It probably begins with a little shock, especially if your dismissal comes as a surprise to you and your low on the totem pole and severance pay is not part of your exit plan. Now what? You have to explain to your family you have no job. You have to deal with the emotion of being unemployed (am I a failure?). You hear the horror stories about the economy and how there are no jobs. Heck, you don't even know where the unemplyment office is.
Brian Egan was working at WMZQ in Maryland when he was handed a manilla envelope 2 years ago. It wasn't an oversized Christmas card. He two daughters under ten and he was facing life without a job. He tells us what he did and offers up some advice on what you can do.
"OKAY, it just happened to you. Don't buy into your brain telling you, "They'll miss me so much, they'll be begging me to come back when they see my fans calling and emailing." These aren't radio people calling the shots. They're investment bankers who have to find 18 Billion Dollars in the couch cushions, so get over it. The sooner the better.
"My biggest regret was just letting my "fans" or audience fade away. The biggest question I had two years ago was, "How can I stay in touch with my 'fans?'" If you just got the boot, and you can connect through social media with your strong core audience, ask them how they want you to stay connected. Sound is just a medium. But, if they want you to start streaming your own podcast, go for it. Some may own local businesses who can help support you in your venture."
#1 DOWNSIZE. Move to a place where you really want to live, can afford to live, and can see yourself being happy, even if you're not in radio anymore. Move there.
#2 RENT. Go all Dave Ramsey with Gazelle intensity and stay debt free. When the call comes to move, being debt-free gives you that "FRREEEEEDOOOOM."
#3 GET OUT OF RADIO SHAPE. Look, our industry's sedentary workplace doesn't give us a great reputation for being fit. So, if you're not in the best physical shape, now's a good time to use the extra time to re-tune your body. Especially if your health insurance is going bye-bye. Make the gym a reason to get out of bed, especially Morning Show peeps. You'll be amazed at what see in the eyes of "real people" at that hour. Set a goal that fits you. I went from 230 lbs to completing a Half Ironman with Team in Training in 10 months (@185). When you look good, you feel good, you present better, you're more confident, etc. Don't take the extra year I did to figure this out.
#4 DO SOMETHING. Let the local stations know what you have to offer, and then move on. Open your own Ad Agency/VoiceOver/Creative Services business, or join one that already exists. But get right to work doing something, don't wait around for the phone to ring. I stumbled into doing NHL-Style announcing (with Music and Goal Horns, etc) at local youth Hockey Games. An old friend (WSIX's John Anthony) couldn't offer me a radio gig, but suggested that I take over what he had been doing for his son's league games. The kids and the parents LOVE it. Am I getting paid to do the games? Sometimes I get $15 a game, but I've done 45 games this month, and so far $0. So it's hard. But I'm showcasing my skills and getting "fans." And I have a reason to stay sharp. I'm developing a game sponsorship pitch to the parents who own businesses for in-game mentions.
#5 PREPARE TO TRANSITION. See the opportunities everywhere you go. Open your mind to recognizing when your skill set aligns with a problem that needs solving. As someone who was Talent, and not sales, I don't have solid business instincts and chops. Get them. I recommend the book Business Model Generation. And it's accompanying website BusinessModelGeneration.com and the super cool iPad app that helps you develop a Business Model Canvas for your ideas and see if they are really viable. I'm using it right now to pitch some of my new Media ideas to businesses, in the language they speak.
#6 DECIDE IF YOU'RE IN OR OUT. I've applied for all kinds of "regular" or retail jobs: Apple, Starbucks, Nordstroms, etc. with few replies. I got an interview for the Apple Store because the guy used to listen to me in high school in Knoxville, TN. He was cool, but politely said, look until your divorce from Radio is final, I can't afford to train you and have you leave when a PD calls. And that was that.
My radio divorce is not final. Radio and I are on a break. Did I ever imagine it would be longer than 2 years? No. I went 19 years straight without ever losing a gig. So it can be a brutal time ahead if it just happened. If you're "still in," like me, to quote Andy Grammar, "You Gotta Keep Your Head Up." We're all going to have to make our own breaks. Our cheese has been moved. I'm trying to transition to becoming a creative problem solver in my local community and find ways to utilize my unique talents and bring value to peoples' lives.
THROUGHOUT all this ENJOY your family. These "hard times" might just be the happiest times you remember with them, 30 years from now.
Reach out to Brian at Brian Egan brianegan1@aol.com or visit his website at www.BrianEgan.com
Add a Comment Send This Story To A Friend
