Former Standard Editor Shares 8 Tricks To Stay Ahead In Media

Carole Kimutai' reflections and lessons on leaving Standard Media

Last month (June), I finished my tour of duty at the Standard Group, a place I have called home for the last six years. It feels like yesterday when I reported to the HQ located on Mombasa Road as Managing Editor, Digital.

In those six years, I covered two general elections in 2017 and 2022. I and the team grew the Standard Digital brand into one of the most respected news brands in East Africa. It was a labour of love, sweat and tears.

On my last day at the office, a colleague asked me, “CK, What do you know now that you wish you knew when you joined SG?” Hmmm…

Learning never stops

There will ALWAYS be something new to learn from everyone. For a legacy media house like SG, the folks in production circulation, sales, finance, security etc have something you can learn. Even the receptionist has insights that could solve a challenge you are struggling with. YouTube, Google is your friend. Stay hungry, stay foolish, said Steve Jobs.

Read >> Ghost Workers Blow Sh600M Hole In Standard Group’s Wage Bill

It’s ok to fail. Don’t be scared

In digital media, experimenting is the only way to stay ahead of the game. Keep trying. Learn, try again, adjust, try again. Those failures are actually very valuable lessons. Be an early adopter. I remember the butterflies I had when we rolled out the freemium Paywall. It was the first time we were charging readers for content. We had hits and misses that helped us improve the product.

Love the job, it will certainly love you back!

Sometimes it felt like a thankless job. The long hours, the slow progress, the criticism (when you make a mistake and screenshots go viral), the pressure, oh the pressure… For a legacy media house, all eyes are always on the digital team. You are always on the spotlight, everyone looks up to you for answers.

It is ok to take a BREAK

The world will still go round. At one point I struggled with work life balance. I was always working, days, late nights, weekends and holidays. It never stopped. A news website is a monster that never gets satisfied.

Because everything is measurable, your eyes can be glued on the dashboard, audience insights, the breaking news, the next innovation. It never stops. You have to be intentional in drawing the line. Do something outside work and don’t feel guilty.

Do NOT create products for yourself

When you are in the kitchen, you think everyone likes your food. Sometimes you imagine you know what the audience wants. Thankfully with analytics, the feedback is instant. Learn to be agile and adjust quickly. I found doing #4 helped a lot. The breaks would allow me become an “outsider” and consume products like everyone else. Then I would see the log in my eye!

People will forget what you SAID but they never forget how you MADE them feel.

In a high pressure environment like a newsroom, instructions are the norm. You are told not to wear your heart on your sleeve. However, how you make people feels is very IMPORTANT, they never forget. The chats at the cafeteria, the hard conversation during appraisals, the banter in WhatsApp groups, the ride from the office. It matters.

See >> Amazon Looks Set To Arm-Twist Ruto Into Scrapping ICT Ownership Rule

Hire for attitude

Take an active role in hiring members of your team. From the intern to your direct reports. As a team leader, you create a culture and it is important for you to know who joins your team. Plan for your exit, groom for your role. You are not indispensable.

Communicate. Communicate.

Never assume people know. Pick that phone and speak. When colleagues do not respond to your messages/emails or pick your call, walk to them and have a conversation.

I have certainly learnt many lessons during my time at the Standard Group. I made lifetime friends, discovered myself and built a foundation for my next role. For now, I am taking time to smell the flowers, walk barefoot in the sand and listen to the wind. See you soon!


Carole Kimutai is the former Editor of Standard Digital

See >> Inside Johnson Muthama’s Empire Built With Minerals 

Latest

SasaPay To “Pay SMEs To Get Paid” Via New Cash-Back Model

SasaPay has introduced a new cash-back model designed to...

Gor Mahia Fan Who Correctly Predicted 15 Out of 17 Games Wins Millions

The 30-year-old, also an avid follower of English Premier League giants Manchester United, came close to the grand prize of Ksh334,783,843 SportPesa Jackpot.

In Race for African Leadership Award, Ruto Faces Tough Opposition

Among the contenders of the prestigious African of the Year award is Kenya’s President William Ruto, who will be battling it out with President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia and Prof. Benedict Okey Oramah, President of Afrexim Bank.

Transforming Financial Inclusion: The Impact of M-Pesa in Kenya and Beyond 

Discover the profound impact of M-Pesa on financial inclusion in Kenya and beyond. Explore how this innovative mobile service revolutionizes transactions and shapes the future of finance globally.

Follow Us

Newsletter

Don't miss

Safaricom To Power Tusker OktobaFest Beer Festival

Safaricom’s involvement in OktobaFest as a technology and payments partner will focus on fostering seamless in-festival connectivity, empowering the youth and Gen Z community through Safaricom Hook, and powering digital payments through M-PESA.

Music Producers Launch Organization To Streamline Recording Industry

Recording Industry of Kenya (RIKE) was launched on 9th October 2023. Registered in 2022 as a not-for-profit organization, RIKE aims to promote the collective interests of producers of sound recordings in the country.

Nairobi’s Hero Bar Listed Among World’s 50 Best Bars

World Best Bars: Hero Bar in Nairobi continues to climb the list, moving up six places to No.62 and Johannesburg’s Sin + Tax comes in at No.94. Dubai new entry Ergo is at No.69 and Melbourne’s Byrdi has re-entered the list at No.61.

Kenyan DJs Face Off In Smirnoff Battle Of The Beats Season 3

The Smirnoff Battle of the Beats Season 3, a DJ competition, is poised to unleash an unprecedented musical frenzy countrywide.

The Highs And Lows Of Betty Kyallo, Sisters Show As Season 2 Ends

Kyallo Kulture has always been, above all, about sisterhood, and in Season 2 we have witnessed the charm of it - the ups that gave us wholesome moments as the sisters led by Betty Kyallo spent time together.

DStv Beats CNN, BBC To Become Most Admired Media Outlet In Africa

DStv, MultiChoice Group’s leading broadcast service, has been named...

MultiChoice Revises Subscription Fees For DStv, GOtv

MultiChoice has announced price adjustments on some of their...

Octopizzo: How I Make My Money

"I've been doing this for 12, 13 years. It reaches a point where you no longer need to prove that you can make a hit record," he stated.

New Spotify EQUAL Artist Qing Madi Talks Music and Dreams

Heavily influenced by her cultural background and the lyrical arrangements of Kendrick Lamar, the versatile Nigerian prodigy is shaping the future of music with her unique genre-bending fusion of Afrobeats, Pop, Soul and R&B.

Bob Collymore Immortalized in New Festival

The late Collymore was famous for his love for jazz and even initiated the Safaricom Jazz Festival, which saw several of the world's biggest Jazz artists perform in Nairobi.
CAROLE KIMUTAI
CAROLE KIMUTAI
Carole Kimutai is Kenyan journalist based in Nairobi.

SasaPay To “Pay SMEs To Get Paid” Via New Cash-Back Model

SasaPay has introduced a new cash-back model designed to empower business owners to reduce costs and bolster profitability by receiving compensation for collecting payments...

Gor Mahia Fan Who Correctly Predicted 15 Out of 17 Games Wins Millions

The 30-year-old, also an avid follower of English Premier League giants Manchester United, came close to the grand prize of Ksh334,783,843 SportPesa Jackpot.

In Race for African Leadership Award, Ruto Faces Tough Opposition

Among the contenders of the prestigious African of the Year award is Kenya’s President William Ruto, who will be battling it out with President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia and Prof. Benedict Okey Oramah, President of Afrexim Bank.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here