Are You in the 5%? I’ve been having a lot of conversations lately with people currently working in TV news. A recurring theme has emerged: their biggest goal for 2026 is to get out of the business and, if possible, work for themselves. There is no doubt that the landscape has shifted. Today, there are countless opportunities to build a one-person business empire. Twenty-six years ago, I decided to take a gamble and try to make a living in the digital space. Back then, the "digital job market" was practically nonexistent. I took the leap anyway. Over two and a half decades later, I'm still standing. Without a doubt, it is the hardest—and best—job I have ever had. Years ago, people would ask if I might ever go back into TV news. My standard reply was, "I never say never, but I have no plans to do so." Today, my answer has changed: "No. I will never go back into TV news." As many of you know, I have gone 12 years without taking a single day off. I have worked through sickness, injury, family deaths, and technical meltdowns. I have worked every holiday, every weekend, every single day. When you work for yourself, the mindset shifts completely. You work until the job is finished, and here is the kicker: the job is never finished. So, for those of you plotting your escape and thinking about going out on your own, here is the reality check. Discipline is non-negotiable. If you can't manage yourself, you will fail. Prepare to grind. You will work harder than you ever have in a newsroom. Don't chase the cash. Do the job well, and let the money find you. Passion is fuel. Do something you love, or you will burn out immediately. Embrace the burnout. You will hit a wall. I have found that if you just keep working through the burnout, it eventually goes away. Expect turbulence. Not everything will go smoothly. Prepare for the bumps in the road.
My biggest piece of advice? DIY. Try to do as much as you can yourself. If you are launching a video website, don't hire a web developer or a video editor. Learn to build the site. Learn to cut the video. It saves you money, and you learn valuable new skills that make you self-reliant. Realistically, I would estimate that only about 5% of people have the discipline to start their own business and truly work for themselves. Most people need the structure of a defined shift, a boss to tell them what to do, and a company to provide the safety net. Remember, when you are on your own, you are responsible for everything. Something breaks? You fix it. Health insurance? That's on you. Taxes, accounts payable, customer service? You are the department head for all of them. All this, while actually performing the job itself. But, if you are one of the 5%... GO FOR IT! It will be the best job you have ever had. Good Luck.
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