Season 1, Episode 8: John Liberty (#008)
Storytelling with Entrepreneur, former journalist John Liberty
John Liberty -- Co-Founder of West Michigan Beer Tours and former journalist -- shares his story with Dan Moyle. From working on entertainment and feature articles, to launching a popular craft beer tourism venture, John loves the craft of storytelling.
"Keeping that sense of ownership has got to be paramount. Also, constantly improve towards getting better." - John Liberty
Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio
Career in Journalism
John started his writing career by doing sports journalism. Even at a young age, he would tell his friends stories that are backed with facts.
"Don't cut your story short because of the deadlines." - John Liberty
Among the stories he covered was the dedication of a baseball field where Muhammad Ali and his family were present. During which, Ali signed autographs to help raise funds for the field.
Important Things to Remember
John discusses the importance of building relationships and trust in journalism. It also requires enough research. As for deadlines, they tell when a story is due to be submitted but should not dictate how a story would go or be written.
Storytelling in the Beverage Industry
Nowadays, you can find John at the West Michigan Beer Tours. He is the company Co-Founder and General Manager. He also dedicates his time writing stories on their website and for other publications.
"[We] create customized experiences for people on private outings as well as [provide them with tours] to learn more about Michigan and craft beer." - John Liberty
He has been heavily involved in the community since his youth. And their company is among the few outlets in town.
To hear from John Liberty, download and listen to the entire episode. Learn about his experiences and insights and check out the resources he provided in the links below.
Connect with John Liberty through the following links:
Don't forget to leave a 5-star rating and review if you enjoyed the show, and share this podcast with your friends and colleagues. The Storytellers Network with Dan Moyle airs every Monday at 7 AM EST.