Wirecutter

About

Wirecutter helps people buy things for the way they live. It’s a list of recommendations for the best things, supported by an affiliate revenue model that relies on reader trust. If an audience likes the work, they can click an affiliate link to support Wirecutter.

My roles

I began as a launch writer for The Sweethome, the home vertical for Wirecutter, and soon became Executive Editor of the home section, taking a leading role in creating a new kind of commerce media that supported itself through affiliate revenue. I worked with staff to establish testing protocols, satellite offices in Los Angeles and New York, and built a team of 20 full-time writers and editors, all while managing during the acquisition of Wirecutter by the New York Times. Later, I took the role of Acting Editor-in-chief for Wirecutter, managing an editorial team and budget for 70+ writers and editors. I also worked as a Special Projects Editor, writing, editing, and placing stories with the New York Times homepage.

Trust is everything in the recommendation world, so a separation between editorial and business was crucial.