Lawrence launched Harrowsmith in 1976 from his kitchen table farmhouse, but a year later circulation had ballooned to 75,000. The following year the title took the Magazine of the Year prize at the National Magazine Awards.

            Leveraging the success of Harrowsmith, Lawrence launched Equinox to rival National Geographic in 1981. He sold the enterprise to Telemedia Publishing, owner of Canadian Living in 1985.