leaned into the direction of her gut instincts to develop products, grow her business and maintain the “harmony” between her family life and creative ambitions.
Heather Vreeland
For the Love of Design
Heather Vreeland never set out with a perfectly mapped career path. What she did have—long before she ever published a magazine—was a deep reverence for media, design, and beautiful things.
A Florida native who grew up in Palm Beach County, Heather spent much of her childhood captivated by the design and elegance of Palm Beach. The architecture, interiors, gardens, and polished aesthetic left a lasting impression. Even before she could articulate it, she was drawn to environments that felt thoughtful, inspiring, and visually beautiful. That early fascination would later shape how she approaches publishing today.
Creativity has always been Heather’s natural language. Over the years she has dabbled in writing, photography, design, decorating, and painting—never quite settling into one medium but always creating something. What she eventually discovered is that magazines are where all of those creative instincts converge. Publishing allows her to combine storytelling, design, photography, and community into a single platform.
Heather attended Flagler College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication while studying Public Relations and Broadcast Journalism. Like many communications students of the era, she initially imagined herself in front of the camera as a broadcast journalist. But as her career began, a different path revealed itself—one behind the scenes, helping make media possible.
In 2008, with no background in publishing but a strong belief that “whatever the mind can conceive, it can achieve,” Heather launched her first media brand, Occasions, a special events magazine focused on weddings and celebrations. What began as a grassroots experiment quickly grew into a multi-city brand covering eleven markets across the Southeast before it was sold in 2017.
Be who God made you to be and you will set the world on fire.
– Saint Catherine of Sienna
In 2014, she launched SOCIAL Magazines, beginning with St. Augustine Social. The concept was simple but powerful—create a beautiful, design-forward city magazine that celebrates local businesses, highlights interesting people, and helps neighbors feel more connected to the place they live.
Through strategic acquisitions and an evolving distribution model, SOCIAL has grown to include St. Augustine Social, River & Coast Social, Palencia Press and St. Johns Parent reaching every address across St. Johns County.
For Heather, publishing has never been just about advertising space. It’s about creating something meaningful for a community. As someone with a natural advocate personality, she has always felt pulled toward media that uplifts rather than divides. Her magazines intentionally focus on positive storytelling—celebrating local entrepreneurs, highlighting inspiring residents, and helping small businesses become household names.
Heather is an entrepreneur by heart and in love with all things small business, especially marketing for small businesses. During her tenure, the self-proclaimed print evangelist has proven through 18 years of positive revenue growth that print is not dead, it’s simply different. She shares her perspective on the company’s blog, Good for Business, where she helps both large and small organizations understand how advertising makes the world go ‘round’, especially print.
Speaking Experience
Heather has spent her career at the intersection of media, marketing, and small business growth. She brings a practical, behind-the-scenes perspective on how media actually works and how individuals and businesses can use it to build credibility, visibility, and influence in their communities.
Heather is a natural storyteller who blends strategy with real-life experiences from the front lines of entrepreneurship. Her talks are designed to be both inspiring and actionable, giving audiences practical ideas they can implement immediately. She regularly speaks at business events, conferences, women's groups, leadership programs, and industry panels, and enjoys connecting with audiences through keynotes, workshops, and moderated discussions.
Topics:
How to Become a “Media Darling”
The Power of Local Media
How to Turn Visibility into Growth
The Business of Media
Entrepreneurship Without a Map
Harmony Over Balance: Life as a Mom and Entrepreneur
Building a Community Brand
Through her magazines, Heather has found a medium that allows her to do all the things she loves—combining creativity, storytelling, design, and community impact all in one place.
Beyond publishing, Heather also created Hopefuel, a Christian planner and workbook brand designed to encourage intentional living and daily faith practices.
Heather lives in St. Augustine with her husband and business partner, Andrew, and their two children. When she’s not working on the next issue, she’s usually dreaming up new creative projects, supporting local businesses, or trying (with mixed success) to keep her kids offline and playing outside until the streetlights come on.
