taking chance on start-up?

Considering the overall business climate of the newspaper industry, would you take your chances with a small start-up newspaper where there was an opportunity for employee-ownership (i.e., stock, decision-making) at the cost of some financial suffering in the beginning?

 

What's the word I'm looking for here?













That would be a big NO.

 

Where is the picture of the Black Bear?

 

I think it might be worth a risk if you are currently unemployed.

 

Mizzou, I look at it completely from the other direction.

For one thing, if you're unemployed or worried about it, what have you got to lose.

Second, if it's small/small-town deal, there's continuing thinking that those places are exactly those that will succeed, with "hyperlocal" a built-in part of the concept.

I don't think you can say "no" without knowing the whole deal at all. Might be a great opportunity.

 

That sounds like a great idea. I invite you to invest whatever profit you make to get my buggy-whip venture up and running.

 

I think you'd do better selling VCRs door-to-door, but what do I know?

 

I got offered a chance at a star up two years ago. It had two very smart, intelligent owners who had backgrounds in sales. They had an experienced and talented, yet small, sales staff and a great plan of action. They also invested in the right equipment, had an in at a family owned paper that would give them a discount to print and it had appeal across an entire region.

It lasted about six months.

If you don't have a job, or are married to someone who has a well paying one, I would go for it if it compels you. Otherwise, be wary. Two or three months before publication, I interviewed and asked them how many potential advertisers they had and the number didn't grow from the first interview to the second. It paid about 10 grand more than I made at the time, but I choose to stick with security and it ended up being the smart move.

 

Hey, if somebody was asking about starting a new paper in a big metropolitan area -- the new Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, anyone? -- I think that would be insane.

But if there's a bedroom suburb that's now big enough to have its own government and whatever but still lacks a paper, and it would be started modestly and with a heavy -- or exclusive -- emphasis on local, it might be worth looking into, that's all I'm saying.

 

I hope he proves me wrong.

 

suburban market w/ about 130,000 population in shadows of big d. and there's a weekly in place that is part of a non-local chain that emphasizes ads over good editorial.