Inspiring Conversations with Gabrielle Reed of Gabrielle Reed Media Group

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle Reed. 

Hi Gabrielle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
It really started for me back in elementary school. I was always good at writing and public speaking. I was the girl who wrote for the high school newspaper and was the editor. But it took me forever to realize that media was my calling. Like, I had to change my major a few times! [Laughs]. 

I was already writing for Huffington Post as a contributor. During the last week of high school, I found Arianna Huffington’s email address on the Internet after hours of searching. I cold-emailed her and sent her a writing sample. It was one of my editorial pieces on body shaming. She emailed me and gave me a contributor platform. This was back in 2015. That jumpstarted my media career. 

I first went to U of M-Dearborn in 2015 to study business for a whole academic school year. I hated it. I made C’s and D’s in all my classes. I came home embarrassed. I was 18 and felt like a failure. Very dramatic, I know! I was working at the local Dressbarn and Macy’s, having my former classmates’ parents ask me what I was doing and not really having an answer. I would pray and read self-help books all day. 

Then, eventually, I enrolled at Lansing Community College for a semester in 2017. Somewhere around that time, I participated in the Miss Black USA pageant in Washington, DC. Seeing so many successful, college-educated Black women inspired me and reignited my passion for learning. So, I applied to Eastern Michigan University. The advisor told me I should go to school for communication. I got in, and they accepted my previous credits. The rest is history. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
So many struggles! Yet, I embrace them all. I think the hardest part of my journey had to be in 2020. Like many people, I graduated undergrad in the midst of the pandemic. I felt alone. 

A lot of people don’t know this, but I had interned at CBS Detroit in the summer of 2019 and was offered to come back as a Digital Producer after I graduated. I remember calling the creative services manager in 2020 asking about the job and him informing me that CBS had gone into a hiring freeze. To be honest, that was difficult to bounce back from. I cried like a baby. I mean, Detroit is a top market. 

My other option before the pandemic was to start my career in New York City. I had some connections there. I worked a second job to save money. I always wanted to work in media and entertainment in the Big Apple. However, with the pandemic happening and New York being a high-risk area for COVID-19, I thought it best to stay in Lansing. 

Now mind you, staying in Lansing was not what I wanted. It’s small-town living. I love my city, but I wanted the bright lights and the big city. 

I moved back home during my senior year and ended up working in local news, which was the best thing I ever did. I met so many amazing people and refined my skills. I was then able to hustle my way into freelancing for NBC News shortly after leaving local news. That led to me working as a radio reporter at WQHH and falling in love with radio. Now, I’m working in another capacity but still in the media and communications field. 

We’ve been impressed with Gabrielle Reed Media Group, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am Gabrielle Reed, the CEO of Gabrielle Reed Media Group. Some people call me Gabby. I am a writer, public speaker, and communications consultant. My business specializes in the following: resume writing, cover letter writing, public speaking, interview prep, personal statement revisions, website copy, LinkedIn profile revamp, and other freelance writing needs. 

One of my clients received a new job within two weeks. Another client left the local news industry and was able to get a new job as an editor in three months. Those are not rare cases. 

I have used my pageantry background, my journalism background, and my educational experiences to teach people what I know. I have seen people go from overlooked to booked. I have helped people express themselves better on paper so they can get into those major rooms. 

I started my business the day after I gave my resignation notice at my local news employer. I knew that eventually, I wanted to freelance and have creative control over my projects. While working as a digital contributor at NBC News, I had to set up a vendor agreement. Then, I started writing resumes and cover letters for friends who then recommended me to others. It made sense to legalize everything. I even trademarked my brand name. 

Before I knew it, I had a business that was up and running. From hiring podcast editors for my podcast Good Gabs with Gabby Reed to working with contractors and sending invoices, it’s a 24/7 job. I love the hustle though! 

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I have learned to accept what God allows. I am currently getting my master’s in communication at Michigan State. I teach college classes. I am learning every day. I work. I run a business that is slowly but surely growing. I still have a personal life to tend to. I’m a multi-faceted young woman, and it can be overwhelming sometimes. 

The only thing I can do is rely on God and His promises. When I feel like I can’t go through another week, I find strength in my faith. So, resilience is key! 

I’ve also learned that everything happens for a reason. Maybe my plans were to live in Brooklyn right after college. But that obviously wasn’t God’s plan. I follow His plans and abandon my own because He is the author of my story. It’s a story that is being written right now. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gabriellereed.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thegrmediagroup?igshid=NDRkN2NkYzU=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069786777129

Image Credits
Q11 Photography