Pressing Matters

Rich Jaroslovsky’s career goal was to be the D.C. correspondent for a major newspaper.

He achieved that - at 22 - for a little outlet called The Wall Street Journal.

He covered Gerald Ford’s doomed re-election campaign in 1976. Five years later, mere hours after President Reagan was shot by would-be assassin John Hinckley, Rich was at the White House, standing a few feet from Secretary of State Al Haig when Haig infamously said, ‘I am in control here.’ Unfortunately for Secretary Haig’s legacy, the Constitution says otherwise.

But covering all that history is just the first part of Rich’s story.

In 1994, he combined his two loves - technology and journalism - and started WSJ.com, the Journal’s website. Through that role, his founding of the Online News Association in 1999, his work at Bloomberg and Smart News, and his role as a lecturer at numerous journalism schools over the years, Rich Jaroslovsky is quite possibly the most important person in the history of digital journalism.

Rich recently joined us to discuss his multi-faceted career, digital journalism’s next chapter (hint: AI), and his connections to everyone from tech journalism legend Walt Mossberg to Canada’s finest singer/songwriter, Gordon Lightfoot, for this episode of Pressing Matters, from Big Valley Marketing, the podcast that brings you conversations with the top media and influencers in B2B Tech. 

I’m Dave Reddy, head of Big Valley Marketing’s Media + Influencers Practice and your host. Through research and good old-fashioned relationship-building, we’ve identified B2B Tech’s Top 200 media and influencers, including Rich Jaroslovsky. 

Here’s my chat with Rich. Enjoy.

Are you an aspiring reporter looking to get a job at Axios upon graduation? I have three letters for you: UNC, the University of North Carolina. Sam Sabin, this episode’s guest, is the second Axios reporter we've had on the pod, and, like her colleague and previous guest, FinTech reporter Lucinda Shen, she's a Tar Heel. 

Since 2022, Sam has covered cybersecurity for Axios, a job that includes two weekly newsletters - naturally - the Smart Brevity style. 

On this episode, Sam: 

• previews the RSA conference, taking place May 6th through 8th in San Francisco,
• shares what (or whom) scares her most in cybersecurity, 
• and shares just how tech-savvy politicians really are. 

Pressing Matters, from Big Valley Marketing, is the podcast that brings you conversations with the top media and influencers in B2B tech.

I'm Dave Reddy, head of Big Valley Marketing's Media and Influencers Practice, and I'm your host. Through research and good old-fashioned relationship building, we've identified B2B tech's, top 200 media and influencers, including Sam Sabin of Axios.

Enjoy.

Are you interested in more from Sam Sabin?

• Read Sam Sabin's work on Axios.
• Follow Sam on X and LinkedIn.

Who is Big Valley?
We're a communications firm focused on B2B technology. Our firm specializes in brand positioning, narrative and story development, media and influencer relations, and channel planning.

You can learn more about us at www.bigvalley.co

Here’s something a bit random. We’re only midway through our second season on the podcast, and - Ryan Chacon, this episode’s guest - is the second person we’ve had who served as his college soccer team’s captain.

Remember the first? I’ll tell you in a moment.

In the meantime, give it up for the teamwork one learns on the soccer fields, which Ryan said has helped him in his work as co-creator and CMO of IOT for All, as well as host of its eponymous, seven-year-old podcast. Ryan’s work ethic - instilled by a stay-at-home mom and a Chilean immigrant dad who didn’t know a word of English when he moved here, as well as his natural understanding of how to best curate journalistic content also helps explain why the IOT for All brand is as big or bigger than the IOT tech company that supports it, Leverege. In other hands, IOT for All might have been just another forgettable corporate content site. Instead, it’s an IOT bible. And now it’s expanded into AI with, naturally, AI for All.

Ryan stopped by to discuss his early business ventures, the mission behind IOT for All, and what he thinks AI has in store for us for this episode of Pressing Matters from Big Valley Marketing. This podcast brings you conversations with the top media and influencers in B2B Tech. 

I’m Dave Reddy, head of Big Valley Marketing’s Media + Influencers Practice and your host. Through research and good old-fashioned relationship-building, we’ve identified B2B Tech’s Top 200 media and influencers, including two former college soccer captains - our chat last year with Dark Reading’s Kelly Jackson-Higgins and now Ryan Chacon.

Here’s my chat with Ryan. Enjoy.

Are you interested in more from Ryan Chacon?

• Visit IOT for All and AI for All
• Or find him on X.

Who is Big Valley?
We're a communications firm focused on B2B technology. Our firm specializes in brand positioning, narrative and story development, media and influencer relations, and channel planning.

You can learn more about us at www.bigvalley.co

Monica Alleven has been covering the wireless industry since 1995 - a time when the notion of wireless was so limited, almost everyone was still using a landline to connect to the Internet, very few people had a cell phone and no one - of course - had a smartphone, since those were 12 years in the future.

Almost 30 years since she started, Monica is still at it - and incredibly successful, having helmed two of the biggest titles in mobile industry journalism. Given that deep experience as the past Editor in Chief of WirelessWeek and, for the past five years, Executive Editor of Fierce Wireless, we figured who better to bring on the podcast to preview Mobile World Congress, which starts on February 26 in its longtime home of Barcelona.

From 5G to Wif-Fi 7 and acronyms aplenty, Monica can explain it all when it comes to the ever-expanding and oft-confusing universe of mobile and wireless technology. Not bad for a Minnesota farm girl who began her career covering city council meetings in her home state and then Oregon and Redding, Calif., before - almost accidentally - finding her way to technology.

Monica stopped by to discuss the evolution of mobile across almost three decades, her childhood gaggle of 40 bunnies - and the childhood story they inspired, and why she remains optimistic about journalism despite the daily grim headlines for this episode of Pressing Matters, from Big Valley Marketing, the podcast that brings you conversations with the top media and influencers in B2B Tech. 

I’m Dave Reddy, head of Big Valley Marketing’s Media + Influencers Practice and your host. Through research and good old-fashioned relationship-building, we’ve identified B2B Tech’s Top 200 media and influencers, including Monica Alleven.

Here’s my chat with Monica. Enjoy.

Are you interested in more from Monica Alleven?

• Read Monica's latest at Fierce Wireless.
• Or find her on X.

Who is Big Valley?
We're a communications firm focused on B2B technology, with a team of experts specializing in brand positioning, narrative and story development, media and influencer relations, and channel planning.

You can learn more about our team at www.bigvalley.co

Andy Greenberg is a senior writer for WIRED, where he covers digital security and privacy, freedom of information and the finer points of hacker culture. His latest novel, Tracers In the Dark, is a non-fiction true-crime thriller set in the shadowy realms of cryptocurrency.

On today's pod, he joins Dave to share notes from his journey to the present and the forks in the road that led him to his particular corner of technology journalism.

Welcome, Andy, and welcome all again to our first episode of 2024!

Are you interested in more from Andy Greenberg?

• Read Andy's latest at WIRED.
• Or find him on X.
• Check out Andy's books.

Who is Big Valley?
We're a communications firm focused on B2B technology, with a team of experts specializing in brand positioning, narrative and story development, media and influencer relations, and channel planning.

You can learn more about our team at www.bigvalley.co

Lori Ann LaRocco hears more than most. As the Senior Editor of Guests at CNBC, she sets up interviews that make news, move markets and forecast the future. When she's not helping to break the news or coordinate on-location productions, she's an author.

Her work includes "Trade War Containers Don't Lie: Navigating the Bluster" and "Dynasties of the Sea: The Untold Stories of the Postwar Shipping Pioneers."

Welcome, Lori, and welcome all to our final episode of 2023.

Are you interested in more from Lori Ann LaRocco?

• You can find Lori Ann LaRocco on X.
• Or on LinkedIn.
• Check out Lori's books.

Who is Big Valley?
We're a communications firm focused on B2B technology, with a team of experts specializing in brand positioning, narrative and story development, media and influencer relations, and channel planning.

You can learn more about our team at www.bigvalley.co

Have an idea for Pressing Matters? Email [email protected]

Alex Konrad is a senior editor at Forbes, covering venture capital and startups. He edits the Midas List and Under 30 for VC. He's interviewed some of the world's most consequential business leaders and innovators. This time, though, he sits across the (virtual) table and answers some questions himself.

As you might surmise, the future is in play in this conversation. Welcome to the second episode of Pressing Matter's second season.

Are you interested in more from Alex Konrad?

• You can find him on X.
• Or on LinkedIn.
• His latest is on Forbes.

Who is Big Valley?
We're a communications firm focused on B2B technology, with a team of experts specializing in brand positioning, narrative and story development, media and influencer relations, and channel planning.

You can learn more about our team at www.bigvalley.co

Have an idea for Pressing Matters? Email [email protected]

Evan Kirstel is a true B2B and technology influencer with more than 300K social media followers. A prolific content creator, he boasts a network including a who's who of technology leaders, visionaries and pundits.

Hear from the man himself on how he got started in technology, his feelings on the state of the industry and the technology he's keeping tabs on (ahem, AI, of course).

Welcome to Season 2 of Pressing Matters!

Are you interested in more from Evan Kirstel?

• You can find him on X.
• Or on LinkedIn.
• He also has a website.   

Who is Big Valley?
We're a communications firm focused on B2B technology, with a team of experts specializing in brand positioning, narrative and story development, media and influencer relations, and channel planning.

You can learn more about our team at www.BigValley.co

Have an idea for Pressing Matters? Email [email protected]

Throughout season one of Pressing Matters, we've asked the world’s foremost B2B technology media and influencers one question.

Are you optimistic about the future of journalism?

Indeed, we believe there is much cause for optimism (as did many of our guests). New technology has raised new voices and revealed new avenues of expression. Yet we also see much cause for concern (as did some of our guests). AI is simply the latest threat to journalism and the concept of journalistic standards. As a collective, we continue to grapple with the ever-diminishing line between good and good enough.

In this episode, Pressing Matters host Dave Reddy is joined by two Big Valley colleagues, Ashley Paula-Legge and Charles (Coop) Cooper to reflect on a season of answers to our questions on the future of journalism and ponder their responses.

Who is Big Valley?
We're a communications firm focused on B2B technology, with a team of experts specializing in brand positioning, narrative and story development, media and influencer relations, and channel planning. You can learn more about our team at www.BigValley.co

Have an idea for Pressing Matters? Email [email protected]

Sue Marek is a 25-year veteran of the telecom and technology industries, where she's covered many seismic evolutions in wireless technology and personal computing. Based in Colorado, the former "Cable Capital of the World," Sue has seen mobile devices go from curious luxury to everyday tools. 

In this episode, she joins Dave to talk about that experience and her opinions on new horizons, such as what it will take to realize true 5G.
 
Who is Big Valley?
We're a communications firm focused on B2B technology, with a team of experts specializing in brand positioning, narrative and story development, media and influencer relations, and channel planning. You can learn more about our team at www.BigValley.co

Would you be interested in more from Sue?

• Read Sue Marek's writing on Fierce Wireless.
• You can find her on X (Twitter) at @SueMarek.

Have an idea for Pressing Matters? Email [email protected]