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By Annmarie Ely

Since his time as a journalism student, Bob Violino has been interested in the rapid evolution of technology and its impact on business. Today, he’s both a freelance business and technology journalist, and the author of a new book, “Life Lessons,” which chronicles his own story and the lessons he’s learned from overcoming his own life challenges.

Over the course of his career, Bob’s freelance writing clients have included some of the biggest and most well-known technology companies, such as Microsoft, IBM, and PwC, as well as news organizations like CNBC, Forbes, Fortune, Tech Target, Business Insider, and more.

We recently chatted with Bob to get his insights on journalism, as well as a look at his new book. Here are the technology trends he’s following, an overview of his new book, and some of the favorite stories he has covered!

Tell me a little about yourself and your career journey in journalism. What made you want to get into the field?

I’ve always enjoyed writing, and like many journalism majors from the late 1970s, I was inspired by the investigative reporting done by The Washington Post. Getting hired by city newspapers proved difficult, and I took a job working for a magazine that covered what was then considered “state of the art” office tech: computer-output microfilm and word processors. Soon after, the PC and many other IT innovations were introduced, and everything changed. I had the good fortune to be covering a fast-growing market at the dawn of the information age. I’ve been covering tech and business ever since.

Tell me about your book. What’s one thing you hope readers learn or take away from reading your new book?

My book, Life Lessons, is an inspirational memoir that conveys many of the lessons I’ve learned in my life, in many cases through adversity such as life-threatening health scares. In contrast to the writing I’ve been doing throughout my career, this is my own story. It’s filled with heartfelt anecdotes as well as verified research aimed at bringing my lessons to life for readers. My hope is that it’s helpful for anyone looking for guidance and hope, and that it serves as a useful motivational tool for organizations. I’m thrilled at the response I have received from readers so far.

What issues or trends are you following that you’re interested in covering?

Of course, everything related to AI is hot right now, and a lot of it is fascinating to watch. That includes the ongoing maturation of generative AI to go beyond chatbots into performing more independent tasks, and the rise of agentic AI systems that can act autonomously to accomplish tasks. Otherwise stories on cloud-related topics and cybersecurity always seem to be in demand.

What is the best way for tech PR people to work with you? What types of pitches are useful for your work?

I still prefer email as the best way to get hold of me for pitches. I’m most interested in pitches that include customer contacts, rather than just product or services information and sources. I’m far more likely to be intrigued by a good user story.

What do you look for when determining a topic for a story?

I typically write about topics that my editors would like me to cover at any given time, but I also try to find new and interesting ways organizations and individuals can use technology tools. I read a lot to see what the latest trends are and I research how organizations can be more efficient and make life easier for their customers.

What have been some of your favorite stories you’ve worked on?

There have been so many that I’ve enjoyed. One that comes to mind is when I worked at InformationWeek years ago. I wrote a comprehensive article evaluating all of the major IT research firms. It was fun to work on because we were effectively “analyzing the analysts,” and so many organizations rely heavily on those firms for success with technology. I also always enjoy writing articles about people and how technology has had an impact on their lives.

To learn more about Bob’s book and get your copy, please visit: https://inspirations-blog.com/life-lessons/