​A Journalist & Producer: Pivoting For The Times?

All-I think we can all agree, it’s hard out here. The “out here” being….well, anywhere. I’ve been in the journalism and content production game for a long time. From writing for newspapers, to making tv news at national networks, to podcast production, and now, what feels like the other side, my own individual podcast production business. But even that, it seems is just incredibly difficult to break through. Which brings me to the idea I’ve been kicking around for weeks now:

The Soundline: When a professional interviewer curates the life stories of your family elders, edited, and packaged so you can listen for generations.

I’ve spent the last few years thinking long and hard about my skills, and how they apply to now. Being a writer and producer, chasing likes, clicks, downloads, follows for every single thing you make is exhausting. And I thought, “wait, what if I just use my journalism skills: interviewing, asking questions, probing other people’s stories, for private clients?”

We all want our parents to tell their story, I think. We would all love the ability to hear our parents tell their life story long after they are gone, to think about the things that made them who they were, and how it impacted us. How it shaped our lives. But here’s my thesis: Many people (most, really) aren’t equipped to talk to their parents about that.

I’ve spent alot of my time in journalism in the true crime space. Asking people about the most horrific, and awful experiences of their entire lives. Murder, abduction, all of it. And I’ve been thinking about using that skill-sensitive, respectful and frankly, difficult interviewing-for good. For people who want their parents and loved ones to tell their story, in their words. Whether it’s easy, or a hard conversation, I can do it for you.

What if, for a cost, you could hire a professional journalist to pull out of your loved ones, their life story? Their life experience? And what if, for a cost, you could have that story produced, and packaged as a private, family keepsake, or, dare I say, a podcast? (for just your family/private sharing of course. No BetterHelp ads here)

I’m trying to figure out if there is, in fact, a business for something like this. And I imagine one of the first questions becomes, “how do I know that youre going to get the crux of my parent’s story, if you dont know them?” Glad you asked. Each client gets a 60 minute pre-call. We’ll talk about your loved on, their life, the must haves, the must avoids, the things they’ve never talked about but should, etc.

I’m tired of chasing audience. Chasing clicks. And downloads. And sponsors. I’d love to do this for people who are just ready to get their stories documented, and haven’t got the slightest clue how.

I’m curious, and finally putting this idea in front of a larger audience. Go ahead, I can take it.