We are thrilled to announce The N2 Company has welcomed four new members to our Executive Advisory Board – a group of eight elite and tenured Area Directors from across the country who provide pivotal feedback and suggestions directly to our senior leadership.
The newest members of the N2 Executive Advisory Board are:
- Lynn Zimmerman, publisher of Greet Bedford and BeLocal Greater Manchester
- Tom Hanscom, publisher of BeLocal Georgia’s Lake Country, Stroll Inside the Gates, Stroll The Georgia Club, and Stroll Five Points
- Corey Flynn, publisher of Stroll Sandestin, Stroll Regatta Bay, BeLocal Destin & Niceville, BeLocal The Keys, and BeLocal South Walton
- Jordan Espeseth, publisher of North Dallas Real Producers, Dallas Real Producers, North Fort Worth Real Producers, and Fort Worth Real Producers
Area Directors who are tapped to serve on this board share and live out N2’s core values, have experience operating various N2 magazine brands, have successfully built, maintained, and grown their N2 businesses, and are dedicated to helping leaders better the franchisee experience for their fellow publishers. In other words, to be asked to serve is no small feat.
Board members meet monthly, maintaining a direct line of communication with the executive team that ensures company decision-making is done with a clear understanding of our franchisees’ perspectives. Leaders lean on this representative group to provide candid feedback on how best to roll out specific changes or updates to the franchisee community, what ideas and strategies work for us today, and any timely or ongoing challenges Area Directors face.
Lynn, Tom, Corey, and Jordan join the following four franchise business owners who began serving on the Executive Advisory Board in early 2023:
- Kristin Brindley, publisher of DC Metro Real Producers, NOVA Real Producers, Charlotte Real Producers, South Jersey Real Producers, Capitol Region Real Producers, Long Island Real Producers, and Richmond Real Producers
- RC Smith, publisher of Stroll Mission Hills, Stroll Mira Vista, Stroll The Tribute, and Stroll Highland Park
- Robert Smith, publisher of BeLocal Tri-County Upstate, Upstate Real Producers, Columbia Real Producers, Stroll The Cliffs Communities, and Stroll Clemson
- Stephen Gibbons, publisher of Stroll Weston Lakes, Stroll Cane Island, Stroll River Oaks, and BeLocal Katy
More about our newest members:
Lynn Zimmerman
Lynn came to N2 with 15 years of prior magazine experience, having worked in New York City for major women’s publications like Elle, Shape, Allure, and Lucky. After an impressive career in publishing, she decided to take a pause to stay home with her then-2-year-old daughter. But even while experiencing the SAHM life, Lynn remained professionally active by consulting, serving on boards, and even leading the sales efforts for her brothers’ newly launched clothing brand. When she felt ready to transition back to a full working schedule, N2 was her pick. She began ramping up her first publication in 2017 and has proven to be a top-performing franchisee over the seven years she’s partnered with N2. She’s expanded her N2 portfolio by launching and managing Greet Bedford and BeLocal Greater Manchester, both serving New Hampshire communities. In January 2024, Lynn was named a Big Dog award winner (a very prestigious internal award at N2) for the major impact she’s made on the Greet brand in the last year.
Tom Hanscom
Tom resides in Greensboro, Georgia – within one of the very neighborhoods for which he launched and manages a Stroll magazine. His portfolio of N2 magazines includes BeLocal Georgia’s Lake Country, Stroll Inside the Gates, Stroll The Georgia Club, and Stroll Five Points. But well before he ventured into magazine franchising, Tom was already a seasoned and highly knowledgeable entrepreneur and business leader. In short, he knows how to build profitable businesses – his N2 publication business included. Why did he turn to N2? He understands firsthand the importance of keeping residents informed about what’s going on in their community and the invaluable connections and bonds that are formed through resident-driven articles. In his own words, “These publications truly make a difference!” Tom is celebrated as a top-performing Area Director, but also as a stand-out cultural fit. He was named a Culture Award winner in 2021.
Corey Flynn
A former owner of a boutique personal training and group exercise studio (and a personal trainer herself), Corey may appear to be an unlikely candidate for the Area Director role. But as we’ve seen time and again, sometimes the people least likely “on paper” to succeed at such a sales-heavy opportunity turn out to be the very best. This is true for Corey, who has massively expanded her portfolio from one publication in 2015 to publishing Stroll Sandestin, Stroll Regatta Bay, BeLocal Destin & Niceville, BeLocal The Keys, and BeLocal South Walton. She not only runs a highly successful N2 business but also makes time to coach and mentor fellow franchisees – something that harkens back to her roots as a personal trainer. Her selfless desire to support others and help them realize their potential makes her a perfect pick for the Executive Advisory Board.
Jordan Espeseth
Since his start in 2018, Jordan has transitioned from N2 Newcomer to a highly respected Area Director known for delivering impactful and heartfelt messages to his fellow franchisees. He is a Real Producers rock star, publishing North Dallas Real Producers, Dallas Real Producers, North Fort Worth Real Producers, and Fort Worth Real Producers. A Minnesota man who at a young age became a semi-pro Snocross athlete with dreams of competing at the Winter X Games, Jordan finds himself a decade and a half later living in Texas with a new wife (a fellow N2er!) and a bustling publication business. He earned the Big Dog award recognition in 2022 for the impact he’s made at N2.
