ARE you in it? August's complimentary Hampshire business South Magazine is available from Thursday, July 29.

It is packed with must-have information about companies, firms and burning issues that touch upon the lives of the county's 900,000-strong labour force.

It has been produced by the Daily Echo's business team, and is widely regarded as the best business magazine of its type in the south, particularly for its focus on people.

Find out how hotelier Avril Owton overcame tragedy to rise to the top.

Her story, both poignant and inspirational, is likely to strike a chord with many people.

There's an overview of one of the biggest redevelopment projects in years, the £15m former VT shipyard at Woolston, Southampton, which will affect thousands of local residents.

The normally staid Institute of Directors, which represents 2,000 members in this region, explains why it has had to adapt to the demands of the 21st century.

Our legal affairs and commercial property pages are full of pictures of movers and shakers, and another popular section is Out & About, where pictures are taken of some of the top social business events in Hampshire.

Organisations caught on camera include the Southampton and Fareham Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which has 2,000 members employing 100,000 people, and the Southampton and Regional Hoteliers Association, which employs 10,000 and brings in more than £100m to the local economy.

Other picture profiles include Fanshawe Lofts of Southampton, Portland of Whiteley, and Handelsbanken, the Swedish bank with a toe-hold in Southampton.

We even take a sideways look at the perennial north-south divide, epitomised by northern hot pot Melanie Sykes and southern socialite Tara Palmer-Tompkinson.

Rival freight companies would do well to read our profile of Bob Terris, for tips on success.

He is the boss of freight giant Meachers, which employs 250 people near Southampton.

The picture-packed business diary, listing events in August and September, is also useful for potential networking and marketing purposes.

On top of all that, there's plenty of stories affecting hundreds of workers, including a designer who renamed his firm after a restored chapel he moved into and a firm that may hold the key to eradicating the MRSA superbug in local hospitals.

There's also a face-the-press interview with Jo Smith, a force to be reckoned with at a company in Southampton.

As ever, the business team take on robust stories - check out the debts and convictions page to find out who is on the wrong side of the law.

Last, but not least, Hampshire Business South Magazine is being revamped for September - read about what's in store.

Up to 10,000 decision-makers in the south read the magazine, so can you afford to be outside the information loop?

To order your copy, e-mail our subscriptions administrator: peter.bullwinkle@soton-echo.co.uk