I was talking to my buddy, Mark, who runs a tiny coffee shop downtown. He kept moaning about how business was slow, and folks weren’t noticing his new latte art. He said, “Man, I wish someone like the New York Times would cover us.” That got me thinking—why can’t a small biz like his hire the big-shot NYT? It sounds so easy, right?
First off, I started digging around online to see how other businesses pull this off. I hopped on my computer and typed into search bars like crazy: “How to hire NYT writers,” “Small business hiring NYT,” and stuff like that. Most results were messy, just ads for pricey PR agencies or forums full of people saying it’s impossible unless you’re loaded. I shot an email to a few agencies, but they replied with fancy quotes for thousands of bucks. Yeah, right, like Mark has that kind of cash just lying around.
Next step, I decided to try going direct. I found a contact form on the NYT website—y’know, the generic “tips” section. I filled it out all excited, describing Mark’s shop as “the coolest hidden gem.” Hit submit, and waited. For like a week, nothing. Then, boom, a robotic email bounced back saying they get too many pitches and might reach out if interested. Talk about a letdown. I didn’t stop there, though. I called a local NYT bureau number I found, but it just went to voicemail. Left a message that probably got ignored. After a while, I realized how hopeless this was.
So, I shifted gears. Instead of pushing for the NYT, I helped Mark hire a cheaper option. We found a local blogger who writes about food spots. Sent a simple email, offered free coffee for a visit, and boom—she came over, took pics, and posted a nice little piece online. Sales actually picked up a bit. It wasn’t the big win we dreamed of, but it got the job done without draining his savings.
Looking back, this whole thing was such a waste of time. It reminded me of when I tried to grow my own blog years ago. I spent months cold-emailing big influencers, thinking they’d share my stuff for free. Nope, crickets. Then I got smarter—started chatting with real people in forums, built friendships, and the traffic slowly climbed. That’s what counts, not chasing some high-end dream. If Mark ever mentions NYT again, I’ll just say, “Save your cash, buddy. Focus on what works.”
