by Lizzie Macaulay
New beginnings are terrifying, aren’t they?
Even when you know they’re the right move, even when you trust the people involved, there’s still that flutter of uncertainty about what comes next.
So when the new owner of Alive Magazine, Kelly Penny, suggested we meet at a local park to chat about the future of Alive Magazine, I knew exactly what this conversation meant. After being part of the founding team all those years ago, watching this publication grow and thrive under Joy’s stewardship, I was about to witness another pivotal moment: the passing of the torch to new hands.
Safe new hands, I should say.
Kelly and I have already collaborated on projects for her digital magazine, Island View Connect, so I’ve seen first-hand how she operates, what she values, and how deeply she cares about getting things right.
We settled at a picnic table on a gloriously mild summer morning, and I was genuinely curious to hear Kelly’s vision for what comes next. She started talking about families. Specifically, about how she feels most empowered when her work helps not just her own family, but other families as well – when it creates positive ripple effects throughout the community. Right then, I knew Alive was in exactly the right hands.
Kelly’s journey to this moment hasn’t been a straight line. She’s currently juggling multiple businesses – Island View Connect, a digital magazine, Island View Gift Hampers, and now Alive Magazine.
As someone who understands the reality of running a business, I was keen to understand how she manages it all without completely losing her mind. The juggle is real, and anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or hasn’t actually tried it.
“Don’t wait for perfection,” Kelly told me. “Aim for continuous improvement instead.” Words to live by, clearly, because I can see she puts them into practice. Kelly’s worked hard to build multiple businesses while staying true to her values, and she’s bringing that same dedication and commitment to the magazine that means so much to the Fraser Coast community and beyond.
There’s something refreshing about meeting someone who’s still figuring things out but isn’t pretending otherwise. Kelly’s open about the learning curve she’s on, about overcoming the fear that whispers “can you really do this?” when she’s trying to show up confidently for the local community. As someone who’s built an entire column around learning new things while spectacularly failing at most of them, I found this deeply relatable, even from the business strategy side of things…
Imposter syndrome doesn’t discriminate.
What drives Kelly when things get tough – and let’s be honest, things always get tough – is choosing purpose over comfort. It’s about the flexibility to be there for her family for the everyday stuff, rather than pouring her energy into someone else’s goals as an employee. But it’s also about something bigger: being creative while solving real problems for others.
Island View Gift Hampers is a perfect example of this philosophy in action.
Kelly curates hampers featuring local makers and small businesses, creating meaningful gifts that tell a local story. For every 15 hampers sold, she donates one to a local community group, and for every box purchased, a financial donation is made to the Fraser Coast Hospice, supporting awareness and fundraising for an organisation doing vital work in our community. It’s conscious gifting at its finest: quality over quantity, local over mass-produced, purpose woven into every transaction.
This same philosophy extends to how Kelly approaches both magazines. For Alive, she’s committed to preserving and strengthening it as the trusted, much-loved local publication it’s been for years. She’s not here to completely reinvent what works. She’s here to evolve it thoughtfully while respecting its history, integrity, and our loyal readership.
As someone who was there at the beginning, watching it grow into what it became under Joy’s leadership, I can’t tell you how reassuring this is to hear.
Island View Connect Magazine, meanwhile, continues growing as a reliable digital resource filled with genuine local businesses. Both publications share Kelly’s core mission: supporting small and micro businesses to be seen, heard, and valued.
“I want to grow my businesses alongside local businesses,” Kelly explained, “not above them.”
This isn’t about domination or market capture. It’s about collaboration over competition, bringing businesses together, and making it easier for residents to find and support local enterprises. It’s about keeping spending within the community and supporting local economic growth.
What struck me most during our conversation was Kelly’s commitment to authentic storytelling and relationship-based marketing. She’s not interested in empty promotion or flashy advertising that feels disconnected from reality.
She wants to celebrate real Fraser Coast stories – people, businesses, creatives, community groups – and create platforms that build genuine connections. She’s positioning herself as a connector, acting as the thread that helps our community discover what’s already here, already brilliant, already worth supporting.
Value people. Champion for others, Kelly said, is more words to live by. These aren’t just nice-sounding phrases she’s memorised. They’re principles actively shaping how she operates. They’re evident in how she talks about maintaining high editorial and visual standards while remaining accessible and inclusive. They’re visible in her focus on affordable, meaningful advertising opportunities for local businesses, with both print and digital choices.
They’re present in her determination to remain deeply invested in the long-term sustainability of the Fraser Coast. As we talked, I found myself getting genuinely excited about what’s ahead.
Kelly’s goals for this year include continuing to grow, learn, and evolve, never stopping the learning process. (Again, deeply relatable content for someone who writes a monthly column about learning things.)
She’s committed to showing the community that she can do this, proving it to herself with time and effort, building that confidence through consistent action. There’s something brave about admitting you’re still building confidence while simultaneously stepping into significant community responsibility. Most people would pretend they’ve got it all figured out. Kelly’s refreshing honesty about the journey makes her far more trustworthy in my book.
As we prepared to head off to tackle the rest of our respective days, I realised this conversation had settled something for me. Change is still scary. It probably always will be.
But new beginnings don’t have to mean losing what mattered about what came before. They can mean thoughtful evolution, deeper roots, and expanded purpose. Kelly’s taking the reins of Alive Magazine with respect for its legacy and a clear vision for its future. She’s bringing the same values that drive her other ventures: community connection, integrity, authenticity, collaboration, ethical business practices, storytelling with purpose.
She’s showing up for us, even while navigating her own fears and learning curves. As someone who was there at the start of this journey, who watched it flourish under Joy’s care, I’m genuinely thrilled to see it passed into Kelly’s passionate and capable hands. That seems like exactly the kind of new beginning worth embracing.
With gratitude to Kelly Penny for sharing her vision and values, and for taking on the important work of continuing Alive Magazine’s legacy. You can find Island View Connect Magazine online, discover Island View Gift Hampers’ curated local treasures, and of course, continue enjoying Alive Magazine as it evolves under Kelly’s thoughtful stewardship.
Here’s to new beginnings and the brilliant humans brave enough to create them.