A Sports Writer’s Transition to the Game of Technology

Rich Miller, founder of the leading digital infrastructure publications Data Center Knowledge and Data Center Frontier, shares his unique career journey in a recent episode of the Nomad Futurist Podcast with co-hosts Nabeel Mahmood and Phillip Koblence. His journalistic focus evolved over the decades of his career, highlighting the importance of adapting readily to new circumstances and following one’s passions.

Miller got his journalism start in high school, where he started writing about sports for the school newspaper. This early experience led him to pursue journalism at Rutgers University, where he honed his skills at the student newspaper, The Daily Targum:

"Covering sports on deadline ... was one of the best training exercises you could have for a career in journalism. You really learned everything that you need to know to succeed."

After years of covering sports, Miller decided to pursue a change of pace, making a strategic shift to business journalism. In a surprising turn of events, his first day coincided with a significant event in financial history:

"My first day on the business desk was October 19th, 1987, which was the day that the DOW fell 22%. So I got to jump right into a major story happening in my first day on business."

Feeling pulled to a new direction after spending some time in the business world, Miller found himself drawn to technology reporting as the internet began to emerge as a transformative force. His years in the journalism industry allowed him to see the internet's potential as a publishing medium early on:

"The first time I logged onto America Online, it was a revelation. It was like, oh, this isn't just about reading stuff. This is a publishing medium that immediately took all of the cost out of the equation."

His fascination with technology already budding, Miller's entry into the world of data centers came through a chance encounter when he was told to walk through a data center. After being introduced to the concept of carrier hotels and data centers, he had a pivotal experience:

"You walk into the data center and this entire world reveals itself ... I'm just looking everywhere at this world and it made that connection, the light bulb went off over my head."

This experience led Miller to recognize the growing importance of data center infrastructure in the digital age, igniting a new passion and setting the stage for his future career focus. His journey from sports writing to technology journalism is a testament to how being versatile and eager to explore new areas of interest can create opportunity.

To learn more about Rich Miller, connect with him on LinkedIn.