In this episode, we speak with James Spiro, a journalist and editor who spent years inside Israel’s tech ecosystem, including as a senior journalist and editor at CTech by Calcalist, where he wrote roughly 1,800 stories and conducted around 350 video interviews.
In recent years, James moved beyond legacy media and built The Spiro Circle – an independent publication and podcast focused on long-form, trust-based conversations, often collaborating with Forbes Israel.
This conversation is about independence, credibility, and what it takes to build real media value in a noisy ecosystem.
What We Dig Into
The Courage to “Jump Off the Cliff”
James speaks openly about how scary it is to go independent.
“It’s scary… you jump off the cliff, and then you see what happens.”
What made it possible:
“Comfort is really appealing and actually quite dangerous.”
Parenthood as a Confidence Engine
James explains that learning how to be a parent reminded him what daily growth feels like.
“For the first time in a long time, I was learning every day.”
He ties that experience to confidence in other areas.
“Slowly, Slowly, Slowly – Then All at Once”
James describes how big changes often land.
“Some things… happen slowly and then all at once.”
It is not a single leap.
It is an accumulation of readiness.
The Biggest Opportunity in Media Right Now
James names a very specific shift.
The new PR and media skill is not the sound bite.
It is long-form presence.
“The emphasis is not to build a sound bite response for television, but it’s to hone the skills to sit down and talk for 40 minutes, 50 minutes for a podcast like this.”
He extends it beyond business:
“We’re not going back… the public expects… to sit down and talk.”
Truth, Reputation, and the New Risks
The conversation goes deep into the modern trust crisis.
Key ideas discussed:
James frames reputation as the long-term defense.
“I’m not entitled to an audience. I have to work for my audience.”
Where Media Is Evolving
James believes media will become:
“Individuals will be breaking stories… and traditional media outlets won’t be gatekeepers.”
Childhood Pattern – Curiosity, People, and Stories
James reflects on a childhood memory:
Driving to craft fairs outside London, meeting different people, learning stories behind what they make, traveling and learning outside classrooms
He connects it to his lifelong pull toward people and exploration.
He also adds an important counterpoint:
As he gets older, he is valuing being anchored and building a home, while keeping exploration alive through work.
Follow the Fun (But Not Naively)
James describes a principle he grew up with: chase what is fun.
Not as constant pleasure.
But as a compass.
He shares:
He references MrBeast’s idea:
“The first 100 videos… were going to be bad.”
But improvement compounds when you enjoy the work.
He rejects the cynical advice to abandon passion for practicality.
“I think that’s really sad.”
Why This Episode Matters
This episode is a reality check for anyone building a voice, a platform, or a career path that relies on trust.
It explores:
You’ll Walk Away With
Measured, thoughtful, and highly relevant to anyone building in public.
Enjoy your listen.
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