Meet the Journalists Behind the Stories We Create at TB Media Group
Our talented team of writers and storytellers brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to every project we take on. Whether it’s crafting compelling brand stories, scripting video content, or collaborating with clients, our journalists are the driving force behind our agency.
So, we flipped the script and asked them a few questions about what storytelling means to them, and they answered. Here’s what they said!
“I think having experience as a journalist means that I take a very authentic approach to storytelling. I don’t contrive stories – even now for brands when the intent is more promotional in nature. Instead, I prefer to uncover what is already there – what people actually feel, think, and do. This feels more natural to the client and also resonates more with the audience.
The approach is the same; asking a lot of questions, listening, being curious, and digging deeper to understand the why. There are stories all around us. We don’t need to make them up. We just have to be open to seeing them so that we can shape them in a way that the audience understands.
I think this is a special skill that comes from telling tens of thousands of stories on various topics as a journalist. And my favorite part is being able to take complex, misunderstood, or unknown information and make it clear, digestible, and relatable for audiences. This is my superpower and I love doing it for brands who are making a difference and positive impact in this world!” – Tamika
“My background is in film and television production. I have done creative writing since my teens and have always loved visual storytelling, be it through fine arts or photography/video.
For me, storytelling is more about the “how” than the “what”. There is a story in just about everything around us. But a good storyteller knows how to mold it into something that isn’t just digestible but that draws intrigue and fascination.
My favorite part of any creative endeavor is the feeling I get when I see it all come together and seeing it ‘work’.” – Andres
“Writing has always come naturally to me, but it took up until college to discover my writing abilities and enjoy storytelling. Growing up, I excelled in English class but thought nothing of my written work. When my class would be assigned an essay for homework, I silently cheered as my classmates groaned about having to write a few pages.
I thought my future was in professional photography and art, so I never wanted to pursue writing. It was something I could do quickly and efficiently and still get an A+ on my assignments.
But during my junior year of college, I had to take a mandatory communications class with weekly writing assignments. Little did I know that this class would change my life. My professor told me I was an excellent writer and should register for an upcoming journalism class.
I was shocked that somebody complimented my writing: that had never happened before. So, I took the journalism class and found a new world I absolutely loved. The process of finding a story, contacting people to interview, conducting those interviews, and piecing together the story helped me open up more.
Being a shy person, I struggle with making personal connections, but I get so much enjoyment out of weaving information together into a cohesive and impactful story. Even though I might not always find the words in the moment of a conversation, I always find them in writing. Storytelling is my way of giving something back to the world through the power of the written word.” – Melody
“I look at a page as my blank canvas. I consider myself an artist with my word selection. I like to paint a picture for the reader using my words, so I am very descriptive and use a lot of adjectives to do so. I try to transport the reader to the event or location I am writing about so they can live vicariously through my writing. I truly love storytelling.
I can find an interesting nugget about everyone I interview. I am very inquisitive and ask a lot of questions to pull out fun facts about people. Even people who are not media trained and not comfortable being interviewed, I try my best to calm them down and get them to open up and just have a nice conversation with me.
A tactic to get them to loosen up is to find something in common with them. Have some friendly chit-chat throughout the interview and they’ll answer the business questions better. It is very rewarding to see my writing or a segment I produced get published online or in print or air on television.
I also get an adrenaline rush on the public relations side of the business. When a client or story I pitch gets published or broadcast and I see the metrics associated with it, I feel a sense of accomplishment.” – Paige
Want to work with our team of journalists on your next storytelling project? Reach out to us here.
