Today we’d like to introduce you to Lyle Laver.
Hi Lyle, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Call me a world traveler, I seem to have lived in more parts of the world than most – I guess. Originally from Ottawa, Canada, life has allowed me to travel throughout Canada, Asia, Europe, the US, Caribbean, and Alaska, From radio, to print, stage and television, ships, NPR and magazines, digital and AI, my years have seen me through developing various media platforms in various parts of the world.
Settling down in Los Angeles in 2001, I raised a family, two beautiful boys, and enjoyed the pleasures of the water, good friends, sunshine and sand. Sailing, Cycling and Covid went “hand in hand”, as you would have probably found me on some 50 mile ride up over Topanga, or an afternoon sail out of Redondo.
In 2023 after much personal heartache, I arrived from LA into Bend, an area that always intrigued myself and my close friend. Both skiers, he being from the Portland area, we had always discussed moving up to the region and starting a magazine. Well post the Covid “blowout”, I came to the region with little knowledge about Central Oregon, outside of its outdoor activities,
I quickly became acquainted with the town settling into the westside. Next up, I attained my real estate license and over the next few months, began the process of imagining a tourist magazine, not about Bend, but about the region – a magazine that could build the “branding” bridge from those who were now flying here from LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, Dallas… and so many more of the large west coast cities. Named the #5 ski resort in the US by the Wall Street Journal in 2023, Mt. Bachelor and its closest city, Bend, was in the middle of its growth spurt. It turns out, many had the similar idea as I, and moved their “remote” jobs to the region along with their young families, enjoying the outdoor open spaces that Oregon offered. (Since 2012, home building and development in the Bend/Redmond region had been on fire. Now post-Covid, new families were finding that new balance, outside of the big city).
So I thought, now was the time. Build the magazine and they will come. So with my LA history of 22 years in media sales for both NPR and for PERFORMANCES Magazine, (the “Playbill” of the west coast), my years as a Cruise Director on ships, I knew I could build out my own media platform within the cultural tourism vein of the region.
And so it began. We are now on our 4th issue of BACHELOR GUIDE in print, and now with an “e-edition”, a website, and our own proprietary A.I. digital concierge, Nels. I built the platform based on all of those pieces of “tourist” info that I didn’t have when I arrived – a great trek, a nice dining experience, events to do, lay of the land. Today, we hope when referencing BACHELOR GUIDE and our site at mybachelor.life, this will help curate a visit to the region.
Distributed through the airports and rental car companies and hotels, along with 30+ high end retailers and partners, BACHELOR GUIDE is reaching more than 40,000 readers annually.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I was in media sales in LA for 22 years – never on the “production” side of the magazine world. With my intial investment and recent knowledge of the region, I was at square one from the beginning. I had to find a printer, lay out costs, design, brand, deck and then approach partners. It was a whole new world.
Today, many find different ways to access their media. Print is still very viable, however costs continue to increase. ROI and conversion rates, impressions and the new arena of UGC (user generated content) has lowered the entry costs for many, wishing for simple exposure. Curated exposure – as is the business model for BACHELOR GUIDE, we are able to talk directly to the affluent tourist arriving into the Central Oregon region.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
BACHELOR GUIDE is a curated media platform, utilizing print, social media, and AI to help tourists visiting the Central Oregon region, build out their on moments of recreation and enjoyment. The platform includes a semi-annual digest size full color magazine, an “e-edition” online at mybachelor.life and comes with its own “digital concierge”, Nels, who is available on the website to answer questions, 24/7. Our goal is to curate and educate the visiting outdoor recreational tourist who is arriving via road or air from one of the nation’s larger metropolitan areas. With the average American tourist spending 51 days planning out their next vacation, reviewing more than 277 pages (9 hours) of online content (Expedia’s Pathway to Purchase Survey 2024), BACHELOR GUIDE simplifies, curates and allows our reader and visitors the ability to use our proprietary digital insider (AI), Nels to answer questions, make itineraries, and schedule happenings within moments. Distributed through the airports and rental car companies and hotels, along with 30+ high end retailers and partners, BACHELOR GUIDE is reaching more than 40,000 readers annually.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
MY BACHELOR LIFE. Take a moment, visit www.mybachelor.life. Check in with Nels at the site, our proprietary AI Digital Insider. Let him do the heavy lifting for your next vacation to Mt. Bachelor. Able to recommend places to visit, dine, and recreate throughout the Bend/Redmond and Mt.Bachelor region, he will set up a daily itinerary. Simple, curated and instantaneous, Nels is available 24/7.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mybachelor.life
