In its 25 years, He Magazine has become a prominent brand within the lifestyle scene and a staple in the Egyptian community. Coco Chanel once famously quipped, "Success is most often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable," a line that very much embodies the He Magazine and the mind of its steadfast founder Amr Selim. Since the beginning, He Magazine stood out from many start-ups of its time as it never considered the prospect of failure. Instead, focusing on getting into and expanding key subjects that deserved more attention than it was receiving.

Prior to its establishment as a lifestyle brand, He magazine had much more humble beginnings as a fitness and sports magazine. It all started with Mr. Selim's career in professional Taekwondo; participating in the Egyptian National team, he won many accolades and awards. He and his team's efforts brought international attention to the Egyptian scene and the talent it was producing. With anticipation consuming his stomach, dismay overcame his eagerness when checking the local news as he witnessed a meager mention in an obscure section within the stacked paper of the achievements his team brought home. Feeling unsatisfied, Mr. Selim never succumbed to the very human feeling of disdain as he quite understood the landscape in which media was organized and the priority sports such as Football had in the country. Thus an opportunity presented itself, and in 1994, Mr. Selim launched the Middle East's first-ever English Sports & Fitness Magazine. The edition would lead the way in featuring content on all sports in Egypt, not just football, and remains the country's only English Sports and Fitness magazine.

Highly motivated by the success of Sports & Fitness, Mr. Selim saw another opportunity within Egypt to capitalize on in the form of a Men's lifestyle magazine. So in 1999, HE magazine Lifestyle was launched, and similar to its sibling publication, it would also be written in English. Puzzling at the time, many were confused at the decision to create content in English for a primarily Arabic-centric nation. Yet, a keen sense of vision is imperative to a good strategist, and a good strategist is what the team at He Magazine considers the man at the helm, Mr. Selim. His intentions were a lot larger than that of other local media as he intended to shine a light on subjects in Egypt on a more international stage while also providing entertaining content to expats who have yet to learn the language. The decision also benefited connections to future generations who would find reading about celebrities and other subjects more comfortable in English as education drifted towards teaching the language.

With the launch of HE magazine, core beliefs were cemented within the fundamentals of the brand. From the beginning, integrity was paramount, and the content had to remain factual with no room for gossip or intrigue, which is often used as a cheap method to garner views at the expense of others. Focusing on success stories and those who can inspire, the magazine is able to create a unique atmosphere for its audience. By only focusing on the truth, He magazine has been able to provide a safe space for those high achievers who might be reluctant to speak to the media. Thus creating quality connections with celebrities over the last 25 years and being the exclusive magazine with which many of the stars share their experiences. When asked about the relationships He Magazine has been able to cultivate with celebrities, Mr. Selim stated, "I'm very proud that we became, in a very few years, a trustable magazine for top world celebrities that they don't get featured easily in even world publication people such as Omar Sherif, Dr. Mgdy Yaqoub and the famous Swiss watchmaker Phillip Charioll." These interviews also serve to enrich the reader, as interviewees provide lessons, advice, and tips. This is all in an effort to pave the way for the inspired, the talented, and the determined.

Quality, not quantity, is evident in He Magazine on a multitude of levels. A careful selection of who the magazine features and its selectivity in its distribution circulations aren't the only things that have its quality ensured. The business practice of publishing a magazine every three months rather than each month had heads in the industry turning as it was uncommon for a media company to do such a thing within the country and seemed unsustainable. Yet, the strategy paid off by immediately distinguishing it from the competition giving the magazine's sponsors more ad time as the same edition would be released in three months, thus providing them a better cost ratio due to their editions' longevity in the market. Such a strategy assisted the company in creating an ever-cherished relationship with Egypt Air, being the exclusive lifestyle magazine for business-class lounges at Cairo International Airport. Relationship Mr. Selim holds in high esteem and one he thanks Egypt Air graciously for making possible.

Surveys are also conducted periodically to better understand the audience, with questions asked regarding their age, gender, occupation, etc. One survey found that over 48% of readers were women, a statistic that very much touched the team's hearts. When asked, Mr. Selim stated, "We always remember her" by ensuring to feature a range of powerful Egyptian women in their editions and to accommodate advertisements tailored towards their desires.

Yet something built to such a high standing comes with difficulty. Throughout its history, He Magazine transcended time and what it brought before its path. Whenever a crisis hit, every publication in the market had troubles, and many opted out. The company wasn't immune to such challenges, yet unlike its competition, it approached the situation differently. A decision many publications considered careless and reckless, Mr. Selim and the team doubled down by scaling up operations. During the financial crisis of 2008, many reduced the quantity of content; He Magazine did the opposite by increasing the number of hard copies printed and spreading its means of distribution. Critics of the company saw this being a foolhardy maneuver as costs had shot up considerably, yet they failed to see the bigger picture in pushing forward. At the same time, everyone else retreated, and the company could lay the seeds for more growth when the market recovered. When asked about that time period, Mr. Selim said, "When many other publications reduced their hard copy numbers during tough times to minimize the cost, we even increased our numbers to gain a bigger market share and give the advertisers the best media against their valuable budget." As he believes, "Investing in magazine content quality and expanding circulation always pays off." Such a maneuver certainly did pay off immensely in the long run.

One of the challenges magazine outlets face is the rise of social media; it's often indicated by many to be the future of not just lifestyle but all media as a whole. Mr. Selim is a man who still sees the value in hard copies; he understands the desire of millions who still want to have the feel of a magazine to read and the need to cater to them. Beyond just having their copies distributed in kiosks by Al Ahram, He Magazine developed a huge VIP mailing list that sends the latest edition straight to readers' homes quickly and efficiently. Yet, the online sector did not go amiss to Mr. Selim; it was too big of an opportunity to dismiss. Thus came the creation of the online website featuring a multitude of articles. Innovations were also seen in the company's relationship with Egypt Air by creating exclusive online editions for business-class passengers where they can scan a QR code in the lounge to read an optimized version of He Magazine, which they can take to read while flying to their destination.

When asked about this strategy, Mr. Selim stated, "We don't panic during a crisis; this is the right time to try and get into something new." This was in full view in 2020 during the Covid pandemic. As the world came to a halt, the magazine kept operations going as they recognized the need for their advertisers still had to be fulfilled, and their momentum of presence should not be at risk of disruption during these trying times. Through the eyes of Mr. Selim, "People will never stop advertising, but they became more selective." The problematic time the Covid pandemic ushered in 2020 did nothing to curtail the eye on expansion. He Magazine launched a whole new edition, "He Home," catering towards design and architecture, which was met with a large reception and incredible success. The visionary behind this initiative is Mr. Selim's wife and partner, Engineer Mona Ismael. Mrs. Ismael, a noteworthy interior designer, recognized the market that could be established for home buyers, architects, interior designers, and other interested parties.

Fast forward to the present, with a currency issue looming too close for comfort, the company is still pushing forward, similarly paying little concern to this as they had to the previous crisis. Instead of falling back, He Magazine has gone full steam ahead with a rebranding. It is changing its logo, content stylistics, and colors. Considered a little "facelift," the company still intends to maintain its identity. This change is only meant to signify how far the company has come throughout its 25 years of existence and the excellence it continues to provide.

Appreciation for one's supporters is paramount as no individual or entity can solely be responsible for the success, which is He Magazine. Mr. Selim had an enormous list of people he wanted to thank for the company's success. He Magazine has stuck with the same printing company IPH for the last 25 years, and thanks to the company's owner Mr. Ahmed Hilal, whose patience knows no bounds as he's stuck with the publication every step of the way. He Magazine would also like to thank Al Ahram for being its leading distributor and Egypt Air for trusting the company to be its exclusive partner. FedEx must also be thanked for the excellent courier operations they've upheld for He Magazine for the last 25 years. A big thank you has to go towards LongeBlack, the top-tier marketing company in Egypt, and their chairman Mr. Mohamed Saman who has worked tirelessly to give He Magazine the best branding possible.

Much gratitude must go to our main sponsor, the illustrious Egyptian Commercial International Bank. Their faith in the publication is indescribable, and thanks to them, the company is hosting its 25th-anniversary party this May. Thank you to Chairman Mr. Hisham Ezz El-Arab and Mr. Amr El Gananey for their strong leadership and incredible cooperation.

He Magazine's advertisers should also be mentioned, with over 70% of them remaining from the time they first partnered with the company. It indicates the goodwill, the bond they share with the company, and their status as the top brands in their respective fields.

An Ode to the Reader: Finally, a thank you to the readers for your ongoing support and engagement with our work. Your readership, comments, and feedback mean the world to us, and your enthusiasm and curiosity constantly inspire us. Nothing is more rewarding than knowing that our content is resonating with others and making a positive impact in some small way. Your presence and participation in this community have made that possible, and we are humbled and honored to have you along for the journey. Thank you for reading, thank you for sharing, and thank you for being a part of this vibrant community.

We look forward to continuing to connect with you further for as long as time permits.