Thoughts about Joe Burke's guest lecture

Joe Burke’s guest lecture last week was an important one. As a senior, I’ve taken most of the journalism classes offered here at UNH and I have never learned about the financial/business plan side of the operation. I know that what he introduced us to were just the basics, but I found myself lost still. I never realized how important it is for journalism students to be introduced these concepts before graduating. Though I may never start my own business, at least now I have an appreciation for the work that goes on behind the scenes. The lecture and examples helped to clarify the readings done beforehand, but towards the end of class, all the terms and Excel charts started to blend together. The major lesson I learned is that business is its own animal and it takes a trained specialist to properly get the job done. I have a definite appreciation for the thought, balance, and knowledge that goes into making financial decisions for any entrepreneurial endeavor. It’s a lot of pressure. If the numbers are off somehow and the company is left with less money than they originally thought, the end result is inevitable. The magazine, or company, cannot go on. It's as simple as that. One question that I had was what exactly Joe Burke’s daily jobs consist of. Is he solely in charge of Points East’s finances, or is he a journalist as well? Either way, his hands seem full and I remain thoroughly impressed.