Leaving Radio - And Getting Back In

When you work in the broadcast industry, it’s a bit of a roller coaster ride. There are a series of ups and downs. Expectations are high and the industry itself is constantly evolving in an effort to stay relevant. It can be exhausting, frustrating, stressful and emotional.

About 4 years ago, I walked away from radio. I packed up my family, moved across the country and launched my own ad agency. The idea was to offer various digital services (video, podcasting, custom radio streaming, graphics, social media, creative writing, voice over and more) to businesses that found traditional advertising out of reach. We worked within any budget and gave small businesses an opportunity to get noticed when getting noticed and capturing the attention of today’s consumer is becoming increasingly difficult.

During this time, I also opened up a brick and mortar brew shop, worked as the National Marketing Director for a flooring franchise, became an automotive sales consultant and an internet sales manager. Even with a fair share of success, I kept circling back to the idea of returning to my true passion – radio.

In my mind, when you leave the industry, one of two things happen: you either feel that life is better outside of the game or you realize that the game is where you’ve always belonged. For me, radio is and always will be a part of me.

As cliché as it may sound, I was the kid that walked around the house with a hairbrush in his hand pretending to be on the air. Whenever we went away on a family vacation, I made a mixed tape for the road trip. Not only did this tape contain my favorite songs, it also contained commercials I recorded from the local radio station. I can only imagine what my parents thought when they put the tape in the cassette deck only to hear me doing cheesy breaks with blocks of commercials in between songs.

That was the beginning of a life that saw me travelling from one end of the country to the other. My resume mirrors that of a gypsy lifestyle. Staying only for a year or two before bouncing to the next great opportunity. When listening to other radio shows, I wondered why them and not me. After all, look at all I have done! I was immature and antsy. In hindsight, I made a lot of bad decisions and was too eager to grow too fast.

Truth is, I should’ve set down some roots. I should have slowed down and taken some time to absorb what it was that I was doing. Unfortunately, that little pearl of wisdom didn’t even enter my mind until much, much later in my career

I certainly don’t regret all I have done and those I have had the pleasure of working with. Adam Thompson, Paul Larsen, Chris Byrnes, Mike Evenson, Ryan Lim, Chris Palliser, Kenny Jones, Jennifer Ferguson, Kelly Boyd, Gary Russell, Howie Reimer, Karl Johnston, David Nault, Craig Ross – those are just a handful of people I admire. The list is long when it comes to those that have influenced me in some way. Although my travels and decisions lacked the maturity and wisdom that I feel I have now, they have helped shape the type of person I am today. Hindsight truly is 20/20.

As I attempted to reinvent myself outside of radio, it became clear that I was simply spinning my wheels. My passion was in radio.

Leaving radio is easy, getting back in is not. The road back into radio was met with rejection, frustration and a whole lot of second guessing. Did I really have the talent to make an impact? Are my skills, passion and experience enough? Do I suck? When you reach out and simply get no response, it certainly hurts the heart a bit and does little to boost your confidence. Even those that I had once leaned on for advice and inspiration were now silent. To me, radio has always been my family, albeit a little dysfunctional. To be ‘ghosted’ by mentors and colleagues is a little disheartening. Is it unusual? Not at all, in fact, it is quite common.

When I was a PD, I always made an effort to let people know where they stood. If I chose to hire someone else for the role, I would offer some feedback. At the very least, I would send a short note thanking them for the application. After sending out what seems like hundreds of applications, I can tell you that having a PD respond to you personally is rare. Those that have (Glen Slingerland, Peter Deys, Dan Wylie, Ian Solecki, etc) have not only earned my respect but also proven why they deserve to be where they are.

Rejection is a hard pill to swallow. You begin questioning your worth and value in an industry that continues to evolve. As more time passes, you become less and less relevant. It’s a grind. Trying to get yourself noticed and speaking to the value that you may bring to an organization can be exhausting. It’s honestly enough to make you want to throw your hands up and wave the white flag.

I’ve always believed in myself and my ability. The challenge is to convince others of that. Fortunately, after numerous dead ends and even more rejections, I was offered a handful of opportunities. Today, I am happy to announce that I have returned to radio as the new Morning Show Host at Pulse FM in Surrey, BC.

The decision on where to go and who to work with is always challenging and, in some sense, nerve wrecking. With 2 kids and a resume that is well travelled, it was time to make a choice that best fit with what is best for my family. In addition to the outside factors that tend to influence my decisions, there are my thoughts and vision for the industry that played a role as well. Being part of an independent organization that has its sights set on a local brand with a local relevance is very appealing.

For those that have left the industry, either on your own or through a series of unfortunate events, don’t give up. Be realistic about your expectations and your abilities. Understand what you want, where you want to be and how that all plays out in your big picture. If you’re honest with yourself and willing to have more than a few doors closed in your face, you may just come out on top.

The radio world is a small one. I’ve certainly made my share of mistakes and likely have torched some bridges along the way. It took me years to figure out who I am and how I best fit into this ever changing industry. The failures and frustrations I encountered along the way are what has enabled me to grow and, ultimately, get back behind the mic. I am eternally grateful that I am able to do so and hope that if you’re able, you will listen and support our independent station. If you're in sales and want to be part of what I believe will be the next big thing, reach out! We're growing and in need of those that have the drive and passion to grow with us! .

My story is not unique. Persistence really can pay off. Don’t stand still and expect that what you did then will be enough for today. Keep growing, continue to develop and market the crap out of yourself. You can do this!

Listen to Rudy Parachoniak weekday mornings from 6am-10am PST on 107.7 Pulse FM in Surrey, BC or online at pulsefm.ca