Welcome to The Niche Fix. Each week, we will share insights from experts and professionals in the niche publishing industry. Have questions or thoughts about the industry? Reply to this email, and let’s chat!

But first…

The Niche Media Conference Super Early Bird Pricing is Here!

April 14-16, 2027 | Wyndham Atlanta Buckhead Hotel

Registration just opened for the Niche Media Conference 2027, and the Super Early Bird price is $498. That's 50% off. It's the lowest price the conference will be all year, and it ends May 31st.

April 14-16, 2027. Atlanta, Georgia. Buckhead, specifically -- which means world-class restaurants, great hotels, and an energy that makes three days feel like a cheat code for your business.

Here's what $498 gets you: 3 full days of revenue and growth strategy built specifically for niche publishers. 40 speakers. 25+ breakout sessions. Five tracks covering publisher strategy, ad sales, digital, audience growth, and editorial. Day 1 workshops. Keynotes. And networking that's actually fun.

The price goes up June 1st. Then again. Then again.

Now, let’s talk to Charity Huff…

Inside the Mind of Charity Huff: From Digital Agency CEO to Magazine Owner

By Zach O’Brien

I still remember the first time Charity Huff walked into the Niche Media Conference. It was nine years ago, and I had no idea who this new face was. Fast forward to today, and watching her growth in our industry has been nothing short of astounding. She built January Spring into one of the most respected digital agencies serving publishers, and then last year she did something that made me almost fall to the floor when I read the news: she bought 5280 Magazine, the iconic city publication in Denver.

I caught up with Charity at the Niche Media Conference 2026 in Orlando to talk about her journey, what she's learned in her first year as a publisher, and why niche is winning.

Zach: You've been in digital your entire career. How did that start?

Charity: I had the very good fortune of coming out of undergrad the same year Google was invented. I literally grew up in the Yellow Pages, selling Yellow Page advertising back in the 90s and early 2000s when we were making so much money. From there, I felt compelled to stick with the content because content is what captures and keeps your audience. So I moved into newspapers, then magazines. I've always been working with traditional media, but on the digital side.

Zach: Why does January Spring focus on niche publishers?

Charity: The more targeted the audience, the more powerful the advertising can be. With 5280, we target people who love Denver. The more niche you get, the more performance you get. We always say, and this is a Ryan Dohrn line, right person, right message, right time. Anytime an advertiser tells me something didn't quite work, you always go back to those three things. Either we didn't have the right audience, the right message, or the right time.

Zach: What was the catalyst for acquiring 5280 Magazine?

Charity: We were sitting in our January Spring strategy meeting, and Anne Marie said, you know what, we need to buy a magazine. We need to demonstrate that the way January Spring thinks about digital transformation is the way we think you should do it. Coupled with my love for Denver, where I raised my family, I knew the founder and knew there might be an opportunity. I sent him an email after an industry conference and that started the conversation. He wanted somebody who was going to shepherd his brand authentically. He could have sold to a PE firm or a big roll-up, so I'm very honored he chose me as the next keeper of 5280.

Zach: How has the first year actually been?

Charity: I'm an entrepreneur. The first two years of every business you build is rough because you're finding your place in the market and building your culture. This was a new challenge, taking somebody else's baby and making it my own. Culture eats strategy for breakfast. It's taken a year for the team to get to know me, understand my philosophy, and trust the direction we're heading. You have to let that process play out. And you're doing all of that in an industry going through massive transformation, with print declining and digital growing. Some days I'm like, what the heck? Other days I'm like, oh my God, this is amazing.

Zach: You haven't missed a Niche Media Conference in nine years. What keeps you coming back?

Charity: Two things. The deep relationships I have here. I could mention to you that it's been a year, and not only would I get empathy, but you'd actually help me think through what to do next. I come seeking support, help, and answers for what we're doing in the business. And on the January Spring side, because digital and media are changing so fast, we listen for new pain points so we can better serve our partners. The smart sponsors at this show actually go to the sessions to learn the challenges.

Charity's story is a reminder that the publishers thriving right now are the ones leaning deeper into niche, not running from it. And from where I sit, she's just getting started.

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