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Home > Archive > Mar 6, 2008

Enriching the Lives of Southwest Women
By Cami Cox
Staff Writer
A special birthday was celebrated on Feb. 26 as èlan woman magazine, a local publication for women, hit its one-year mark.
“It's been a phenomenal year,” creator and editor-in-chief Darci Hansen said. “We have been so fortunate. We've learned a lot. We've been surrounded by people who, for whatever reasons, found the same passion that we did for this endeavor, and the way that it's all come to fruition was really unimaginable.”
Co-founded by Hansen and her friend Debbie Herzog, now èlan's publisher, èlan woman grew out of a simple idea that Hansen had for enriching the lives of women in the Southwest.
“I wanted a place to work with women and be able to move them into a space of contentment and happiness, as I have found in my life, and also tell women that it's okay to pursue their passions,” Hansen said. “èlan woman is designed specifically for women that reach that point in life when life is changing. They've moved beyond that divine role of motherhood, so to speak, and a lot of times, women seem to get lost in 'What's next?' and overwhelmed at not knowing what is next.”
So the concept for èlan was born specifically with women at that middle-age-and-beyond stage of life in mind. Hansen envisioned a magazine that would have pages filled with stories, photos and other content to uplift and inspire women and encourage them in the pursuit of their dreams.
“When it all started, I didn't actually have enough confidence to think I could do this alone – it was just an idea,” Hansen said.
But sinking their own funds into the magazine, she and Herzog embarked on the adventure of starting their own publication, and even Hansen said she is surprised at the success the yearling magazine has already seen.
“I am a survivor, so I knew at some point the magazine would succeed, I just didn't realize how quickly,” she said. “All the credit goes to the people who have completely embraced èlan woman.”
Though it hasn't been a completely smooth road, Hansen has seen èlan's readership grow as she, Herzog and others have carefully nurtured their magazine, focusing on growing slowly despite outside pressures to get big fast.
“Our first and foremost concern is, 'What is best for our readers?'” Hansen said.
Having that as a top priority has paid off for the magazine, it seems, and Hansen was recently named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce for her efforts as the creator and editor-in-chief of èlan.
èlan woman also continues to grow slowly and steadily, and the magazine now has subscribers from New York to San Francisco, as well as its readers in the Southern Utah region.
Hansen believes the magazine is drawing outside readership, in part, because many people are intrigued by the unique lifestyle of this area.
“People are fascinated with life in the Southwest,” she said. “Here we have this gorgeous weather and the beautiful, serene desert, which allows us so many new adventures. I mean, we could be outside all year if we really wanted to, and they're just fascinated.
“We're so youthful back here, and we're outdoors and we're active and we're passionate about what we do and we believe in volunteerism. I have friends that don't even know what it's like to volunteer in a classroom or do anything because they're so career-driven. Here, we get to live life to its fullest. I believe women in the Southwest really live life to its fullest, or at least we have the opportunity to – whether we choose to or not is the big question, which is the purpose of èlan woman.”
As èlan woman embarks on its second year in Southern Utah, Hansen and those she works with continue with their mission to encourage and inspire women. They are piloting a new effort this year to host weekend retreats, reaching out specifically to women who live in rural areas of the Southwest region.
“I'm hoping to take some of the big city to the little town without altering the lifestyle of the little town,” Hansen said.
Offered at a low cost to participants, èlan's retreats will feature enriching classes, opportunities to network with other women and a chance for relaxing weekend getaways – all part of the èlan mission and Hansen's desire to enrich the lives of women in the Southwest.
Prior to launching èlan woman, Hansen served the community in a variety of capacities, including as a member of the St. George Arts Commission and as chairperson of the Foundation for Students of Washington County. She has additionally served for eight years as a member of the state PTA and was part of the education commission for the 2002 Winter Olympics committee.
“All of these things prepared me for this moment,” she said.
èlan woman is a bi-monthly publication. For more information about the magazine or any of the upcoming èlan woman retreats, visit www.elanwoman.com or call 627-9662.

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