I’m Cameron Lee Cowan; I’m originally from Denver via Northwest Arkansas. I started writing in 2005 writing essays and short stories. I have a vintage flair in much of my work. All the twists and turns on my journey through music, fashion, theater and writing have provided the background for my writing. I’ve seen exciting people and interesting things, and I do my best to find ways to tell those everyday stories and try to leave my readers with something profound. Whether I’m writing about the world around us at The Cameron Journal or creating a novel, I try to make an observation and leave the reader to decide for themselves how they think or feel about it.
Cameron Lee Cowan, Creative Director
Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life so we can get to know you better.
Hi there, I’m Cameron Lee Cowan. I’m from Northwest Arkansas and grew up in Denver, Colorado. These questions are always tricky because I don’t have a family travel and move too much for pets. I’m a writer, and I’ve spent most of my life in the arts. I started as an actor and gigging musician. I’ve worked in publishing, making the world a prettier and more exciting place for most of my life. I’m a bit of a workaholic.
Can you provide some background on how and why you started Cameron Journal?
In 2014, I started The Cameron Cowan Show, where I made short videos and wrote some stuff on a blog. I left that behind after a couple of years, and sort of left the business. I had a few unfinished books, and I struggled to get any traction going. I returned to the business in 2019 (Not great timing!) and started The Cameron Journal to explore culture and life, offering research and insights. I’ve always been the news junkie for the person who isn’t a news junkie. I’m like a guy at the bar who is competent and tells you stuff without making it complicated.
Who is your target audience, and how do you ensure your content meets their needs?
The Cameron Journal doesn’t always have a target audience. Some parts do. I’ve recently started doing a lot of business content for business readers, which has been an excellent business for us. I’ve also started to work with authors, and we have many of them on the podcast, which leads to all sorts of interesting conversations. The Cameron Journal is a journey and an exploration that attracts all sorts. My political coverage is outside the usual narratives, but I also talk about travel and general interest. I talk a lot about books and literature as well. People come in for different things and sometimes stay for the rest. This used to be very common in publications.
Are there any interactive features or forums where users can connect and share their thoughts?
The best way to interact is on social media! I’m also launching a private discord for CJ+ subscribers.
What strategies do you employ to ensure the sustainability of Cameron Journal?
Being a digital-first publication, we don’t have the environmental concerns of other businesses. However, I am happy to say that the server where the publication lives is partly powered by renewable power through our hosting service.
How do you envision the growth and evolution of Cameron Journal in the coming years?
I would just like more people to read, watch, and listen to my conversations with people and the topics we explore together. We have seen tremendous growth in YouTube in the past year and at CameronJournal.com, and we hope it continues to delight our readers.
Can you share a notable success or achievement related to your website or business?
The podcast was recently rated No. 51 most popular news and current events by one of the big podcast aggregators, which was exciting.
Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far.
The success of, and ongoing success of, Denver Fashion Week. I brought that into the world when everyone said it couldn’t be done, and the fact that it has gone, grown, and been made better with 303 magazine warms my heart.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why?
I would change the relationship between publishers and social media. We provide the vast majority of their content, which they have never paid for; they charge to reach the whole audience and have killed advertising. Google and Facebook have a duopoly of advertising that has cut the rest of us out of the equation. That simply has to change.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.
There are probably too many to count. We often don’t know that a moment is pivotal until we get a much longer view of its authentic influence.
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Photo credit:
Jennifer Thomas
