Hosted by Jennifer Vickery
Watch full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxhYliruq2s&t=19s
📄 Episode Summary
Mark Gordon is the Managing Editor of the Business Observer, where he oversees business reporting across Florida’s Gulf Coast and brings a thoughtful, relationship-driven approach to storytelling. But outside the newsroom, Mark is a devoted husband and dad, Jeopardy enthusiast, beach explorer, lifelong New York Mets fan, and a man with a legendary guilty pleasure—dipping chocolate straight into the peanut butter jar.
In this episode, Mark shares the surprising twists in his career (including a stint as a juvenile probation officer), why watching Jeopardy with his son is more about connection than competition, and how COVID weekends sparked a family mission to visit every local beach. He also opens up about joining the board of the Florida Holocaust Museum, his love for true crime novels, and the lessons he’s learned about kindness—both on and off the page.
🎯 3 Takeaways
(13:20) Guilty pleasures can be small, simple moments that bring joy.
(31:45) Leading with kindness changes how stories are told—and received.
(56:10) Family traditions, even small ones, create lifelong memories.
⏱️ Timestamps
(00:00) Meet Mark Gordon – Business Observer Managing Editor
(03:15) From PR pitches to newsroom friendship
(07:40) The art (and strategy) of chocolate + peanut butter
(13:20) Why guilty pleasures matter
(16:00) Evening rituals: Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, and family connection
(21:45) Lessons from a teenager’s kindness and lack of judgment
(26:15) Weekend decompression: walking trails, bridges, and brunch
(31:45) From journalism to juvenile probation—and back again
(42:10) Finding the “good human” thread in parenting and reporting
(46:30) True crime novels, mafia books, and Michael Connelly fandom
(52:00) How Mark met his wife (and the AOL dial-up dating days)
(56:10) Beach-hopping during COVID and essential worker resilience
(1:06:20) Joining the board of the Florida Holocaust Museum
(1:13:50) Why the New York Mets bring both joy and heartbreak
(1:17:30) Final reflections on kindness, community, and connection
