Andrew Don

Career 1990 to present:
Andrew Don trading as editorial director of Don’s Hard News, a multi-disciplined media service with the emphasis on news, business, features, analysis, online news digests and leader writing. My work has appeared extensively in the national dailies, business-to-business press and corporate publications. I have been both generalist and specialist over the years, comfortably changing from one to the other.

From January 2015 to present time
Freelance managing editor of Peach Report

From November 2007 to October 2010:
Andrew Don, trading as Don’s Hard News was contracted to be:
•Editor of SalonFocus:
I launched the magazine for the National Hairdressers’ Federation (NHF’s) with Eileen Lawson, incoming secretary general. The brief was to devise a hard-nosed bimonthly business magazine that did not shy from in-depth news investigations and exclusives. The magazine has evolved from being a good first effort at launch to a groundbreaking best in class magazine that is highly regarded among the readership.

My responsibilities included sourcing, writing, editing contributors’ copy, commissioning, image sourcing, issue planning, proofing, strategising. The editorship of the magazine was central to the NHF’s PR strategy and there were synergies with the job of editor of its magazine so I was put on a monthly retainer to write press releases, something I had consciously shied from previously but which made sense in this instance. During my time contracted to the NHF I have also:
• Created the organisation’s media database
• Written Strategy for the 21st Century, a strategy document that transformed the NHF, bringing it kicking and screaming into the modern world
• Produced the editorial for the NHF’s annual report and accounts to the members and the annual report to the National Executive Council
• Provided the text for the organisation’s online shop and provided news updates online
• Wrote speeches for the NHF president and coached him in delivery
• Wrote and proofed other corporate literature, liaising with designers
• Personal adviser on media and strategy matters to the secretary general
• Spearheaded the organisation’s CuttheVAT campaign, a long-term lobbying effort to get the rate of VAT for hairdressing services reduced to 5% as permitted under EU law.

From 1996 to June 2014
Andrew Don trading as Don’s Hard News was contracted to supply daily news digests for Estates Gazette Interactive, an award-winning web portal for the commercial property sector. I meticulously go through all the print versions of the national newspapers and summarise every article of relevance to subscribers. The longevity of this contract is testimony to the quality of what I produce. I have produced similar services to this over the years in other sectors, sub-contracting other freelance journalists. These have included Farmers’ Weekly Interactive, Chemical News and Intelligence and William Reed’s online services for the hospitality sector.

From 1990 to present time:
Trading as Andrew Don, editorial director of Don’s Hard News, I have produced news articles and features for national newspapers and magazines, the business press and internet sites on a wide range of subjects. I have specialised, but not exclusively, in legislation, property, the food industry, health, drinks, retailing, hair & beauty, small business, security, hospitality and leisure industry, child psychology, parenting, education & training, personal finance and insurance. I have held consultant editorships and have had regular columns including syndicated legal copy and I have been hired to write leaders. My business has been profiled in Press Gazette. I have written industry manuals and documents on food hygiene and safety. I am author of Security in the Salon, Fathers feel too and contributed to Creating New Families, Therapeutic Approaches to Fostering, Adoption And Kinship Care. I made a video with Tavistock Clinic for the Department of Health on the subject of adoption. Responsible for business budgets, strategy, marketing and all the responsibilities that come with running a small business.

1986-1990:
Super Marketing - Deputy features editor, deputy news editor, news editor, assistant editor, deputy editor. As news editor I was responsible for co-ordinating and editing the weekly news pages and for training and developing journalists. As assistant and deputy editor I ran the magazine in the editor’s absence, liaising with the publisher, freelances, printers and staff. During this period Super Marketing was known as a must-read by the food industry and the City because of the exclusivity of our news coverage. I led a study tour of store managers to Germany and helped the editor with study tours to the US and Canada. My time on this magazine involved frequent contact with captains of industry.

1986:
Middlesex County Press - feature writer across the whole group of newspapers writing restaurant reviews and features.

1985-1986:
Drinks Marketing magazine - Features editor of a three-man monthly title. Involved in everything from feature writing through to preparation for printers.

1984-1985
Fleet Street News Agency - trainee reporter/copy reader. In my first six months I covered a siege at a chemist’s which made the front page of the London Evening Standard.

Published for more than 25 years in:
The Independent on Sunday, Mail on Sunday, Financial Times, The Sunday Telegraph, The European (Elan), Graduate Scientist and Engineer, Educational Courses In America and Britain, American in Britain, Super Marketing, Baking Update, British Baker, Frozen and Chilled Foods, Food F.I.P.P, Morning Advertiser, Manchester Evening News, The Publican, Asian Business (contributing business editor), Today, Tax Free Marketing, Beauty Counter, Marketing, Restaurant Magazine, Financial Director, Good Food Retailing, CTN, London Evening Standard, Catering, Professional Wholesaler (business news editor), Retail World (Consultant Editor), Independent Retail News, Motor Trade Executive, UK Editor Food & Drink Daily, Super Market News (USA), Caterer & Hotel Keeper, The Sun, The Daily Express, The Daily Mirror, Electrical Times, Retail Newsagent, Hairdressers Journal, The Fitness Business, Mondial Food and Drink Index, Estates Gazette Interactive, case studies for British Telecommunications, in-house work for Price Costco Europe, Club Mirror, Financial Times Food Business, Chemical News & Intelligence, Farmers Weekly Interactive, Off-licence News, Independent Travel News, The Sunday Times, Convenience Store, Multiple Buyer and Retailer, Salon Business, The Grocer, Magazine Week, Press Gazette, Home & Family, editorial work for the Pet Care Trust and the Hair and Beauty Industry Authority, just-food.com, Retail Week, Eurofood, Forecourt Retailer, Trucking International, The Guardian, The Observer, The Independent, Retail Jeweller, Checkout, Total Business, World Finance, Estates Review, HomeLife, Salon Daily, corporate hotel and gardening centre magazines produced by Dexterous Media...and much, much more.

Also published under the pseudonym of Jason Andrews in The Independent and The Guardian.

Further Information
Interests: Parrots, wildlife, countryside, 78 records. I have taken various courses to further my journalism and management skills. I am married with two daughters, a dog and a parrot. For more general information go to:
http://dwpubjournalert.com/2009/10/08/freelance-journalist-focus-andrew-don/