Today we’d like to introduce you to Brook Smith.
Brook, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Corona and raised in a large family. My mom raised all five of us on her own by working nights and weekends. When I finished up high school, I had every intention of becoming a teacher, but things change. I caught on with a company in Corona that I quickly moved through and earned my degree by taking night classes. Working full time helped me to pay for tuition and books without any loans luckily. It took much longer than I had hoped, but the degree, in the end, was worth it all.
I started writing about sports and baseball in my spare time and on my own personal blog. I put in applications to media outlets all over, hoping one would recognize my passion for LA sports. Eventually, I came into contact with Gary Lee, the Founder & Creator of DodgersNation.com. He was impressed my portfolio and hired me on as the Senior Editor of the writing team covering the Dodgers.
Since then, I’ve gotten so many opportunities to learn and grow within the sports world. It seems like every day, I get the chance to experience something I could never have dreamed of just a few years ago.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s been pretty bumpy. I got into a lot of trouble when I was in high school. Between sports and school, I often found myself caught in places and situations no one wants their kid to be in. But I made it through and got into the colleges I wanted to.
I ended up going to Cal State Fullerton and I really had a tough time at first. The workload was slowly sucking the life out of me and for a while I thought I might not see it though. Especially with working full-time and doing full-time school.
After graduation, it was hard to get anyone to pay attention to my work. It seemed like no matter how many applications I had sent in, I couldn’t even get a callback. When Gary came calling, I was pretty down on myself. It seemed like I was never going to get a job in the sports world. Luckily, life had different plans for me. Persistence and determination are key.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
DodgersNation.com is a Los Angeles based company that specializes in sports coverage, specifically Dodgers’ baseball. My role there is as Senior Editor. I head up the writing team and ensure that our content is clear and up to date with trending topics.
What I love most about Dodgers Nation is that it is not just sports reporting outlet. DN acts as a voice of the community and it’s a place where people can go to be heard within the community. You can find what restaurants people are talking about, areas of town people are visiting and just what’s on everyone’s mind. The website has somehow managed to make Los Angeles fans feel like family. Something we all need.
What were you like growing up?
I was definitely the quiet observer. I was almost like a very old man. I was grumpy, I didn’t really talk and I wouldn’t do anything goofy or fun because I never wanted to embarrass myself. I don’t know how I had friends haha!
But loved sports more than anything on earth. Baseball was year-round for me and I played for as long as I possibly could.
Contact Info:
- Website: DodgersNation.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialdodgersnation/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dodgersnation/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DodgersNation
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