The Central Florida Lifestyle Brand Takes Next Steps to Expand Its Full-Service Multimedia Enterprise
Krush Acquisitions, the veteran-owned investment management company, which focuses on investments in businesses that have a long history of success and leadership, has acquired Central Florida Lifestyle publications and the Lifestyle brand that provides advertising and marketing services to locally-owned businesses.
Karst Media Group, the media marketing company that previously published Central Florida Lifestyle publications, has sold its assets, including those of VSM Agency LLC to Central Florida Lifestyles LLC, a Krush Acquisitions LLC investment company, and the new multimedia company is known as Lifestyles CFL, effective immediately.
Lifestyles CFL will continue to publish the Central Florida Lifestyle publications (Altamonte Lifestyle, College Park Lifestyle, Horizon West Lifestyle, Lake Nona Lifestyle, MetroWest Lifestyle, Windermere Lifestyle, Winter Garden Lifestyle, and Winter Park Lifestyle), and provide marketing and advertising services for all its current and prospective clients.
“We are thrilled to announce that we have worked with and been acquired by Krush Acquisitions, a veteran-owned leading investment management company with the resources and vision to expand the local community reach of Central Florida Lifestyle publications, as I have envisioned for a long time,” said Kristi Karst Gomen, the Founder, Publisher and CEO of Karst Media Group and Central Florida Lifestyle publications. “This decision was not taken lightly. I spent many, many hours looking for the right fit to help us continue to grow in the way that I have envisioned for us, and I am happy to say, Krush Acquisitions, is the right organization to help expand and grow Lifestyle – for our readers, our local community partners, and business owners.”
Her move to sell Central Florida Lifestyle publications first started in November 2021, because Karst Gomen was looking for investors to scale her media enterprise. The process took five months, and the deal was completed in April 2022.
“Having served the intelligence community and Department of Defense for over 20 years, some may wonder why I have decided to invest in and help expand Central Florida Lifestyles reach and ask why now?” said Waylon Krush, President/CEO, Krush Acquisitions. “The Central Florida, and specifically the Lifestyle brand, has been thriving for over 20 years, and fits in our mission to serve our community and country, and it is ready to become a media enterprise that helps shape the way we live our lives to the fullest potential. There is so much negative and tragic news in today’s world, and we don’t want the positives in the world to get lost and being hyper-local focused on bringing people and communities together is our way of doing that. We believe focusing on the good in our communities is a worthwhile mission that we will expand across the country.”
By purchasing Central Florida Lifestyle publications, Krush Acquisitions will invest in and grow the Lifestyle brand by expanding into more communities and by hiring staff in those communities in order to serve them best. Krush Acquisitions will also bring its proven ability to scale businesses by investing in people and technology to the Lifestyles team and mission.
“What is the most important here is that all of this growth will be done without losing sight of what matters, our community partnerships and relationships, and that is why I am so excited for the future of Lifestyle,” Karst Gomen said. “It has been a true pleasure and honor to serve you for as long as I have, but it is now time to join forces with Krush Acquisition to expand Lifestyle. Joining forces with an investor that is as passionate about your business success as you are, is what takes us into the next chapter in our storybook. Stay tuned to see where our growth and innovation takes us from here.”
About Krush Acquisitions
Krush Acquisitions is a veteran-owned investment management company which focuses on acquiring and making investments in businesses that have a long history of success and leadership. Krush Acquisitions focuses on creating value around what business owners and staff have built and advancing their company with digital branding, technology, operational enhancements, and automation. Krush Acquisitions is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.
About Lifestyles CFL
Lifestyles CFL, LLC is a diversified multimedia company committed to delivering innovative experiences across all media platforms. At the heart of its portfolio is Central Florida Lifestyle® publications. Kristi Karst Gomen, a Central Florida native, founded Lifestyle® publications in 2003 to promote community and lifestyle while helping businesses reach families in the Central Florida market with the disposable income to help them become the best version of themselves while supporting local. Lifestyles CFL is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.