Starting Over in San Jose

Rested and ready to lead Silicon Valley Business Journal's newsroom.

Longtime subscribers know that I chose to take a work sabbatical in mid November 2022, primarily to clear my head, refocus, and prepare for a new career chapter. After 16 months, I’m starting over in a role that appears to be heaven sent.

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And chapter is an apt description. I have a shoe box overflowing with business cards beginning from my college days. I began as a music reporter, then smoothly transitioned to sports after leaving the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s varsity soccer team after two seasons to join the school newspaper, The Daily Purple.

Sports was replaced by cycling a few years later, and after a healthy 24 of them in the always dramatic cycling world, I transferred my press credentials to motorcycles. This rush — working at the same title as the legendary Peter Egan — didn’t last long enough, then a corporate communications gig paid the bills before my self-imposed sabbatical.

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I mentioned to my new employer about award-winning Sports Illustrated staffer Austin Murphy’s decision to drive an Amazon truck after 33 years contributing to that formerly esteemed magazine. Murphy shared his reset story with the world, and was scooped up by the award-winning Press-Democrat in Santa Rosa 100 miles north of me. He unknowingly set into motion something I hadn’t considered during my soul-searching motorcycle tour across the Alps last August: look local and hit the old school button.

My new button happens to be the Silicon Valley Business Journal, one of 44 Business Journals in the American City Business Journals market coverage (and owner of Hemmings Motor News). As of this writing I’ve worked seven days as the new editor-in-chief, collaborating with publisher Tom Zahiralis and his team on the fourth floor of the KQED building next to the Museum of Modern Art in downtown San Jose.

What is our editorial charter? Just like the other 44 Business Journals across the country: provide timely news about commercial real estate, small businesses, startups, retail and economic development. Due to our title and location, that includes plenty of tech news, but not in the same vein as what you might read from Wired, Business Insider or other news feeds.

Yes, I wear a blazer and steel watch in the office now. What would you expect from a private Catholic high school graduate? Ask Paul Gigot; we attended the same school in DePere, Wisconsin. Image: Tomas Ovalle

We report on what tech workers are experiencing in the ever-changing Silicon Valley region: skyrocketing living costs, small business openings and closings, livable downtowns, the restaurant scene, economic and job market trends. Mix in how artificial intelligence will impact the future of work and life and you get a strong picture of what my editorial team does on a daily basis. We’re more hyper-local than you think, but that’s what matters.

Why am I sharing this on Motorcycles Are Drugs? What began as a personal Substack to scratch my motorcycle news itch three years and 100 posts ago will now take a back seat for a time while I find my footing at SVBJ. My reverse commute is merely 14 miles each way, so the motorcycle will be an option at least one or more days a week, and once El Niño finally leaves our region weekend jaunts will resume.

I encourage those in the Bay Area to follow us, and to always share your origin story, like Murphy did.

Here’s mine. You never know whose life you might inspire. Thanks, Austin.