Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. We frequently spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.
This Q & A is with Margit Detweiler the Founder / Editor, TueNight.com; Founder/CEO, Gyrate Media. Margit has over 16 years experience leading digital media sites (Real Simple, Everyday Health and Aol.) and started her career in print at the Philadelphia City Paper. Margit has a history of disrupting every market she hits. She helped her client, Federated Media, develop a content marketing team and through her firm Gyrate Media, works with blue chip clients such as Verizon, P&G, and Johnson and Johnson on cutting-edge content strategy solutions.
Two years ago, Margit realized that as a 40+ woman, she wasn’t seeing her authentic experience recounted online. Articles like “10 Ways to Get Rid of the Grey” or “Over 40: What Not to Wear” were condescending and frankly, incorrect. Gen-X women are varied, influential and awesome. However, in adulthood, it can be harder to be honest and candid about our bodies and our feelings. Margit started the website TueNight.com to provide a venue for a generation of 40-somethings – a place to discuss anything from fertility to not having children to career mishaps – with humor, honesty and attitude. She’s also part of a “slow media” movement — longer, hand-crafted storytelling in thematic batches, published once a week.
1) What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?
Back in 2008, when I was laid off from a big-time job at a big-time editorial house, I re-evaluated. Do I take the easy road and take the next editorial director/ exec editor gig? Or do I take this as a blessing and think about what I really want to do with my life. After 20 years of working for other people, I decided to create my own content strategy agency and leverage everything I’d learned in my many past lives to create a top notch consultancy. A few years after that, I started my own website, TueNIght.com — a weekly storytelling site for Gen X women. It was a longtime dream to get back to writing and creating and making — for myself. Juggling a multi-hyphenate career been a hustle, of course, but taking that one bold step to create my own future, has opened many other doors, both personally and professionally.
2) Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
So many. Former Scripps, Yahoo and Federated Media head honcho Deanna Brown, my former colleague at AOL Jesse Kornbluth who runs HeadButler.com now,
3) What is your biggest goal right now?
I have two. Normally my 2nd goal would have been my first but I had a bit of a setback. Late last year I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and so that’s my first goal — to get through treatment and get it the hell gone. Oddly its given me some writing inspiration so I’m chronicling my experience on TueNight in a column called Ovarian Rhapsody. Cancer is so often something we don’t talk about, or suffer through silently. I’d like to try and reduce that stigma a little bit if I can.
My 2nd goal is to create a truly sustainable business in TueNight.com through the events we currently host, the advertising and other in-roads. We have Talk TueNight storytelling events which are steadily growing and growing. When I’m frustrated with not being as successful as I’d like, ASAP, I remind myself of my favorite publishing motto “patience and perseverance” — it’s a bit of a slow-poke-turtle point of view, but it’s really the only way to forge ahead in a sustainable, true way. Followers follow you because they love you, not because you bought them.
4) How did you get your first job? How did you jump to your second job?
A friend of mine, Mary Finnegan (I’ll never forget her name) was interning at the Philadelphia City Paper and she told me they were hiring for a paid assistant position and she couldn’t do it, and asked if I was interested? I jumped at the chance and remember immediately calling the newspaper from a street corner pay phone, in the rain. I had an interview that day, in my yellow rain coat, and got the job. I ended up spending ten years there, was their first music and style editor, and left as the managing editor. So that was job 2,3, and 4. The 2nd company I worked for was AOL in 1999. A recruiter called me on the phone at the City Paper, they were looking for a managing editor for Digital City. I jumped at the chance to go online even though a lot of people thought I was nuts.
5) What time do you typically wake up? What do you do every morning?
I am a capricious sleeper. It depends if I’ve had an event the night before. And I’m a bit of a night owl. I always do better when I wake up early, but often I get up at 7:30 or 8am. I stretch or do 15 minutes of yoga, set my intentions for the day, and as of the last few months, have a shake every morning (VITAMIX!)
6) How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?
I unplug entirely on vacation (which is roughly twice a year). I unplug nightly after 10pm.
7) What cause do you most want to advance?
Literacy and writing. Our last event was a benefit for the awesome organization Girls Write Now, a community of women writers and digital media makers dedicated to providing guidance, support, and opportunities for under served high school girls and through TueNight, the idea that experience should be valued and that women of all ages (especially over 40!) are beautiful and dynamic with rich stories to tell.
8) What song can’t you get out of your head?
Sometimes my husband starts singing the Alice theme song (yes that old 70s show), I will sing it in my head for days. “Early to bed, early to rise….”
9) What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
DELEGATE!
10) What is your “keep me going” quote?
“Patience and perseverance”
Check out Margit Detweiler’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!
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