We were lucky to catch up with Katelynn Robinson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Katelynn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

Although I wouldn’t consider myself to be a business owner, I would consider my work to be part of my “Redhead Reporter” brand. I do often times wonder what it would be like to have a regular job. At the moment, I am working part time as a freelance reporter, and part time bussing tables at a restaurant to make ends meet. I often times crave the feeling stability, and growing roots in San Diego. However, I am looking for an opportunity that suites my passions. The Redhead Reporter brand allows me to express my passions, and freely write about or photograph whatever my heart desires. My restaurant schedule both gives me flexibility, and limitations. I tend to have a decent chunk of my day free to work on my journalism-related projects. However, anyone who has worked in a restaurant knows the schedules are unpredictable and constantly changing. The work has turned me into a bit of a night-owl. One of the benefits of working in the restaurant industry is the connections you make. I have learned an incredible amount from my coworkers. They always have the best stories, and the best advice.
That being said, I am certainly looking for a potential “regular” job. While I am looking for the stability of a 9-5 job, I also intend to find a field that will allow me to grow and fine tune my skills. Whenever I do find this job, I will continue to dedicate my free time to my Redhead Reporter brand. It holds a very special place in my heart, because my Redhead Reporter account is truly a combination of all my past work and all of the valuable connections I have made throughout the past several years.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For those of you who are just now being introduced to my work, hello! My name is Katelynn Robinson, and my journalism brand is Redhead Reporter. I am a freelance journalist and photographer, with a degree in journalism from San Diego State University. I started reporting as a freshman for the news sections of my university’s paper, The Daily Aztec. By my sophomore year, I was hired as the Assistant News Editor. I branched out and started writing articles for the arts and sports sections of the paper. The following year, I was hired as the News Editor, and was named the designated beat reporter for the women’s basketball team. The summer before my senior year, I interned at Her Sport News in Dublin, Ireland for six weeks. During this time, I developed a passion for photography. I had never enjoyed shooting photos so much in my life.
While in Ireland, I started my travel blog on my personal website, katelynnrobinson.com and on my Medium account. After returning from Ireland, I began to further develop my brand. I decided to branch off from the university paper and discover what elements of journalism I truly enjoyed being a part of.
I think of myself as an extremely adaptable journalist due to my variety of writing experience. I have covered breaking news, movie reviews, politics and sporting events. I also have experience behind the camera, on camera. on a podcast and with editing. I pride myself on my ability to learn new skills and to take on a variety of interesting projects.
I found great joy in editing and publishing scenic photos that tell a story, and having the ability to tell people’s stories to the world. I feel very connected to the people who give me the opportunity to interview them, and I cherish their stories.
Now, I am available for hire to write articles and shoot photos for individuals, small businesses, musicians and brands. I am reachable at [email protected] or via my Instagram @redheadreporter.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal for my creative journey might not be the same as others. My goal is to simply continue to developing my passion for journalism and photography. I want to continue to find projects that make me light up with excitement and ambition. I want to continue to pursue a career that will keep me motivated to become a better version of myself. I cannot wait to see where my photography and writing takes me. I do not have numeric goals when it comes to followers, or likes on an article or photo. My end goals is truly about sharing and learning about different perspectives. Some of the most valuable journalism comes from people being able to share and understand a variety perspectives.
Another goal of mine is to stay creative. I find myself enjoying life more when I feel I have added a creative touch to my day whether that is snapping a photo, or interviewing a source.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a journalist is the stories you get to hear, and the moments you get to capture. I am still very young in the world of journalism, however, I think I have countless stories to tell people that have simply come from me pursuing articles. For example, my freshman year in college I worked for the News section of the university paper. On my way to a staff meeting, my editor told me there was a find burning a few miles from the school that a near by neighborhood could see. I decided to walk to that neighborhood myself, and see if I could capture a photo for the article we would be writing. While I was walking down the streets of the neighborhood, I saw several people standing on the roofs of their homes looking at the fire. I could not see the fire from the ground, but two people standing on top of their house inviting me up to the roof to see the fire myself. While I stood up there, I learned that one of the two men was actually learning to become a pilot. Not just any pilot though, a pilot of the planes that drop fire retardant. It was such an interesting coincidence to be talking with him about this fire. And that is just one of the really unique experiences I get to share with people when I talk about my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: katelynnrobinson.com
• Instagram: @redhead_reporter
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katelynn-robinson-6735721a8/
• Other: https://medium.com/@katelynnrobinson33

Image Credits
Katelynn Robinson