The end of a year is always a time to look back, particularly when it aligns with a major life event. About a year ago on Jan. 6, 2023, I made the difficult decision to turn in my twoweek notice at my previous job at a small news outlet in Flint with no backup plan, going into limbo for three months before I found my new home at Leelanau Enterprise.
After my stint in local government reporting in Flint, I wanted to choose my next job carefully. I accepted a reporting position in one of America’s most dangerous cities precisely because of the challenge involved, but also because I went to college with the news site’s founder and studied with her after classes. In hindsight, I feel that I ignored some red flags.
Although staying between jobs for so long was stressful, my first day with Leelanau Enterprise made it clear that I got it right this time. The previous reporter, Eric Carlson, made his 25 years of reporting experience available to me and gave me a guided tour of the county after I came into the office.
