(By Charese Fruge’) Grace Agostino is the Vice President of Network Sales at Nueva Network, working with national brands and agencies. Starting in the industry as a sales assistant in 1996, Grace now delivers multicultural solutions through Nueva’s audio network of Spanish Language stations which reaches a monthly audience of 20 million.
“I needed a job to pay for college, and I quickly fell in love with the business,” she says. “I have held different roles over the years, from research to promotions to local and national radio sales. Then, I finally landed at my home at Nueva Network. This is the role of a lifetime!”
Agostino’s first career choice was medicine. At the time she was in school, NYU tuition was expensive, which slowed down her path a little. “I held two majors and required an additional year of school,” she explains. “So, I took a break to save money to go back. That’s when I discovered that a career in Medicine was no longer for me. I loved the rush of the radio business. The salespeople were having so much fun and making a ton of money. That was before radio consolidation. Things are very different now,” says Agostino, “But the good news is, my career is still very rewarding, and my biggest accomplishment is mentoring other people in the business and watching them flourish. There is nothing that gives me more joy.”
Agostino’s journey did not come without challenges. “My biggest was working with different personalities across a vast number of radio stations and understanding the nuances of their respective region,” she says. “Small markets did not get the respect they deserved, and I made it my mission to bring light to those areas. Big brands are finally taking notice and understand that small towns are the heartbeat of America.”
One of the bigger challenges for the industry which consumed 2023 and will most likely do the same in 2024 is the onset of AI in the business. “I love AI!” says Agostino. “I am proud to say that I am always an early adopter of new technology. Anything that makes us more efficient should always be welcome. AI will help all of us get better at our jobs and we will no longer be stuck in the minutiae of the day-to-day. It gives us the opportunity to spend more time with people, IN PERSON.”
Speaking of which, engaging interest and loyalty with the younger generation is another challenge for the industry. “To bridge the generation gap, we need to invite young adults to the party and give them respect,” says Agostino. “We need to actually sit down and talk to them IN PERSON. listen, and then take actual action based on what they say. Not just pay lip service to them. They see and hear right through that. This is what keeps me up at night. That our kids don’t love radio as much as we do. I understand my mission, and that is to make the new generation love what we do as much as we do. That being said, I’d like to point out that Gen Media Partners’ Kathleen Fink is a great example of one of the future stars of the industry. She will definitely be calling the shots somewhere, someday.
“As far as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, we have so much work left to do. What we need to do is actually spend more time together, talking and understanding different viewpoints. We need to walk a mile in others’ shoes in order to really get how they experience the world.”
And finally, Agostino says, “Finding work-life balance is a myth! I find that the most important thing for me to be successful is to stay on top of my health. I meditate and jog daily. I cannot start my day without some form of exercise. It’s what keeps me focused and grounded so I can concentrate on the things that are important and prioritize them accordingly.”
Follow Grace on her journey: @theradiolady on Instagram, and Grace Agostino on LinkedIn.
You go. Grace!! I love your story.