Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
I began my journalism profession in 2004. Inside months, it was clear: the trade was altering — quick. Newsroom layoffs, price range cuts, and employees downsizing grew to become routine. Whispers of “impending cuts” changed into annual realities. Yearly introduced fewer sources, fewer colleagues, and extra stress to do extra with much less.
Finally, the tone of the trade modified fully. We went from reporting the information to defending its very existence. I keep in mind being handed scripts to learn on-air, asking viewers to “assist native journalism.” Think about reporting on the world whereas quietly campaigning to avoid wasting your individual 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 advertising company. Quietly. Within the newsroom, aspect hustles have been frowned upon. Some managers even banned them. It was a wierd contradiction: everybody knew the trade was shrinking, however nobody was allowed to arrange for what got here subsequent.
So I did it anyway.
Over time, that company grew quietly within the background. And at some point, it was large enough that I did not want the newsroom anymore. I stepped away — and stepped totally into entrepreneurship.
What I did not anticipate was simply what number of of my journalism expertise would change into foundational to constructing and working a profitable enterprise.
Here is what translated — and why it issues to anybody navigating uncertainty of their profession at the moment.
Associated: The three Largest Errors That Made Me a Higher 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 form of real-time stress trains you to ship it doesn’t matter what. And extra importantly, it teaches you that different persons are relying on you to ship.
In enterprise, that very same mindset is a aggressive benefit. Once you persistently meet deadlines—for purchasers, collaborators, and even your self — you construct a status as somebody who could be trusted. In a world filled with flakiness, that belief is uncommon and invaluable.
Readability is essentially the most underrated communication ability
As a journalist, my job was to take one thing difficult — laws, economics, crime stats — and make it clear, quick. I discovered the way to break down concepts so {that a} viewer with no background data might nonetheless perceive the story.
That ability carried straight into enterprise. Shoppers aren’t in search of 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 ability, not only a social one
Each newsroom has an unstated power. Some days are tense. Others are collaborative. You study to learn physique language, anticipate reactions, and alter your tone accordingly. Typically you study the arduous manner — by saying the flawed factor on the flawed 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 means 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 — the whole lot issues. You are educated to assume visually since you’re being seen, not simply heard.
As a enterprise proprietor, I carried that ahead. Whether or not I am on a Zoom name, recording video content material, or assembly a consumer in particular person, 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. Individuals make snap judgments. Being intentional about your look — your power, 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 ability set applies nearly 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 invaluable your outcomes.
Content material creation is not a buzzword — it is a day by day follow
Earlier than “content material advertising” was fashionable, journalists have been doing it each day. Writing headlines. Filming segments. Recording voiceovers. Modifying clips. We have been creating day by day, on deadline, with high quality and consistency.
Once I pivoted into enterprise, that content material muscle was already constructed. I might write quick. I might shoot video. I might discover the story angle. That made constructing a content-driven company a lot simpler. However extra importantly, it helped me talk my worth persistently — via blogs, movies, emails, and social media.
Storytelling is the bridge between details and emotion
On the core of each newscast is a narrative. That does not change in enterprise. Actually, the necessity for narrative is much more essential. 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 stress? What modifications by the top? Who’s the hero? Storytelling is not fluff. It is construction. It is the way you assist individuals care.
Analysis earlier than you communicate — it builds credibility
Journalists do not get to make issues up. We’re educated to dig for sources, confirm details and again up each declare. That intuition — to validate earlier than publishing — translated straight 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 Higher Than Any Private Progress Ebook
Writing is a enterprise superpower
In journalism, you write each day. Scripts, voiceovers, headlines, tweets, captions. You discover ways to write tight. You discover ways to write with impression. And also you discover ways to match your voice to your viewers.
In enterprise, that is been some 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 underneath stress is the last word group check
Tv is not a solo act. Each present relies on producers, editors, digicam operators, and anchors working in sync, underneath tight deadlines. If somebody drops the ball, everybody feels it.
That taught me the way to lead underneath stress — and the way to rent individuals who can deal with it too. In enterprise, issues go sideways. Shoppers change path. Launches break. The flexibility to remain calm, adapt and maintain 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 trade. What I did not understand was that I used to be strolling into one thing I might been getting ready for all alongside. Entrepreneurship wasn’t the other of journalism — it was the evolution of it. The identical expertise that helped me succeed on-camera helped me reach enterprise.
So in the event you’re in a career that feels unsure proper now, I am going to say this: look intently. You are most likely constructing expertise that can serve you lengthy after your present function ends. You would possibly simply be gathering the precise instruments you may want for the following chapter.
Do not look ahead to a disaster to begin your Plan B. Construct it now, even when it is within the margins. That quiet aspect undertaking, that weekend freelance gig, that small experiment — it is perhaps the factor that provides you safety when the job not can.