Bulldog 100 interview: Matthew Allen

We are honoring our Grady College alumni included in the 2019 Bulldog 100.

Bulldog 100 celebrates the 100 fastest growing businesses owned or operated by UGA alumni.

We interviewed honorees about their experience, advice and expertise for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Matthew Allen (ABJ ’04) is sales manager for Starnes Media.

How would you advise current Grady students pursuing a degree in your field?
MA: Don’t be afraid of the word “sales.” Take the knowledge of advertising and public relations that you learn at Grady and utilize it in a sales career, and your earning potential will be tremendous.

What on-campus activities do you recommend current students join? 
MA: Join an organization that gives you the best opportunity to network with people face-to-face, and learn how to master that kind of communication. It’s something that will help you almost as much as the technical know-how you’ll learn at Grady.

How has your field changed since you were a Grady student?
MA: I’ve spent my career in advertising sales for print media; it’s changed perhaps more than most forms of media since I graduated in 2004. Traditional print journalism isn’t dead, but it’s evolved greatly. My company is hyperlocal in nature and serves very specific audiences in ways that larger, more traditional companies simply can’t. We have bucked the trend with a newspaper company that has grown year after year.

How has your affiliation with Grady helped you after graduation? 
MA: Grady is easily recognized as one of the very best journalism schools in the country. My degree has opened doors and jumpstarted conversations just because of the stellar reputation Grady has.

Bulldog 100 honorees will be celebrated with a ceremony in Atlanta on Jan. 27.

See our other Bulldog 100 profiles with Marc Gorlin and Harold Hayes Jr.