Three writing highlights from 2022featured

I had the great joy of writing a wild amount of content last year. I got to interview some fascinating people and describe some cool experiences. These are just a few of the pieces that stand out in my mind, along with what I remember most about them.

“Jack Stack’s $100 Million Plan”

This was the cover story for the January/February issue of Biz 417, and boy howdy! did people love it. That’s mostly a testament to the story’s subject. Jack Stack is a beloved figure, particularly in our region’s business community, and I appreciated his willingness to sit down and talk with me.

While this piece primarily focused on the future of Stack’s company, SRC Holdings Corp., we also looked back to SRC’s founding. The part that most sticks with me is the way Stack described his reasons for founding the company. He purchased it from another organization, where he was an executive. This was the early ’80s—a rough period for the U.S. economy. Stack was tasked with cutting costs, which meant cutting staff, and he found that he just couldn’t do it. So he and his partners bought the division instead. Here’s what he told me about that:

“I did not want to lay people off. There were no jobs in Springfield. None. There were no soft landings. There were no loans because interest rates were variable. Whatever you want to call it, whatever, it was a cowardly way out of not wanting to be the person who was going to lay everyone off.”

What a quote!

“Doug Pitt and What We Can Do When We Care to Learn”

I ended the year writing about Doug Pitt, another admired figure in our business scene, and Care to Learn, the nonprofit he founded. (Technically this didn’t publish until January of this year, so perhaps it should go under 2023 highlights. But my blog, my rules, and I want to write about it now. 🤷‍♀️)

I loved working on this story, and it ended up covering so much ground—I’d be hard pressed to pick a single highlight. A big section of the article focuses on the ways that Pitt applied his experience leading a for-profit company to his leadership at Care to Learn. One that really sticks with me:

[Pitt] resists what he calls the “discount mentality” that creeps into the nonprofit world. When nonprofits focus on providing much-needed goods and services, they sometimes feel inclined to settle for shabby office environments or equipment that doesn’t truly meet the organization’s needs. Pitt says this is a mistake. Donors who give money for a mission are hoping for results. An organization that presents itself as sophisticated and well-run earns donors’ trust—it seems like the kind of operation that can achieve big goals. “It’s not about being ostentatious; it’s about being professional,” Pitt says. “So what does that mean? Being the best at what we do. I don’t know any other way.”

“It’s not about being ostentatious; it’s about being professional.” I feel like I should get this decal-ed on my office wall.

“We Tried the Vichy Shower at Grove Spa”

I began my writing career as a fashion blogger. Since those days, I’ve gotten to expand my range into a huge variety of topics. But my roots will always be in lifestyle coverage, and I have a great time whenever I get to dive back in that pool.

Last spring, I had the opportunity to review the Vichy shower, a new offering at Springfield’s Grove Spa. It was an ideal review context because I’d never used a Vichy shower at any spa—I was able to come into it as a total newbie. It was fun! But it’s a very specific experience, and I wanted readers to really understand if it was something they’d vibe with. I worked to find clear ways to describe it, and I was especially happy when I landed on this idea:

Be aware that although you’re probably used to getting naked at the spa, the Vichy shower requires you to get wet and naked, which is next-level naked. But no worries—the service at Grove felt sensitive and respectful, and there are disrobing options, no matter where you fall on the modesty spectrum. If modesty were rated on a hot sauce scale, I’d put my personal preference at “Tabasco”—pretty modest, and I was comfortable wearing bikini bottoms. If you’re more of a “ghost pepper,” you might bring a full swimsuit.