Media Monday – Hayley Ringle

Each Monday, we are posting a blog to help our readers get to know the media just a little bit better.
With a TWIST!
No, we aren’t posting story pitch tips or media lists, but instead great stories from the media themselves about their lives, their work and other little known facts! Think of it as your first “networking” opportunity of the week!
Today’s #MediaMonday comes to us from Hayley Ringle, technology and entrepreneur reporter from the Phoenix Business Journal.
So, Hayley, time to share!
What do you want to tell the blogosphere about yourself today?

Hello everyone. I cover technology and entrepreneurs (mainly tech startups) at the Phoenix Business Journal. I started at the PBJ in January, and love it!
I grew up in west Phoenix and graduated from Trevor Browne High School and Arizona State University.
I have always had a love for writing and have been writing for newspapers since the sixth grade. Thanks Mr. Bowers at Peralta Elementary School!
I’ve covered everything from music, nightlife and Wallace and Ladmo for the State Press Magazine, to Sun City politics and Peoria city and school news for the Daily News-Sun and Northwest Valley News.
I also spent many years covering education, mainly the Higley and Gilbert school districts, for the East Valley Tribune and the Arizona Republic. Remember that school bus fight in Higley where the driver and a student got into it over a cell phone? I wrote about it. When Pres. Obama came to a Mesa high school and I sat in a class of conservative students, I wrote about it. When 400 Gilbert teachers were told they might not have a job the next school year because of the recession, I wrote about it.
Now, you may know my work at the PBJ covering Amy’s Baking Company, Grumpy Cat, Johnny Cupcakes and GoDaddy, and the myriad of accelerators, incubators and co-working spaces and cool tech companies in the Phoenix area.
When I’m not working, I’m at Crescent Ballroom dancing and listening to live music, visiting the Phoenix Art Museum where I’m a member, watching a film at Harkins Theaters or FilmBar (I love horror, indie and foreign flicks the best) and going out to eat at our many awesome restaurants. I also wake up bright and early to do boot camp three times a week and play on a co-ed soccer team.
I’m obsessed with buying new music, yes CD’s, cassettes and vinyl. I need to hold the actual product, look at the pictures and read the lyrics. Stinkweeds is my favorite record shop! I also love shopping, especially the designer collections at Target.
I live with my longtime boyfriend in the Arcadia/Biltmore area.
Now that you know more about me, here’s the stories I’m looking for.
I am always looking for Phoenix-based technology businesses with new product launches, expansions, new hires at the top level, hiring opportunities and other news to share. We don’t typically write company profiles, but do include background info on the company when sharing news.
PBJ has two new features that started with our redesign: The Pitch and Entrepreneur. The Pitch is for up-and-coming companies, with an established product, who are seeking money. Once we identify companies that would be good for The Pitch, we’ll send out questions they need to answer for the piece, and set up a photo if a good submitted photo isn’t available. Entrepreneur is a fun story about an up-and-coming business. We’re always looking for good Phoenix-based entrepreneurs we can write about. And again we’ll set up a photo or use a good high-resolution submitted photo.
I’m also always looking for free or inexpensive public events geared towards the tech and entrepreneur crowd. That info is always good for my weekly Reporter Page.
Email is best at hringle@bizjournals.com, although if I haven’t responded, and it’s a really good local tech story, call me at 602-308-6514. Make emails short and sweet, but include necessary info. To the point is best.
Follow me on Twitter, @PhxBizHayley, or on Facebook.