September 6, 2024

What was the most useful thing in general someone taught you, that you’re still getting mileage out of?

Jammer, WEZB: “Play The Hits” and “Know Your Market.”

 

 

R Dub!, Z90/Magic 92.5: In fourth grade – class guest speaker: “If you can DREAM it, you can DO it.” Those words stuck with me, and they are true!

Java Joel, WHBC: Less is more, and you get judged on what you play, not what you don’t play.

Mike O’Donnell, WKRZ: Always work on being a better listener. Listen first, talk second.

Brian Mack, iHeartMedia: More recently as I get time with people who have less of it…brevity.  Linda Byrd would often shut me down in meetings because I’m longwinded (thx Dad). Now I try to make my points as clear and concise without the added narrative.  Lainie Fertick has furthered this by encouraging me to read the book Smart Brevity. Shocking it would take a radio guy this long to read it!

Jonathan Shuford, WRVW: I had a boss that told me that you are judged much more on the way you handle adversity than on how you create success. I use that one a lot.

Chase Daniels, WQAL: Don’t fall in love with call letters, fall in love with the business.

Matt Johnson, WPLW: Play the hits and play them often!

Rick Vaughn, KENZ: Left-loosey, righty-tighty! I still use that.

Rich Davis, KDWB: I immediately flashback to Steve Rivers in a conference room back in the day and him saying…Just play the hits man! That was his mantra.

Otis Maher, WWPW: Life’s not about how many promotions or how much money you make, it’s about the people you help and the legacy you leave behind that people will never stop talking about.

Jon Zellner, iHeartMedia: Make a prioritized list every day of what needs to be accomplished and start checking them off early.

Adam Rivers, WKCI / WKSS: The vision of working hard to get to the next level.

 

Buster, WIOQ: “Don’t lose the license, make us #1, and don’t mess with the money!” – Dom Theodore.

Brian Check, iHeartMedia: Years ago, my sales manager, Marianne Zaren at WCAU-FM, taught me the importance of work-life balance before that phrase ever existed.

Tommy Chuck, WFLZ: “Complain to someone who can help. Don’t bitch to people who can’t,” Marc Chase.

 

Danny Ocean, WSBG: Always listen and be open to learning new things.

Toby Knapp, WASH: “Button one, button two, make sure there’s no silence in between,” Kid Kelly. “Don’t tuck her in,” Jeff Kapugi. “There are three ways to shut people up. 1) win. 2) win big. 3) don’t do some dumb stuff so that’s all they talk about.” Thea Mitchem. Some comments edited for content which might get me fined.

Erik Bradley, B96: Way too many incredible pieces of advice over the years, but one of the standouts – from the incredible Keith Naftaly, then at 106 KMEL in SF — “the minute you think you’re somebody is when you become a nobody”.  He told me that back in the early 90’s and it’s stuck with me ever since.

Drew Heyman, WHYI: I always remember Alex Tear telling me if you work hard, you’ll get there. And, telling the right person where you want to be.