Reading leads to Articulation: Build your Confidence in Communicating with Others

I want you to consider what is called deep practice. In deep practice, you push your skill level to another dimension. One of my articles earlier last month was titled Talking Is a Complex Skill. In my later years of development and trying to become a better communicator, I have gone back to reading as an important part of my day. I think you should read as much as you can and develop a practice of reading and writing for 1 to 2 hours a day. Pick out books that stimulate insight into what you’re trying to accomplish. Reading gives perspective, helps you concentrate, and expands your vocabulary and thought process. If you discipline yourself to sit and read every day, it will translate into your on-air performance by improving your ability to quickly recall words. This is the big difference between people who don’t read and people who do. People who read are able to recall words very quickly. In conversation, you’ve seen people who never seem to run out of things to say. They put sentences together that make sense and sound intelligent. Reading translates to articulation—the ability to express your ideas clearly. So, start reading to gain knowledge and to organize your thoughts. When you speak, you’ll be able to speak passionately because your brain has been trained to recall words. When coupled with writing, this habit will help you develop your own voice. You’ll find yourself repeating some of the words you wrote down that day when you speak to others. These words become a part of your talking points, and you’ll feel confident when you speak because you know exactly what you are saying. Another thing I want you to consider is practicing your craft by yourself—whether in your car, in your room, or wherever you feel comfortable. Practice doing breaks and entertaining yourself. The more confident you are in the way you speak, the more empowered you’ll feel on the air. Confidence makes a big difference in your on-air performance. I want you to dedicate 2025 to developing a deep practice skill. Sit down, practice your craft, and refine how you deliver your content. Aim to stand out, delivering your message unlike any other personality in the world.

You got to know what you are good at

Here are some questions I want you to consider as we move into 2025, as this is a time of reflection and new beginnings. What are you deeply passionate about? What can you be the best at in the world? You must begin to understand what you actually can be the best at. You need to know what that is. Write about it. What are your unique strengths. What sets you apart? Create your competitve advantage in your field. Write about it think about, go deeper everyday into what that looks like. You've got to be smart enough to know what you is possible for your life.

Here is an interview about Wendy Williams career from 2005 from New York Metro magazine

"The Real You on the Radio and on Your Podcast"

Here are some Tips.....

1. On your daily quest to becoming a world-class radio/podcast performer: - A. Drop the fake front. It is more painful to be fake than real. The constant pressure of putting on a front is exhausting. Sometimes it takes a lifetime to be yourself. Study yourself and believe that you have what it takes to be yourself in all circumstances. - B. Just own everything that you are. Be willing to be rejected. - C. Be willing to take a hit for being yourself. People can smell insincerity. - D. You were not meant to get along with everyone. It is impossible, so stop trying. - E. The day you are liked by everyone is the day you are the most fake person alive. - F. When you speak, don't sacrifice clarity. - G. You are the mouthpiece of your beliefs. Be a good spokesperson for yourself. - H. Learn how to command the pause. In other words, be comfortable making your statement and then let there be a pause of silence. After you have clearly stated what you want to say, allow space for the conversation to settle. - I. Eliminate filler words. Avoid using empty words. Just imagine if each word you used cost $100—how much of it would you waste on empty, useless jargon? Make sure your words have weight. Erase Um, Ahh you know, like um, you know what I'm saying from your vocabulary. It show that you are insecure and have to use a filler word in place of pausing and silence. Pro's pause, Amatuers say umm, and ahh and like. Stop using filler words it is unattractive. - J. In conclusion, being a person who talks for a living must master the art of communication. And I implore you to practice, practice, practice, and practice every chance you get. There is no subsitute for being aware of what is coming out of your mouth. Be intentional when you speak. Mean what you say, and speak it with world class clarity!

If You Want To Be A World Class Radio Performer Read This!

You can’t control time; you can only control how you use it. When you don’t use it wisely, you are intentionally interfering with your own success. You aren’t allowing yourself enough time to do your best work. The 3am Rule is a time management hack: remove obstacles to getting your work done by waking up at 3am and begin to get your work done. People are drawn to the 3am Rule because they want to fix their time management issues. Stop cramming your work together and causing unnecessary anxiety. Use the 3am Rule to create your unfair advantage in the business world. This is a power play in your life if you can discipline yourself to wake up and begin working at this sacred hour of the morning.It will make a big difference in your personal development.

Read This Classic Article from 1994 on Show Preparation

I was reading through my diary from October 1994 about show preparation. It is a classic article about preparing for your show on a daily basis, It has been a blue print for me on how I have prepared for my show for decades. I hope you get some takeaways from this article.

Talking for a Living is a Complex Skill

What is the most difficult thing about speaking? It’s the ability to recall meaningful words in a timely and confident manner—to select words from your vocabulary, from deep thoughts, words with weight that help people understand how you think and offer a perspective that may or may not resonate with them. That is the complexity of communication. Your brain is a great computer, full of experiences and a deep, untapped reservoir of powerful words and emotions. But how can we tap into this reservoir of words—words we might rarely use yet to articulate our ideas powerfully to others? I believe there are exercises that can train the brain to recall words more effectively. There is no replacement for reading and writing if you want to be a well-spoken person. With dedication, you can become one of the most interesting people in your circle, someone worth listening to, if you take the time to develop your ability to speak well. Articulating your ideas well is a complex skill, one that should be honed and crafted, not taken for granted. It’s about finding the right words at the right time to express the essence of the moment unfolding before you. Many people don’t take this skill seriously. Some simply open their mouths and say whatever comes to mind, and often, the result is confusing, off-target, or ineffective. But what we want is to hit the target with our words 10

0% of the time, avoiding the need to backtrack and explain ourselves. We should aim to articulate ideas with simplicity yet with elegance, poise, confidence, and intrigue, leaving others wanting to hear more. When we speak and engage others, activating their minds and stimulating thought, we create an exchange of energy. Our words can turn listeners on with excitement and invite them to think deeply. In doing so, we give them permission to express themselves at a high level. High-level conversation—the highest form of spiritual electricity—is truth. The question becomes: how elegantly, beautifully, and lovingly can you speak the truth to others?

Crossing The Bridge from Amateur to Professional

Here are some notes about your career path that I want you to consider. Think about the fire inside you for whatever it is you truly want to pursue and how that relates to the expression of your unique gift. You have to focus on something that genuinely excites you. What do you want to look back on when you reflect on your life? Can you see what is possible for your life, doing something you were born to do, whether or not you get paid for it? Monetizing your passion can be challenging, as there's often a "difficulty factor" attached to your gift. If this is what you truly want to do for life, you must accept that there will be challenges tied to achieving your ideal life. Anyone living life on their own terms has accepted this reality. I'll say it again: anyone living life on their terms has accepted this reality. You should adopt the mindset, "Either I live, or I die pursuing what my heart longs for." Set aside large, uninterrupted blocks of time to focus—one, two, sometimes even three hours of alone time per day. Your best ideas will come from being in a quiet, still place. When it comes to the rules of success, there are many. But if you think the law of discipline doesn't apply to you, you're setting yourself up for trouble. Stop putting things off; right now is all you have. The next moment, you could be gone. It’s arrogant to assume you’ll be alive tomorrow—you have no control over that reality. Adopt the mindset of *do it now, do it now, do it now. Don’t wait for tomorrow; you don’t know if you’ll have the chance. How you spend your time is incredibly important. Here’s a question to ponder: how can you reach a world-class, elite level in your field? Reflect on this. How can you become part of the top 1% of world-class performers in whatever field you choose to pursue? Here's something else to consider: stop trying to impress others. Don’t let other people’s opinions overshadow your own opinion of yourself. Care more about impressing yourself. If you aim to impress yourself, others will be impressed as well. Hard work—let’s talk about that. Hard work often intimidates average people. But here’s a critical mindset for success: how can anyone compete with me if I can force myself to do what I might not want to do right now, but I do it anyway? If I’m competing against people who lack the discipline to do what’s necessary, they’ll never keep up. This is crucial in your development as a professional. It’s the bridge between amateurism and professionalism.

Eliminate The Fake

In our everyday interaction with other human beings, we must eliminate the fake persona that most of us are comfortable displaying. Being fake is the lazy way to express yourself. It’s a very cheap version of who you really are. You will never have an electrical connection with others because your words are dull and listless. They carry no weight that would make a person ponder over what you have said. Here's a thought on how to eliminate the fake: 1. Be willing to take a hit being yourself. When you speak, you are the mouthpiece of yourself. 2. Be willing to be rejected for being the real you. 3. Know that you were not meant to get along with everyone. It's impossible. Stop trying. 4. The constant pressure of putting on a front is exhausting. 5. When you speak, own everything you say. Own every word and speak with clarity so no one has to ask you, "What do you mean?" The majority of the people on our planet like being fake. I heard someone say that the day you are liked by everyone is the day you are the most fake person alive.

Ambitious Goals Require More time

The bigger the ambition, the more time that is required to achieve your goal. You have to learn how to master time. If you have 3 or 4 projects going on at the same time, you may have to wake up earlier to get those trains moving. I have coined the phrase of using unused hours

when I speak on the 3am rule. People are normally sleep at this time. The people in your industry are asleep, but not you. Waking up at 3am is a challenge to beging working on your tasks for the day, but sometimes it is necessary to take things off your plate to free up time to be more creative and imagine the possibilities of what you are seeking. If you have a bad habit of completing projects at the last minute why don't you tryy the 3am rule to see if it can fit your lifestyle. Create more output. Use every ounce of time available to you. Create a new habit by waking up earlier. All it takes is a mindshift. If you know you need a change, don't run from it, run to it.

Use the 3am Rule to Eliminate Constant Interruptions

Constant interruptions don't allow us to think deeply for long periods of time. That's why I reccomend using the 3am Rule as a time for deep reflection on what you want.You must have time for your imagination to breath. Get back intouch with your instincts and create the flow for your day. Begin planning for the next decade of your life and how you want it to be. I wish more people would stop thinking of 3am or 4am as off limits to being fully awake starting your work for the day. You and I know that this is true. This morning I woke up at 3:15am. Let's go.

"Why Finding Your True Fans Matters More in Podcasting Than High Downloads"

Don't worry about how many people are going to listen to your podcast. If you want to start one, just do it and say to yourself, "If no one listens to it, it's okay with me." That way, you can go on without any expectations. Just press record and begin your talk. People are too worried about how many people are going to listen to what they have to say. Remember, what you are going to talk about is not ever going to appeal to everybody. You should learn to be fine with that. It is your fear of rejection that is stopping you from recording. Even if you have started a podcast and over the first 10 episodes only 23 people total have listened to you, guess what? Join the club. In 2019, I started a podcast called "The 20 Minute Morning Show" (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/20-minute-morning-show/id1450014531) that got minimal listens for a long time, and even to this day, it is sporadic. One thing is that I have not been consistent in promoting my podcast, but people are aware of it. So how can I say it is not working if I have not given it my maximum effort to promote it enough for people to discover? If you go through my catalog, I have managed to interview some heavyweight industry people, and it has given me credibility even though I currently do not have a large following. My most listened-to podcast came when we talked about a local issue in Charlotte, NC. Barbershop entrepreneurs Damian and Jermaine Johnson opened one of their signature barbershops in SouthPark Mall, which is the most upscale mall in the city. The management wanted to terminate the lease and kick them out. We did an interview with them, and it made it into the Charlotte Observer (https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/whats-in-store/article249628383.html). That podcast helped them stay in the mall and stop that injustice that was about to take place. It garnered 1,100 listens in one day! I was like, "Whoa! I'm on my way," but the numbers leveled after that. I should have created some momentum to capitalize on it, but it was a learning lesson. It got me on the map, but nobody knew I did not have high numbers. I have made money with my podcast by creating content for people to share. Quality interviews they can use to market and promote themselves on my platform. When I get really focused on making this podcast more impactful, it will become a major revenue stream for me without a doubt. This is the new radio for sure. It is such an exciting medium to create what you want. No limits, just be interesting to listen to. Speak from the heart on your podcast. It's your real estate. So don't worry about how many listeners you will have. Kevin Kelly wrote an article back in 2008 called "1,000 True Fans Is All You Need." Go find them. Start with 100 true fans for your podcast and grow it over the years until you get to your 1,000 people who really get you. Now that alone is worth doing your podcast idea. Just start. If you need coaching on this, I can help you. Just reach out. Visit my website at www.blackradiotalent.com.

Be Different From The Lazy Radio Personalities In America

Radio shows in America are like burger chains: hamburgers with a variation in taste, but still just hamburgers. So, create a show that people can't experience anywhere else except by tuning into your show. Throw all those prank phone calls and "question of the day" bits in the garbage pail. These have been on the radio since the '70s. Have captivating conversations on your show that make your audience want to hear more of what you have to say. What can we hear from you that is new? What unique contribution will you bring to the world today in the way you speak about the top news story everyone in America is discussing? How much thought have you put into what you are going to say on a subject? Are you going to try to sound smart by repeating the words of other people, or do you have an original idea? I hear people reading straight off the prep service as is, making general comments about the story, with nothing personal to contribute to the conversation. Of course, the ending is the classic line, "Well, we'll see how this all plays out." Ugh! I tell the shows I work with that they must take their time in show development and write it out. Write, write, write! Create your show on paper. Drill down into the topics. How many angles can you come up with? How many points can be made? What personal stories do you have to share? Let's come up with an audience participation angle if warranted. Prepare for your shows like the editors for World News Tonight on ABC. Keep what is good and edit out what is bad so it does not hit the airwaves. What can we recycle from yesterday's show and remix for today's show? Write, write, write. Be different from the lazy DJs in America!

"Editing and Rehearsing: Secrets to Radio Excellence"

Anybody, no matter their level of expertise, who thinks they have reached the top of their development in their craft is fooling themselves. There is always more to learn, more to do, and many more levels to attain to become a master. I believe in practice, practice, practice. How you practice is how you play. How you prepare is how you show up on your show everyday. Many radio personalities don't even consider practicing and rehearsing what they're going to say on air. Consider this article, "Has Radio Missed Its Cues from Television?". No television show goes on the air unprepared. There is plenty of editing and deleting. Why not adopt these practices in your on-air performance? You will see that your show will turn out great every day, when you edit out what you don't need. Raise the expectation level of your listeners. Give them quality conversation by presenting the best of your ideas, vetted and edited by you before they go on air. The More prepared you are, the more creative you will be.

Break Free from the Newsroom: Create Unique Content with your own Thoughtfulness

Improve the time you spend preparing for your show. Are you thoughtful about what you're going to discuss with your radio listeners or podcast fans tomorrow? Preparing for your show is not about waiting for some editor in a newsroom to decide what is newsworthy and then regurgitating it back to your audience. Stop that. That's not a show prep. First off, I'm a human being. I don't need anyone to tell me how to think or feel about what's happening in the world. What can I bring to the world that you own as an experience and not just what somebody else said? How do you take the top news stories that some editor deemed noteworthy and present them in a unique way? Who made this person the authority on what is important? Really think about that. Why would you let someone else's thoughts guide the direction of your show? Thoughtfulness!! This is what I'm talking about. It's not about what somebody else thinks; it's totally about what I think. I get to decide. It's my show, and I'm taking full ownership of its content every day. Here's the question you may want to ask: "Well B.J. So you are saying you want me to ignore the top news story everybody is talking about?" Of course not. I'm saying that I get to decide how I'm going to talk about this news story. What angle do I want to come from? Let me sit down and be truly thoughtful about how I feel, instead of blurting out cliche statements that you think make you sound smart. I may feel totally opposite of the popular opinion. To be remarkable in this game of radio, you have to make remarks worth remarking about. This only comes from drilling down on presenting your unique, well-thought-out ideas and presenting them to your audience. See how many angles you can come up with by being alone in a room and using your brainpower, not somebody else's. For every topic see if you can come up with 10 to 12 angles or more. Have fun being yourself on the radio!

The Urgency of Living: A Reminder of Our Remaining Decades on Earth

There is a lot that needs to be said before we leave this earth. The sense of urgency is upon us as time seems to be moving faster. The rotation of the earth is accelerating, and so is the pace of our lives. We carry on as if we are going to live forever, but we all share one undeniable truth: we are all going to die. We don't often think about ourselves lying in a casket, but one day, people will walk by and view our bodies just like we have been doing since the pandemic. Our time here is brief, and there are many profound questions to contemplate while we live. Here are a few. 1. What Do I Really Want to Do with My Life? How many more summers do you have on this earth? It's not that many. The realization that our time is limited should inspire us to pursue our true passions. What dreams have you put on hold? What aspirations are you neglecting? Now is the time to seize those opportunities and live a life that fulfills you. 2. What Have I Been Telling Myself Internally? What has the voice inside my head been programming me to do? Often, we are our own harshest critics, repeating negative mantras that hold us back. It's time to challenge these internal narratives. What would happen if you replaced self-doubt with self-belief? 3. Am I Ashamed to Fail in Front of Others? What am I ashamed of if I attempt to do something that would make me happy and it fails? Failure is a part of the journey to success. Would you rather live a life of safe mediocrity or take bold steps toward your happiness, even if it means stumbling along the way? 4. Where Do I Want to Be Right Now? Is there a place, a city, a state, or a town that resonates with my soul? Why am I not living there? The environment we live in has a profound impact on our well-being. If there’s a place that calls to you, what’s stopping you from being there? 5. Why Do I Care So Much About My Family's Judgement? Why do I care so much about the way my family will judge me if I don't think like them? Family expectations can be a significant source of pressure. But your life is yours to live, and finding the courage to follow your path is essential for your happiness. 6. Am I Willing to Pay the Price for Freedom? Am I really willing to pay the price to completely control every aspect of my day, every day? True freedom comes with sacrifices. Are you ready to make those sacrifices to live a life on your own terms? 7. Can I Live Off Less to Have More? Am I willing to do that, and do I care how I am judged for my personal decision? Minimalism can lead to a more fulfilling life. It’s about prioritizing what truly matters and letting go of societal expectations. 8. Am I Willing to Be Alone with Myself? Solitude can be intimidating, but it is also a space for profound personal growth. Are you willing to spend time alone to better understand yourself and your desires? 9. Is What I Am Doing Right Now Beneficial for My Future? Is what I am doing right now going to put me where I want to be 30 days from now or 1 year from now? If it is not, then why am I doing it? Every action you take should align with your long-term goals. Evaluate your current activities and see if they match up with your ambition. Our time here is limited. Today give yourself permission to share what you know with others. Don't bury the knowledge.

An Everlasting Radio Romance: How Radio Shaped My Life and Career

My Career has been like a long love song. Peaks and valleys and blissful moments of conquest. Have you ever put a song on repeat that meant something to you that you could never get tired of hearing it ever. I just can't shake the melody. It reminds me of myself, and what I love everytime i hear it. "I'm strung out over you my dear radio career. You have taken me places I thought I would never live and experience. You have made my dreams come true, and you have shown me what a nightmare looks like. You have made me happy and you have made me so sad. But I long to be in your arms always. As long as I live I am yours. No matter the ups and downs, no matter the price I have to pay to be with you, there is no way I could live without you. I know you didn't mean to hurt me when you did, and I forgave you with my whole heart. I've been so in love with you since I was a teenager. We grew up together and now we have grown old together. I'm holding your hand so tight and you are still holding mine tightly too. We are in love till death do us part.I remember you staring at me while I was eating breakfast in the morning as a child growing up in Goldsboro NC. You were a green AM radio sitting on the dryer greeting me every morning with those 70's soft rock classics and that familiar voice giving the lunch menus with laughter. All I know is the only thing I had on my mind when I got back home from school was for us to be locked up in the room practicing this new thing. I was falling in love with something I could not explain. I just wanted to be alone with you for hours everyday understanding what I was becoming without intention. I'm writing this because I was just listening to the vibration of a song I had not heard in a while, and it reminded me of my love for this thing called radio. A love supreme is what this is. This love affair began in 1980, and here we are 44 years later reminding me never to deny what you truly love. As I look at the change of the two worlds, terrestrial and digital, I am setting my rocket ship to land on the digital planet and letting that same love guide me. Dame Dash recently said Do what you do for love only. Let's recreate our passion for what we love on the digital side. 1. Audio. 2. Video. 3.Images. 4.Written

Americans believe the current era (2020s) is the worst for radio Programming, So how can Black Radio DJs Regain That Old School Magic

As a new YouGov survey reveals, many listeners feel today's radio is lacking the personality and edge that made urban radio so captivating in decades past. With streaming and endless choices, there are ways for us to reinvigorate Black radio. Get Your Personality Up One of the biggest knocks is that radio today sounds too cookie-cutter and lacks those big, vibrant personalities that hooked listeners back in the day. We need DJ's that don't just introduce records - we want your humor, insight and unique perspective. Don't be afraid to let your true self shine through. Share compelling stories from your life. Diversify That Playlist The survey slams radio spinning the same 20 tracks on repeat all day. Introducing fans to dope new artists and sounds is how you build respect and loyalty. Let's make radio exciting again by keeping things fresh and unpredictable. Connect With The Community What separated Black radio icons was their profound connection to the community they served. Get out to your city's hot spots, attend cultural events, broadcast live remotes - find creative ways to showcase your town's vibrant scenes and sounds. Making listeners feel like they're part of something unique breeds deep loyalty. With streaming's rise, radio must continue to grow by tapping into the fearless spirit that made urban radio ahead of the curve. Today's DJs can breathe new life into the airwaves. The blueprint is there - now it's on us to reinvent that magic for a new generation."

Sharing A Note to One of My Million Dollar DJ Friends from 2013

One of my millionaire DJ friends asked me back in 2013 after the loss of his job, what should I be doing to get back on track after being in a major market for over a decade. I know what I told him 11 years ago is still available today. 1. You’ve been a beloved DJ in your city for over a decade. Everyone knows and loves you there. I told another Millionaire DJ friend this: If people knew they could listen to you online every day, they’d be thrilled. The people who let you go didn’t start your career, and they won’t decide how it ends. That’s up to you! 2. Reconnect with a salesperson from the station you were close to. Team up with two or three people and approach advertisers who couldn’t afford the station but would spend money with you. Market their businesses on your blog or podcast. 3. Identify the top social media influencer in your city and bring them on board for your new project. They can help spread the word that you’re back on air at www.yourownwebsite.com Let everyone know, you are back in play!" 4. Make appearances in your city as if you were still working there. You have built a lot of equity in that community. 5. Announce your new online show through a TV interview. 6. Have someone interview you about your career and current projects, then promote it online. 7. Produce a spot-on cable TV. It’s affordable and effective. 8. Hire young, tech-savvy individuals to help you promote your show online. Create flyers, assemble a street team, and inform local politicians about your new venture. Interview them as well. 9. Stop feeling down because no one is calling you for a job. It’s not because you’re not good; it’s because the industry has changed. Create your own brand of radio. You know how to do this! 10. Dedicate a year to developing this project. You’ll see it’s worth it, and you’ll feel energized again! 11. Become a marketing powerhouse for local businesses. Help them attract customers, and they’ll love you. Your big personality will draw people to in-store appearances. Champion the small business community in your city. 12. Learn to do production yourself, but don’t hesitate to seek help. 13. Embrace a new mindset. This is about life with a microphone, not traditional radio. Be genuine, not fake. 14. Don’t be lazy. Work at this every day. This is your project; respect it. 15. Remember, everything valuable comes with challenges. After difficulty comes ease, and you’ll find happiness. I’ve always admired your talent, and you’re one of the greatest I’ve ever known. Believe in yourself because I believe in you! I hope these ideas inspire you, me, and others to take control of our careers. Who will join us in pioneering urban radio’s New Media space? Are you waiting for someone to start an internet company and hire you? Subscribe now to get blackradiotalent.com in your inbox.

Personality Radio Tip: Have a conversation without Gimmicks

"Do What You Do For Love Only"

I decided I was not going to do anything for money anymore, especially in the sense of chasing money. I said I was going to do everything I do for love from this day forward. What do I mean? I was not born to chase money. None of us were. I was born to love. "Well, how are you going to eat, BJ?" Of course, all of us need money to live, and you can't survive without it. I’m stating that I need to earn my money in the name of love. I don't want to chase the bag. I despise that term, as if that is all there is. Again, no, I'm not talking about working for free. I'm talking about the work that you do. Do it for love only. I want the bag on my own terms. I'm not going to chase it; it will come looking to embrace me when I do things for love. This realization came over me the other day. It just made so much sense that I wanted to share this with you. I thought about all the things I wanted to feel, and it had nothing to do with trying to acquire material possessions. I love fine cars, homes, and luxury items just as much as anybody. I am not saying these things don't have a place in my life. This working-for-love notion makes me not ashamed of how I want to acquire everything I want on my terms. To broadcast in the name of love means more to me than anything. When I speak to my audience, love goes before me. I am an electrical transmitter sending a signal out into the universe. I'm searching for a place in the hearts of all those who listen to me. It comes in all forms of conversation: fun, laughter, serious dialogue; it does not matter, it's all the same. This thought just made me say, "Brother BJ, just go all in, in the name of love." Why would I be ashamed in this short life to live boldly in the name of love? What if we could be truthful every time we opened our mouths to speak? What if we allowed ourselves to feel what we know is real for us? What if everything we did in life was in the name of love? Do you think the universe would betray you? Hell no. It would embrace you. This message is not for the chase-the-bag people. This is for the people who want to be themselves all the time, who want to be free in all facets of their lives. We all should spend the rest of our lives doing what we do for love, because love is the greatest force in the universe. Love is undefeated. Leave a comment and let me know if you have thoughts about doing things only for love.

You Must Get up! Your Journey is Not Over!

In the radio industry, you must have grit, courage, resolve, bravery, fortitude, stamina, and audacity. A batch of radio pros were recently let go from Beasley Media in Charlotte after being in that market for years. Recovering from disappointment is the key to continuing your career in broadcasting or whatever industry you are in. Remember, these people did not start your career, and they do not have the power to end it. If you have recently been let go from an opportunity, I encourage you to look up YouTube videos on resilience. Take this time to reacquaint yourself with yourself. When you lose an opportunity, it’s always a great starting point for self-discovery and what you really want for your life. With the internet, the opportunities are limitless, and you should never again allow yourself to be held captive by a paycheck. Getting let go from a job that you have been performing well at can kind of mess you up if you don’t understand the brutality of the entertainment business, which has no empathy. Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down. It’s all about how you recover from disappointment. How you manage it, how you learn to manage it is important for your life. I’ve talked to many personalities over the years who have suffered a setback, and I’ve used my experience to help them go to the next level in their thinking about what they want to do and continuing their journey. Reach out to me. I would love to help you navigate your next career moves

. Trust me. It is a very exciting time. This setback may be the setup to answer your longed-for prayers.

In 2004, I was Liberated to be myself on the Radio!

What is comedy In Radio? It's Simple.. You can do it anytime you want!

Are You Betraying Yourself when you Speak?

Listen to latest Podcast on, Do Black Radio Audiences want to hear Coonin and Buffooning on the Radio

Why have we as Black radio personalities been programmed to think that the more negative you are, the more people will flock to your show? Go listen to our latest Podcast Do Black Radio Audiences want to hear Coonin and Buffooning on the airwaves>

Do Black Radio Audiences Only Want Cooning and Buffooning on the Airwaves?

Do Black radio audiences expect you to talk about entertainment news, do a prank phone call, and see how vulgar or insulting you can be? Do they like explicit sexual conversations while they are riding with their children in the car? Do Black radio audiences only want cooning and buffooning on the airwaves? Why have we as Black radio personalities been programmed to think that the more negative you are, the more people will flock to your show? Over the years, listeners have been programmed as to what a morning show should sound like. You had to be goofy and kooky and see who could say the most outrageous things on the air. Who could push the envelope? Some programmers made you come up with these stupid benchmarks that you had to do every hour. Remember the "Don't Say Ahh" game, the "Battle of the Sexes," "Which One of Us is Lying?" or some goofy game to win concert tickets. I mean, every show in America was doing the same thing. In the '90s, a bunch of show prep services popped up, and everybody would just talk about what was sent to them. People tried to do their best version of the morning zoo, then the shock jock era. Then everybody had to have a comedian on their show. I did all that too, until I woke up. I definitely credit going to do mornings at KRNB in Dallas as my rebirth in personality radio. I really learned how to be myself. Sam Weaver and Ken Dowe helped me to give up gimmick radio and learn how to have a conversation and be myself. I remember when I got to Dallas and they wanted us to get on the air to practice overnight. It was the most liberating feeling I had had in years, just talking and having a conversation, just saying what you felt without fear. I learned how to get personal and revealing in those 2 years of being there. At that time, Tom Joyner was on mornings at KSOC (Radio One at that time), and I was on KRNB. Both stations had inferior signals in the market. When I arrived in 2004, it took us a year to beat Tom Joyner 25-54 in the ratings. I attribute it to our candor-driven content. Boy, we revealed a lot of personal stories on that show, and we were becoming popular. Listeners knew my wife's name and recalled things we shared about ourselves. We had no benchmarks, just content we developed. It was a talk show that played music, but we used the first exit rule in all our breaks. Listeners used to say, you guys don't talk long enough. The first exit rule is knowing when to end the break and get off the talk highway.( LOL) From that experience, I have never wanted to be a cookie-cutter, contrived radio host. I just wanted to be me on the air always. Ken Dowe told me, "I want you to just go on the air, say what you wanna say, and be a man." Even though my ending there was negative, it put me on the road to do personality radio. My next gig was in Chicago with Elroy Smith at V103. Elroy's mantra was, "Have you touched your listeners emotionally?" I use that as a guidepost today as I am developing my talking points. I have to give the people who I really am on the inside to touch who they are on the inside. When I speak, and I'm listening to myself, I am careful not to betray myself. What I mean by that is, am I really saying what I feel or what I think you want me to say? So, on the air, I say, "To thine own self be true." For clarification, I do not talk about sexual content on my show. I do not use profanity on the air. I do not say mean things about people unless I am describing something. I don't use sexually explicit innuendos on my show. I don't do pranks. I just offer myself. I broadcast knowing and accepting that I may not be the show that floats your boat. But I do know that there are people who want to hear what I have to say, and I am fine with both those realities.

"The Key To Connecting With Women On The Radio"

Here are some of my thoughts on the new study that just came out about "What Women Want On Radio and What To Do About It." If you have a woman in your life, it's a good chance you know her likes and dislikes. Your mother, your wife, your daughter, your aunt, your grandmother. Imagine all of them sitting in front of you while you are doing your broadcast. Imagine all the women you know from your church, your job, the lady at Starbucks that always makes sure your coffee is extra hot. Why do women respond to you the way they do? When women favor you, that is the ultimate acceptance. Just take a moment in silence and think about all the women you know and your personal relationship with them. Write down why you think they like you. Since I don't know what it is like to be a woman, I should study the women around me. Remember your life and the daily activities that surrounded how women took care of you when you were young. Imagine all the things she has to deal with on a daily basis and she still manages to have time to listen to your show. What do you do to make your mother laugh, your daughter, or your wife. Do that on the air. Be your natural self around women. 1. Women like people who are honest. 2. Women like people to do what they say they are gonna do. 3. Women watch how you treat other people. 4. Women are sensitive, but they do not like to be lied to. 5. Women are caring and nurturing. 6. Women like to feel special and be secure in knowing that they are the apple of your eye. 7. Women like to feel safe. Do they feel safe with you as their companion listening to your show? If you can make them feel that from your show, you have a fan for life. Ask the women who interact with your show what they like about it today and do your own research. Read the complete article in the link: [New Study Reveals What Women Want On Radio and Suggests What To Do About It](https://www.insideaudiomarketing.com/post/new-study-reveals-what-woman-want-on-radio-and-suggests-what-to-do-about-it) Read more of our articles on personality radio at [www.blackradiotalent.com](www.blackradiotalent.com)

New Study Reveals 'What Women Want' On Radio

Here's our brief summary.... During weekday mornings, AM/FM radio is the preferred choice for 44% of women, particularly between 5-8 am. Women value morning radio for its companionship, local news, humor, inspiring conversations, and interesting stories. Those aged 35 and above are more inclined towards entertainment/pop culture and news/current events. There's a growing interest in topics like family, health, relationships, and friendships, with a desire to incorporate more comedy into programming. Women are drawn to radio for companionship, fun, ease of use, mood enhancement, and the fact that it's free. -The findings are from radio programming consultant Alan Burns & Associates in conjunction with the Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group and MARU/Matchbox Read complete article in the link: https://www.insideaudiomarketing.com/post/new-study-reveals-what-woman-want-on-radio-and-suggests-what-to-do-about-it

How to Keep The Listeners You Earn

In a crowded media space, think about what a privilege it is for people to be attracted to your content and come back day in and day out because they like listening to you. They've given you permission to have some precious time out of their lives that they can't get back. It's your job to make sure the time they spend with you is well worth it. Give your listeners your best. It will come back to you. Your mindset must change on how you honor the people who listen to you. Never let them down. Super serve them by being attentive to them and return correspondence in a timely manner. Acknowledge them every chance you get, treat them like family. When other human beings gravitate towards you and surrender their ears to your content, never take them for granted. They are actually saying that you are one of the people that matters in my life. Keep them with you by being consistently compelling every day.

Command Your Listeners Attention Over Their Smartphones:

You want to have the type of show that is engaging. Work hard to create the type of content that your listeners will ignore a phone call to hear your complete talk set. Your show is so important to them that if their best friend called and they looked at the phone, they would pause and say, “I'll just call them back.” You've won the battle of split attention. How can you ensure that you are insulating yourself from splitting attention with your listeners' smartphones? Remember that the smartphone is a powerful device that people pick up at least 72 times a day, according to a statistic that I saw. So here are some pointers: - Make sure your content is well-developed before you bring it on the air. Am I speaking in generalities or am I giving them something they have never heard before, to make them engage with me? - The future of your on-air success depends on the differentiation of how you deliver content. Everybody is talking about the same thing today, but it's important that you give more thought to how you are putting together your talk break. Here are some questions you need to ask yourself: - Why is this important enough for me to present to my audience? - What can I add from my own personal experience with this topic? - Do I have very strong opinions about the subject? - Is it something I would talk to a friend about? - Where am I going with this? Can I make it relatable to my audience? - Do I have any impactful points of view regarding this topic? - Is this too difficult for me to translate? Then don't do it! You have to make your listeners feel like they are missing out on being entertained, informed and inspired if they don't keep their attention tuned into your show from moment to moment. Aim to be consequential in the lives of your listeners.

"Copy-Paste is Not Show Prep: Rewrite, Rethink & Make On Air Content Truly Yours"

I am hearing too many radio personalities ripping and reading copy on the air, fumbling and bumbling, trying to read entertainment news without editing it and just plain rewriting it in your own words. We have to stop presenting other people's words as our own. It really makes you sound like an amateur and not connected at all to your content, using umms and ahs as your brain is trying to process someone else's writing style. Stop doing that today! A part of show preparation is writing. Write and rewrite your content. The stories you find that are interesting to bring on your show, rewrite it, edit it, and make it yours. Make attention to detail a daily part of your on-air execution plan. Why rewriting your content is important: 1. We are aiming for clarity. 2. Eliminate filler words. 3. Get to the point quicker to add your personal thoughts and give more depth to the story. 4. Eliminate the long setup using unnecessary jargon. 5. Proofread to make sure you are saying this in your voice. Take pride in being different. Organize your own thoughts and not somebody else's thoughts. Show prep writing takes more time, but it will differentiate you! Make it your business today to listen to different shows, and you will be able to tell who took the time out today to organize their own thoughts, and who is just ripping and reading and rambling content on the air that somebody else wrote. Let me know what you think!

"How to Come Up with 20 or More Original Pieces of Content for Your Show Every Day"

A day in the life of a radio host should be spent scouring for content to talk about. Develop a list of go-to websites for content: News aggregation sites are good. Online newspapers and magazines. Local and national sites from all over the country. There are hidden gems in the most unlikely places. Write and rewrite stories to make it fit your personality. Never read what someone else has written if necessary. Write it over in your own voice. Talk about things you are really interested in talking about. Don't be afraid of sharing what you have been carrying around in your head.Don't be generic!Be specific! Life Observation: Did anyone say anything interesting to me in the last 24 hours I can bring on air with my audience? What are your original thoughts? Forming an opinion about your content: I want to know what you think. Be specific and then tell your audience why you feel so strongly about it. Determine what your strongest content to start off the show will be. How you will recycle your content during the show. What questions will you formulate for audience engagement? Tell personal stories that relate to your content. Determine am I really interested in talking about this at this time? Can I develop it more to re-present later? Am I doing it just because everyone else is? If a major event happens in America, you must address it, but give your unique perspective. This requires thought with you and a blank white sheet of paper.Force yourself to rewrite all your content! Is this content I'm prepping for something I would talk about with a friend? What one or two points out of this story do I really want to focus on? How fast can I get to the meat of what I want to say? Trim the fat. Get to the point. No long setups please! As the leader of the show, are my team members also putting a lot of thought into the show? You must dedicate hours out of your day to really do some good preparation for the show. If you are able to come up with 20 or more content pieces, only use the one's that really resonate with you. Don't force what does not really turn you on. Remember, Getting to the station an hour before you go on the air is Not Show Prep! Show prep is a disciple that separates mediocre DJ's from compelling host.

How to Stop Sleepwalking Through Your Radio Career

Here are some questions I want you to answer today about your career: What would you do, if you were fearless in your chosen path in your radio career and you knew it could not fail? Examine what are the skills, talents, abilities that you possess that you have acquired over decades of working in this industry. If you knew you couldn't fail doing it in the digital space, would you pursue it? You need to pursue that thing immediately, whatever it is. What are the three things that are stopping you from doing that? Grab a sheet of paper and find a quiet space and write these things down to move forward in your career and stop sleepwalking. Now, what do I mean sleepwalking? I'm talking about expecting things to happen as they always have happened in the industry. You're looking for somebody to recognize how good you are, give you a call and say hey man what are you doing these days? Would you like to come work with us at Empire Broadcasting? I can start you at 75k with bonuses, is that ok?. This is not the 70s, '80s, 90s, or even the early 2000s where people were looking for you. In today's world, you have to create what you want to see happen in your radio career in the digital space. Stop waiting for the magic phone call. Call yourself and say, hey I got an opportunity for you! I think podcasting is still uncharted waters. Creating YouTube content, creating on-demand content on the different social media channels over a long period of time consistently will win you the audience that you're looking for. See, what we want is for someone to hire us to talk to their audience so we can feel good about ourselves. Ask yourself, has anybody called lately? Let’s get busy creating this content for the digital space. To all my Veterans out there, just take what you have done for the last 30 to 40 years on terrestrial and transfer it to the digital. You are already ahead of the curve, just do it.

News and Opinion Podcast on 8 Police officers shot in Charlotte

Here is an example of creating your own media for a news and opinion podcast. yesterday 8 law enforcement officers were shot in Charlotte NC and 4 were killed in a shoot out with a suspect they were serving a warrant. I produced the audio and the Broll video is from WSOC TV clip and video I took driving around the city of Charlotte. Video here: https://youtu.be/7oHWyUMcn4Y

Radio Pros Must Thrive in The Podcasting Industry

Last week I did an article on whether your podcast could become the news and opinion leader in your city. On Part 2,  let's understand that podcasting is a long range game, an activity where you start with maybe 10 listeners, then 25 the next episode. You're steadily building your organic audience of people who appreciate your content. Keep going with it. Don't stop. Because you're not a big celebrity, sometimes people give up on podcasting thinking it's taking too long to get noticed. But it only takes one or two people with the right ears to hear what you're doing, perhaps catching the attention of the CEO of a big media company that wants to hire you to produce content for them. But guess what. If you grow weary of producing content, you will never be discovered. When you stop, you have to start up all over again from scratch.  Stick with it and don't worry about how many people listened last month. Create something unique that isn't being done in your local market.  Local podcasting offers opportunities to cover niche topics overlooked by mainstream media. The local arm of podcasting in each city across America is still unchartered waters.  Creating a niche that nobody is covering is wide open to you. If you can do it consistently every day or every week you will dominate your space. By becoming a go-to source for audio content, you can fill gaps in coverage and provide a unique perspective in your city. It's essential to invest time in learning skills to enhance your content creation abilities. To my radio Vets, the world is open for business. With your skills you can't be beat in this space. Think creatively and fill voids in the market. The internet is the great equalizer!

Produce a News and Opinion Podcast for Your City

Here's a business idea that you can take and run with especially it if nobody is doing this in your city or town. Produce a news and opinion podcast for your city. One of my favorite podcast is The Daily from The New York Times. They started this franchise in 2017 and now have millions of listeners for this daily podcast. In 2019 I began to produce my podcast called the “20 minute Morning Show” which I tried to keep up with the rigors of doing a daily podcast but after maybe 9 months I figured out I could not compete with the New York Times Newsroom with hundreds of reporters contributing daily content, audio engineers and producers and overwhelming production value; that it was just too much to try to duplicate.I kind of scaled things back and tried to figure out what could work for me. So one particular opportunity came up where some friends in Charlotte who have a barber shop franchise called No Grease opened a shop in South Park Mall which is a very ritzy upscale mall in Charlotte North Carolina. There was a controversy about the lease for their store and we found out that the mall wanted that barber shop out of South Park mall. We took action and produced a podcast talking about it.( https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/UxDuhrv36Ib )  It went viral and got into the Charlotte Observer newspaper(Article from 3.2.2021 https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/whats-in-store/article249628383.html?fbclid=IwAR1U-Jm-3GPBL-GFlouo0sOL2j79Bg7Ax8SPCho8Yz5OiCZrfbkOMiitj0A which made South Park Mall back down and actually offer them a new lease. I found the power of podcasting in that moment to say wow you can use this as a tool and cover stories that nobody else in your Market is covering just like on the radio. These are the type of things I use to do on my morning show in Charlotte on Power 98. So take the opportunity to do something that nobody else in your marketplace is doing.  I would do it as often as I could and you create the weekly schedule. Even if you want to be ambitious and try to put something out everyday, if it was three to five minutes it will be a value to the audience in that city. Podcasting is so exciting and you can make a living off of it if you're willing to be patient, because podcasting is indeed the long game in the New Media space. I still have that ambition for putting out a high quality daily news and opinion podcast.(smile)

Show Prep: The Power Of the Outcome Of Tomorrow

Show prep is nothing more than making a road map for your show or podcast. It's simply finding things that you are interested in talking about and developing talking points that are interesting for the audience to engage with you. You've got to talk about what you know. You got to talk about your personal experiences with your topic. You've got to introduce something that you think your audience is not aware of; then you've got to have an opinion about it. In creating humor for your show, look for the funny. Look for the opportunities to embellish something with your own brand of humor. Get comfortable saying out loud what you keep on the inside. That's the key to becoming unique. People who make blanket statements using generic jargon and filler words to try and make themselves sound intelligent in a conversation show they have a lack of depth. You're playing it too safe; you're not risk-taking with your material, and therefore your material is a big Thud. Show prep is all about content development; sometimes it's good to have five strong, well-developed things to talk about during your show than to have 25 to 30 ideas that cause you to be very sterile and generic. The more you take time out to develop your content, you will produce the outcome that you are looking for every day. Show prep takes more than one hour like most people think. If your only responsibility is to produce a great show every day, then how many hours after you get off the air should be dedicated to producing the outcome that you want for tomorrow's show? That is a serious question if you want to be great connecting with your audience.

4 Things to Do As Soon As You Get Off The Air today

1. As soon as you get off the air, get into the discipline of getting in attack mode to start working on your show for tomorrow. Rehash some things for tomorrow that you didn’t get to today and come up with 5 items as talking points. What worked well on today's show? 2. Then go Live your life, visit, talk on the phone, eat dinner, chat, meander, and then write down whatever was interesting while you were out and about in the city. Notice your surroundings, and interactions with random people, family, pets, or personal experiences.(Write down 5 things) 3. Write down 5 things you saw on television last night, 5 things you saw in the city that were interesting, and 5 memorable interactions or observations from your daily life. 4. Go to bed early and write down final thoughts. Things you do not want to miss doing on the show tomorrow. That's 25 or more ideas. Some may be more developed than others, but you got some good stuff to work from.

"Am I a Character or Am I Me?"

When I'm talking on the phone to a friend, do I write out a series of one-liners and jokes to make the conversation interesting, or do I just let it happen naturally? A lot of program directors always tell you to look for the funny in every situation, and you should look for the funny to be a humorous show. Look for the relatable, look for the opportunities to personalize your material on the air. I say yes to all of those, but I have never bought into the fact that a morning show has to be a non-stop contrived laugh track for people to like listening to you. Make them laugh. Yuck, yuck, yuck. I say just be human, just be yourself. Don't try to be who you are not in a conversation. It makes the whole experience very, very goofy and hard to follow. It makes the show disjointed, and the co-host on your show are trying to find their place in the conversation instead of chiming in naturally. Some of the funniest things that happen on radio shows are thoughts that come out of nowhere. You always should know where you want the break to end, but the more people are themselves, the more vulnerable they feel in sharing things they never would share the better the payoff. The more personal you get, the more interesting you become on air. Always remember that.

The Impact of Being Real On Air Creates Unexpected Relationships

On this blog, I talk about the importance of embracing your true self, and allowing the real you to shine through. Connecting with others begins with embracing what you may think is weird about yourself, and if you suppress that, you’ll struggle to connect with the people who genuinely share the same perspective that you have. In 2022, I fully embrace this mantra that simply says “The people I’m looking for are looking for me”. I use this in all aspects of my life, and it takes the pressure off trying to appeal to everyone because it’s simply not realistic that you will connect with every individual that you encounter. That’s not the way life works. I’ll give you an example of how saying what I felt got me into trouble but it also fostered a beautiful relationship. While I was in Charlotte on WPEG Power 98 in the mid 90s there was a middle school called Coulwood. There were a lot of fights going on with the students, and one morning I got on the air said that’s not Coulwood, that's Crazy Wood. Boy Did the phone lines light up with parents being upset with me.I had to go to the school to apologize to the principal and I told them I was sorry and I felt bad when I got over there.The students were mad at me , but we formed a beautiful relationship. I became a mentor to the students and became friends with the teachers. I still work with the students in Charlotte Mecklenburg school system. I was trying to be funny on the air by being myself and it kind of worked out. How about if I did not take that risk? I am not advocating making students feel bad because they have problems at their school, but it caused a reaction and started a conversation in that community. So, my advice is to embrace your uniqueness, explore individuality, and take some of those insights and use them for your own communication style. As a personality radio coach, I encourage you to distinguish yourself from others. That’s what I do, and that’s what I try to practice every day. I’m very misunderstood to this day but remember, the real you will attract genuine connections, and it means taking a risk every day whether people will accept you for you or not. And if they don’t connect, that’s not the person that was looking for you.

"We Are In A Dog Fight For Our Careers."

One of my old radio buddies, Hozey Mack, contacted me on LinkedIn in response to the article I wrote about “Personal growth from a brutal career setback—a story you didn't know about me”. I discussed my experience leaving Charlotte and working in Dallas-Fort Worth, and how the rug was pulled out from under me. The article struck a nerve, garnering significant response. While listening to motivational guru, ET Thomas, he emphasized, "We've got to remember that we are in a dog fight. We are in a dog fight for our careers." When people make decisions that are not in our best interest, we must learn how to manage disappointment and recover quickly. Traumatic experiences altering our family's trajectory are things we are often times unprepared for. Resiliency is a tool we must carry and learn to master. We must teach this to people in media and entertainment. By mastering resiliency we focus on what we can control. We don’t waste time on what we cannot control. We must reclaim our time. Continue to be determined to pursue your definite chief aim for your career. Yes, we are indeed in a dog fight. Picture a snarling pit bull with Dracula fangs, saliva dripping from its mouth, eyeing anything obstructing our path. The inner dog urges, "I'm ready to overcome you; you won't hinder my progress.” This symbolizes confronting fear, doubt, and the opinions of others. It's never too late to fight for our dreams. Only when laid to rest, unable to pursue our ambitions, does the battle end. So while we are living, pull your dog back out. LOL To all veterans in radio, broadcasters, and entertainment professionals feeling inadequate, remember your capabilities. “You must do all the things that YOU KNOW you are capable of doing while you still have time”! Reignite your determination and press forward toward your dreams. Get your dog back out and fight!

Have a Positive Mental Attitude Towards Creating Your Show Content

A change of attitude towards the approach to doing your show every day is the Difference Maker. Your positive mental attitude towards creating your show, producing it, and executing it on the air every day will catapult you by leaps and bounds over your competitor. The heavy lifting of your daily activity is coming up with content that will make your audience make an appointment to listen to you, the 5 or 10 minutes every day on their ride to work. Remember, listeners have a routine every day just like you do. Every time they tune in, let's give them something they can't get anywhere else. This requires a lot of alone time thinking. I am an advocate of having alone time every day with a stack of white paper pens of different colors, a laptop, silence, and just thinking. Don't settle for content that comes from somebody else's show prep service. I had an interesting conversation yesterday with one of the shows that I'm mentoring, and I said show prep services come from a guy who comes up with ideas and presents them to the people who subscribe to that service, and then the disc jockey adopts the mentality of a person as an authority over what you should say the next day. These people are like editors; they decide what they deem is important for you to talk about. But what about the other thousand things that they did not include in their show prep? Show prep services are great, don't get me wrong, because I think their usefulness is really just being fire starters and stimulating your creativity, but it's not the Bible. There are some that are much better than others, but if I had to rely on doing a show based on what somebody else produced for me to say; that's not cool. Every break, you want to make it a hit record like on an album. Some tracks are better than others, but when listeners check out your album (show) every day, you need to make sure you have more than just one hit on it. If you want to learn how to make a hit album, LOL, contact me. I'd love to be your coach, no matter if you are starting a podcast, a radio show, if you are a veteran, everybody needs a reminder of what their potential holds. Contact me.

A Radio Host is Like an Artist

When you talk about artistry, your radio show is like a fine painting. It's a piece of art in which the host uses the paintbrush of their imagination to create a show that connects with listeners. Every day, the show is a blank canvas. You can use all the colors you need to make it remarkable.  It's then displayed in the gallery of public opinion, where listeners judge it with their ears. In a world full of distractions, it's a high compliment, to capture people's attention. You should never save the best content for later on in the show; instead, hit em hard  first break! From this day forward, I want you to think of your show as a piece of artwork. It's a display of your creativity and talent. How your show comes across, says alot about you in a very intimate way.

Speak from Your Heart to Reach Your Listeners

Your unique point of view is different from anybody else on the planet. It makes you interesting to listen to. I talked to a young man the other day who is a Minister, and I told him that when I watched his video, it gave off a vibrant energy and spirit. The way he expressed himself, taking information that has been revealed, but putting his unique understanding and spin on it, gave the subject more depth. It was like he owned it. He even gave more avenues to explore from the subject that were mind-blowing. I said, "Wow, you have a unique way of expressing yourself that you own."

When he speaks, he is sure of the next word he’s going to say, and because he gets so much joy out of it, you enjoy it as well. It’s coming from the root of his belief of what he's sure about that lies in his heart. And that’s how we as radio personalities connect with people because when they hear us, it should be a meaningful experience between two people. A brother told me, "If you speak from your heart to my heart, you will connect with me every time."

I want you to begin to deep dive into what you’re about to say to others. Could it have more depth? Could I give more meaning to this subject than just reading something because everybody else is talking about the same thing that day? Most people are surface dwellers; they never go beyond the surface to find their unique perspective on subjects that the world is discussing. Just take your time with a blank piece of paper in front of you and write. Gather your facts and then be honest. Don't take into consideration of what you think some imaginary person out there wants to hear. Tell them what you want them to know. You may say something in a unique way that no one has thought about.

You turn on the TV, and it’s like everybody has the same script, the same talking points. Over the weekend, I  kept hearing the phrase "Iran is not using proxies this time", so every television station was using the same verbiage. Regurgitating the same information like everybody else makes you the same. Let's get away from that.

The people that stand out in the media are the ones who are not afraid to share their unique perspective. Why don’t you be one of those people? You will find your listeners calling you saying, "You know what? I always love your unique perspective, and that’s why I listen to you and not the other show."

Everybody Needs a coach contact me and let's get you to the next level.

Audacy’s AI Voice Library is a Wake Up Call for Radio Personalities Everywhere

Today, I came across news that Audacy is assembling a library of AI voices to assist its 700+ stations. It's a strategic move, and honestly, it makes sense. Embracing AI can significantly slash costs, potentially saving millions of dollars, crucial for their survival. We've often criticized radio operators for prioritizing cost-cutting, sometimes labeling it as greed. But now, survival is the name of the game.

Here's my proposition: Grab your phone and explore every communication platform available to you. It's time to craft your own media empire. Over the next 2 to 3 years, commit to building your own audience. Every day, individuals are doing this. If you wish to continue your artistry as a radio personality, you must embrace this change and create your own digital planet and invite listeners to come and visit your world of audio video and the written word that you are creating. And mark my words, the longer you delay in cultivating your online audience, the tougher it'll get. The world is at your fingertips. Don’t wait for anybody to put you on. Put yourself on!

What I advocate is a continual journey of mastering the art of reaching in to the hearts of listeners and making real connections. We must continuously refine our ability to engage, and the only path I know is simply being the best version of oneself. It's taken me years to truly understand and embody this, and as I step into my 59th year of life, I'm excited for the possibilities ahead.

 I'll be sharing my journey with you  of  how I have silently been amassing a listenership of 1.1 million individuals over the past two years. Through my own streaming syndication network, I reach listeners nationwide and receive calls from every corner of the country. The next phase entails growing my monetization and reach. I had to believe in myself and build an audience first though. Forge your  own path and continue doing what you love. Reach out to me for more insight. I am an advocate for radio personalities, podcasters and communicators.

The Differentiating Factor: Attention to Detail Separates Mediocrity From Greatness on Air

At the end of the day, everything in life boils down to how prepared you are to face the day's tasks. If you know you have to prepare for your radio show, always be in the mindset that when you get off at 10 o’clock after doing your morning show, you have the whole day to figure out what you're going to bring to the people on tomorrow's show. How could it be that from 10 AM until 6 AM the following day, you're not prepared to present your best offering to your audience? It's a lack of will and operating as an amatuer. Scratch that; that’s not good. Getting to the radio station at 5 AM and having an hour to prepare before you go on the air at 6 o’clock is the norm. That's not impressive.

What about taking a break, regrouping yourself, after your show and go into an office,  or go to the library, and carve  out a couple of hours in the afternoon to meticulously prepare for each hour on the show? Then when you wake up in the morning, whatever  broke overnight, you can add that to the show. But your show should never be based on you getting to the radio station at 5 AM, copying and pasting, looking at show prep websites, making copies and giving it to the team and saying here's today's show prep. If that’s what you believe will make you a high-income earner on the radio, you are really fooling yourself. 

Show prep is the key to standing out in a sea of mediocrity. Preparation is the key to standing out as an executive in anticipation of what may show up out of the blue. Because you’re so prepared, you're never rattled or caught off guard during the four hours that you’re on the air. You should take pride in that every day. I think you should spend no less than five hours a day preparing for the next day's show. It will make a big difference in your performance because the more prepared you are, the more spontaneous and creative you can be.

At one point, I was getting to the station at 3 AM every morning, and I said I want to be the first morning man in the country at work. My attitude towards my show helped me in my career. One of my students right now is doing mornings, and she is absolutely killing the competition within a year of her being at new radio station. She also has taken it upon herself to get to her job at 3 AM every morning, She has surpassed the heritage radio station's morning show numbers, and is on her way to domination because of her attitude towards preparing for her show. This is what I teach, and this is what I know. Everybody needs a coach. Contact me if you want to be the best in your city; you've got to make some sacrifices.

86% of Listeners Prefer Genuine Personalities Over Polished Ones

The 2024 CRS Research Presentation by Smith Geiger stated that 86% of listeners prefer genuine personalities over polished ones.

"So, what does that mean? I believe it means that people would rather hear a person from off the street who has the audacity to say what he really feels about a situation than a personality who tries to sound fancy, use big words, and beat around the bush to get to the point, wasting their time. Now, there’s nothing wrong with having a nice polished sound on the air, but why can’t you just talk like a regular person? Some people have to go through years of dismantling that mindset of thinking that they have to turn into this character with a certain type of sounding voice in order for people to like them and to think that they're a professional disc jockey.

But the more you let that go and concentrate on saying things in the manner that you always speak, like when you are with your best friends from high school and you guys get together once a year and you make them laugh uncontrollably because you can be yourself with them… That’s the person that we want to hear on the radio; that’s the real you. I’m telling you, it takes a long time to program yourself, and that’s why today, the people that you hear on the radio have not been radio-ized, and people gravitate to them, sometimes more than people who have been doing radio for decades. You gotta get out of this jockey mode and just be a human.

Most people are afraid to let themselves be real… But I think we need to really study what is real and not just say it but really help people to understand what that is. They say just be real. Or just be authentic. There has to be some psychological work done on yourself first to really know who you are and what you stand for in life. So, this takes some time of feeling comfortable with who you are. Because some people really don’t even know themselves.

If you never give your true insight on things because you’re afraid of how somebody’s gonna judge what you say, then that’s not being real. When you feel like you have to say this in order to be pleasing to somebody and some of us are debilitated by the judgment of others, then you are not in tune with what it means to be yourself. And trust me, when you decide to be yourself and not be the same person that agrees with what everybody says as a yes man or yes woman, some people actually are not going to like you. So, I think that’s one of the things that you have to get comfortable with. You gotta be comfortable with people not liking you because of who you are and that’s fine.

So, it would be a shame to be a masquerade of yourself all your life because you’re afraid of people’s opinions about you. So, if you think about all the people that you like on the radio that have separated themselves from the mundane mediocrity that comes across the airways, you have to say that they reached the point in their career where they just let it go; they said, 'I’m just gonna be myself and whatever happens happens,' and then they found the door to their success.

Again, I must preface, I’m not talking about being vulgar. I’m not talking about being a shock jock, somebody who’s talking about highly sexualized content or somebody that makes disparaging comments about other people as their shtick. I’m not talking about that type of person. Most of the time, that’s a character that people think will get them the notoriety that they’re looking for, but it’s not. So, maybe we need to do some self-examination and spend a lot of time with ourselves and getting to know us so we can represent ourselves to the world. That’s what I think we should work on. You’ve got to trust the process. It may take years for you to really find your true voice of who you really are. I had to do that."

Marginal Improvements Lead To Great On-Air Performance

When I was starting out in radio, I was meticulous about avoiding mistakes on air. I would script everything in first person, rehearse it repeatedly, and only then would I dare to open the mic. One vivid memory is from my time at Foxy 107 in Raleigh Durham in 1985 while I was still in college. I worked the 6 AM to 12 noon shift, and before each shift, I diligently wrote out my breaks and rehearsed them. There was this particular 12-second jingle where we transitioned from the weather forecast to Foxy 107, and hitting the post perfectly was my pride and joy. 

I'd listen to my airchecks obsessively.  While in college during Christmas breaks I'd buy packs of cassette tapes have classmates record New York radio stations for me to study in a pursuit of a career in the big city.

If you're new to radio and aspire to excellence, find someone to emulate. I never settled for mediocrity and took immense pride in presenting myself as a professional. A crucial lesson from my teacher, Donald Baker at Shaw University, was about being detailed—whether in radio, podcasts, or television, excellence lies in the details. Don't take the moment for granted; it's the difference between mediocrity and greatness on air. Making marginal improvements daily, refining delivery, seeking feedback, and constantly striving to better yourself is the key to success in any career, especially in performance-oriented fields. What does marginal mean incremental change. Incremental change requires just a modest adjustment. Something small that you can work on everyday. (Read The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy)

It wasn't always easy to hear criticism, but having a coach who cares enough to be honest is invaluable. Too many people are steeped in mediocrity due to their ego. They don't want feedback from anybody so they sound the same for decades. We're fostering a culture where mediocrity is accepted as good, but true excellence is recognizable to the discerning ear. In conclusion, the small decisions we make daily to improve will have a significant impact on our progress and audience perception. When another human being decides to spend time with you to tune in to your show, you should be honored to give them your best.  Marginal improvements are the cornerstone of exceptional on-air performance.

Personal Growth From a Brutal Career Setback: A Story You Don't Know About Me

At one point in my life, I felt like I wasted about 3 years in disillusionment and disappointment. I was dwelling on why things didn't work out. I was in a top 5 market doing mornings, I was a syndicated morning show and I was on a great trajectory; and one day the rug was pulled out from under me. I was in a daze. I had just bought a house and it's ironic that the furniture I ordered was delivered on the day they replaced my show..Damn. It was a humiliating experience where they would not let me out of my contract, and decided to put me in the station promotional van, giving out prizes in the morning during the Steve Harvey Show that replaced my show. Could you imagine that? I have never forgotten that... Wow! They would not pay me out of my contract so I had to find another job to get out of that situation. A Lot of people don't know this about my career path, but it messed me up. I later went to Chicago after that which I will write about at a later time.

How do you recover from that type of harsh career disappointment? That was brutal. It took a long time for me to work this part of my life out. Thank God that I journal so I was able to sort out my feelings and analyze some things.(I'll Share some of those entries with you soon). Being a man of faith, I prayed to my creator and asked him to help me sort out things. I'm not gonna lie to you that there where many nights I did not go to sleep. I would stay up all night long writing, thinking and talking to myself. I realized that this episode was a necessary event in my life to help me become the man that I am today. "There is no Growth without pain". The media business is high risk high reward and you have to accept this reality. during that time I lost my brother and my mother, so I was under a severe trial.

I now teach others how to recover and manage disappointment. I vividly remember hearing Les Brown speak about losing his television show and wasting eight years of his life dealing with disappointment. Despite his energetic and vibrant demeanor, he too succumbed. It struck me when his son asked him, "Is this how it’s going to end Dad?" A radio vet Chris Clay invited me for coffee one morning and posed a similar question about my future. BJ is this it? 

As a 15-year-old boy in Goldsboro, North Carolina, the radio bug bit me hard in 1980. I had a clear vision of emulating my heroes like Tom Joyner, Doug Banks, and Donnie Simpson (I'll talk about my relationship with these men later articles). Despite doubts from others, I pursued radio passionately, working at three stations simultaneously during college. Some family doubted the viability of a radio career, but I remained steadfast in my dreams. 

So that young boy that was so excited about pursuing his radio dreams was sitting in my head with his hands up asking the question, "Are you coming back to get me"? It took a minute but I went back and grabbed him by the hand and said let's continue. And that's what I'm doing today. I plan on working well into my 80's (God willing)  on my passion to be great at radio.

If you are stuck right now from disappointment. Let me help you learn how to recover. I am a non judgemental friend. Contact me..bjmurphyshow@gmail.com