After years of writing articles and interviewing subjects as a writer and reporter, it's always unusual to be on the other end of the process. That happened again recently, when I was interviewed by a writer from Entrepreneur magazine for an article published in the December 2008 issue ("Change Can Do You Good").
In this case, the article profiles a makeover of our office space that occurred a few years ago. Advent, a Nashville-based company, helped us spruce up our space to better convey our brand, something known as experiential marketing. Entrepreneur was reporting on the experiential marketing trend.
We were glad to help out our friend's company and get a little bit of publicity out of it, but from my standpoint, I'd rather be producing stories than be the subject of one. Speaking as a former reporter, writer and editor, it's a lot more enjoyable to fire away with questions and prod the subject to say something interesting. In this case, I'm trying to say something interesting but not sound like an idiot.
And then there is the issue of trying not to look like an idiot. Entrepreneur sent a very talented photographer to come take pictures of the office and me. A couple of different shirt changes, and the perfect set-up, required an hour to get it just so. As I was grinning in a thoroughly unnatural way, and with my head craned like a baby bird, the photog was able to capture the shot.
They did a nice job with the article, and the picture was edited to the size of a postage stamp. Still not small enough to escape my youngest daughter’s scrutiny. "You kind of look like a nerd," she said.
Thanks, honey. I think you've helped me better understand how to be more appreciative of all the people we profile and all the subjects of stories I've done.
