Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kevin Gray. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kevin, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

Success isn’t always easy to define in a creative field, and often the creator and the audience — or the client — have different goals. I’ve always found it important to strictly define the desired outcome, whether it’s to inform, entertain, surprise or otherwise accomplish what needs to be accomplished. In a business setting, this moves success away from a personal goal and toward a more holistic goal where everyone wins. Of course, if you’re creating something for yourself (in my case, writing), then all that goes out the window, and you’re free to define success on your own terms.

Kevin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a writer and editor specializing in food, drinks and travel, though my work over the years has also ventured into fitness, men’s style and gear/tech. Currently I’m a freelancer, which allows me to contribute to many publications, but I’ve also worked on staff at various outlets. Before entering this field, I worked in PR for three years. PR wasn’t for me, but it introduced me to a lot of journalists, and I realized that I wanted their job instead of mine. It took a couple of years to establish my writing career, but that was almost 14 years ago, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

My work has appeared in a wide variety of publications, from local outlets in Texas where I’m based, to national magazines and websites, including Forbes, GQ, InsideHook, Men’s Health, Thrillist, Travel & Leisure, and USA Today. I’m also the co-founder of Bevvy, a website that covers the drinks industry, providing recipes, reviews, news and a look at the people behind the bar. And I’m a judge for a couple of international spirits competitions.

In between all that work — and often during it — I travel as much as I can. That often makes my day-to-day more difficult, but I’ve found that exploring new destinations and learning about people and cultures is not only fun, but it gives me greater perspective that I can apply to my work.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

My first job out of college was at a PR firm. While working that full-time job, I started a drinks blog and was beginning to explore my fascination with spirits, cocktails and the people who make them. The PR job ended after three years, which proved to be a blessing. The blogging side hustle quickly became my focus, and it was my entry into writing and editing on a larger scale. It started slowly and organically, but I was soon able to write for larger publications, eventually selling that blog and landing a couple on-staff jobs at major outlets, building the career that I have today.

It wasn’t easy, and the first couple years were lean times, but having that passion project provided a sense of direction when I needed it most. If not for that side hustle, I’m not sure where my path would’ve led.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Whether it’s art, an invention or an essay, creators put something out into the world that didn’t yet exist. Writing a new story and seeing it go live is always a thrill, but that goes well beyond personal satisfaction. Lifestyle journalism, which I fully acknowledge is a relatively low-stakes profession, allows writers to highlight people, businesses and issues that deserve a spotlight. Writing one more article about a restaurant might not change my life, but it could directly impact the subject of the story. It’s a privilege to tell those stories.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://muckrack.com/kevin-gray-2
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinrgray/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinrgray/
• Other: https://bevvy.co/