Explanation for Leaving Bloomberg

In the world of digital journalism, stories of unexpected transitions are not uncommon. One such tale belongs to the creator of a popular newsletter, who made a significant leap from their corporate writing job at Bloomberg Opinion to becoming a full-time Substack writer.

The newsletter, which started modestly with just 70 paid subscribers in its first week, saw a dramatic growth trajectory. The creator, however, did not rush to leave their job at Bloomberg Opinion. Instead, they continued to work there while nurturing their side project.

The turning point came in late 2021, when the creator faced health issues in the form of chronic vestibular migraines. These health issues made extended computer work challenging, leading the creator to prioritise their hobby over their job. Consequently, they decided to leave Bloomberg Opinion to focus on their newsletter full-time.

While the health issues and increased bureaucracy at Bloomberg Opinion were mundane reasons for leaving, the real catalyst was an incident involving the Chinese Communist Party. The details of this incident, however, have remained undisclosed.

In May of 2021, the creator was involved in a dispute between Bloomberg and the Communist Party of China, an incident that is not considered particularly unusual in the given context. The author involved in this dispute was Malcolm Moore.

The increased bureaucracy at Bloomberg Opinion, making it harder for the creator to maintain their normal level of output, had already made the job less appealing. This bureaucracy required more layers of approval for pitches, slowing down the creative process.

Meanwhile, other journalists were making headlines for their unconventional moves. Matt Yglesias, for instance, made a big splash when he left his mainstream publication to become a Substack writer and garnered many subscriptions immediately. Yglesias had also spoken about feeling suppressed at Vox when he left.

The creator of the newsletter, too, has a compelling story to share about their decision to leave Bloomberg. They kept the reason under wraps for years but are now comfortable sharing it. The journey from Bloomberg to Substack is indeed an interesting one, filled with challenges and opportunities.