Switching to freelance business journalism

Making the switch to freelancing in business journalism was easier than Laura Baverman thought it would be.

“I’ve had no problems picking up work,” said Baverman to business journalism students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Monday morning.

Bavermman left the Cincinnati Enquirer in October 2012 and moved to Raleigh. She has since been freelancing for regional and national business publications.

“I could very easily go back and do a full-time job,” said Baverman. “But I very much enjoy this project-oriented work. I’m seeing all the opportunities that are out there.”

She covered commercial development, retail, the grocery industry, start-ups and whatever else came her way at the Enquirer. Her weekly column called Innovations appeared on Fridays. She also co-authored Developing Now, a local blog with real estate and development news.

Since moving to North Carolina, Baverman has freelanced for the Upstart Business Journal, a publication of American City Business Journals. She also writes a small business column for The (Raleigh) News & Observer and has done some reporting for the Raleigh Public Record.

Baverman said she used editors at previous jobs and Twitter to develop contacts in North Carolina. She also met with publications to let them know she had moved to the area.

In January, she said she took as much freelance work as she could and nearly matched her salary at the Enquirer.

“I ended up taking on things that I really hated, but I know I’m not going to do that any more,” said said. Some of her freelancing has been writing for companies.