Nathan’s take on:
Interviewing humans.
As an entertainment journalist, Nathan interviewed hundreds of musicians, actors and artists. At DH, his job includes talking with people from our clients’ target audiences, subject matter experts and others whose experiences and perspectives help inform our work.
To lead a great interview, Nathan says, research the person you’ll be talking with before you meet them. They’ll appreciate your interest — and that you’re not wasting their time on information you can find online. Second, ask questions beyond the obvious ones. When your subject says something unexpected and interesting, follow that thread. Be curious and be open to a conversation that changes course. Finally, make it a conversation, rather than barreling through your questions. Often the best insights come when you’re a little off-topic, Nathan says.
Nathan says:
If your subject is really thinking about their responses and going out of their way to give you thoughtful and authentic answers, that usually means that you’re asking the right questions.
Finding the narrative.
In journalism, Nathan learned the art and science of transforming information into stories that meant something to audiences. “If you’re reporting on an issue or a scene or an organization, you get all the ‘raw data,’” he says. “And then you have to translate that and put it into a narrative, essentially.”
It’s a skill that translates to his work at DH, where he works to makes complex subjects accessible and relatable to our clients’ target audiences.
Being public radio-famous.
Nathan co-hosts “Movies 101,” a long-running show on Spokane Public Radio. He started contributing when he was 16. “I have cassette tapes that my mom saved,” he says. “But I have no way to play them, and I’m going to keep it that way.”
Very occasionally, he says, people recognize his voice in public and say hello. Acquaintances often ask for advice about what to watch. “Everything flies out of my head,” Nathan says. “I’m like, ‘Uh, ‘Jurassic Park’ was pretty good?’”