What changes when a journalist stops simply reporting the news—and starts getting paid to have an opinion about it?

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy sits down with Dave Lee, Bloomberg Opinion's US technology columnist, to talk about his journey from the BBC in London to Silicon Valley, the Financial Times, and now Bloomberg in New York—and what he's learned from more than a decade covering the technology industry.

Dave explains what makes opinion journalism different, why he now spends more than half his day reading, and why startups may actually have more opportunity to catch his attention in the AI era than they think. They also dig into the differences between British and American tech and journalism, the rise of independent media, how PR teams can work effectively with columnists, and why good data still matters.

Plus, Dave shares how he's thinking about AI in journalism, why the US-China relationship could become the defining question of the AI era, and the role he thinks the UK could play in what comes next.

00:00 – Meet Dave Lee, Bloomberg Opinion's US technology columnist 01:00 – From the BBC in London to Silicon Valley, the FT and Bloomberg 05:15 – Reporter vs columnist: what changes when you're paid to have a take? 07:00 – Why “your output can never be greater than your input” 09:15 – How Dave decides when to react quickly—and when to let a story breathe 11:10 – How the relationship between PRs and journalists changes when you're a columnist 13:15 – The risk—and reward—of pitching an opinion writer 15:20 – Can startups and scaleups realistically get Bloomberg's attention? 17:15 – Why being small and experimental can actually be an advantage in the AI era 18:00 – UK vs US tech: capital, ambition and why Silicon Valley still has the edge 21:00 – Has the UK failed to capitalise on its technology successes? 23:00 – British vs American journalists—and the difference in newsroom culture 26:00 – The rise of independent journalism and the economics behind it 29:00 – What Dave reads to keep up with AI and technology 30:30 – Becoming an “AI-enhanced journalist” 31:20 – Quick fire: press releases, data vs narrative and what actually makes a good pitch 33:30 – Why the best startup pitch might come directly from the founder 35:00 – Email, DM or Signal? And exclusive vs embargo 36:00 – Why US-China could be the defining technology question of the AI era 37:00 – Where does Europe fit—and could the UK carve out a unique role in AI?

A Brief Coffee With… is the podcast from CEW Communications, where Cathy White sits down with journalists and creators for honest, unfiltered conversations about the stories behind the stories.

If you're looking for communications support—from PR and media relations to content, social and thought leadership—get in touch with CEW Communications.

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy White sits down with Dominic-Madori Davis, Senior Venture Capital and Startup Reporter at TechCrunch, to explore what one of the world's most influential technology publications is really looking for today.

From the future of TechCrunch's European coverage to the cultural differences between founders in the US and the UK, Dominic shares why storytelling is shaped as much by sociology as by startups.

If you've ever wondered what catches a TechCrunch reporter's attention—or why some startup stories resonate more than others—this episode is packed with practical insights for founders and communications professionals alike.

00:00 – Meet Dominic-Madori Davis, Senior Venture Capital & Startup Reporter at TechCrunch

01:40 – Dominic's journey from Business Insider to TechCrunch

02:40 – Is TechCrunch still covering European startups after its restructuring?

04:15 – The biggest cultural differences between US and UK founders

06:00 – Risk, ambition, failure and the British startup mindset

09:30 – Why Dominic became fascinated by Europe's startup ecosystem

13:10 – The startup stories that are really catching her attention right now

14:15 – Beyond AI: biotech, healthtech and the science of creating entirely new smells

16:40 – How TechCrunch journalists are actually using AI day-to-day

19:30 – AI as a research partner, brainstorming tool and search engine

20:50 – Quick fire: pitches, press releases, narratives and founder interviews

21:00 – Why your first message should be a DM, not an email

22:00 – Press releases still matter

22:30 – Data vs narrative—and why the best stories need both

23:15 – The one thing PR professionals should stop doing: cold calling Gen Z journalists

24:00 – How to connect with Dominic and the TechCrunch team

In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy is joined by Ana Metz, Founder and Editor of Future Travel, to explore how a niche travel tech newsletter has grown into one of the industry's leading media brands—and why community has become just as important as journalism.

From launching Future Travel during the pandemic to building the annual Future Travel Summit in Barcelona, Ana shares what she's seeing across travel technology, the biggest opportunities emerging around AI, and why founders need to think beyond product announcements if they want to earn attention.

The conversation also explores how specialist publications work, what makes a story stand out, the importance of understanding a publication's editorial rhythm, and why building genuine relationships is far more valuable than chasing coverage.

00:00 – Meet Ana Metz, Founder and Editor of Future Travel

01:00 – From EU-Startups to launching Future Travel during the pandemic

03:00 – What Future Travel covers and why travel tech deserves its own publication

04:00 – Inside the Future Travel Summit and bringing the industry together

05:30 – The biggest trends shaping travel technology today

06:00 – AI in travel: balancing automation with human experiences

08:30 – How the Future Travel newsletter is curated each week

09:50 – Using reader questions to demystify AI through industry experts

11:00 – How PR professionals can work with Future Travel

11:45 – Inbox zero, email pitches and managing a growing publication

12:30 – Quick fire: founder interviews, embargoes and pitching preferences

13:20 – Why understanding a publication's editorial calendar matters

16:00 – What PR professionals should do more of—not less

17:00 – Why travel tech founders need to professionalize their communications

18:30 – The AI travel startup story that's exciting Ana most

19:40 – How to get in touch with Ana and the Future Travel team

If you're looking for support with your communications, from PR and media relations to content strategy and thought leadership, get in touch with CEW Communications at cewcomms.com.