The Power of Networks: Alex's JRN Journey

As a successful racing career - both in the boat and on the towpath - drew to a close, Alexandra McMullen focussed her rowing energies elsewhere, joining the JRN team in 2021. Throughout her tenure, Alex has witnessed first-hand our rapid growth, holding several key strategic roles throughout.

Today, having previously managed our content creation relationship with British Rowing , Alex is our Head of The Catch, overseeing content creation from her team of editors and writers.

Away from JRN, Alex works as a senior private equity associate at GLG 格理集团 , operating both in English and French to service clients based in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Ed Evans sat down with Alex to discuss her JRN journey, approach to management, and the symbioses between her roles with JRN and GLG.

Ed: Hey Alex, thanks for finding time to sit down! You've been part of the JRN team for several years; what first prompted you to apply?

Alex:?In the 2020/21 season, I was back at my home club, Durham ARC, coaching the junior squad alongside studying for my Master's at King's College London remotely. Knowing that I'd be moving to London for work and no longer rowing or coaching, I applied to JRN as a means to continue creative writing and to keep in touch with the sport that I grew up absolutely loving. JRN is the perfect platform to do just that. Through my writing, editing, and now content-management roles at JRN, I have unlocked a completely new and fascinating side to the sport that I would never have had exposure to otherwise, all while working with some fantastic people along the way.?

Ed: You work day-to-day in private equity market research; despite a busy schedule, what motivated you to continue with JRN?

Alex:?Even when things are busy at work and in life, I am more than happy to dedicate time to JRN. My motivation is intrinsic and comes quite easily, which boils down to JRN being a genuinely fantastic organisation to be involved in. From a work perspective, I am able to apply all my learnings from JRN to my full-time profession, which in turn motivates me to be a better leader and teammate. On a personal note, the team is truly incredible, so much so that work doesn't really feel like work at JRN. When I need an extra boost of motivation, though, the fact that the leadership team are all extremely busy people with other full-time pursuits also helps!

Ed: The Opinions Team is a collection of some of rowing's most head-strong commentators; how do you support their desire to break the biggest stories?

Alex:?One of the core values of the Opinions Team that we have put forward this year is that everyone can - and should - have a voice. We have our largest Opinions Team to date, consisting of generalist writers and columnists exploring specific niches, so ideas come thick and fast. When a writer comes to me with an idea that might ruffle a few feathers, disrupt tradition, or completely counter an existing narrative in rowing, I champion that. In the brainstorming phase, our group meetings or 1-1 conversations are valuable forums for idea generation. In the writing phase, myself and sub-editors Becca and Rosie Oates are always available to support writers in moulding their ideas into specific narratives. Finally, in the editing and publication phase, Becca and Rosie do a fantastic job of fine-tuning and formatting pieces into the journalistic style they represent. In all this, my overarching aim is to boost the writers' confidence to push the envelope as much as possible with their articles.?

Ed: JRN is on a fascinating trajectory; what excites you most about being on the leadership team this year?

Alex:?First and foremost, the opportunities. Whether that's taking the Opinions team to new heights with the themes we tackle in our articles or exploring new avenues of content production and partnerships as part of JRN's broader expansion plan, the scope for us to take our output to new heights really is endless. We have our biggest team to date, with over 100 writers across three continents, and we're already well on our way to achieving another record-breaking year. Our mission remains to become the go-to platform for rowing coverage worldwide. I can't wait to see how it unfolds.??

Ed: We've already touched on your day job, but could you expand on what skills you've developed that support you both at JRN and GLG?

Alex:?The two primary skills are communication and leadership. On communication, my full-time role is very people-focused; I am speaking to C-level industry executives and global private equity funds on a daily basis, so clear communication is critical. On leadership, managing upwards of 20 writers and two editors at JRN has allowed me to flex my people-management muscles, which I hope to bring into my full-time role in the near future. JRN plays a crucial role in my development of both of those skills. On the flip side, anything I exercise in my full-time role - such as project management and strategic planning - I can directly apply to my position at JRN. The two roles work exceptionally well in tandem, and the development I've had in my full-time role since I started working at JRN is massive.