The Hive

Markoulakis Publications

Writing a success story - with help from The Hive

The impressive global reputation of independent publishing house Markoulakis Publications speaks volumes for The Hive's success in supporting an increasingly diverse range of businesses. Established in 2006 by Nikolaos Markoulakis, a PhD student at Nottingham Trent University, the venture has won international renown for publishing academic books and journals which shed new light on classical heritage.

The first chapter in the success story was written when Nikolaos launched Sparta - a peer-reviewed journal of ancient Spartan and Greek history - while he was studying for his Politics degree at the University. It was initially offered in a free electronic format. "I thought about it very seriously before launching Markoulakis Publications and I was fortunate in having excellent mentoring from The Hive right from the outset. The HeadStart programme,for instance, covered many important aspects of the business that I hadn't really considered before."

"Although it gained a strong profile in the academic research world, it was run in quite an informal way and I approached The Hive to discuss ways of supporting and developing the publication on a more business-like footing," explained Nikolaos. "They convinced me to think on a much bigger scale: a publishing house incorporating other journal titles as well as books. It was an exciting and inspiring prospect, something I knew I would enjoy.

With ongoing support and mentoring offered through The Hive's SmarTrak initiative, the publishing house has grown to offer a wide range of titles from authors worldwide specialising in subjects ranging from philosophy to archaeology, social policy to art history. Several titles have been translated into Greek and French. The original Sparta journal has gone from strength to strength and now has an associated magazine, Σ PARTA, with an international readership made up of teachers and historians together with enthusiasts who have a general interest in the history of ancient Greece.

Markoulakis Publications now employs some 20 individuals in various capacities across its well-established editorial, production, design and marketing functions. As well as providing a convenient base for Nikolaos as he continues his own academic research and lecturing at the University, The Hive represents an excellent business environment. He says: "The facilities are of a very high standard and the networking, mentoring and administrative support you receive from The Hive team is exceptional. There's always someone willing to give you trusted advice and a second opinion. "Being based at The Hive means you never stop learning, not only from your mentor but also from guest speakers, the other entrepreneurs and all the information you receive about new opportunities. "The fact that Markoulakis Publications has links with the University also gives us added credibility. We have access to a wealth of academic resources and we have benefited from the input of students who have undertaken projects with us."

While continuing to add new titles to the portfolio, Nikolaos is also planning to run international conferences and workshops associated with his trademark Sparta journal. A new venture sponsored by the UN will also see him branch out into publishing a series of illustrated educational books about the lives of children in different countries.

For further information visit the Markoulakis Publications website.