Meet Vicky Collins | Television Producer and Journalist

When I began my career in television news there was a typical trajectory. Most moved from smaller to larger markets until arriving where their talents would take them. I had my sight set on producing for the networks, but life took me from local news at KRON in San Francisco to St. Louis for my husband’s job. Instead of going from a top five market to a smaller one, I decided to go out on my own and started my own company called, Teletrends. That was in 1994. Although an entrepreneurial life can be feast or famine, I have found it rewarding. I have produced network news, long form stories, hour long television programs, videos for non-profits advancing humanitarian work, Olympics and more. I have also been able to write and publish. Freelancing has allowed me to travel around the world. In 2021 I got serious about a hyperlocal journalism site I publish for Denver called Bucket List Community Café. It allows me to give back to my community and mentor college students who come to intern with us. I stood on many shoulders to get where I am and now it’s time for me to be the shoulders for other young journalists. Entrepreneurship allows me to do storytelling that interests me, and also allows me to run and grow my own businesses. I wear all the hats so I’m seldom bored.

We are so divided and often stuck in this country. It may seem a bit Pollyannaish, but I went into journalism to make a difference. I strongly believe we build community by telling our stories. I am fortunate to be able to do this on a national level and a community level with Bucket List Community Cafe. If you’re wondering why it has that name (most everyone does) it’s because having a cafe/art gallery/book store was on my bucket list. I liked the aspirational name and the idea of creating a community gathering place where people could come for information, inspiration, and interaction. Our storytelling is character driven. I want people to know the other’s struggles, their accomplishments, their resilience. I am still in touch with people I’ve covered, especially mothers of children lost in mass shootings like Aurora and the Pulse Nightclub. These women have had an incredible impact on me. I am honored to be trusted to share their pain and perseverance. My mission is to bring more understanding and empathy to communities. I am grateful to be part of an ecosystem that is passionate and professionally persistent.

Risk is necessary for growth. Failing is also necessary for growth. I’ve jumped and fallen. I’ve also taken leaps that have taken me to amazing places. My thinking about risk has evolved. I don’t worry as much about what others think.  I’ve learned to put things in perspective and fight back when things go wrong or I perceive unfair treatment. Despite my mistakes and there have been some doozies, I am still in the game. Learning to take risks has made me more fearless. I’ve survived. Risk changes your course, often in the direction you were meant to go.

In 2016, my husband died suddenly while he was out of the country working, and my children lost their dad. My oldest son, who was with him at the time, had just finished college. They had played golf that afternoon and sent a photo and text to me saying “best day ever.” My younger son was in his first semester of college and was alone at the University of Colorado while I rushed to the Bahamas. It was very sudden and traumatizing for both of my boys in different ways. I hope I showed them how to put one foot in front of the other, to keep moving forward and be patient with yourself when you are overcome with feelings. I hope I taught them gratitude for all the people who cared for us so that when others suffer, they can be the light that shines in their lives. Most importantly, I hope I taught them that life can turn on a dime and to make sure you appreciate all the blessings you have.

I try to be nice and empathetic. I lean in with compassion. I realize it is a privilege to be able to share someone’s story. I take this responsibility very seriously and want people to come away from the experience feeling like they were respected and treated fairly. With Bucket List Community Café we have a friendly, positive tone. That doesn’t mean we don’t cover the news and issues, but we try not to be divisive, and give people in the community an opportunity to tell their own stories. Quite frankly, I think every city could use a Bucket List Community Café. We are inclusive, we are non-judgmental, we work hard to make this journalism that the community inspires and supports.

There is a difference between giving up and changing course. I tell my students to never give up. It has been a mantra for me throughout my career. I’ve survived in a competitive industry because I don’t quit. But I also believe you need to listen to the universe and be open to going in different directions. At the time it may feel like a defeat but in hindsight it is usually for the best. I also believe to bring new things into your life you need clear out the clutter. I compare it to cleaning out your closet before buying new clothes. You need to make room for the new.

I don’t think mothers ever get it totally right. We just do the best we can. My view of balance has shifted over the years. When I was early in my career, I was very driven, and it was all work. When I got married it was still mostly work as my husband and I went about building our careers in extremely competitive industries. I wanted it all but at the same time I resented when I had to pass up on opportunities because I had other obligations. It was very conflicting. I missed events in my kids lives and there were times when my children were upset and couldn’t understand why mom was unavailable.

The biggest test of balance in my career was when I left home, and my two children, for six weeks to three months to help cover six Olympics. This was hard on my children, but it was an opportunity that I could not pass up. I had the village. I had the supportive husband who encouraged me, but I know there were times I let my children down. Freelancing gives me much more flexibility but sometimes I was needed and I wasn’t there. My older son was angry with me about this but now that he is grown and traveling himself, I think he is more understanding of the choices I made in those days. I feel the balance I have at this point, doing my network work and my community journalism, with travel and leisure and family is a good balance now. It only took me 40 years to figure it out.

I’ve heard people describe the period prior to Covid as “the before times.” I felt a shift during the pandemic. Being isolated and having my world contract gave me a perspective I hadn’t had before. I realized how much I missed seeing my adult children during the early days when they worried about bringing the virus home. The things that make me happy are much more basic now. My children, my partner, my family and friends, my dog, making memories. Stuff doesn’t matter much anymore. Just experiences. My own journey with loss and uncertainty, drove home the point that life can change in an instant. It has helped me try to stay in the moment and realize my relationships are precious above all else. Being in this place of gratitude helps me stay positive and compassionate towards others.

After college I was on my way to Los Angeles to get into movie production but got seduced by San Francisco. My first media job was in radio and shortly after I moved into television. I bounced from small to large markets as a news and programming producer then became an entrepreneur when I moved to St. Louis. I love news, long format storytelling, feature stories and video production for non-profits advancing humanitarian work around the world. In the past few years I have ventured into online journalism and publishing. I am particularly interested in social justice and stories about how people face adversity and overcome challenges.

For a number of years I produced for a non-profit called BeadforLife which helped raise women from poverty in Uganda. Seeing how women in Africa pushed through their pain with strength, resilience and joy profoundly changed my view of the world. I believe my experiences with disasters and suffering have made me more compassionate as a storyteller. I think I do a good job getting people to trust me with their stories and I take tremendous care to make them glad they did.

Publishing Bucket List Community Cafe has been extremely challenging. To manage the content and the team, come up with innovative ways to do journalism and social media, as well as handle the fundraising and community engagement has me firing on all cylinders. My goal is to create journalism that is inspired and supported by the community and to build community by telling our stories. We want to reflect the diversity of our community and be inclusive of all the voices of our neighbors. As far as new things, I learn every day about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur and work to mentor aspiring journalists with a boot camp as they head out into the real world from college.

Doing this work for 30 years has taught me some profound lessons. Be tenacious. Don’t quit. If you are passionate about your idea you can make it happen. Be patient. Be grateful and pay it forward. Be fearless. Don’t be afraid to approach successful people and ask for their support. Care about the people around you and most importantly hold those you love close.

I live in Denver. When I was a student at the University of Colorado in Boulder I thought Denver was a cowtown and couldn’t wait to head to California. Over the years, Denver has changed dramatically and there are so many things to do. Sporting events, concerts, theaters, art festivals, farmers markets, you name it. My favorite time of year is summer when the activities never stop. I like to take friends to Boulder for the day and Red Rocks for a concert.

Tennyson Street in the Northwest part of the city has lots of restaurants, bars and shops. It is fun to walk the whole stretch between 38th and 44th. There are good craft brews on the street. The surrounding neighborhoods are a nice mix of old and new. Dogs are everywhere. There are also a couple of lovely urban parks and lakes. Sloan’s Lake and Berkeley Lake have nice walking paths. We have some great cultural neighborhoods like Five Points and RINO.

I like restaurants with a nice patio. American Elm and Bacon Social House have good food and drink and are great places to sit outside on a warm evening. I like Tenn Street Coffee and Books. It is a cafe, art gallery and used book store/lending library. The staff is friendly and they give dogs treats. I like Mimosas in Five Points and Ace Eat Serve in Uptown. Linger in an old mortuary in Highland, is full of interesting food, then top it off with a trip to Little Man for ice cream.

If friends came for a week I would definitely take them to the mountains. There are great day (or more) trips to Rocky Mountain National Park and Breckenridge. If you go as far as Vail there is a lovely drive to Piney Lake. My favorite mountain town is Crested Butte and you can drive from there to Aspen. Summer is such a beautiful time to be in the mountains, especially if you time it for the wildflowers.

Kevin McCullough for teaching a production assistant to be a writer.
Larry Hatteberg for teaching me to lead with video and sound.

Kerry Sanders, Torkin Wakefield, and Jennifer London for working alongside me to tell my most memorable and compelling stories and, of course, Darrell Ewalt for pushing me to always be better.