robinsonmediafindit

“Discovery is seeing what everybody else has seen,and thinking what nobody else has thought.” –Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

Sometimes its right before your very eyes – or ears, in some cases.

The traditional media world screams for new, fresh talent but fails to pull the trigger and resorts into the well of ‘the usual suspects’.

What would the music world be without Stevie Nicks, who was discovered in 1967 at a Young Life meeting by Lindsey Buckingham – no Fleetwood Mac as we know it today.

If Columbia Records had not directed contract producer Jim Messina to work with a new kid named Kenny Loggins – well, you know.  No one home in the House At Pooh Corner.

In Los Angeles, Jimmy The Sports Guy on the KROQ morning show summoned the random services of a Personal Trainer named Adam and struck up a conversation about our business.

Now, Adam Carolla is a household name and a podcast superstar.

And that Jimmy The Sports Guy, who carries the last name Kimmel, also unearthed, as his intern, another talent named Carson Daly.

Looking for that spark to jump-start YOUR talent bank but think that’s there ‘a big lack of talent out there’?

Listen to Brad Booker tell his story about who he found serving pizza in Evansville:

“I stopped into the big pizza joint, Turoni’s.  After ordering the beer sampler, the server carded me and inquired why I moved to Indiana from New Orleans. 

I told her I was there to do a morning show on (Hot 96) WSTO.  She proceeded to inform me that she recently graduated from Ball State University, with a degree in Media Communications and was proficient in Pro Tools. 

WHAT?  The girl bringing our pizza knew Pro Tools?

She wanted to break into the business but had no experience.   Sarah was so witty and entertaining, I brought my boss in to meet her.  Weeks later, she was producing our show and the third voice.

Sarah Pepper rocketed from market size #162 (Evansville) to #6 (Houston) – simply by what others saw but what no one else thought.

With turmoil swirling in legacy media, it’s prime to take chances again.

Let’s find it – out there.

Next Week: The 5 P’s

Kevin Robinson is a record-setting and award-winning programmer.  His brands consistently perform in the Top 3 of the target – often times as the list leader.  In his 35 years of radio, he’s successfully programmed or consulted nearly every English language radio brand.  Known largely as a trusted talent coach, he’s the only personality mentor who’s coached three different morning shows on three different stations in the same major market to the #1 position.  His efforts have been recognized by Radio & Records, NAB’s Marconi, Radio Ink and has coached CMA, ACM and Marconi winning talent.  Kevin lives in St. Louis with his wife of 30 years, Monica.  Reach Kevin at (314) 882-2148 or robinsonradio@aol.com.