Why biz journalist Matters made a career switch

Roben Farzad of “Full Disclosure” interviewed Craig Matters, former managing editor Money and former executive editor at Fortune, on leaving business journalism to become a high school teacher in Vermont.

“Journalism was definitely a calling for a long time,” said Matters. “But a the business really declined and I felt like I couldn’t do the work I was really proud of, this other thing” moved to the forefront.

Matters said he realized it was time for a change when a boss told him his job was to create the MVP — the minimal viable product.

“I knew what he meant,” said Matters. “I had to start thinking about something else.”

During his six-year tenure at Money, the magazine earned numerous accolades including a 2012 Gerald Loeb Award, the highest honor in business journalism. Matters has held a series of senior leadership positions during his 17 years at Time Inc., including as the founding editor of CNNMoney.com. He left Money in 2015.

“Careers have second acts,” said Matters. “You really want to be thinking about this.”

To listen, go here.

Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.