By Haldana Juhl
Everyone is born with some kind of passion, but not everyone chooses to pursue it. They may believe that it is too far out of reach, they may struggle to find opportunities, or they simply may not have the drive. However, for journalist Dom Smith, these reasons are nothing in comparison to the hardships he was dealt in life, yet he has managed to build a wildly successful career by doing whatever it takes, founding various platforms, and creating an already outstanding legacy within the creative industries.
Despite the incredible difficulties which Cerebral Palsy brings with it, Dom didn’t allow it stand in the way of chasing his destined career path as not just a journalist… but something much bigger. You would think that being the editor of Soundsphere, Wrestlesphere, and Screensphere keeps him busy enough, yet Dom is also a qualified counsellor, a touring drummer, founded the charity Wobbling About and Rocking About, and overall is a genuine inspiration. Recently, he graciously visited the University of Chester, offering various insights and anecdotes surrounding his career and fascinating journey.
It certainly wasn’t easy for Dom in the beginning, as he shared: “I was always told that certain career paths weren’t going to be for me, working in the creative industries, because of the physical reasons.” Yet after years of hard work, Smith possesses an impressive portfolio, so thank god he dismissed being told no, and kept pushing on. Another reason as to why personally I found Dom so compelling was his spirited attitude, and lack of modesty. Seeing him beam with pride as he stated: “I’m just very proud of proving a bunch of people wrong,” was refreshing, as he doesn’t shy away from what he has achieved… but instead celebrates it. Therefore, it’s no wonder that the Independent on Sunday named him as one of the 100 happiest people in the country. His infectiously positive outlook on life truly highlights the importance of not just being a talented writer, but also a good person in the industry, and it’s clear to see that Dom has mastered both.
Opening up about how his disability has impacted his life, Dom bravely detailed: “I’ve kind of been fighting my whole life to succeed. I wasn’t supposed to be walking, everyone told me I wasn’t going to be working in journalism, and being in a band was just not possible for me.” Thankfully, Dom was able to defy these odds through his dedication, as he also shared: “Now I have the knowledge and confidence to say… f*** you guys.”
Due to his Cerebral Palsy, he has put a lot of time and efforts towards his charity work, and in general is always willing to take the time to help others. In terms of journalism, Dom is keen to give students opportunities through offering placements where, in particular, Soundsphere has become a place for student journalists to share their work. On this, Dom shared: “The reason why Soundsphere exists is because of our relationship with universities like Chester… What I want do is take my experience that was afforded to me and put students smack down in the middle of the industry. We chuck everybody straight in.” With Dom being so generous and appreciative of fresh writing talents, he is actively making the industry a much more colourful realm, adding to his journalistic achievements, as well as my admiration for him, and his kindness.
While I may sound like a major fan girl right now, it’s hard not to be as Dom continues to discuss the personal highlights of his career. For Dom, his greatest achievement is: “being presented with the National Diversity Award, just because I built this in my bedroom, and then it went to a nationally stocked print magazine, and now it helps people from around the world to create job opportunities for themselves… It’s a physical manifestation of how hard I worked.” Dom is well and truly deserving of these garlands as his work and rock & roll spirit has geographically transported him from his hometown in Yorkshire… all the way to Boston, USA.
In fact, it was Smith’s time in America which ignited yet another spark in his career. From working for the prestigious MIT, Dom spoke of his observations during his time there, stating: “I saw myself and the people that I was around in America, these entrepreneurs who had worked their whole life, got loads of money, but they didn’t have their girlfriends. They always once had a girl, boyfriend, or partner where they’d say… I wish I’d spent more time with them.” Following from this experience, this expanded Dom’s already multifaceted career as he is now also a qualified counsellor, holistically supporting clients within the music industry, as well as those with disabilities.
As a music journalism student, I found Dom’s visit profound, as it really had an impact on how I viewed the industry. You often envision editors as these big scary men in suits who don’t want to give young journalists the experience, or time of day. But Dom couldn’t have been any more different from my preconceptions. Giving us two hours of his time was kind enough, but the words which he spoke, and the journey he described will stay with me for a lifetime.
My personal favourite piece of advice he gave was when he stated the simple but effective mantra: “Don’t be a dick.” I believe that is something that everyone needs to hear, no matter what career you dream of.
