Those are the words of Beasley Media CEO Caroline Beasley in our cover story interview that comes out today. Beasley is our 2017 Radio Executive of The Year and she is featured on the cover of Radio Ink magazine. In another excerpt from that interview, Beasley told us she’d like to see the radio industry work together a little more. She also discusses the importance of having a mentor and how she believes radio will succeed given all the choices consumers now have for entertainment.
RI: How do you think radio is doing out there, with all the competition for consumers’ time?
Beasley: Based on reports that I read, it seems like we are holding our own. I think that because of the new competition out there, it’s requiring us to do a better job. We are competing for our listeners’ time. They can go and listen to anything they want to, any time they want to. Or they can choose to listen to radio. That’s what we have to continue to remember and be focused on, and that is delivering good, local content.
RI: What do you want to see the radio industry do better?
Beasley: I would like to see us work together as an industry. I would like to see us market our industry. I would like to be focused on delivering good content to our listeners. Just the core values of radio. I think we can always improve, and we should be focused on that.
RI: Do you get the sense we’re not working together the way we could be?
Beasley: I think that we actually are working together, probably better than maybe in years past. As I said before, I think there’s always room for improvement.
RI: You’ve said many times that your dad is your mentor. How important is it for younger people getting into the business to have a mentor?
Beasley: It’s very, very important. There’s so much that you learn from other people that have experiences, having been in the business. There’s just so much that you can impart upon them, experiences and whatnot. You can’t be taught that in college. No professor, no textbook can teach you what real-life experiences can teach you.
RI: What advice do you have for people in the business on how to find a mentor?
Beasley: Pick up the phone. I would do research and look at various companies, and if you find a company that you admire, then pick up the phone and call the person. Most executives are happy to be a mentor, because they have a mentor or have had a mentor in their life.
RI: What advice could you give others who may want to be a CEO of a radio company at some point in their career?
Beasley: Be focused on as much as you can. Surround yourself with very good people. Have a very good mentor. Know what your surroundings are in terms of what can impact the industry that you’re in. Just have a very broad perspective as well.
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