What was your first job as a journalist?
WBUR-FM, Boston's NPR Station. I wrote copy for Morning Edition.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes.
How is social media changing news?
Makes everything faster, often gimmicky. Also makes it a popularity contest. No, I'm not always pleased about that.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
The entire team at Fox News would be my favorite, minus Shep. Other than that, I can't think of anyone. No, it is not Clark Kent.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It means you are inquisitive and cat-like curious. It means you care about what people have to say, and you want to help them say it.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Know my beat. Google my name and the stories I write for Forbes (ONLY). Send me an email.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Smart phone, tablet, PC laptop, Word Press.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter.
Who do you wish followed you?
For finance reporting, which is pretty much what I do, I'm happy with emerging market fund managers following me. I don't need A-listers.
Why did you become a journalist?
Was curious about the world, wanted to understand what made certain things the way they were.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Nope. I hated high school. Glad it's over.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Working on 1 now about Russian human rights abuses, interviewing a fund manager kicked out of Russia, and re: his friend who died in prison.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be young. Be curious. Make contacts. If you must freelance to build clips, do so with brand name publications. Never be a mercenary.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time, so long as it relates to my beat.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
No such thing as the best pitch. It's all about the timing: Do I need this information now? Then its a great pitch.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Something about light bulbs.
What's your favorite drink?
Depends on the season. For mixed drinks: a good margarita super salty in the summer, a side car super sugary with Portuguese brandy in fall.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Depends on time of year. In the gym. With my daughters. At the beach. In the garden. Maybe in front of Madden on the X Box. Also possible.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Who has time to read? Yeah, I said that. I read randomly on line. When I go home from work, I go to Bloomberg or CNBC or Drudge.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
The most common misperception about my beat is that it is not my beat. I get pitches that make zero sense to my coverage.
