Celebrating 15 Years of insideKENT
Celebrating the Best of Kent™
A look back on 15 Years of insideKENT with Founder & Publishing Director, Adam Ready, by Editor and Creative Director, Samantha Ready
So, Adam Ready, here we are, 15 whole years of insideKENT magazine! I joined you 13 years ago with my first ever review feature with you on our Ticket to Ride in Liverpool, which feels like a lifetime ago and yesterday all at once, and then took the editorial helm with you six years ago. It’s fair to say that it has been an incredible journey – not just of better writing (on my part) but also for bigger and better issues, incredible reach and the formation of a wonderful iK team, loyal readership and fabulous clients. What are some of your best memories and achievements over the last 15 years?
Wow, there are just so many, especially over 15 incredible years, but I think standouts for me have been making amazing partnerships with some incredible people, organisations and businesses that all fly the flag for Kent including Visit Kent, Produced in Kent and the Wine Garden of England to showcase so many amazing producers, hardworking establishments, hospitality offerings and attractions that all make Kent a great place to visit, a great place to live and of course a great place to publish insideKENT!
Over the years, especially the last five since Covid, Kent has shown its resilience, the strength of local business owners and residents who have rallied together in support, buying local, supporting local businesses and proudly promoting their home county.
I think Kent is thriving at the moment, you only have to go to Margate, Folkestone or Deal to see that independents are strong. The redevelopments in Dover are also exciting, while our big historic cities Canterbury and Tunbridge Wells continue to flourish, and of course we are known as the Wine Garden of England for good reason, too. Kent is now not just recognised locally or regionally – great producers, great produce, great kitchens, farming and businesses are putting Kent on a global stage and I am delighted that we get to be part of that exciting narrative.
“Sam and Adam, you’ve built a big, beautiful thing. insideKENT isn’t just a magazine, it’s a buffet of brilliant people and dangerously moreish stories! Happy birthday, it’s looking fabulous!”
AJ Sharp, Sharp PR
Cast your mind back to 2010, we were emerging from the economic crash of 2008, had a massive general election leading to the coalition government, Chelsea pulled off the double and there were three massive launches: the iPad, Instagram was made available to the public… and… this fab mag! What sparked the original idea for insideKENT?
Simply, I was just really passionate about meeting people and learning about their businesses. Being from a sales background, I loved learning about marketing and advertising, but then really just found my passion in speaking to people about what, why and how they did what they did. What was their story? That sparked my own interest and I realised that there was a real niche opportunity to create a free-to-read magazine that was based on showcasing all of the local businesses that I had discovered and enjoyed. Each part of Kent has its own magic and people that come together, and I wanted to find out more and tell that story.
We’re very lucky that we’re a great county; there’s so much going on in different areas and everything’s different from Royal Tunbridge Wells and the London Borough border towns right across the coast to central towns like the County Town of Maidstone and of course all the countryside around us.
I’m still learning, every day!
“Congratulations on 15 years to the wonderful team at insideKENT! A partnership we value immensely and a privilege to work alongside.”
Paul, Tara & The Chilston Park Team
“Happy Birthday insideKENT from all your friends at Wine Garden of England! We love working with you and can’t wait to see what we can achieve together to make the Best of Kent!”
Why do you think insideKENT has not only been able to sustain but actually grow and thrive over the past 15 years?
We have a real magic formula. As you know and champion editorially, we are organic in our approach. Everything we do is from within our own team including firsthand reviews, interviews and features. We don’t regurgitate anything – our content is fresh, right across from our print pages to our socials, and we listen to people, are genuinely interested in their stories and are great supporters of what’s going on. And that ethos is utterly shared by our team.
We like to learn so we’re always on the streets, going to events, keeping our eyes peeled for new stories, championing other small and local businesses, and making great relationships with people, so I think we’ve thrived because we’ve been passionate and hard working, and our customers, clients and readers have enjoyed that too. It’s also a breath of fresh air that every year we’re always trying to push further and harder and do something different to what we’ve done before – new features, guest columnists and great partnerships, which means iK has not become tired and samey. We really do embrace our ‘celebrating the Best of Kent™ and beyond’ mission. We’ve always strived to be the best and show everyone what’s out there in Kent, and there’s so much to talk about that it makes it easy for us to be good flagbearers for Kent.
“insideKENT have been a tireless supporter of our work, showing their readers all we do to offer a rich cultural life in the region – happy birthday! And thank you!”
The Marlowe Theatre
“Everyone at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve and Howletts Wild Animal Park would like to congratulate insideKENT on hitting such a remarkable milestone, and also express a huge thank you for all the wonderful support of our two amazing parks over the years! Bravo!”
You mentioned celebrating the Best of Kent™, which we proudly do everyday, what have been your ‘Best of insideKENT’ moments?
Honestly, having the best times with our team and the best relationships with our clients are my best moments. We have the best laughs together and have experienced great team days out from escape rooms to wine tours, go karting and cocktail making.
Don’t mention the burning bus trip…
Haha, yes, even when on a minibus that started smoking on a day trip to France the team were in fits of giggles… But seriously, seeing a group of hardworking people being rewarded for their hard work is a great moment. As well as being able to say that we have been one of the first to visit, try, taste or share the stories from Kent’s best businesses. I feel really lucky, but also privileged to be able to share those stories and I’m proud that we get to do that first. I love that we’ve got some amazing stories from readers and clients, and that we give local businesses the opportunity to be featured, shining a spotlight especially on people that may have been overlooked or never thought they’d be featured in a regional publication.
My proudest achievement, though, has been overcoming the impact of the pandemic and the economic downturn; it’s tough out there for small businesses and I am so proud of what we together and what our team at iK have done and continue to do!
“Ahoy insideKENT! Congratulations on 15 years at the helm, steering readers to Kent’s finest treasures. From all hands at The Historic Dockyard Chatham – here’s to smooth sailing ahead!”
What’s been your biggest surprise along the way over 15 years?
Not a surprise so much as the pinch me moment. When I look up to see just what we have achieved and how insideKENT has grown. From humble beginnings and a tiny team of three producing a bi-monthly small magazine to now producing the biggest magazine in the county every month, as well as Kent Staycation every year, I think we have built an amazing team together. They are loyal, hard working and just as passionate about Kent as we are, and it’s great to see that other talented, creative, local people see the same vision as we do and support that and our ethos and ethics of how we work.
We’re proudly not just an advertising publication or an advertising-led website; we support, we encourage and we promote as well, so I think having a great team that also shares that is amazing.
“A very happy 15th birthday to insideKENT! Thank you to the fabulous team for all your support and I wish you continued success for the next 15 years and beyond!”
Dr. Christine Or
“Happy Birthday and congratulations insideKENT! 15 years showcasing the wonderful things that Kent has to offer is an incredible achievement. Here’s to the next 15! Cheers!”
Visit Kent
Never ones to sit back, what’s next for insideKENT?
I’m really excited about reaching even more people, getting in front of new readers and also new audiences via our website and social channels. Obviously audiences and how they seek information and stories are changing, and of course new generations are coming through, too. We are excited about how we can inspire them to do what we’ve been supporting and pushing over the last 15 years – to support local; go to your local farm shop, go to your independent restaurants, support local events, the arts, go to a gig, go and buy something from one of the makers in one of the amazing markets.
We know that people still love our print issue – with people always begging us to leave more copies when we’re out on the road delivering them – but there’s now insideKENT TikTok, our great community on Instagram and Facebook, and, of course, loads of new stories on our website! We’re excited to bring the same fresh content but in more ways, so expect more great interviews, more passionate Kent stories alongside more digital storytelling too!
“You guys have a fantastic business, and from one family business to another – I love what you do! I look forward to celebrating 20 years with you!”
Stefano Cuomo, Macknade
“Happy birthday to you guys and love working with you as always x.”
Natalie Hennessy, Woodfire Pizza
A Look Back on 15 Years with The insideKENT TEAM
“iK’s trip to France is definitely one of my favourite memories, the ultimate chaotic Sideways Media trip, from no cheese in the cheese factory to reversing into a Tesla and riding a dragon, it was eventful and full of belly laughs. My favourite thing about insideKENT and Sideways Media, however, is the memories I make with you all both in the office and outside. My little work family, through the good and the bad, everyone supports each other and it’s such a great environment – I love watching the company grow and being a part of it.”
Jerry Barrett
“Having started as an apprentice in 2012, I’ve watched the magazine grow from strength to strength with each edition better than the last. My favourite memories are of all my colleagues over the years – I’ve had some great laughs and had the fortune to have many influential people around me who I have had the pleasure to work alongside. Experiencing the publication itself go from bi-monthly to monthly over a decade ago was a great memory too as that’s when we really started to feel that insideKENT was having such a big impact in the Kent community.”
Alex Perseval
“Wow my favourite memory, so many to choose from as there is never a dull moment at iKHQ! Our antics across the border, our jolly team outing to Margate and the endless giggles in the office have to be amongst the most memorable. The Sideways’ team brings the memories; we know how to have fun and how to boogie the night away to the early hours. Every day with the most wonderful team is a memory in itself.”
Karlene Gannon
“My time at insideKENT – spanning a decade with an extended break for maternity leave – has been full of fun, connection and evolution; I am immensely proud of how the magazine has gone from strength to strength in terms of both style and substance, which in turn has honed my skills as an editor. The ever-expanding team are all quick-witted, kind and great company, but fiercely hard-working too, so when we do get the chance to celebrate, we always let our hair down with gusto. Our trip to France will forever be etched in my memory; getting the collective giggles in a cheese-making facility while wearing matching hair nets and wellies was a standout moment that still makes me laugh today.”
Polly Humphris
“Although I haven’t worked for insideKENT long, the memories and lifelong friends I’ve made are something I couldn’t be more grateful for. The wonderfully dysfunctional team and family that we are is just amazing and I’m so proud to be a part of it. That being said, my favourite memory has to be iK’s trip to Margate – a day filled with seaside fun, competition and plenty of laughs. From the sales vs. editorial darts games to the arcade chaos of whack-a-mole, it wouldn’t have been the same without this brilliantly crazy team.”
Sophie Shorter
“Working with the insideKENT team is always a joy. We have had a lot of laughs together and opportunities – such as learning to DJ! What I am most proud of is how we have worked as a team over the past few years to evolve the magazine into something I am so proud to be a part of and share. Not just in terms of design (my wheelhouse), but the content is so interesting! Whether you’re a local to Kent or visiting there is always something useful to find out about our amazing county.”
Lorna Morris
“Not having been a part of the insideKENT team for even a year yet, picking my favourite memory was difficult as there are just too many to choose from. One that stands out for me however has to be when I was lucky enough to go to a food review at Pomus with Jerry and Adam. Never having done something like that before, it was a great experience to be able to try all new foods, expand my palate and get to know some of the sales team better, too.”
Louisa Holmans
“A wonderfully creative and passionate bunch, working with the insideKENT team is a joyous experience – with plenty of love, laughter and growth along the way! While there are many top contenders – learning how to DJ, exploring across the border and escape room chaos – I will always love when the iK crew can be found showing off our best moves on the dancefloor!”
Mia Chapman
“Some of my favourite insideKENT memories? There are too many to count! Climbing the O2 with the team (what a day!), seeing my photo on the front cover in May 2021 and October 2022, and of course, all those wonderful interiors features. Taking a moment for the unforgettable French cheese factory visit – those hats still make me laugh. DJ’ing with Kent DJ Academy was a vibe, as was interviewing and shooting with the very lovely James Galbraith Kirkpatrick. But the one that stays with me the most – and always will – is my magazine distribution partner Rocco the bulldog, who is missed very much.”
Ashleigh Britten
“Being relatively new to the team, I can only say how incredibly welcoming the team has been. The buzz of getting everything ready for print deadline day and hitting deadlines has been fun. The Christmas party and creative day at Chilston Park Hotel were a particular highlight for me and getting to speak to all of the team. I look forward to being a part of the team for many years to come.”
Natalie Tye
From our early days of big ideas and bigger dreams, to becoming Kent’s biggest luxury lifestyle magazine, it’s been an unforgettable journey. From exclusive interviews and standout reviews, to spotlighting extraordinary local businesses – and picking up a few awards along the way – we’ve done it all with heart, hustle and plenty of Kentish pride.
Whether you’ve been with us from the very first issue or you’re just joining the iK family now – thank you. Here’s to 15 years of stories, style and seriously good times…and here’s to the next 15!
Click here to read our extra special 15th birthday issue!
