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, finances cuts, and workers downsizing grew to become routine. Whispers of “impending cuts” became 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 keep 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 non-public 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 at some point, it was sufficiently big that I did not want the newsroom anymore. I stepped away — and stepped absolutely into entrepreneurship.
What I did not count on was simply what number of of my journalism abilities would develop into foundational to constructing and working a profitable enterprise.
This is what translated — and why it issues to anybody navigating uncertainty of their profession at the moment.
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 section 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 persons are relying on you to ship.
In enterprise, that very same mindset is a aggressive benefit. Whenever you persistently meet deadlines—for shoppers, collaborators, and even your self — you construct a reputation as somebody who could be trusted. In a world stuffed with flakiness, that belief is uncommon and invaluable.
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 easy methods to break down concepts so {that a} viewer with no background data might nonetheless perceive the story.
That talent carried straight into enterprise. Shoppers aren’t searching for extra info — 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 be taught to learn body language, anticipate reactions, and modify your tone accordingly. Typically you be taught the laborious means — by saying the unsuitable factor on the unsuitable 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 workforce check-in, I depend on that very same means to gauge the room. Understanding 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 — every little thing 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 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 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 quite a bit — 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 nearly in every single place in enterprise. Whether or not I am onboarding a consumer, hiring a brand new workforce 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 had been doing it each day. Writing headlines. Filming segments. Recording voiceovers. Modifying clips. We had been creating day by day, on deadline, with high quality and consistency.
After 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 — by blogs, movies, emails, and social media.
Storytelling is the bridge between info and emotion
On the core of each newscast is a narrative. That does not change in enterprise. The truth is, 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 pressure? 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 communicate — it builds credibility
Journalists do not get to make issues up. We’re skilled to dig for sources, confirm info and again up each declare. That intuition — to validate earlier than publishing — translated straight into enterprise.
After 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 shoppers 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 each day. Scripts, voiceovers, headlines, tweets, captions. You discover ways to write tight. You discover ways to write with influence. 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, e-mail campaigns, pitch decks, consumer experiences. 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 workforce check
Tv is not a solo act. Each present depends upon producers, editors, digital camera operators, and anchors working in sync, below tight deadlines. If somebody drops the ball, everybody feels it.
That taught me easy methods to lead below strain — and easy methods to rent individuals who can deal with it too. In enterprise, issues go sideways. Shoppers change path. Launches break. The power to remain calm, adapt and hold transferring is what separates amateurs from professionals.
The underside line
After I left journalism, I assumed I used to be strolling away from a shrinking business. What I did not notice 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 abilities that helped me succeed on-camera helped me achieve enterprise.
So in the event you’re in a career that feels unsure proper now, I will say this: look carefully. You are most likely constructing abilities that may serve you lengthy after your present function ends. You may 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 undertaking, that weekend freelance gig, that small experiment — it could be the factor that provides you safety when the job not can.
