bpopken

I love the thrill of the chase, and being the first to get the mastodon and bring it back to the cave.

From my days building up Consumerist.com to its sale from Gakwer to Consumer Reports, and my work as Senior Business Reporter for NBC News national, how everyday people grapple with this ever-changing economy continues to fascinates and inspires me as journalist. Finding great characters and getting great quotes out of them is my passion. I get a rush when my researched data clicks together into a solid nutgraph. And I take a craftsman's pride in weaving the story together with a pinch of panache.

Being on a supportive and collaborative team that believes in journalism as a public service, engages in high-frequency feedback, and has qualitative and quantitative metrics for success is key for me. Selflessly collaborating with my colleagues for the greatest good of the team and the audience is my ethos.

Themes I am thinking about right now:

• Grassroots disruptions of major industries
• The rubber hits t

bpopken

Pitches I'm working on:

• Diversifying the trades with grassroots training programs

• Farmers selling meat direct to consumer to beat the meat monopoly and inflation

• The one algorithm that controls what you see on every social media platform.

• When anti-remote work companies say "culture" and "creativity," do they really mean office leases and geographic payscales?