Reporter's Notebook: Twenty-Five Years

This year marks the 25th year since I began my journey in the media business. 

It was by luck and discovery that I found myself working in digital, then printed media starting in 2001. I was living in Madison, Wisconsin at the time. It started when a friend at the time was running a website out of Chicago. He knew if my writing and asked if I can work with him on that site. I agreed to do so. 

As the site’s Managing Editor, I had a columnist and a cartoonist under my tutelage. I also had my column to write, It was quite the challenge, but I dutifully stuck to it. 

It was at that website where my first automotive-themed content was published. It was a dream come true to accomplish that. It was on theme with the lifestyle(s) the website focused on, but it was indeed a way to put my feet in the water.

Because of that website, I attended my first Chicago Auto Show in 2002. The publisher and I were there, between taking photos and gathering ideas from the show floor. Two years later, I worked my first media days at the Chicago Auto Show.

A few years later, I contributed to another website with some content. Most of it was automotive theme, focusing on the relationship between the automotive industry and LGBTQ+ consumers. 

In 2004, I had moved to the Twin Cities. I was plugging away on another type of writing – poetry. That turned into a blog promoting the work. It became a blog where I was writing about anything and everything – including automobiles. 

Somehow, I got the bug to pursue automotive content as my primary subject matter. While I still had my catch-all blog, I decided to take the plunge by working the 2011 Chicago Auto Show Media Days. It opened up plenty of doors as I grew from neophyte to a next-wave digital automotive content creator/journalist. 

After the Twin Cities Auto Show that same year, the blog became an automotive website. Victory & Reseda was born. That was a hard launch, but it has been worth it.

Since 2011, my work appeared in a couple of magazines and five websites. I’d rather not get into the experience I had with each of these outlets. However, I am blessed to get those experiences – good, bad, and in the middle – to build my professional resume and portfolio. 

I also held staff positions at a couple of places. Given the title of “editor” of some sort yields a mountain of responsibility and a little grain of power. It put me in the position to interface with a lot of colleagues, industry people, business owners, governmental and administrative personnel, and some celebrities. Or, as one former colleague would say, “local personalities.”

How has it been for these past 25 tears? That is a loaded question.

There were a few things I’ve learned. One, never burn your bridges. That goes for any career, job, and industry. In 2009, I was laid off from a day job of four years due to the economic crisis that started a year before. Considering how upset I was for being laid off, I wanted to go scorched earth on my then-former employer. My roommate/landlord told me that it would not be a good look for me. As business communities are closely linked to each other, word of your social media posts fo spread like wildfire amongst key professionals. 

Secondly, balance your competitiveness with your workflow. In other words, jealousy of your fellow professionals or any personality adjacent to your work is not going to motivate you to become a better professional – and human being. Once you take the time, uplift your work and not worry about anyone else but you and your team, you will be a successful and respected human being,

Also, know your stuff. Research helps. Get the facts correct. Admit that you will get things wrong and correct it. Oh, and don’t be a “know it all” and rely on that personality trait that goes along with it to get you through life. 

Lastly, live your dream. Being in the automotive media – or, in the media business, period – was a dream that took too long to fulfill. You might I was a late bloomer at age 37 to start this career. This is proof that it’s never too late to pivot to something that you are passionate about. Something that will satisfy you and your soul until the end. 

Looking back, I am grateful for the people that have worked with me during these past 25 years. That includes the numerous editors, management, interview subjects, industry contacts, fellow colleagues, friends and family – all of whom have made this journey a long hard climb. It is all worth the fight to still be here.

When you achieve something for a long time, you have to find a way to celebrate it. There will be opportunities to do so. For now, this is just the beginning. 

All photos by Randy Stern and George Torline