INNOVATORS VS COVID 19

Alex Williams from The New Stack tell us what it feels like to be a mix of a Media Company, an Analyst Firm, and a Marketing Agency

Published

3 years ago

09/08/2020

Kokou Adzo

First of all, how are you and your Family doing in these COVID-19 Times?

Alex Williams: We are doing well. We are all healthy and thankful for having work and a roof over our heads.

Tell us about you, your Career, how you founded The New Stack

Alex Williams: The New Stack started in 2014. I have been a journalist for most of my career. I saw a gap for better explanation and analysis of at-scale technologies for software engineers and developers. I had been approached about starting my own news organization and decided to pursue starting The New Stack. More than six years later, we continue to be a resource for tens of thousands of engineers and developers.

How does The New Stack Innovate?

Alex Williams: We provide explanations and analysis for developers, engineers, and people in technology operations roles. We follow the news but are not beholden to it, dive deeper into topics than other news organizations, and have a unique business model. We run no advertising on the site because ur activities are funded by sponsors. In some respects, we are a cross between a media company, an analyst firm, and a marketing agency.

How the Coronavirus Pandemic affects your Business, and how are you coping?

Alex Williams: We are growing. Our model is resistant to the media slump as we do not run advertising. We are coping well as we have always been a remote company. The pressure is intense, though, as we all face the demands of keeping the company strong and ourselves healthy.

Did you have to make Difficult Choices, and what are the Lessons Learned?

Alex Williams: No. We actually made an important hire.

How do you deal with Stress and Anxiety, how do you Project yourself and The New Stack in the future?

Alex Williams: Exercise, healthy eating, meditation, and good sleep. We are focusing on our values, which guide us forward.

Who are your Competitors? And how do you plan to stay in the Game?

Alex Williams: News organizations mostly but also independent media organizations such as podcast groups. We will focus on our readers, developing trust and goodwill while providing sponsors with a value that they depend upon.