Her Story
About Jill
Jill Gartz is a freelance writer based in Maryland specializing in blog writing, website content, newspaper articles, and marketing blogs. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and has pursued additional online certifications in marketing and WordPress. Gartz spent 30 years in radio news, anchoring and reporting for stations ranging from small markets to national networks, covering major events including 9-11 at the Pentagon as well as local government meetings and community stories. She won awards for her radio stories and series. After having her daughter, she shifted to part-time work and later pivoted to a full writing career during the pandemic, drawing on her storytelling skills to create educational content for clients. She is a member of BNI and attributes her success to the support of family, friends, and bosses who helped her develop confidence in her abilities. Gartz values honesty, reliability, dependability, and hard work while facing challenges from AI in her field and seeking new opportunities through networking and door-knocking.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jill
01What do you attribute your success to?
My family was very supportive, and friends, good friends are very supportive. I've had some good bosses throughout the years that were very supportive and very helpful. People believed in me and then I started to believe in myself. Surround yourself with people that believe in you.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Just keep on going. When you hit a roadblock, find a way around it. You might have to pivot a little bit and find another route. Just don't quit. Just keep going. Learn to adjust your path. Believe in yourself and have confidence in your abilities and your work. Keep on learning, educating yourself, and just become a more well-rounded person.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Just keep your confidence up, make sure you add something of value. Believe in yourself. Keep on pushing ahead, keep on finding ways around. Realize that not everybody's gonna like you, and that's okay. There's all different aspects of journalism, so you can do different things.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
AI put a dent in some of my business because people were relying on AI. The pendulum is now going the other direction and they're realizing the value of a human writer. The challenge is getting people to believe that human writers are very important because you can express emotions and tell stories that you've lived through. Opportunities are everywhere, I just have to keep on knocking on doors and find the right match.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Honesty, reliability, dependability. I get my work done, I meet my deadlines. I work hard, I'm a hard worker.
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