The interviewer called me 'a sage'

This week, I step into the interview seat to reflect on the values that guide my work.

You’re reading the Your News Biz newsletter. My goal is to help digital media entrepreneurs find viable business models.

This week’s post summarizes a conversation I had with Johnny Levy, who runs a monthly online discussion group on the media business that includes publishers as well as experts in technology, data, advertising, sales, and marketing.

Back in April, Johnny Levy profiled me for his “People of Media” interview series. I felt flattered and slightly embarrassed at the same time because Johnny referred to me as “a sage.”

But I give Johnny credit for getting me to say out loud what I’ve often thought but never expressed so clearly.

With Johnny’s permission, I’m sharing the full interview in the video below and have also excerpted six short clips (30–60 seconds each) in vertical format.

“Everything comes from trust.”

That’s the one-liner Jim Breiner hopes publishers remember. A lifelong journalist, publisher, and mentor, Breiner brings the calm clarity of a sage—and decades of experience in both local journalism and international media consulting. In a recent People of Media interview, he shared insight for publishers navigating disruption with integrity.

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The Secret Power of Language and Listening

Jim’s story begins with Latin prayers and library cards. A childhood altar boy, he found magic in language. Hearing and learning Latin felt like being initiated into a secret power. He is fluent in Spanish and has learned many languages. That reverence for language and communication has fueled his career across literature, journalism, and leadership.

His publishing journey—from editor to business journal publisher to international media mentor—was shaped by a love of language and the development of people.

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Learning Latin, loving literature

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From French to Italian to Spanish

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You Can’t Scale Relationships

Breiner, now a mentor with SCORE.org and media organizations worldwide [through SembraMedia.org] urges small businesses and publishers alike to embrace human-scale trust and resist the idea of trying to scale relationships. These engagements need to be cultivated one at a time—through newsletters, events, and listening. This is especially vital in today’s AI-disrupted landscape.

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The best channels for building relationships

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Small businesses and media organizations: same problem

Jim's call to action? Own your audience. Avoid the intermediaries. Email newsletters, as an example, go straight to the reader’s inbox with your name on it. That’s trust you control. He encourages publishers to invest in newsletters, video, events, and even retail products as part of diversified, trust-based revenue models.

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Empower People, Build Transparency, Earn Trust

Jim’s legacy is as much about leadership as it is about content. He encourages leaders to focus the majority of energy developing people. His advice is to build a culture where your employees can make decisions without you. His three superpowers—developer, relationships, ethics—have shaped every phase of his career.

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Coach your people to become leaders

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Transparency: A tool for building trust

In a time of platform fragility and algorithm fatigue, Jim offers a grounded alternative: trust, empowerment, and thoughtful reinvention. His message to publishers is to be transparent about your mistakes, your finances, your people. He believes wholeheartedly that social capital is your greatest asset.

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I’m grateful to Johnny for this interview. One side benefit was several of my brothers and sisters said something like, “I never really understood what you do, but now I do.” — JB.

And if you liked it, leave a comment. I love hearing from readers.