Demi Vitkute

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.

Hi! My name is Demi Vitkute. I'm a journalist, editor, and founder of The Urban Watch Magazine. I also teach journalism at Emerson College. I'm originally from Lithuania, but I moved to the U.S. for high school and have been here ever since. I've had the privilege of living all over the East Coast, including Connecticut, Boston, and Washington, D.C., and spent almost a decade in NYC. I'm currently back in the Boston area!

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

I currently live in the suburbs of Boston, which is quite a stark contrast to living in NYC. One thing I really love about where I live now is the nature. Nara Park is near our house, and I love taking walks there. Spending just 20 minutes surrounded by trees can do wonders for your mind. As a creative, recharging in nature is especially important to me.

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

I started The Urban Watch Magazine in 2016 with a friend who was based in London while I was living in New York. The initial idea was to create a publication that would explore and contrast urban lifestyles in two of the world's most vibrant cities: New York and London. However, over the years, our focus has expanded to covering creatives and innovators worldwide, with most of our audience based in the U.S.

One of the things I love most about my work is writing about changemakers and innovators, regardless of their field. I find that sharing their stories can help them reach new audiences and bring attention to their businesses, projects, and other pursuits. I always try to dig deeper because I believe everyone has a great story to tell, even if they don't realize it themselves. Sometimes, what someone considers an ordinary detail about their life or work can be the most fascinating part of their story. As a journalist, I love finding those details and bringing them to light.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

One piece of advice I'd give is not to rush into scaling your business. I teach a graduate course on solopreneur journalism at Emerson College, and one of the ideas I emphasize is that bigger doesn't necessarily mean better. There's a lot of pressure on entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, hire employees, and expand as quickly as possible. But being a solopreneur has its own advantages.

These days, all you really need to start certain types of businesses is a laptop and an internet connection. You can build an incredibly profitable business working entirely on your own, without the overhead that comes with running a larger company.

What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?

There are so many! I actually like to write down some of the positive feedback I receive so I can look back on it when I'm having a bad day. One that particularly stuck with me was a client calling me a “copywriting whizz” and a “visionary” when I was working as a media manager at a boutique agency.

Where do you see your company in the future?

I see The Urban Watch Magazine eventually expanding into a larger media group. I'm also exploring the idea of launching a nonprofit based on an investigative fashion project I've been working on for several years.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

The biggest misconception is that journalism is dying.

While it's true that the industry has been struggling for some time, particularly with the shift to digital, I believe there are still plenty of opportunities for innovation. I think combining entrepreneurship with technological advancements can help the industry develop more sustainable business models.

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

One of my biggest challenges hasn't been building the business itself, but figuring out how to make a sustainable living as an independent journalist. I've been independent for most of my career, and alongside running my magazine, I've taken on editorial projects, written for publications such as CNN and The Washington Post, worked in media and PR consulting, and more recently, even worked with major tech companies that are actively recruiting journalists and writers.

One thing I've learned along the way is that you can't rely on a single source of income. As a full-time reporter, you could lose your job at any time. That's why I think it's so important to build multiple income streams, whether through different contracts, consulting work, or passive income. That way, if one opportunity falls through, you still have a financial safety net, and your entire world doesn't come crashing down.

Who was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

In true millennial fashion, my favorite artist growing up was Britney Spears! When I was five, and someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I'd say, "Britney Spears!" I even had a tape recorder and a microphone, which eventually led me not to singing, but to interviewing people from a young age.

As for sports, growing up in Lithuania, we were crazy about basketball. They even call it our second religion! I was a huge fan of the legendary Zalgiris basketball team and, of course, our national team, which famously beat the U.S. at the 2004 Athens Olympics!

Any shoutouts you want to make?

Yes! I'd love to give a shoutout to my best friend and editor, Genna Matarazzo, who is not only incredibly hardworking but also one of the kindest people I know. She's like a sister to me!

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

You can learn more about The Urban Watch Magazine at www.theurbanwatch.com and connect with me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/demivitkute.