For many months, a lot of you - especially close friends & family - have heard me talk about a magazine project I was planning on embarking on. This project is called Tocal & it’s the Golden Isle’s newest city guide, focusing on the hottest new trends & up to date peeks on who, what, & where for every season.

But another magazine?

While this has been in the works for almost a year, I have spent the last couple of months reaching out to clients, meeting with them, pitching ideas, & actually photographing for them. Here’s what I believe with every bone in my body: this is not just another Golden Isles magazine.

I’ve been in this area since 2003 & telling stories through my lens has been my top priority since I first picked up a camera. Editorial work has been on my radar for quite some time & that means I’ve studied & become quite familiar with the various publications in this area. I have looked up to many of the leading publications & appreciate each one of them for their different qualities & what they have to offer the community. Thanks to their innovation, knowledge & influence, it has been somewhat challenging explaining to some customers how we are different - but not impossible & nothing short of rewarding once they understand.

So how are we different?

You know those ads you tend to flip right through in order to get to the next magazine feature? Yeah, we’re taking those, blowing those up, putting them on steroids, & turning them into their own feature. We are celebrating business owners by getting to their core, honoring the blood, sweat, & tears that have been poured into their entrepreneurial journey & placing their business on a pedestal for all to see - all while staying on top of the latest trends & fashions. Once a quarter, we will publish a new work of art, a new feature & it will all be through the creative direction of the Tocal team because we know how hard it is to stay on top of daily business activities, let alone being tasked with designing & directing your own high-end city guide ad. Whether that means our clients know exactly what they want from the word “go” or they have zero idea where to start, we have them completely covered. We offer consistency through photography & design while ensuring 100% of what we produce is personalized from beginning to end. & we won’t stop until we get our clients’ approval, literally.

Tocal is a team of individuals who have come together in a most perfect union to ensure the quality of each of these ads while constantly promoting personal growth. We are a family & a tight-knit, spread out, diverse group who will continue to work tirelessly to execute our purpose.

But let me explain what else Tocal is to me.

When I was robbed a few weeks ago, my entire being was flooded with this Tocal journey & all the amazing adventures I knew awaited me. I had been robbed of more than my camera & computer equipment; I had been robbed of the countless opportunities I would have to collaborate with other businesses & meet new people. I was also robbed of my dream of offering total creative direction in my area of expertise to these individuals with whom I have built relationships. Oh to tell the many stories of my clients! To be given the chance to turn years of emotion & commitment into a photograph! This journey was not about me - it has always been about the entity in front of the camera &, thanks to my community, I was given a second chance.

Tocal is more to me - & the rest of the group - than “just another magazine.” It is a series of small victories, beating the odds, & facing our own fears. It is literally God & the Universe ensuring the execution of this because everything that has taken place, is taking place, & will take place has not been by our own doing. We are but tools for a greater purpose & we are not taking our responsibility to fulfill this vision lightly.

I am beyond honored to share gettocal.com, Tocal’s Facebook page, & Instagram page. Be sure to follow & “like” us to stay on top of latest events & announcements!

We are full force into our very first issue (coming out this April!) & have already begun cranking out ads. If you’re interested in advertising with us, drop us a line here or contact us for more information! Of course, thank you for the continued support from everybody who has believed in us & is helping us make this happen!!

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