The Dad at Modern Dad. Editor Emeritus of Android Central, subtitles and street signs.
WHAT LED YOU TO START WORKING IN DIGITAL/MEDIA PUBLISHING?
I was a newspaper editor for close to 10 years and was ready for a change. Dieter Bohn (now at The Verge) was running editorial for Mobile Nations (then Smartphone Exports) and plucked me from the forums. Did part-time work for a while before leaving the newspaper to run AndroidCentral.com full-time.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
I haven’t run the day-to-day operations at Android Central for a year now (another nice change!) but still get to have my hands in all sorts of stuff. I still do a fair amount of writing, more video than ever, and I’m going to start doing more editing again.
WHAT’S YOUR WORK SETUP LOOK LIKE?
I don’t have a separate work/home setup — everything comes the same place all the time. Google/G Suite for e-mail and productivity. Trello for management. Slack for internal comms. Adobe for photos and video. I’ve been on Macs for years now, and that’s still a great platform for actually doing things.
WHAT DO YOU DO OR GO TO GET INSPIRED?
I look at the ever-growing list of things to do, pour a cup of coffee, cry a little, then start being less behind.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF WRITING OR QUOTE?
I forget who said it, but something about “I love the sound of deadline rushing by.”
WHAT IS THE PASSIONATE PROBLEM YOU ARE TACKLING AT THE MOMENT?
Remembering that just because you speak doesn’t mean anyone’s listening, and you probably have something better to be doing.
IS THERE A PRODUCT, SOLUTION, OR TOOL THAT YOU THINK IS A GOOD MATCH FOR YOUR DIGITAL PUBLISHING EFFORTS?
I like trying new things. I’ve definitely got a workflow, but I’m not afraid to try something new and jettison it because newer isn’t always better.
ANY ADVICE FOR AMBITIOUS DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND MEDIA PROFESSIONALS JUST STARTING OUT?
Read a lot. Write a lot. Demand good feedback. Then write some more. And realize that you always have something to learn.
