To help our readers get to know the people that power our newsroom, we host live Twitter conversations called #TheInsideStory on our @InsiderInc account with reporters and editors from our Business, Life, and News sections.

We recently caught up with Bartie Scott, Senior Editor, Economy, to get the latest on what her and her team are covering, understand the passion that fuels their work, and hear insights on the state of the economy Be sure to follow Bartie on Twitter @bartielouscott and check out her page on Insider.

We’re so excited to be speaking with you today, @bartielouscott. There’s a lot to discuss given the state of the economy, but before we dive in, can you tell us more about your role at @thisisinsider? #TheInsideStory

I'm excited to be here! I run a team of 7 fantastic reporters @arsheffey, @julianamkaplan, @BenWinck, @LloydAlcynna, @jasonlall9, our fellow, @jacobzinkula, and my other half, quantitative editor, @AndyKiersz who write about how the economy affects our readers’ lives every day.

You can follow everything we do here.

We focus on what people are talking to their friends and family about related to the economy. So, some of our main areas of coverage are student loans, the housing market, the job market, taxes, and the possibility of a recession and what that will look like for our lives.

Here are some good recent examples. One by @arsheffey and another by @jacobzinkula.

Thanks for kicking us off with a great introduction to you, your team, and the work you're focused on! Can you share more about what a “normal” day looks like for you as Senior Editor?

Oh boy, one can only hope for 'normal,' but the abnormal days (like when Biden announced student debt repayment pause extensions) are also fun!

I start by reading to see what people are talking about. Economists and politicians, but also questions or complaints people have about the economy on Twitter, Reddit, or TikTok. I spend the first hour+ chatting about that with reporters, Andy, and my stellar boss @JoeCiolli.

After we nail down everyone's working on that day, I usually have edits to finish on a story or three. I also try to pack in meetings between roughly 11 and 2 because that’s when reporters tend to be heads-down on stories and it's ok if I'm a little less available to them.

In early afteroon, I try to step away from the computer, walk around outside. This is my "ideas time" to think about the main themes and stories we're tackling. It really helps with creativity/big-picture ideas and was a great rec from one of our executive editors @joseerose616.

The rest of the day is usually spent on edits and reading longer stories or research that I didn’t have time for in the morning.

At the end of the day, tho I'm a big fan of logging off and setting work-life boundaries, my personal interests overlap a lot with what I do for a living, so I usually listen to econ/policy/culture podcasts while I take a walk or cook dinner which leads to free-form brainstorms.

Great to learn more about your routines as well as your tips and tricks. Where does your passion for exploring how the economy impacts our lives stem from?

I grew up in the South, and there’s a huge feeling there (+other regions of the US) that our economy doesn’t work for working people and/or people who don’t live in big metro hubs or have an Ivy League education. And especially for people who aren't white, straight, or wealthy.

That feeling definitely affects people's political ideology. we want to know why that is, what the best solutions are, and who is going to improve this for people. I’m obsessed with analyzing policy's power, people’s attitudes, and using data to explain all of that.

But when it comes to studying economics, teachers were everything! I hardly knew what it was when I took econ 101 w/Ken Baker @UTKnoxville. I also had a fantastic calculus prof who gave me confidence to go into a math-related field.

My profs in advanced econ classes showed me how this isn't just a Wall Street degree, it's a social science, too. (In fact, my team doesn’t even cover investing or the stock market.) I think it's so important for people to know and care about how the economy works.

Thanks for sharing! Now that we understand your background and passion to focus on the human element of the economy a bit better, how do you and your team choose which topics to cover given the economic turbulence?

We really focus on what the audience wants to know. It means we think a lot about the concerns of our own friends and families and people we meet out in the world. I can’t tell you how many times a conversation at a party or the grocery store has informed a story for my team.

Of course, we all have our own ideas about what the audience SHOULD cares about, but sometimes they don’t! And that’s a challenge for us to dig deeper and figure out what it really is about the topic or event that will MAKE them care.

Another thing we look at is what politicians and big business figures are saying because they clearly have a platform, their message is getting out to a lot of people, and it’s our job as journalists to check their claims against the data and real people’s experiences.

For example, @jasonlall9 on what @garyvee says about 'quiet quitting' and how it should be the least of businesses' worries.

**Gen Z's 6-figure side hustles should scare companies more than quiet quitting, Gary Vaynerchuk says: 'There's so many goddamn options for these kids to make money on the internet'**

And this is just one installment in our coverage the debate over whether or not student debt forgiveness harms the economy by @julianamkaplan and John Dorman from @PoliticsInsider.

Makes perfect sense! You and the team do a great job breaking down these complex topics and messages. Focusing on the bigger picture, which trends are you following?

Student debt forgiveness is huge! The application just opened and more than 8 million people have applied so far. @arsheffey is our star reporter on this beat and she doggedly covers everything people need to know. I highly recommend following her work.

The housing market is of course on a lot of people’s minds. Prices are finally dropping in some places, but mortgage rates are rising. @LloydAlcynna follows all of that and explains what it means for people who are buying, want to buy, or already own a home.

It’s also just a big political issue in cities across the US that are suffering from a lack of housing for working people.

Have you heard of inflation or a coming recession… @BenWinck follows the good, the bad, and the ugly there.

@julianamkaplan is all over labor market and worker trends. She’s the queen of finding people to tell their personal stories about how work affects their lives.

**How to 'act your wage,' according to 2 millennials who did it: 'If a company is paying you, let's say minimum wage, you're gonna put in minimum effort'**

Like most of what we cover, labor is political! @julianamkaplan talks with fellow Bostonian @SecMartyWalsh every month about employment trends.

@mhofftweets is our croissant-loving data guru -- you'll notice her byline on a lot of stories that require explaining or visualizing numbers. She's also passionate about people's experiences with money and work.

It's really important for us to examine the inequality our economy contributes to. @jasonlall9 has a sharp eye for that, as well as stories of people finding loopholes to make the system work for them.

Finally, @jacobzinkula has really leaned in to finding real people who exemplify ways to work within the system to get the life you want

The conversation about the economy changes rapidly. Where do you and your team go to find the latest and most accurate information?

My mind is naturally inclined toward what people are saying and feeling about the economy, so i like to talk to people about any statements a big politician or economist has said recently and that's usually through news sites, social media, and podcasts.

@AndyKiersz is our data master. he leads @BenWinck, @mhofftweets, @julianamkaplan in following data releases from banks, the US govt, and think tanks. he's really able to make the call on if the collection and analysis is legit or not. We like to call that Activated Andy <3

Here's an example, in addition to some I’ve already threaded… this, too.

Do you call on your experiences and things like your sourcing skills when you teach journalism at @nyuniversity? Do you have any go-to pieces of advice that you share with your students?

Oh absolutely! i assisted @Penenberg a few years ago when he first launched a fully online masters program at @nyu_journalism (@nyu_ajo), and it really solidified my ideas of how journalism should be taught.

First, the fully online aspect is a huge equity issue in journalism. i would never have gotten where i am without moving to NYC and paying to live there + paying for grad school tuition. plus, it accommodates people who are working full-time, have families, whatever!

And when we thought about who'd teach and what, I had a LOT of opinions about what journalists need to really learn in the classroom to prepare them to work in the industry. as an editor at Insider by day, I am very familiar with what i need my reporters to know.

Pitching was a huge one for me. that's why i teach a class about how to pitch editors as a freelancer. you'll never get to the work or reporting and writing if you can't sell your story.

It's been an absolute pleasure chatting and learning more about you, your work, and your passions! Before you go, can you tell us what's your favorite part about working at @thisisinsider?

At Insider, I got to make a pivot to what I always wanted to cover. I started my career on small business and entrepreneurship, but when the econ team formed just over a year ago @_bmturner_, @JoeCiolli, @joseerose616. @Nicklich were so supportive in letting me follow my passion.

And in general, i have to say the people. who you work with is huge. i always say I can't believe i get paid to talk to smart people about interesting ideas all day! that's my favorite thing to do.

Bartie, thank you again for joining today’s #TwitterChat and giving us the opportunity to get to learn more about you. Be sure to follow Bartie on Twitter @bartielouscott and check out her page on Insider.

"I’m obsessed with analyzing policy's power, people’s attitudes, and using data to explain all of that." Twitter Q&A with Senior Editor, Economy, Bartie Scott