Radio’s Biggest Cheerleader

(By Eric Rhoads) Some people die and fade away. Others die and live on because of the impact they had on others. Ralph Guild was one of those special people who impacted so many of us in so many ways, it would be impossible to document it all.

For me, as a young broadcaster, Ralph was always present. I’d even say he was omnipresent, because everywhere you turned, you saw Ralph and his team making new inroads into the industry.

Though I cannot remember the first time I met Ralph, every time I saw him, he made me feel like the most important person on earth. His wisdom and encouragement were real, his advice was always sound, and his heart was always in the right place.

I can remember a time when I was struggling with Radio Ink. Things were going badly, I was on the edge of bankruptcy, and I was lost. I decided to go to Ralph for help. I requested a meeting, flew to New York, and waited in the antique radio-filled waiting room, palms sweating.

We sat in the little lounge to the side of his desk and I told him what I was going through, and asked him to invest in my company to save me. He was not judgmental; he said he too had been through difficult times like this. He then proceeded to ask me about 30 questions I could not answer. Questions I found myself pondering for months, that made me realize I did not have the grasp of my business that I thought I had. Of course he wanted to know all my financials, but interestingly, he was more interested in what I would do with his money to help the industry or to innovate.

When all was said and done, he made me a lowball offer, which made me mad. To get the money I needed, he was going to own 90 percent. Though I left on good terms, the effect, I think, was exactly what he had in mind: He wanted me to realize that my business was worth nothing at the time, and that I needed to get angry enough to get my fight back and turn it around. That’s exactly what happened. I suddenly had the slap in the face I needed, the tough love few would be willing to give, and it resulted in my solving the problem and building a thriving business that I still own to this day.

Years later, on one of my many visits to his home, we talked about that day, and he confirmed he never wanted to own it; he wanted me to man up and take control of my business and was trying to shock me into the action I needed to take. Only a caring friend would be willing to do that.

Though Ralph was not a “call me for advice” kind of mentor, he did take my calls from time to time. But I learned more from watching him and his actions. I watched him reinvent his business several times. I saw how loyal his employees were because he was always watching out for them. And I saw constant innovation through his willingness to listen to outside experts who knew things he did not know. As a result, his training meetings for his team were legendary. He brought them, and radio, his best.

I can remember a very challenging time when Ralph was facing a buyout by a big investment firm, and he called me for some advice. I was honored, but not sure why he was calling. He stood to make hundreds of millions, but he knew the deal was not the right thing for his employees. He was looking for confirmation for his decision not to take the money, though many encouraged him to do so. I could not tell him what to do other than to follow his heart, which he ultimately did. He did not take the deal.

Many years later, things were pushed on him by some of his investors, and he lost control and was forced out. His companies never had the same soul. He was heartbroken for his employees, who he considered his friends.

One of the great lessons for me was not to take money from outside investors unless you’re willing to live with their strings. To this day, I’ve never borrowed a dime from anyone, never even had a credit line. I learned from Ralph that if you need money, get it the old-fashioned way: Go make a sale. He knew that to achieve the growth he wanted, he had to take the money, but it was always a dark cloud over his head.

Ralph taught me that you don’t have to follow the corporate mold. He chased what he loved. He was passionate about radio and loved old radio shows and antique radios. We shared that passion. He was also an artist and a nonconformist. His thing was tap dancing, which he took up later in life. He built a tap studio in his office complex, offered tap lessons to employees, and even held a big tap show with a full orchestra at his legendary New York Christmas party. He would tap dance, along with his fellow employees, in the show. That taught me that we need diversions, we need distractions, and we need things to help us be more rounded and not all business, all the time. For him it was tap. For me it was painting.

Ralph and Calla were very interested in my painting passion, and even took lessons from my teacher in Palm Beach. He loved art, and his house was filled with the good stuff. He even saw a painting of Howard Stern that was on the cover of Radio Ink, and called and bought it from the artist. It was very expensive and hung in his office. He loved Howard, loved what he did for radio, and loved his innovation. Anyone doing radio, he was their biggest fan.

Ralph also threw legendary parties. I was thrilled when I got invited to his New Year’s parties in Palm Beach, and there I met some legends who became friends, including the head of the governing body for radio in England. These were black tie events, and stunningly wonderful. Of course his parties at NAB and RAB were also legendary, always different, always decorated lavishly, and always pro-radio. Ralph and his team made us all proud to be a part of the radio industry.

Ralph was often referred to as radio’s biggest cheerleader. He commissioned experts, research, and anything he could find to help radio get its fair share of dollars. And though it was good for him, good for his companies, it was always shared with all of radio, not just his clients. And when Barry O’Brien let me know that Ralph had recently suffered a stroke, it made me wonder: Who will be radio’s next cheerleader?

Ralph Guild was Mr. Radio. He was passionate, he was driven, he was continually reinventing, he was curious, and he used his success to further the cause of radio. And he was a showman, something I’m sure he learned from his early days in radio.

Ralph did everything big. He was good for radio, and made a huge impact on advertiser perception of our industry. He helped us transform the industry and made us all proud to be a part of it.

He will be missed. Rest in Peace, my friend.

On a personal note, my deep condolences to the entire Guild family. We love you and we are deeply saddened for your loss.

Eric Rhoads is Chairman of Radio Ink and can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]