We recently connected with Tracy Simmons and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tracy , thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The idea for FāVS News emerged from both passion and necessity. As a religion reporter, I’ve always felt drawn to covering faith and spirituality in our communities. There’s something profoundly human about how we make meaning and connect through religious traditions. When the recession hit in 2009, I saw firsthand how vital that reporting is, yet many outlets were letting their religion reporters go.

I knew I couldn’t step away from this work that felt so important, so I took a leap of faith as an independent journalist. Launching my own online publication allowed me to keep pursuing in-depth, thoughtful religion reporting. What started small grew over time, but I ultimately sold that outlet. Still, the entrepreneurial bug had bitten me.

A few years later, I felt called back to this work. I saw ongoing need for nuanced, fair coverage of how faith manifests in people’s lives. The idea for FāVS News emerged from my desire to build a publication fully devoted to illuminating the diverse religious landscape of the Inland Northwest. I wanted to offer a unique platform for stories too often overlooked, and do it with an approach grounded in journalistic ethics and humanity.

It was a risky endeavor, but I believed people would see the value in having respectful dialogue around religion, especially as our society grows more diverse. I trusted others shared my passion for exploring faith in ways that bring us together, not divide us. Now over a decade later, I’m proud FāVS has become an indispensable source shining light on how religion intersects with life in this region. It’s rewarding to provide a space for understanding and insight across beliefs.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I found my passion for sharing stories about diverse faiths and cultures early on, after being raised in a cult. Those experiences gave me a unique perspective and drive to help create understanding between people of different beliefs.

In my 20 years as a religion reporter, I’ve crisscrossed the country finding captivating stories – aboard cargo ships in New Jersey, being on police chases in Albuquerque, exploring dusty church bell towers in Texas, and visiting tent cities in Haiti. I’ve worked for newspapers across the Southwest and am currently a multimedia journalist, professor at Washington State University, and executive director of FāVS.news – a digital startup covering religion news and commentary.

I’m most proud of my work uncovering untold stories of marginalized faith groups and giving them a voice. I want readers to see the humanity in people of all beliefs. My approach is to report with an open mind, ask thoughtful questions, build trust, and write objectively to inform audiences who may have misconceptions. There are always more perspectives to understand.

Currently, I’m co-leading a major research project on how congregations are innovating and transforming due to COVID-19 – work I’m passionate about. I believe quality reporting on religion aids understanding between all people, which is needed now more than ever.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The pandemic forced many organizations like ours to abruptly change course. When COVID-19 hit, we had to immediately shift our focus at FāVS News from operating a physical community center to connecting people virtually. While extremely difficult, closing the center freed up resources to adapt and expand our digital offerings. We took the proceeds from selling the building to hire an events coordinator, allowing us to plan creative online gatherings as well as exciting in-person events once it was safe.

This massive pivot taught me that even the best-laid plans can be disrupted overnight. But staying nimble and open to new opportunities allowed us to weather the storm. We came out of this period with a renewed sense of purpose and flexibility. By letting go of what no longer served us, we opened the door for FāVS News to flourish in unexpected ways. Our upcoming happy hour is just one example of how we’ve been able to reconnect and re-engage interfaith communities in a powerful new format. What matters most is furthering our mission, not any one approach. This experience has shown we can adapt and even thrive when forced to take an uncharted path forward.

We’d appreciate any insights you can share with us about selling a business.

Selling my first news publication, Creedible, taught me invaluable lessons as a first-time entrepreneur. Launching the site in 2009, I had no idea the digital media landscape would change so drastically in just a few years. When the opportunity arose to sell Creedible to a reputable wire service, I jumped at the chance without fully considering the value I had built. In hindsight, I sold too quickly and for too little, only $5,000.

While I’m proud I was able to sell my bootstrapped business as a young founder, I learned the hard way to thoroughly research the market and realistically assess my valuation before entering negotiations. I should have taken more time to quantify Creedible’s assets, traffic metrics, and future revenue potential. As an entrepreneur, know your worth and don’t settle. Had I properly prepared, I potentially could have sold for more.

This experience taught me to surround myself with mentors who have been through an acquisition before. Their guidance on structuring the deal, retaining equity, earn outs, and other considerations could have significantly improved my outcome. For any entrepreneur looking to eventually sell their business, my advice is to start planning early, understand your numbers, get smart advisors on your team, and don’t rush the process. With the proper diligence, you can maximize your valuation and walk away fulfilled.

Contact Info:

• Website: favs.news
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracymsimmons/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/reportertracy

Image Credits
Photos courtesy Tracy Simmons