Louisville Biz First publisher Benson talks her career, job

Lisa Benson

Lisa Benson, the publisher of Louisville Business First, spoke with Leadership Louisville podcast host Aaron Miller.

Benson started her career in Cincinnati with the Business Courier, which is also owned by American City Business Journals, where she rose to digital editor and then managing editor.

At the end of 2015, she was named editor of Business First and became publisher in early 2019.

“I’ve been in news production my whole career,” said Benson. “I’m in operations now.” She said that the transition was a huge learning experience and challenging. And the pandemic has required constant communication with customers.

The publisher role is very sales driven, said Benson, and developing revenue-generating products. She seems more collaboration between news and advertising to share ideas while still remaining independent.

“It’s a lot more free flowing,” said Benson. “I think it makes us better.”

She said the publication’s digital numbers are “off the charts.”

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.