American Publisher Michael Beas Opens Up About Success and Greek Orthodox Faith

Michael Beas, who was recently named “Top Literary Consultant for 2020” by the International Association of Top Professionals (IOATP) recently spoke to Greek Reporter about serving as the CEO and founder of the online publication Raver Magazine — and embracing the Greek Orthodox faith.

“It was such an honor to receive the award for Top Literary Consultant for 2020 from the President of the IAOTP, Stephanie Cirami,” Beas said.

He related that over the span of five years he has helped over 950 authors become international bestsellers. When asked what keeps him going each day, Beas responded, “I am motivated by a relentless love for what I do, my family and my two sons that inspire me to never give up… I love taking a new author from zero to 100 as I turn their book into a bestseller. Helping others win is my motivation and in doing that, we all win together.”

On the best advice that he was ever given, Beas told Greek Reporter, “That advice during one of the lowest points in my life: ‘what defines you isn’t how far in life you fall, but how you get back up after you have fallen.’ In life, we are all faced with uncertainties, challenges, and obstacles… if you can find a way to stand back up and push forward, the victory will be all the greater in the end.”

Beas also opened up about his conversion to the Greek Orthodox faith and how Orthodox Deacon Harry Lainis saved his life. “The story is very long but in short, Deacon Lainis of St. Nektarios Orthodox Church in Charlotte, North Carolina is a special person in my life. He inspired me to better my life and to focus on the important things that make life worth living. I truly believe that through him, God worked a miracle in my life,” he said.

“I was facing a number of events and challenging moments in my personal life; he and I would meet weekly and he would pray with me. I grew up in the Roman Catholic faith my whole life and the reality is that that is all I knew. He taught me from a more historical perspective the truth about Orthodoxy, and through prayer and revelation, I was inspired to make changes that bettered my life,” Beas explains.

Beas also serves as CEO of Raver Magazine. “Running the magazine is a challenge. So much new technology is shaping the world of electronic dance music that it is hard to keep up sometimes. New genres, new music, new festivals all over the place are shaping the way we listen to and stream music.

“We are growing exponentially. Through a strategic collaboration we have decided to work with Spier TV, an Arizona-based company that has expertise in music streaming which goes live on COX TV,” the entrepreneur says with pride.

“Think of a new version of MTV especially for Ravers,” he says. “We also are adding new coverage segments in Raver Magazine that we think people will enjoy reading… ‘Fashion that Raves’ is also another segment that we think people will enjoy so that it can tie into the entire Rave experience.”

On being a publisher and CEO in this digital age, Beas says “It feels amazing. Technology has a way of becoming overwhelming and it is hard sometimes to adapt but I am the type of person that loves change… if you are able to take in the digital revolution you can own the moment and grow as a company, while at the same time giving your clients a cutting-edge approach that no one else can experience.”

Regarding his use of technology, the publishing exec states “Through strategic HTML Coding and AI you can see what the trends are and the shifts in those trends that will link to customers’ buying patterns. Without it these days, it is impossible to predict the shifts that markets are making.”

For young and aspiring entrepreneurs and magazine and book publishers, Beas says his advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is “to take calculated risks, follow your dreams — and it is better to try and fail than to get old and wonder ‘what if I would have done this or that’… In my view, it is better to do it and lose than to never have done it at all.”

“Throughout the course of my life, I have started and closed over 17 companies. I lost more than I have won, but no one can ever say that I didn’t try. Each opportunity is a learning experience. Don’t start something and quit in the middle. Keep the drive and stay positive along the way and you’ll see how your business will grow. At the end of the day, work hard, play hard and never give up,” he says with great enthusiasm.

On his career-defining moments in life, Beas maintains, “I think what defines you is faith, family, and willingness to work, in that order. I learned the hard way that no one is going to do it for you. If you want to be successful you need to put in the long hours, you need to have confidence in yourself — especially in front of others who are looking up to you. The road to victory is long and there will be a lot of crappy people along the way that will tell you how you can’t do something, how it can’t be done, how you should give up and quit.”

“The moments that I have lost have only made me stronger, and through my faith, I have learned that no matter what, I am never alone, even when no one else is there to hold my hand or show me the way,” he declares.

The indefatigable entrepreneur defines the word “success” as follows: “Success for me is how someone helps others make a difference in their lives for the greater good of all. It is not about clout or how many followers or money that you have but rather how you are able to influence change by making a difference in the world.

“Anyone can make a difference, anyone can stand up for what is right. Those are things that I consider to be a success, everything else in my view is secondary to the impact that you can have in the world.”