Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
I began my journalism profession in 2004. Inside months, it was clear: the business was altering — quick. Newsroom layoffs, funds cuts, and workers downsizing grew to become routine. Whispers of “impending cuts” was annual realities. Yearly introduced fewer sources, fewer colleagues, and extra strain to do extra with much less.
Ultimately, the tone of the business modified fully. We went from reporting the information to defending its very existence. I bear in mind being handed scripts to learn on-air, asking viewers to “help native journalism.” Think about reporting on the world whereas quietly campaigning to avoid wasting your personal job. It was humbling — and revealing.
That is after I realized I wanted a Plan B.
About eight years into my 15-year profession as a reporter and anchor for Canada’s largest personal broadcaster, I began constructing an actual estate-focused marketing agency. Quietly. Within the newsroom, aspect hustles had been frowned upon. Some managers even banned them. It was a wierd contradiction: everybody knew the business was shrinking, however nobody was allowed to organize for what got here subsequent.
So I did it anyway.
Over time, that company grew quietly within the background. And sooner or later, it was large enough that I did not want the newsroom anymore. I stepped away — and stepped totally into entrepreneurship.
What I did not count on was simply what number of of my journalism abilities would turn out to be foundational to constructing and working a profitable enterprise.
Here is what translated — and why it issues to anybody navigating uncertainty of their profession at present.
Associated: The 3 Biggest Mistakes That Made Me a Better Entrepreneur
Deadlines construct greater than self-discipline — they construct belief
In journalism, deadlines weren’t versatile. In case your phase wasn’t prepared by airtime, it did not go to air — easy as that. There was no “I am working a bit behind.” That type of real-time strain trains you to ship it doesn’t matter what. And extra importantly, it teaches you that different individuals are relying on you to ship.
In enterprise, that very same mindset is a aggressive benefit. Once you constantly meet deadlines—for purchasers, collaborators, and even your self — you construct a reputation as somebody who could be trusted. In a world filled with flakiness, that belief is uncommon and precious.
Readability is probably the most underrated communication talent
As a journalist, my job was to take one thing difficult — laws, economics, crime stats — and make it clear, quick. I realized how you can break down concepts so {that a} viewer with no background information may nonetheless perceive the story.
That talent carried straight into enterprise. Purchasers aren’t searching for extra data — they need readability. They need somebody who can clarify issues in plain language, with confidence and precision. If you are able to do that, you may win consideration and loyalty, even in crowded markets.
Studying the room is a enterprise talent, not only a social one
Each newsroom has an unstated vitality. Some days are tense. Others are collaborative. You study to learn body language, anticipate reactions, and modify your tone accordingly. Generally you study the onerous manner — by saying the fallacious factor on the fallacious time. However finally, you get good at it.
That emotional intelligence grew to become important in enterprise. Whether or not I am in a gross sales name, a consumer pitch or a group check-in, I depend on that very same capability to gauge the room. Figuring out when to talk, when to pause, and when to pivot is not simply good to have — it is the way you construct rapport, shut offers and lead individuals.
Your visible presence sends a sign — whether or not you prefer it or not
In tv, the way you present up is a part of the job. Lighting, clothes, posture, eye contact — all the pieces issues. You are skilled to suppose visually since you’re being seen, not simply heard.
As a business owner, I carried that ahead. Whether or not I am on a Zoom name, recording video content material, or assembly a consumer in individual, I take into consideration how I present up. Not as a result of I care about superficial polish, however as a result of I perceive that presence builds credibility. Folks make snap judgments. Being intentional about your look — your vitality, tone, physique language — is a part of your model.
Asking good questions results in higher outcomes
Nice interviews do not occur as a result of the journalist talks loads — they occur as a result of they ask questions nobody else thought to ask. They hear. They dig. They assist the topic get to one thing actual.
That talent set applies virtually all over the place in enterprise. Whether or not I am onboarding a consumer, hiring a brand new group member, or troubleshooting a marketing campaign, asking considerate, open-ended questions makes all of the distinction. It results in insights, not simply solutions. The higher your questions, the extra precious your outcomes.
Content material creation is not a buzzword — it is a each day apply
Earlier than “content material advertising” was stylish, journalists had been doing it every single day. Writing headlines. Filming segments. Recording voiceovers. Enhancing clips. We had been creating each day, on deadline, with high quality and consistency.
Once I pivoted into enterprise, that content material muscle was already constructed. I may write quick. I may shoot video. I may discover the story angle. That made constructing a content-driven company a lot simpler. However extra importantly, it helped me talk my worth constantly — by blogs, movies, emails, and social media.
Storytelling is the bridge between information and emotion
On the core of each newscast is a narrative. That does not change in enterprise. In actual fact, the necessity for narrative is much more necessary. As a result of individuals do not buy primarily based on knowledge — they purchase primarily based on perception.
Whether or not I am crafting a model technique, writing a gross sales web page or scripting a webinar, I am asking: What is the story? What is the rigidity? What adjustments by the tip? Who’s the hero? Storytelling is not fluff. It is construction. It is the way you assist individuals care.
Analysis earlier than you converse — it builds credibility
Journalists do not get to make issues up. We’re skilled to dig for sources, confirm information and again up each declare. That intuition — to validate earlier than publishing — translated immediately into enterprise.
Once I make advertising suggestions, I do not depend on intestine feeling alone. I cite tendencies, pull efficiency knowledge, reference case research. That research-backed method builds belief — and helps purchasers really feel extra assured of their funding.
Associated: Why Entrepreneurship Is Better Than Any Personal Growth Book
Writing is a enterprise superpower
In journalism, you write every single day. Scripts, voiceovers, headlines, tweets, captions. You learn to write tight. You learn to write with affect. And also you learn to match your voice to your viewers.
In enterprise, that is been one of the helpful instruments I’ve carried with me. Clear, persuasive writing helps throughout the board — web site copy, electronic mail campaigns, pitch decks, consumer stories. Particularly now, when a lot content material is AI-generated and generic, human writing that is sharp and intentional actually stands out.
Working below strain is the final word group take a look at
Tv is not a solo act. Each present relies on producers, editors, digicam operators, and anchors working in sync, below tight deadlines. If somebody drops the ball, everybody feels it.
That taught me how you can lead below strain — and how you can rent individuals who can deal with it too. In enterprise, issues go sideways. Purchasers change course. Launches break. The power to remain calm, adapt and hold transferring is what separates amateurs from professionals.
The underside line
Once I left journalism, I believed I used to be strolling away from a shrinking business. What I did not understand was that I used to be strolling into one thing I would been making ready for all alongside. Entrepreneurship wasn’t the other of journalism — it was the evolution of it. The identical abilities that helped me succeed on-camera helped me achieve enterprise.
So should you’re in a career that feels unsure proper now, I will say this: look carefully. You are in all probability constructing abilities that can serve you lengthy after your present function ends. You would possibly simply be gathering the precise instruments you may want for the subsequent chapter.
Do not anticipate a disaster to begin your Plan B. Construct it now, even when it is within the margins. That quiet aspect venture, that weekend freelance gig, that small experiment — it is likely to be the factor that provides you safety when the job not can.
