Lisa
I’m Lisa Calhoun and I’m excited to welcome you to this edition of the Atlanta Startup Podcast. My guest for today’s program is none other than tech reporter and journalist, Erin Schilling. Erin, I’m so glad you’re with us.
Erin Schilling
Yeah, I’m definitely glad to be here.
Lisa
We have a bit of a different format today because we usually talk to just investors or just founders, but both of them want to talk to you. I am excited about getting the hook up on how you got into journalism, what you love to write about, and just so many things. But let’s start with you, where you are in your life, and what you love about what you do. Tell us a little bit more about your role.
Erin Schilling
For sure. I graduated from the University of Georgia in 2020. I was one of the lucky pandemic graduates. I’ve only known a remote workplace which has been interesting. I joined the Atlanta Business Chronicle and their startup brand, Atlanta Inno, in October. I’ve been in the tech ecosystem for, I guess, about six months. I feel like I’m gonna have to stop calling myself the new tech reporter at this point. How I got into journalism, was something that I’ve always wanted to do ever since I was a kid. I really just loved meeting new people, talking to people, and sort of finding out how the world worked. I think that really got me interested as well in business journalism because businesses are behind everything. The whole journalism saying of “Follow the money” is just the essence of business journalism. Then on the technology side, tech is sort of like our biggest conflict of the modern age. It’s so helpful in so many ways. But then it’s also so new. How do we create a policy that regulates it? How are we using tech to help bring people out of poverty? It’s literally in everything. How are we connecting with each other during a pandemic? We’re using technology. I think that has been really interesting to me as a journalist because it flows into so many different aspects. I get to talk to startup founders and investors who are super passionate about what they’re doing, and also just crazy smart. That’s one of the things that I love, too, about journalism, is just talking to people who have this passion and this drive for what they’re doing. I think it’s been really fun being in the Atlanta tech ecosystem. Because also it’s very collaborative, which you guys all know, people are constantly telling me, new people, to reach out to, and telling me about other things that are going on while they’re talking about their own stuff. Atlanta tech is definitely having its moment. I joined at a really good time. That’s been really exciting to see all of the different aspects of how tech is flowing into all of the development in Atlanta, and all of the different things that are happening in the city.
Lisa
I want to follow up on a point you just made, which I find interesting for a couple of reasons. You said that tech is at the heart of anything, and thus it has a responsibility. For example, how are we taking care of people in the pandemic, and I find it fascinating, especially a professional of your age, believing that tech sort of has some kind of inherent responsibility. I’d love to know more about how you’ve come to that belief or how that belief influences your work. To give you a little more time to think about it, I mean, I’m just gonna say, from our listeners’ perspective, I don’t really hear the world saying, “Transportation has a responsibility to the world.” You know, “Our agriculture has a responsibility.” I mean, within agriculture, they say, “Yes, we feed the world.” With transportation, they care very much about their sustainability. But what you just said about tech, I thought was super provocative. How have you come to that belief?
Erin Schilling
That’s a good question. Part of it might be the Gen Z in me. That’s something that a lot of people say about Gen Z, that they’re interested in knowing what’s behind the product. Was it sustainably made? Are you using horrible labor practices? That whole bit. I think that might just sort of being one of the trends of my generation is not just wanting the business that you’re buying from to produce a good product, but also wanting to make sure that they are upholding certain values. Then I think part of it, too, is just sort of from reading the news and seeing the conversation around censorship on social media platforms and stuff like that. It’s not necessarily that, but I guess there’s an inherent need for tech to do good in the world. But one, there are just a lot of startups and different companies that are wanting to use tech to leverage the ability to bring people out of poverty or help with housing and stuff like that. It’s so solution-based that that’s the whole bet with startups, right? The founder sees a problem, and then they create a solution. I think that’s one thing. Another thing is tech has become so integrated into how humans connect and how humans interact with each other, I think it sort of creates a problem. If we can only connect the tech platforms, because we’re in a pandemic, and we can’t gather in person, then should that be completely free speech? Should that be because the tech platform doesn’t get into any sort of hot water with how they regulate people? Or do they have a responsibility to make sure they’re stopping hate speech, or people organizing crime, or something like that? I think it’s just that it’s been something that I’ve seen the past couple of years. We’ve all seen in the news how the government and the tech companies are dealing with that. I think that’s also just sort of one of the reasons that I see tech being at this intersection of having that sort of responsibility.
Lisa
I certainly see it that way. I mean, as a values-driven impact investor, there’s no doubt that Valor sees tech as having a responsibility, especially around inclusion. It’s interesting to hear that perspective from you and kind of thanks for sharing a little bit more around that. It leads me to ask an age-old question around journalism as the force of the state, where do you set your spectrum right now? The current moment in time as we record this on April 1, 2021, your precision may well shift if someone listens to this, but where do you call yourself on the spectrum of as a journalist, I am reporting the game as it plays, or I am on the field, and I’m a referee, and I’m calling some fouls?
Erin Schilling
That’s an interesting question. I guess in my mind, I am never supposed to referee other than, I guess what I choose to cover. I’m one person. I can only cover so many companies and so that is like an inherent bias towards the companies that I think are cool, or that I think are doing good things. Plus the companies that are making big moves, the companies who are raising big rounds, the companies who are announcing huge partnerships. In my mind, my position is just I want to give a platform for the companies that I think do have the most interesting or impactful innovations. But then also do the coverage that I need to be doing that the tech ecosystem needs of the companies also making the biggest moves.
Lisa
Great perspective. That’s a natural way to flow into something. I definitely wanted to ask you about how to pitch to you. But before we get into that, I think it’d be super helpful for people to hear some of the trends that you really enjoy covering. What are some of the trends that have caught your eye in the last six months?
Erin Schilling
Yeah, for sure. One of the overarching trends in the tech ecosystem is just the big tech companies that are coming here: the Googles and the Microsofts and stuff like that, that’s been really interesting to cover. Then within that, sort of how those companies are creating partnerships with startups or how they might be creating innovation centers or partnering with universities, and to kind of like create more opportunity. I think that’s kind of the one thing. Then I think just inclusion in tech is something that I really like to cover. I mean, obviously, you also like to cover that with Valor. But just Atlanta is such a diverse place already and has such good diversity of people, of thought, and of industries. With the tech scene being kind of born, I guess, in Silicon Valley, and all of the problems that we’ve seen, with displacement that was caused by the rapid growth there and the problems of diversity that we’ve seen at the larger tech companies, I think that that is a trend that I really enjoy covering to kind of show how Atlanta as it emerges as a sort of East Coast tech hub, needs to be really conscious of not displacing people, making sure that people who are here are empowered to be able to join the bigger companies or the startups or create their own startup in their community. Another trend that I like covering, I think, is the flow of capital in Atlanta, because that’s just something that people who have been here a lot longer than I have said is one of the major obstacles for Atlanta, as it emerges as this hub. I covered a lot of new money this past week which is really exciting to sort of see these new seed-stage firms pop up and see more people looking at the innovation in the southeast and being, “Yes this is worth my time and money, and I definitely want to support it.”
Lisa
Awesome. Those are some great trends. If one of our listeners, a founder, or potentially an investor has something that’s on one of those trends for you, what’s the right way to reach out to a journalist in general, as far as you’re concerned? You in particular, if there’s even a right way, and feel free to say, no. The truth is what we want here.
Erin Schilling
No, I love being pitched. I want people to reach out to me. Because going back to that I’m one person, and the tech ecosystem is huge, I definitely miss things. Sometimes people reach out to me, “Why didn’t you cover this?” I didn’t know about it. That’s why the best way to pitch me is to shoot me an email, or even call me. I like to plaster my phone number everywhere. People never call anyone anymore. Just give me a call or shoot me an email. Tell me, whatever the pitches, one thing that is really helpful for me is being able to localize the company. Sometimes if you just say company name, I get a lot of very irrelevant pitches from just all over the country of people, not in Atlanta.
Lisa
You’re getting pitched. Exactly.
Erin Schilling
I think being able to know this Atlanta company, or this company out of Georgia Tech, or whatever it is, is really helpful. Just so I can focus on the email because my email can also be sort of a scary place. Just adding the relevance to it, sometimes the relevance, like I do a lot of profiles on startups. Sometimes the relevance is just “I’m a new startup, I’m in Atlanta, and I just came out of GSU. I would like to talk to you.” That’s totally fine for relevance. But if there is something that connects with what we just talked about like inclusion in tech, then adding that facet is really helpful. Or like a flow of capital, you’re a new investment firm, and being able to be like, “I’m trying to fill a void that Atlanta is lacking right now.” I think it is really helpful for me to connect it to the bigger trend, like placing yourself in Atlanta and then connecting it to the bigger trend, and then I will email you back if I don’t lose the email.
Lisa
Awesome. Well, that is really good to hear. I also want to dive in a little bit into your work as a journalist, You have to write a lot. In tech, a lot of times we say writing is a little bit dead. How do you feel about regular old text print journalism, things like this a podcast, how do you feel like the synergies developing between media channels?
Erin Schilling
When I was in college, I really was like, “I don’t need to learn tech skills. I don’t need to learn how to podcast or take photos. I’m just a writer.” That was totally wrong. It makes it more accessible to have these different modes of communication and then learn how to use the camera and learn how to use audio equipment. I thought that was really fun. I think like for podcasting, right? You can listen, not that as many people commute anymore, but you can listen to it on your morning commute. Or if you could do a photo essay that really kind of shows, if I don’t know if there’s some complicated manufacturing thing that can show it a little bit better. I think it’s definitely a necessary aspect of communication to not just have writing, but I also am biased, I definitely do write a lot. I don’t think writing is dead. My parents spend a lot more time watching cable news. I spend a lot more time reading the news on my phone or on my laptop. I think having the actual article in front of you is helpful for people as well because then you can just skim it you don’t have to sit down for a video you can be reading it while you’re kind of doing other things. I guess, the social media aspect, I need to be better about using social media, but necessary to be able to connect with people, right? If you’re scrolling through Twitter, then hopefully, like I have tweeted something that you’re, “Oh, I didn’t know about this.” And you click on it. I think it’s just all about that accessibility. When people have more options to enter into the content, then you know, more people are getting the information, which is, in the end, what you want as a journalist. More people seeing what you’re offering.
Lisa
When you’re not writing dozens of articles, we are in different places. Do you have anything you like to do for fun? When you came to Atlanta, you are physically in Atlanta, you’re fairly new in Atlanta, you’re part of the influx of amazing people from all over. What do you like here? I know the city under pandemic has probably been a different experience. I’m curious as to what it’s been like to come to Atlanta.
Erin Schilling
I’m definitely having a different experience. But I think one of the nicknames of Atlanta is the city in the trees. I love that so much. I spend a lot of time trying out new running trails and exploring the various parks. I love Piedmont Park, I am so excited that it’s warm, and I can just spend all day dog-watching in Piedmont Park. I love how appreciative Atlanteans are of our green space. Whenever I go to parks and stuff like that, there are so many people out biking or walking or just hanging out, which I think is just super fun. My outings are definitely park-related. Then last weekend, I learned to sew, which I was very excited about. I’ve spent a lot of time thrifting a lot. I spent a lot of time, you know, adjusting my $2 dresses to be something that I can actually wear with my new sewing machine.
Lisa
That is very cool. Congratulations. That is an awesome skill to have.
Erin Schilling
Yeah, I was very proud of myself. When I figured it out, it took me like eight hours on Sunday. I’m just sitting at the sewing machine, but I got it. I need to be better at getting the line straight, but we’ll work on it.
Lisa
Practice, practice. I had to learn to sew when I was a kid and I didn’t enjoy it that much because it was one of those things mom sits you down. It’s like this is something you will learn. But I will say it is extremely satisfying. You sew something that’s yours. Of course, like a lot of kids, I started on pillows, so nothing too scary, and moved on to stuffed animals and then eventually dolls clothing, which is horrific. The first thing that I made for myself was a nightgown. I wore that thing until it was threadbare. I’m like that’s my nightgown. I made it myself. Oh, my god. That’s really fun. You can have so much fun with it. I’m really excited to hear that.
Erin Schilling
I made my dog, a really scary-looking dog toy. It was just like this little doll and I liked to try to make thread eyes. I was like, “He’s a dog. He’s not going to notice if it’s scary.” And he hates it.
Lisa
Okay, that’s really funny. There are apps that have patterns.
Erin Schilling
I need to do that.
Lisa
It’s cool. This has been awesome. I do want to ask you because I think journalists have pet peeves about pitches. We’ve asked you how to do it right. I’d love for you to throw it in there, “Don’t do it this way.” Do you have any “Do not trigger me. I do not want to see this in your pitch aside from not being in Atlanta.”?
Erin Schilling
Don’t send me a really long email, because I am 100% not going to read all of it. I guess that’s what I mean by placing yourself really fast. Sometimes people like to pitch me by being, “Here’s this big national trend that I just wrote two paragraphs about.” Now I’m going to tell you that I’m in an Atlanta company. Be like, “I’m in Atlanta, this is what I do. This is why it’s relevant.” I think being concise is the most important thing in a pitch just ever, probably for every journalist just because the influx of emails is ridiculous.
Lisa
I think you’re about right on that. That makes a ton of sense. I feel the same way about pitches, by the way, for anyone who’s listening and thinking, “Oh, I could get a twofer. I can pitch Valor. I can pitch on the Business Chronicle.” Please keep it above the fold. I mean, the phone folds. When I click on your email, ideally, I see why we should definitely meet immediately in those first three sentences. It’s not space. As you come into the Atlanta scene, I’d love for you to do a shout-out to some of the people who’ve been helpful to you. We usually do this in the show that way, we ask people, “Hey, who’s making a difference in your life, in your career in your world right now?”
Erin Schilling
For sure. I virtually met him as soon as I got here. John Yates of Morris, Manning and Martin. He has been awesome. He fills my emails, like every week, or my calls about trying to connect with different companies, or if I’m working on specific lists, or if I just need insight or like experts on something, I always go to him and he is just so sweet and loves the Atlanta tech ecosystem. He’s super ready to help me with that. I kind of already talked about this, but I really learned about the Atlanta tech ecosystem is just how collaborative and excited other people are to send me to more people. That’s been super helpful. Another one of those people is Paul Judge. I think most people know that name. But he set up a big, tech meet-and-greet for me. It was like 30 people and me which was very intimidating, but very helpful. This roundtable of these tech leaders that some of them I had already met, and then some of them were new. That was really awesome. Another person is Rodney Sampson at Opportunity Hub. Rodney talked with me, for one of the series that the Atlanta Business Chronicle was doing. He was just really helpful because he was very real. He definitely wasn’t afraid to sugarcoat anything and was really open with telling me the good and the bad about the tech ecosystem which is very appreciated for his candor as a journalist.
Lisa
That is awesome. Those are some great names. Y’all, as you’re looking to expand, some of you listen to the Atlanta Startup Podcast, because you’re moving to Atlanta, welcome! Here’s some great people for you to reach out to. Real super connectors in our ecosystem. Erin, I’d love for you to share your email or anything you’re willing to share so that people who are listening, “I think I can do the three sentence thing.” can reach out to you with more good stories.
Erin Schilling
Yeah, for sure. It’s eschilling@bizjournals.com. My phone number is 404-291-9654. I still get calls from people that I covered in college, honestly, but I love it. I want to be able to be a resource for people and help them get connected with the community. Definitely give me a call if that’s what you’re about.
Lisa
Erin, you’re so generous with your time and your incredible talent. I look forward to reading a lot more of your stories every week. If you guys have not read Erin Schilling’s work, make a point of it. Share it often. She’s also on Twitter. She’s not very active yet, but she will because journalists are. Following her on Twitter and the more people who follow her, the more she’s likely to tweet. You know how that works. Erin, thanks so much for your time,
Erin Schilling
Of course. Thanks for having me.
Lisa
Awesome.
Lisa
Thank you for listening to the Atlanta Startup Podcast. You know, we’re not just a podcast, we’re a community, and we’d love to see you at one of our digital or physical events, go to valor.VC and sign up for an event that makes sense for you. We have events for founders and the investors who back them. Another event you might enjoy is Startup Runway. The Startup Runway Foundation is a Valor organization that provides $10,000 grants to founders who are women or people of color building next-generation software products. Applications are free and we’d love to hear from you at startuprunway.org. And as always, thank you so much to the organizations that make this podcast possible. Not only Valor Ventures, but also Write2Market, a tech marketing and PR agency in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Startup Runway Foundation and Atlanta Tech Park Valley’s headquarters, and also headquarters for over 100 local entrepreneurs, building global businesses. See you next week. Please bookmark the podcast and join us.
