THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS: Kathryn Brown

Ingrid Kennedy
Sunday 28 March 1999 00:02 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Kathryn Brown is the editor of Red magazine, launched a year ago and already one of the leading women's glossies. She has previously been deputy editor at Elle, and the launch editor of Sugar.

I always wanted to be a journalist, but at school the careers officer tried to deter me by saying it was too hard and handed me application forms for M&S and the army. Luckily my dad gave me plenty of encouragement and I decided to write to all the magazines for advice.

Eventually Cosmopolitan wrote and advised me to take English A-level and then apply to study journalism at the London College of Fashion. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't got that letter, as I was very green at the time.

After college I got a job in PR, which was good experience but not at all what I wanted to do. My best friend had been appointed as editorial assistant on the newly launched Just Seventeen and I was dead jealous. I hung around with all the Just Seventeen crowd and was desperate to leave PR and write features. I just bombarded the editor with pieces until finally he accepted one and let me write a couple of film reviews.

I must have been very brave at that stage, because that was all the encouragement I needed to go freelance. I did two days a week in PR to cover the rent, and just kept writing, doing all the things no one else wanted to do.

People say I'm the least ambitious successful person they know. But I am determined and level-headed. It's fear that keeps me going. When I was launching Sugar, I couldn't contemplate it failing. I hoped we'd sell 100,000 copies, but in the end we sold 500,000. Both Sugar and Red are successful because they are in tune with their audience.

I believe I'm quite good at motivating people, which is essential for an editor. It's all about choosing the right team and recognising the talent in others. I have been lucky in being in the right place at the right time, but in journalism nothing is handed to you on a plate. You have to be prepared to do anything, never give up and eventually it will happen. I have never let other people put me off.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in