Business Journal Evolves with Young Digital Talent

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — As the changing business environment drives companies to adopt new strategies and techniques to engage customers and audiences, The Business Journal is strengthening our marketing initiatives with our two youngest employees.

Account executives Ryan Cochran and Abby Masluk are taking on new challenges in addition to their work with marketing partners.

Masluk recently accepted a full-time position with the Youngstown Publishing Co., publisher of The Business Journal, after spending two summers interning with the publication. In May, she graduated from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism with a B.S. in journalism, a minor in marketing and certificate in social media.

Her experience in digital and social media content creation will lend itself to a focus in the real estate market as she rolls out a new weekly video series for real estate professionals called “The Real T.” For each segment, Masluk is joined by an area real estate agent to “spill the tea” on what’s happening in the local market and what’s trending throughout the industry.

The transition to full time came naturally, she says.

“I already knew the ropes and everyone in the office, which made the transition a breeze. The knowledge and skills I’ve gained as an intern was extensive, and l’m looking forward to seeing what else I could learn,” she says. “I love telling stories, marketing and social media, and finding ways to integrate all of these aspects together to create memorable content.”

Cochran came on in February 2019 as an advertising account executive and has made strides becoming familiar with the Hubspot platform. Using the customer relationship management software, the Youngstown State University graduate drives sales productivity by managing contact lists and assists Sales Manager Jan O’Malley with executing customer engagement campaigns.

“Getting to know Hubspot helps keep everything on track so none of our customers get lost in the shuffle,” Cochran says. “I’m also learning how to dig into the back end of the website, which gives me a better understanding of how to leverage the online environment to get our customers more mileage out of their marketing and advertising dollars.”

Cultivating young talent and training them in the skills necessary to succeed in the modern business environment is at the heart of the publication’s Brain Gain initiative, says Jeff Leo Herrmann, CEO of the Youngstown Publishing Co., parent of The Business Journal. As editorial staff report on the regional businesses and organizations taking steps to build the area’s workforce and promote a culture of entrepreneurship, “The Business Journal is walking the talk by building a bullpen that will take our company into the next generation,” Herrmann says.

“Keeping our young talent living and working in the Mahoning Valley takes more than just giving them a job,” Herrmann says. “As employers, we have to be willing to take chances on innovative tactics and be willing to give these young professionals the opportunity to take ownership of them. By giving them the means to develop new skills and challenging them to grow outside of their comfort zone, we can build a regional workforce stronger than we’ve ever seen.”

Pictured at top: Ryan Cochran and Abby Masluk.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.