Before online magazines (or even blogs) were popular, I recruited a small staff of volunteers who wrote short feature stories for the precursor of the digital mag, which was women-focused. And in 2010, I officially launched a monthly, 75-plus-page “flipbook” that was subscription-based. It was often tedious to produce, but the excitement I got from working with a small team of writers, editing and creating a publication that would educate, entertain, and inspire through storytelling, just felt right.

Today, shades Magazine continues to be an online news and information organization that highlights women of color and underrepresented communities; it’s an outlet for diverse voices and cultural and ethnic pride and a safe space for all. It has gone through many transformations—and will continue to do so—all adapting to our audience and producing a publication that will grow and reach new people.

Now, I’ve condensed my story by quite a bit. (You’re welcome!) But in talking with my editor, we decided that for this NewsBreak, I would share some insight for those who are finding themselves going through a professional transformation, either one they are wishing to pursue or one at the hands of an unstable economic situation.

Over the last 25 years, I’ve found ways to not only reinvent myself, but also to survive—and thrive. Journalism and news media have changed beyond most people’s imagination, including my own. As a kid, I knew there would always be a print newspaper, a print magazine, and traditional broadcast news. However, technology has propelled us into a world of myriad options.

A Whole New World

According to a September 2025 report from Pew Research Center, 86% of U.S. adults say they consume most of their news on smartphones, tablets, or laptops/desktops; 56% say they do so often. “Americans turn to radio and print publications for news less frequently,” the report reads. “In 2025, 11% of U.S. adults say they often get news from radio, and 7% say the same about printed newspapers or magazines—both roughly the same as last year.”

These constant changes in how we disseminate and receive news and information have had many people asking me how they can successfully navigate them. The simple answer? Never stop learning, and remember my favorite motto: Think outside the box. 

Going Within

As we move through our professional lives, we are constantly gathering new knowledge. However, we often forget that much of what we’ve been trained to do—the skills we picked up along the way, both on the job and off—can be used beyond our job title. This can include experiences and education away from the workplace. 

I am a journalist. But I realized early that that means more than reporting on a story. I took advantage of training, conferences, projects, and more that would further my knowledge and abilities to enhance my profession, but, more importantly, myself. I learned how to design news pages—first in print and now digitally—and immersed myself in the advocacy of diversity and inclusion in media, all of which helped me be recruited for two university adjunct positions and start my own small business offering clients all types of graphic and creative design work. My advocacy work brought offers to speak, to join committees, and to be elected to leadership roles in nonprofit organizations.

So, what hidden skills and knowledge do you have? Try putting them into LinkedIn, Indeed, or a similar job search engine instead of your title and see the types of jobs you are qualified for. I admit that some may not be your dream profession and may be in a field you know little about. However, thinking outside of the box and taking a leap of faith may provide you with the income, security, and freedom to engage in more of the creative sides of your current or most recent job.

What Do You Know?

A few of the areas that may help you evaluate your current skills and knowledge include:

• Communications—This is a common skill many forget is used in all jobs. Are you experienced in customer service, working directly with customers in person and/or via phone and/or email? Or maybe you are a writer, a public relations specialist, in marketing, or know how to write descriptive copy. Evaluate how much experience you have with verbal and written communications, and let your imagination soar.
• Digital/technical literacy—Many of us have taught ourselves how to become proficient (at minimum) on the various tools we use daily. Microsoft Office was released in 1989, and G Suite (now Google Workspace) was introduced in 2006. Both have launched dozens of tools and skills that can be used in just about any profession.
• Leadership/project management—If you have experience with planning, executing, and overseeing projects or have spent significant time guiding and leading teams and individuals, you have skills that companies are looking for. Nonprofit organizations can benefit from your experience too.
• Information literacy—Another often-overlooked area, the ability to identify, find, evaluate, apply, and acknowledge information and responsibly share/disseminate it is critical in today’s world. From the news media to social media, being able to help others be accountable for their online and physical actions is beneficial to all.

And, of course, if you’re looking or need to move out of an area you’ve been in, it might be a sign to investigate solo entrepreneurship. Yes, you will have to work harder than you used to, but that is only temporary. Yes, you will have to spend some money up front, but depending on your skills and knowledge, you’ll only have to pay yourself. Now may be the time to move in a new direction—or at least do some homework on what you know and how it can benefit you, instead of someone else.

If there is a will, there is a way … to create a new future for yourself and your family.