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I’ve built my career across media, from the golden age of print magazines to the rise of…
Articles by Jonathan
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Jonathan Small posted thisRecenlty, I was on a family vacation in Barcelona. We were tired, hot, cranky, and hungry. We needed to find somewhere to eat, but none of us knew the neighborhood. My wife pulled out her Fodor’s travel guide. I pulled out ChatGPT. My 20-year-old son went to Google. My 16-year-old daughter went to TikTok. Three generations using technology, all trying to answer the exact same question: Where should we eat? Who do you think came up with the best answer first? Surprise answer (at least for me): TikTok killed it. Within minutes, my daughter found videos of amazing restaurants right around us. We could see the food, get a feel for the place, and even see what people recommended ordering. TikTok is more like TripTok
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Jonathan Small shared thisGen Z has a networking problem. They're starting businesses faster than any generation before them, but 73% say they freeze up when it comes to asking someone for help. Gen Zers worry about bothering someone, sounding inauthentic, or being judged for asking a question they think they should already know the answer to. But here's the irony: According to new research from LinkedIn, 83% of people across generations say they'd be willing to give advice to a total stranger — including Gen Z. So the people Gen Z is hesitant to ask for help actually want to help them? 🤔 I wrote about the research for Entrepreneur: https://lnkd.in/gDgNvcXkGen Z Founders Are Booming But 73% Admit That One Fear Is Holding Them Back — And It Has Nothing to Do With MoneyGen Z Founders Are Booming But 73% Admit That One Fear Is Holding Them Back — And It Has Nothing to Do With Money
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Jonathan Small shared thisCelebrate good times, c'mon!Jonathan Small shared this"There is no amount of botox that will hide my age." I've heard 100s of stories of job seekers in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond who feel stuck. And the thing is: it doesn't feel fair. You worked hard for 20+ years. You were told the rules of the game were: * show up * deliver results * build expertise * solve problems But now, to find a job, you must: * network, network, network * build a strong LinkedIn profile * create a 2 page resume (3 at most) * quantify critical results and impacts * use executive summary to tell your story And different coaches give different tips. Should I show early career experience? Or should I pretend that I started work in 2010? So, I get why you are frustrated. Let's dig into the numbers a little bit. 6.9 million people are unemployed (1.8 million of these for 27+ weeks) + 4.8 million employed part-time for economic reasons + 5.9 million not counted in the labor force but want a job = 17.6 million who are unemployed or underemployed If this is you, I just want to say that I see you. You aren't alone. And we need your wisdom and experience (even if it doesn't feel like it today).
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Jonathan Small posted thisOver the weekend, I read an interesting NY Post story about how Boomer executives aren't leaving the C-suite, and the money companies are spending keeping them up to speed with rapidly changing technology. I guess what's happening in Washington — I'm talking to you, Mitch McConnell and Ed Markey — is happening everywhere. It made me a little annoyed. But it also made me think about Gen X. We may actually have a weird advantage right now. I started my career in print magazines. Then websites came along, but they were considered the poor stepchild, usually relegated to the basement. Look how that worked out. Since then, I've had to figure out the internet, digital media, social media, digital video, podcasts, streaming, and now AI. Seems like every five years there's another seismic shift in our industry. But we've always figured it out. That's pretty much the Gen X experience. We remember what work was like before email. A world with clam-shaped Macs and dial-up modems that shouted, “You’ve got mail!” But we also don't think twice about jumping on Zoom, making a podcast, running a business using AI agents. That's why I think companies may be overlooking something when they talk about older workers adapting to technology and younger workers being digital natives. There's an entire generation in between. We're the generation that came of age with one foot in the analog world and the other in the digital one. And that may be exactly what companies need right now. Gen X can understand the executive who's spent 40 years doing things one way and the 25-year-old who can't imagine doing them any other way. Being the generation known as the forgotten middle child has often made us easy to overlook. For once, being Jan Brady might be our superpower.
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Jonathan Small shared thisBack when I worked with actual humans in an office, I was leading a team meeting and noticed a younger employee, probably in her late 20s, staring down at her phone and frenetically thumbing away. I tried to ignore her rudeness as nothing but a “Z” thing, but every time I looked over, her face was buried in that phone. Afterwards, I saw her in the hall and couldn’t help myself from mentioning that it sort of irked me that she was on her phone the whole time during our meeting. She was stunned. Stunned. First, that I actually was confronting her in real life. Second, that I had it completely wrong. “I was taking notes,” she said, rolling her eyes. I apologized and sulked back into my office embarrassed. I wrote about what this taught me about the way different generations communicate at work. Curious if you’ve ever had a similar misunderstanding. https://lnkd.in/gbQfmQM8Why Gen X and Gen Z Keep Misunderstanding Each Other at WorkWhy Gen X and Gen Z Keep Misunderstanding Each Other at Work
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Jonathan Small shared thisBack in the ’90s, companies phased out pensions for these fancy new things called 401(k)s. Don’t worry, they said. Invest in these and you’ll see better returns than any pension ever gave you. Gen Xers, how did that work out? Now companies are starting to phase out group health insurance, which is the only reason a lot of people have full-time jobs in the first place. Don’t worry, they're saying. Pick your own plan and you’ll have more choice and flexibility than any group plan ever gave you. Let’s see how that works out.
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Jonathan Small shared thisGen X is fighting for their right to party, and bars are opening their doors from 6 pm to 10 pm to accommodate them. "These early parties were a way to get older folks in the door,” said bar owner Ian Cross told the Wall Street Journal. "They spend money on cocktails, they drink, they have fun." Amen. I hosted a Just Can't Get Enough dance party last week in LA at Gold-Diggers and the place was packed with Xers. While advertisers and marketers are busy trying to figure out how to get Gen Z’s attention, there’s a whole generation right in front of them, dressed up, cash in hand, ready to party.
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Jonathan Small posted thisHow much do you need to retire? This "magic number" shocked me. Ready for it? $1.46 million. That's what Americans now say they need for a comfortable retirement, according to a new Northwestern Mutual survey. But here's the more sobering part for Gen Xers: the median retirement savings for people ages 55-64 is a whopping $185,000. That's no magic number —that's a tragic number. Or is all this complete BS? These "magic number" surveys have a way of stressing everyone out while conveniently being published by companies that sell retirement products. Genuine question: is $1.46M realistic, or is the whole framework broken? Drop your take below.
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Jonathan Small posted thisNew story up at Los Angeles Magazine🐴 I traded the 405 for 55 horses at the Greenhorn Ranch, a dude ranch in Quincy, CA that's the real deal - none of that Yellowstone nonsense. Trail rides with real life cowboys, skeet shooting with a former Marine, a stocked pond for fly fishing, and a chef who makes a hearty BBQ worth the 9-hour drive (or 1-hour flight to Reno). I didn't look at my phone for 2 days. A small miracle in the Lost Sierras. Full story link in comments.
Jonathan Small replied to a comment
1d
Loren Greiff We did not. maybe if I had a third child?
Jonathan Small replied to a comment
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John H. Yes please!
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Jonathan Small liked thisJonathan Small liked thisI’m thrilled to be returning to speak at SoCom Los Angeles on October 14–15, 2026. SoCom consistently brings together incredible leaders from across the industry to discuss what is actually working in social commerce right now. I’ll be joining the conversation around how brands and creators can succeed in social commerce, alongside leaders shaping the future of creator commerce, affiliate, live shopping, platform-native selling and DTC. I hope to see you there! Register here: https://lnkd.in/d-k6vt5D #socom #socomla #socialcommerce #socialcommercesummit Social Commerce News
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Jonathan Small liked thisJonathan Small liked thisTwenty-three years ago, I lived through the Northeast blackout from my apartment in Manhattan. For DAYS we lived in darkness in the heat of the summer. If memory serves, our block was among the last parts of the grid to get power back. Day 1 of #ClimateWeekNYC yesterday reminded me that our electricity system has never fit neatly inside political boundaries. Maybe our energy planning should stop pretending that it does. The grid does not care where the border is. I keep coming back to that after yesterday’s #ClimateWeekNYC discussion on U.S.-Canada clean energy trade, hosted by K&L Gates, Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), Hydro Québec. BCSE President Lisa Jacobson framed the conversation around five Ps: policy, planning, permitting, people and products. But another word kept surfacing for me: time. The transmission infrastructure we need can take 10 or 15 years to plan and build. Political cycles happen every two or four. Meanwhile, electricity demand is growing now. Massachusetts Institute of Technology research presented during the discussion modeled greater two-way electricity trade and expanded transmission across the Northeastern U.S. and Canada and found potential savings of $1.2 billion annually, along with benefits during periods when power supplies are tight. Senator Peter Welch discussed the importance of transmission, grid interconnection, affordability and permitting. Rep Melanie Stansbury offered an important reminder that faster permitting does not have to mean sacrificing community engagement or environmental integrity. #ClimateWeekNYC #CleanEnergy #Transmission #Energy #Grid #USCanada If you are at Climate Week, maybe I'll see you at Canary Media Inc. Rural America discussion today (Tuesday, 9/22). Now we're really getting into my sweet spot. See ya there.
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Jonathan Small liked thisJonathan Small liked thisAs an English major, I had a blast reporting this story about how reports of the death of the humanities may have been greatly exaggerated. Some colleges—University of California, Berkeley, Pace University, University of Arizona—are really making strides in bringing them back and showing students that "the humanities equal jobs." https://lnkd.in/gtdqTT56Humanities Degrees Are Poised For A Comeback. AI Gets The Credit.Humanities Degrees Are Poised For A Comeback. AI Gets The Credit.
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Jonathan Small liked thisJonathan Small liked thisAs a creator who conducts interviews, I don’t think creators should get press passes. Journalists should get press passes, and creators should get creator passes. There is a difference, and I think it’s advantageous for both groups to be differentiated. Agree or disagree?
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Jonathan Small liked thisJonathan Small liked thisLaunching Geezer magazine has opened doors I didn't know existed, one of them into the world of independent magazine creators. If it weren't for wonderfully generous people like Kade Krichko of Ori magazine and Nikki Simpson of the International Magazine Centre I'd still be fumbling in the dark. I mean, I'm still fumbling a bit, that's for sure—but then something amazing like this happens: Samir Husni, Mr. Magazine himself, has named Geezer his 2025 Magazine Launch of the Year! It is an honor and a privilege to be recognized by this badass community of creators. We're all a little off-kilter, but in the best way. And most of all, we believe in the power of print to bring people back to themselves. Onward and upward, y'all! https://lnkd.in/gZS8FtWuGeezer Magazine: Mr. Magazine’s™ 2025 Magazine Launch of the YearGeezer Magazine: Mr. Magazine’s™ 2025 Magazine Launch of the Year
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Jonathan Small liked thisJonathan Small liked thisI just got off stage at UNBOUND and I’m BUZZING! The audience was incredible and there wasn’t an empty seat in the house. (Including many people standing!!) I saw you taking notes and pictures, playing ZIP ZAP ZOP with huge smiles while chuckling and nodding along. WE DID IT GANG!! This was one of those days. Unreal. YouTube vlog and more coming soon! Ty bestie Christina Le for this clip
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Jonathan Small liked thisJonathan Small liked thisProud to share that "I Survived A Serial Killer" (the series I showran for Law&Crime and A&E) has landed at Netflix. Powerful watch. Rachel Stockman Dahlia Damaghi Libby Segal Beth Spitalny Kristen Madrid Taylor Gentry Matt Koed Natalee Acocella John Michael Scholl
Volunteer Experience
Publications
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Sock Entrepreneur Olga Kay's 10 Easy Steps to Success
ENTREPRENEUR MAGAZINE
See publication10 steps to grow your small business.
Honors & Awards
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ADDY Award
American Advertising Federation
Best Internet Commercial
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OMMA Award
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Best Branded Content Campaign—Fox Home Entertainment
Organizations
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Producers Guild of America
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Television Academy of Arts and Sciences
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Try describing the color purple using only words. Not so easy, right? That's exactly how your audience feels when they only read about your business. Words explain. Video shows. Video creates feeling, experience, and connection—something an elevator pitch can't do alone. If words aren't enough for purple, they're not enough for your brand. So show us what you do. ✨ Follow for more storytelling tips to help your business be seen, felt, and chosen. #StorytellingWithImpact #VideoMarketing #VideoStorytelling #ThursdayTips #AuthenticConnection #BeyondWordsProductions #VideoWithImpact
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