Your Audience Isn’t “Everyone”—It’s Your People

One of the biggest traps in broadcasting and podcasting is believing your job is to reach everyone. It’s not. Trying to appeal to “everyone” waters you down until you sound like no one. Always remember, the strongest voices speak directly to their people. Think about the voices that shaped you. Were they generic? Or did you feel like they were talking straight to you. That’s the difference between a broadcaster who entertains and connects. When you aim for everyone, you chase approval. When you aim for your people, you create connection. And connecting builds loyalty. Listeners who feel seen, heard, and understood will stick with you through the years. They’ll defend you in conversations. They’ll share your work without you asking. Why? Because they feel like they’re part of you. This doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you stop performing for strangers and start speaking for your tribe. It happens when you trust that the right people will find you if you stop diluting your voice. It happens when you commit to your perspective—even if it alienates a segment of your audience. It is impossible for everyone to like you. I use to feel bad when people did not like me, but now I don't care. It took along time to get there but I'm here now, and it is liberating. The strongest media personalities are polarizing not because they chase controversy, but because they dare to stand in their lane without compromise. Your Next Step If you’re serious about growing as a communicator, don’t ask: “How do I reach everybody?” Instead, ask yourself these three questions: What is topping me from being myself on the air? Why don't I ever share my unique perspective?

What would I say if I stopped worrying about pleasing strangers? (That’s your real voice.) Answer those questions honestly, and you’ll start to see your people. Once you see them, speak directly to them—every single time you turn on the mic. Because the truth is this: you don’t need everyone. You just need your people.

The Mic Demands Courage

The mic doesn’t care how polished you sound—it cares about how real you’re willing to be. And being neutral won’t inspire your listeners. When you try to play it safe, you strip away what makes you interesting to listen to. Give me your perspective. Audiences connect with the bold ones. Be a personality with the courage to say what you believe, even if it ruffles feathers. This is what separates broadcasters who are remembered from those who are forgotten. Courage at the mic is not about shouting or stirring controversy for the sake of attention. It’s about telling the truth as you see it, in your voice, without apology. Be it funny, humorous or serious, It’s about trusting that the tribe meant for you will say, “this is what I have waiting to hear on the radio, thank God!” The best communicators understand that rejection is a signpost, not a death sentence. If you’re brave enough to be the real you on the air, you will be misunderstood, criticized, or even mocked. But those same moments also build you a deep loyalty brand with your listeners. The microphone rewards bravery. This is the truth. It rewards the broadcaster who brings the fire of who he or she is, and does not hide in the shadows of “what’s safe.” Because safe doesn’t cut through. Safe doesn’t inspire. Safe is lazy and listless. So the next time you turn on the mic, remember: your voice has power only if you dare to be yourself.

“The Arrogant and the Cruel…Why We Shouldn’t Follow Their Example”

There’s a painful truth many of us learn too late: Is that some of the people we admire from afar—those

whose careers we imgagined emulating and following in there footsteps—can be deeply disappointing when you meet them in person. Coming up in radio, I had idols. Giants in Black radio whose talent and presence lit up the airwaves. I studied them, celebrated them, and imagined what it would be like to meet them one day. But when I finally did meet them —at conventions, backstage, in green rooms—I was stunned by the arrogance they displayed toward those who admired them. Not all, but enough to leave a negative impression on me. I’ve stood in the presence of the greats of this modern era.

 And I vowed, early on, that I would never treat someone who looked up to me the way I had been treated. I pray I’ve never offended anyone, though I know I may have. But I know I was never intentionally cruel to anyone. We must have humility. Humility is the key ingredient when dealing with the public. When you think you’re better than the people who listen to you, and are suppose to serve you’ve become a devil in the midst of your audience. And the irony? Some of the most arrogant personalities aren’t even that good. They should be called out—and rightly so. 

  How to Deal With Meeting an Arrogant and Cruel Role Model 

1.Acknowledge your feelings. 

 2.Don’t brush off the disappointment. It’s natural to feel hurt when admiration collapses. 

 3.Separate the person from the lesson.

 4.Sometimes their work or achievements may still carry value, even if their character doesn’t. Take the lesson, leave the poison. 

 5.Release unrealistic pedestals. 

 6.No one is perfect. This experience teaches you not to worship people, but to respect qualities. 

 7.Don’t mirror their behavior. Their arrogance doesn’t justify arrogance in you. Use it as a reminder of the kind of leader or person not to become. 

 8.Shift your admiration. 

 9.Redirect your energy toward humble, kind, and authentic people who inspire by lifting others up.

 10.Protect your spirit. Limit exposure to people who make you feel small, even if they’re “famous” or “successful.” Protecting your energy is more important than being close to someone with status.

 11.Turn the disappointment into fuel. 

 12.Let it push you to embody the opposite—humility, compassion, respect—so others never feel let down when they meet you. One arrogant person doesn’t mean all leaders, mentors, or role models are the same. Stay open, but wiser. 

 In today’s world, where attention is fragmented and fleeting, you should thank your lucky stars that anyone is listening to you at all. If you want to be a star among the people, treat them like the stars they are. Because people will always remember how you made them feel in your presence. Approach your community as a servant. Lift others up. Use your influence for good. That’s how you build legacy—not just fame.

Reading + Writing = A Broadcaster’s Weapon

Reading fuels articulation, but writing locks it in. When you write down words, thoughts, and expressions, they imprint themselves into your voice. You’ll catch yourself using words you wrote earlier in the day during live conversation. Over time, your writing and reading practice builds a personal vault of words you can draw from instantly. This is how you develop your unique voice—not by copying others, but by creating your own word bank.

Broadcasting Is Not About Universal Acceptance—It’s About A Magnetic Connection

The biggest mistake aspiring broadcasters and podcasters make is believing they are going to be liked by everyone. They water down their opinions, and perform a version of themselves that is safe, predictable, and very boring and generic. The most respected voices in radio, podcasting, and media aren’t universally liked. They attract and they repel. So here is what you have to be willing to accept, if you want to be interesting to listen to… 1. Universal Acceptance Breeds Mediocrity When you try to please everyone, you suffocate who you are. You stop taking risks. You water down your personality until you become background noise. And in today’s crowded media landscape, you better stop being fake or else you won’t cut through the noise. 2. Magnetic Connection Creates Loyalty People connect to realness. They connect to opinions, vulnerabilities, and convictions. When your audience feels like you’re talking directly to them—you are forming your tribe.Connection builds communities. Acceptance only builds polite applause. 3. Rejection Is Proof You’re Being Noticed Rejection is evidence that you’ve taken a stand, that you’re pushing into territory that matters. A bland voice attracts no pushback—and no following. 4. Clarity Attracts, Being Vague Repels Magnetic communicators don’t ramble. They don’t hide behind filler words or vague statements. (“Oh well see how that turns out”) I hate that crutch phrase with all my soul!! LOL. Magnetic communicators say what they mean. 5. The Fearless Mouthpiece Every time you turn on the mic, you’re not just a broadcaster—you’re the spokesperson for your own beliefs. Connection comes from courage.The day everyone likes you is the day you’ve officially stopped being yourself. Challenge your fear of being yourself on the mic. A career in broadcasting is not about chasing approval. It’s about creating magnetic moments—and real connection. That’s what separates the noise from the voices that resonate.

You Are a Frequency

You in your person, are a frequency. You are a human antenna, and you are constantly transmitting to the world who you are. You are a walking radio station. When I am on the air I am aware of what kind of vibe I am sending out to my audience. What kind of energy am I sending to them from my heart. When they hear my voice what are you picking up? What response am I hoping for with every word that is coming from my mouth. What spirit are they picking up from me? As we are beings made of electricity, what energy are the people listening to me picking up? Now this does not mean that everyone will like you and what your energy is about. Some people will repel you just because they may not be on the level you are transmitting on. People do have preferences and thats ok. Always be yourself and you will attract your tribe. I always feel in my heart that the people I am looking for are also looking for me. This is whay I am so happy that I am learning how to be myself everyday on air. After 41 years in broadcasting, I am still striving to be truthful in my speech always. I'm telling you it takes along time to really be your truthful self on the air. For years alot of us have been characters of who we are. You've got make a decision that you are gonna just let it go and say things on air the way you want to say it, and not what you think someone is expecting

you to say. Being original is being you. Stop being generic and say things from the heart ❤️. This is the only way you will transmit the frequency of connection.

Your Audience Doesn’t Want Generic. They Want You. The Real You!

You know what phrase I can’t stand? When I hear on air talent say, “Well, we’ll just have to wait and see how this plays out.” That’s generic. The lowest level of generic. Don’t tell me we’ll see. Tell me what you think. Tell me why you think it. I need you to stand on how you think it will play out! That’s how you keep people listening. Thought. Perspective. A point of view. You must have an opinion that is yours, or why you agree with someone else's opinion. 

 You don’t have to be loud. You don’t have to be outrageous. But you do have to be real in how you feel. If you’re just saying what everyone else says—don’t say it. If you’ve got your own spin, let it go. Agree or disagree, that’s not the point. The point is: you stand out by being YOU. That’s how you find your tribe. Not everyone is your tribe. 

Your tribe knows THE Voice. And here’s the key—write every day. Put your thoughts on paper. Build your personal library. Then when the mic is on, the words flow. Stronger. Clearer. More powerful. Do that for a week, and you’ll feel it. You’ll hear it. No more filler word. Just impact words will flow from your thoughts. Write. Every day. It will change the way you think, the way you speak, and make people want to hear more of what you have to say. www.blackradiotalent.com

Listeners Notice Realness, Not Perfection: A Lesson for Today’s Radio & Podcast Talent

Listeners don’t tune in for perfection—they tune in for connection. And connection lives in the places most of us have been taught to hide. But you know what people remember? The opinion or story that felt raw and risky and connected with them. The time you told a vulnerable story on the air, and somebody you met in the street asked you, how your wife’s mother was doing from a story you shared about your family. You made a connection by sharing your life. This is the secret. These are actually the fingerprints of your brand. Your brand is who you actually are. Listeners spend time with hosts that are real. In a media world full of corporate restrictions, realness is rare. The lesson? Double down on the things that make you human. For traditional radio personalities, this is a hard adjustment. Many of us were trained to sound like everyone else on the dial. But not sharing who you are with your audience will never allow you to connect with them emotionally. Here are some things to consider: 1.Tell Personal Stories, Not Just Content 2.People don’t connect with “segments”; they connect with stories. 3.Share your wins, your struggles, your funny everyday mishaps. 4.Think of moments where you let the audience in on something personal—those are the ones they’ll remember. 5.Don’t just talk at your listeners—talk with them. 5.Shared humanity is the bridge. 7.Talking to one person makes the connection intimate—even if 100,000 people are tuned in. Remember that people won’t always remember what you said, but they’ll always remember how you made them feel.

Legacy Radio Personalities: It’s Time to Go Digital

I want to speak directly to my Legacy Radio Personality friends — the ones who built their names and careers on-air and left an imprint on the culture of Black Radio. We have to fully embrace the digital forms of communication now. What we did on terrestrial radio, we must transfer to digital platforms. This is what business thinkers call a blue ocean moment — where you step into a space with little to no competition, because what you bring to the table simply can’t be duplicated. Nobody can compete with you. All you’ve got to do is execute what you already know how to do. That means taking the time to learn social media and AI. These are the next tools of our craft. We are not going back to the old way of doing things. That era was epic, and it defined us. But now, it’s time to go to the next level and build your own tribe digitally And let me be clear: you are not done building your legacy. Legacy is not something that sits in the past. Legacy is what you continue to shape, innovate, and pass on. What Makes a Legacy Radio Personality? Longevity & Consistency – Decades on-air, often 20 years or more, maintaining a voice people trust and recognize. Cultural Impact – Helping shape the soundtracks, conversations, and identity of a city, region, or even the nation. Audience Loyalty – Building multigenerational followings. People grew up with you, and their children know your name or voice. Recognition & Respect – Halls of fame, industry awards, or simply being regarded as a trailblazer who opened doors for others. Community Role – Tied into civic life, championing causes, hosting events, mentoring, and being “the voice” of a city. Signature Style – A unique delivery, humor, storytelling, or interviewing style that no one else can duplicate. Industry Influence – Training and inspiring the next wave of broadcasters, setting trends, and carrying radio’s DNA into other media.

The Next Chapter Everything you’ve done that made you a legacy is exactly what makes you dangerous in this new digital age. You know how to connect. You know how to tell stories. You know how to build community. All digital does is give you a bigger stage. So don’t stop. Don’t retreat. Don’t just look back on the “glory days.” You’ve got more in you. Legacy is built by those who keep innovating. This is your moment. Let’s go build.

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

“Why Every Word You Speak Has Weight”

Every word has an assigned value to it. Every word carries weight. Just think of the words you speak as having a dollar amount attached to them. You only want to spend what is necessary. Why do people use so many words to make simple statements? Go straight like an arrow. Eliminate the time it takes to make your point. You can be more interesting to listen to if you trim the fat from your conversations. People who like to hear themselves talk will never submit to this practice. Don’t you be that person. Don’t waste your listeners’ time taking too long to make a point just because you have the floor. Some people, when they get that microphone, don’t want to give it up. A powerful one-minute conversation is more impactful than a ten-minute, mindless, chatterbox talk that leaves people with more questions than answers. Practice in your mind: How can I say it faster, with more depth? You can always make it shorter and better. Always. Practice putting together a string of impactful words in your conversations and watch people react to you differently. I like to talk to myself while I’m riding in the car to see if I am clear and specific about what I want to say to a person. Make this a practice in your life, and you will begin to become a clear communicator

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