I'm a technicolor helicopter, hell-bent on the future.
What does that mean, you ask? Well, it means I'm a little dizzying, for one thing, and probably a bit too fond of colorful metaphors, as well. But — hey — I get it honest. I have worn many hats in my career, but the first hat I ever put on was a reporter's cap. I started my career as a newspaper journalist, because I believed strongly in the power of storytelling to bring people together, to subvert the established narrative and to uplift the voiceless and the oppressed.
I joined the profession at a time when most folks running newsrooms still shared those values, and I watched as they were quietly ushered out the door and replaced by business-minded others. But I had a good run. My work changed state laws, shuttered polluting companies and won some pretty big awards.
I left newspapers about five years ago — first to be a food writer, then a food marketer and then to build software products. I care about food for the same reason I cared about journalism. It brings us together. To be human is to be hungry. Every plate is a parable that tells us how interdependent we all are — on this planet and on each other. The product I'm building now, Peat & Pearls, aims to strengthen local food systems by reconnecting people with the sources of their sustenance.
In addition to Peat & Pearls, I consult with established firms and ambitious, principled founders to build and activate breakthrough brands. I also pick up the pen from time to time, though I don't write nearly as frequently as I used to. You can see where I've been published recently by checking out my portfolio page and keep up with my day-to-day musings by reading my blog. When I'm not working, I like to take long walks through Downtown Pensacola with my pup, Rosie, and my effervescent partner, Brooke.
© 2021 | T.S. Strickland II | All Rights Reserved