Mz.Coffee Pours Up Her Radio Industry Journey

Mz Coffee is the Operations Manager, Program Director, and an On-Air Personality for SpiltMilk Radio WSPM-DB. This Urban-AC talent decided to do radio with a primary focus of not only women in radio but mothers of the world.

“The way I came into radio was not a direct path at all.” Mz.Coffee shares. She was first working in the engineering and design field, had PR/ Media and marketing experience from working with the Marketing Department at Fueled by Ramen Records doing artist/tour promotions. From there, she started writing for Beyond Race Magazine in Brooklyn NY. BRM is the magazine that gave J.Cole his first Cover when he started his career as an artist. “From there I got promoted to the Hip Hop Editor of the Magazine, and soon after that I started a family and gave birth to a set of fraternal boy/girl twins. Becoming a mother really shifted my focus, I wanted to work but it was important to keep my work family-centered so I turned down a lot of media offers.”

Coffee then decided to do radio with a twist. “Through my work with families and supporting births and breastfeeding both in person and virtually across the country, I saw that there was a huge need for information transfer. I believe that knowledge is protection, and It’s no secret that there are some serious health disparities that exist across the diaspora. For example, the Maternal Mortality Rate as a birth worker, and knowing the statistics on the overall survival rate of Black moms and babies.” With a true passion for radio, she wanted to find a way to support a larger audience, and reach more people. Then, Covid-19 pandemic created an even greater need for reliable information and resources in the community.” I knew that meeting people where they are, is the best way to share information. I saw a window where I could marry my industry experience with my birth work experience and create a resource for listeners that speaks to the lifestyle.  People come away from my show entertained, uplifted, or educated. That is the purpose.”

So, what advice does Mz.Coffee leave for her younger self and fellow women in radio? “My advice is to create your opportunities, don’t be afraid to go for it. In my personal experience, a lot of opportunities in the industry don’t come through the intern or job application/interview format.  You have to see the gaps and be ready to jump in and fill that gap. This means you have to be observant and don’t be afraid of detours because those experiences are what will make you unique. I would tell myself to stay the course, pay attention to every lesson, It will all make sense later. Just stay on the saddle.  When you’re a young adult trying to figure things out while in motion, it can feel crazy and not everything is going to make sense. One day you’ll get to a place where you will look back and say, I was prepared me for this moment.”

Huda Walid: International Radio Journey

Women In Radio has gone international!

Huda Walid is a Radio Hos on QBS Radio 97.5 fm in Doha – Qatar.

Huda shares an interesting story on her start in radio following a birthday movie night. “December 2005 when Hanan, a dear friend of mine, took me out for lunch and got us tickets to watch The Exorcism of Emily Rose (a horror movie that we were both excitedly waiting to see in theatres) as a birthday treat. Right before we went inside the movie theatre, she asked me if could tell her what my all-time birthday wish was, and I said, “To be a radio host!”.

Four months later, I got a call from Mr. Nasser, the former QBS Radio Director, saying they were looking for radio anchors. They wanted me to go for a voice test and job interview.

On July 14, 2006 at 11:00 am, I went live on air for the very first time, and have been a radio anchor with QBS Radio ever since. My 26th  birthday wish got me started in radio, and I gratefully owe it all after God to Hanan, who made my birthday wish come true, Mr. Nasser Bilal, Mr. Ali Thawadi, and Mr. Elias Chalouhi, , my top three mentors who have always been and always will be the most supportive team leaders I have ever worked with, and last but definitely not the least, my family and close friends for their time, unconditional encouragement, constructive criticism,  honest opinion, and advice.”

Huda is a true example of how someone who lives in another part of the world can still bond over the love of this medium, which is radio. Huda not only loves her career but has found her life’s purpose. “ Radio, builds a strong bond and connection with the audience, by listening to what they have to say and starting a conversation. Not only are we able to play good music that feeds their souls and puts them in a great mood, but we’re able to share interesting, fun, light, and informative topics, news, and everyday matters that they can relate to.”

As women in radio, we all share a similar goal no matter where we work. Radio is a language that we all speak and understand very well.

While concluding our interview, Huda Walid shares one distinct tip for all women in radio. “Enhance your skills and maintain a growth mindset rather than pursue an easy and safe route embraced by others with a fixed mindset.”

DJ Sandra Dee: From Radio Disney to OWWR

As a proud woman in radio with 18 years as a disc jockey, Dj Sandra Dee's story is one I was fortunate to run across. While attending Nassau Community College back in 2002, she was trying to figure out the next step in her career. "Originally the plan was to work at the same label that represented the Backstreet Boys to someday manage them. However, my internship at Jive Records didn't come to fruition, my counselor found an ad for Radio Disney. They were looking for a few 'good mice' and those who loved to listen to the likes of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and of course the Backstreet Boys."

She started her career in radio on June 7, 2002. " I walked into that New York City building on my very first day as an extremely quiet, shy, introverted intern. It was there that I fell in love with Disney and the entire aspect of working in radio." She stayed around to visit and really showed her bosses that she really wanted to be there. "The only way I'd be able to really stay is if I became a host." So, with the help of her friend Jenny-Gem who threw her on the microphone for the first time at a 7-11 in Massapequa, LI - it happened.

So how did DJ Sandra Dee stay in radio for so long? Practice. "I did just that and it was through much hard work and determination, that Fall I had my first host audition." Once again, she was scared and terrified, but things somehow worked out. Soon thereafter, her radio career began.

From Radio Disney to OWWR host, DJ Sandra Dee recalls getting her name. “My favorite movie of all time (even as a kid) was Grease." As an intern at Radio Disney, she was asked by a jock if anyone ever called her Sandra Dree. After that conversation, 'DJ Sandra Dee' was born into existence.

Most times working with a huge platform like Disney, DJ Sandra Dee skills were not limited to one audience. She had the capability and platform to entertain everyone in the family.“My brand is just who I am, 'DJ Sandra Dee'. My purpose is to entertain both young and old alike. My mission is to create a getaway for those who would like to 'tune out' from the outside world and create positivity. Introducing the world to new music and talent has always been something I've loved to bring to people."

DJ Sandra Dee says she found her life purpose while working at Radio Disney. "Never in my entire life did I get to have a job where I could high-five a kid and make their day!" From hosting CD releases and concerts to being at events to give kids the opportunity to ask questions and meet their favorite stars was something she absolutely loved.

You can now tune into DJ Sandra Dee on Fridays from 11 am-1 pm on OWWR in NY.

So what are her final thoughts and advice she would like to give? Network! "My best advice to aspiring women in radio is to talk to everyone during your time at your internship, job, and etc. Make your connections, always smile, introduce yourself to people in the office. Never be afraid to ask questions! Take the opportunities to learn from every single person around you. My motto has always been that I can soak up things like a sponge. Know that you are NEVER ALONE! Always feel free to reach out and if anyone out there wants advice or simply needs an ear...you can ALWAYS reach me via email, LinkedIn, text/phone.

Allison Kay: From A Toy Mic, To Real Life

“KEEP GOING. At times it’s challenging to move forward in life as we all know, but to keep bettering or improving yourself, is the best thing for you. Having a positive attitude and thoughts absolutely makes all the difference. I find myself always focused on my career that sometimes I forget to have a good time, so taking care of yourself and letting loose to enjoy those little moments end up meaning a lot. Do things that truly make you happy, no matter what it is. Also, faith over fear..”

Those words from Allison Kay are well needed during this pandemic and speak to many of our fellow sisters in media.

“I’m SUPER thankful to be on this journey. I always knew that I wanted to pursue my passion and dream in Broadcasting. After high school, I went to a community college and began working towards my broadcasting career. I took part in their local radio station before transferring to SUNY Oswego since they are the major school of Broadcasting in New York. Al Roker (woot woot) graduated from there and donated the TV and Radio station. Plus, you can’t beat the sunsets on Lake Ontario which somehow makes up for the extremely cold winters. After college graduation and pursing and pursing exactly what I wanted, I landed my first radio job! I worked in promotions and then started live overnights at a well-known local radio station.  After a few years, I made the transition to my current radio station in which I’ve been able to now expand all my assets. I love writing blogs to go along with my on-air shifts, making fun and creative content, and posting interactive videos to get to know listeners. It’s also a blessing to work with and alongside some of the most helpful, positive, and uplifting people in this industry.”

Allison like many others in the industry knew her overall destiny would lead her to radio. “As soon as I spoke into my microphone at the community college radio class I attended, I felt it. Going back to being a child, I had a toy microphone that I couldn’t stop talking into and enjoyed putting on a show, ha-ha. I eat, sleep, and breathe broadcasting and know that it’s my purpose since I feel incredible in front of the mic or TV. How fortunate are we to turn on our TVs or radio stations and quickly be informed? We live in a world where anything we need to know or want to know is in the palm of our hands. Being an on-air host or announcer allows us to inform the world of what’s going on. As I said before, I’m super grateful that I get to highlight and announce the good in the world and shine positivity and light onto aspects that get presented.”

When concluding our virtual conversation, I asked Allison to leave some positive words during this trying time. “There are so many things that I want to pass onto my fellow broadcasting sisters. I’d have to say the one thing that’s shouting out of me to you right now is, YOU GOT THIS! We can be hard on ourselves and forget to celebrate those little wins so just be thankful for where you are now vs where you came from. Be positive and know that bigger and better things are coming your way. Also, we’re never alone. Thankfully social media allows us to connect with everyone on this planet and we’re all in this together.”

*A special thank you to Women in Radio for making this platform for all of us.*I’m honored to be here, to be a part of such inspirational and successful ladies and I’m excited to continue on this journey and watch all of us grow together.”

Your Voiceover Cheat Sheet by Corey Dylan

By: Corey Dylan

There are SO many opportunities to use your voice to make money in Voiceover. I don’t know anyone who is an overnight success but if you start now you should be able to create a business for yourself and make some money with persistence!

TRAINING: I saw the writing on the radio wall several years ago and knew I needed to start my own biz so I decided to start training with a renowned L.A. VO Coach & Demo Producer via phone. Her name is Nancy Wolfson and her biz is called BraintracksAudio.com. There are many coaches out there and many who claim to be coaches who will gladly take your money so ask around and interview them. I think many of the best coaches are charging about $160 per hour.

Depending on what kind of VO you’re hoping to do I can recommend some other coaches. I trained with Nancy for over a year before she felt I was ready to record the demo that cost about $2000. All told I probably spent over $9000 in training, equipment and demo production. I did all of this while still working FT in radio. I recommend you DO get some training and have a demo professionally produced because almost every script you’ll see calls for a “natural, non-announcery, non-DJ read.” Producers and Agents do NOT want DJ’s. They want and hire actors and professional VO talent. In fact, I use my legal name for VO and a stage name for radio. Your read needs to sound as though the words on the page are coming from YOU, in character...not a DJ read that’s sing-songy with no connection to what you’re actually saying.

WHERE TO FIND WORK: Once you’ve trained and have a demo you may want to join Voice123.com for approx $400 per year. Bodalgo is also fairly respected. There are many other pay-for-play services out there but not many are reputable and some lie about the commission they take to broker the deal between talent and client. You will audition A LOT and likely do more auditioning than booking. When you start, your booking ratio may be 100 auditions to 1 booking...and it’s very, very competitive. Your best bet to get clients is to reach out to your LOCAL video production studios, marketing directors and advertising company execs. Direct business will always pay more. If you’re serious about VO, stay away from sites like Fiverr (or if you go that route, use a fake name). The pro VO community tends to frown upon people that do this work so cheaply as they feel it brings the industry down. And if you’re serious about a future in VO I wouldn’t piss off the working pros! LinkedIn and other social media outlets can be a great resource too. Join VO groups and interact!

I think it’s been said that you’re working in the booth 20% of the time and marketing your services 80% of the time. I’m still working on this to try to find more business and repeat clients!

REPRESENTATION: I’ve had a couple of boutique VO agents but primarily only work with one out of Atlanta right now, Houghton Talent. To land the big agents you’ll typically need to be consistently booking big jobs yourself.

EQUIPMENT: I list all the tools I use on my website CoreyDylan.com (in my “Shop”) but I bought a top of the line mic that’s widely used in VO, the Sennheiser Mkh 416 shotgun mic $800 from Sweetwater.com. You can work out of a closet stuffed with clothes and some fiberglass panels (for soundproofing) like I do and get started with less expensive equipment like the free editing software, Audacity, though I use TwistedWave for Mac $120 and the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 A/D converter $100. Less expensive but highly recommended mics are the RODE NT1-A and the AT-2020 (Audio Technica).

I also use Quickbooks for accounting ($20 per month) and Source Connect so that I can patch into any studio anywhere ($35 per month) and various fees associated with my website like VoiceZam (for JenOConnorVO.com).

YOUR WEBSITE: You’ll definitely need your own website and you’ll want to own the domain vs wix or something else that merely tags wix.com/yoursitenamehere. For this you *may want to use a site like Fiverr but vet the developers carefully or build a simple site yourself. I’ve had several websites built over the years for radio and VO and they typically cost at least $1000, give or take. Again, you can build a simple one yourself that includes demos and contact info. This guy has built a business building sites for voice actors https://www.voiceactorwebsites.com/ and https://courvo.com/resources/fellow-vo-websites

READING & RESOURCES:

http://globalvoiceacademy.com/rate-guide/

https://www.gravyforthebrain.com/voice-over-talent-websites-the-ultimate-list/

https://www.mediavillage.com/article/why-doesnt-your-ad-have-a-female-voiceover-it-should/

http://denzillacey.com/imaging-in-2018-ann-dewig-vo/

https://www.sagaftra.org/introducing-sag-aftra-talent-rates-you-can-afford-miami-local-regional-code

https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/ways-aim-high-voice-acting-8702/

VIDEOS:

https://www.youtube.com/user/ewabsshow

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHHf1h8k7MA6-AG8FXjnQSw

https://vobuzzweekly.com/

https://www.ispot.tv/

Thursday Live Chats: Corey Dylan - Furlough/Unemployment

5 THINGS TO DO IF YOU’VE LOST YOUR JOB

By: Corey Dylan

1. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY; FILE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT IMMEDIATELY. IT CAN TAKE SOME TIME FOR THE PROCESS AND DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED TIME YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR MORE MONEY IF YOUR JOB LOSS CAME DURING THE PANDEMIC. TAKE A HARD LOOK AT YOUR FINANCES. GET RID OF ANYTHING THAT IS NOT AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY. https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/07/politics/unemployment-benefits-cares-act-covid-pandemic/index.html

2. STAY SANE; TAKE A BREATHER; A DAY, A WEEK. THEN MAKE A NEW SCHEDULE FOR YOURSELF. I HAD A NO TV DURING THE DAY RULE, I STARTED MAKING MY BED, GET OUT OF THE HOUSE FOR EXERCISE OR START A YOUTUBE YOGA CLASS IN YOUR LIVING ROOM. YOU NEED SOME STRUCTURE IN YOUR LIFE TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN MAKE PROGRESS IN THIS NEW CHAPTER. YOUR NEW JOB IS TO FIND A JOB SO YOU HAVE TO TREAT IT LIKE ONE.

3. GO PRO; TIME TO MAKE A NEW RESUME & DEMO. GET CREATIVE! THERE ARE SITES LIKE CANVA.COM WHICH I’VE USED THAT YOU CAN MAKE CLICKABLE LINKS - MORE LIKE A PRESS KIT OR A WEBSITE THAN YOUR GRANDAD’S PAPER RESUME. 

4. CONNECT; SEEK OUT YOUR PEERS ON SOCIAL PLATFORMS, INCLUDING LINKEDIN AND ENGAGE WITH THEM! ATTEND ONLINE SEMINARS FROM CONSULTANTS LIKE JACOBS MEDIA & TRACY JOHNSON AND ASK TO BE ADDED TO THEIR TALENT DATABASES. TELL THE INDUSTRY SITES YOU ARE LOOKING, AVAILABLE AND SHARE YOUR CONTACT INFO - ALLACCESS, RAMP247, RADIOINFO.COM, INSIDERADIO.COM, RADIOINSIGHT.COM

5. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX; PLAY TO YOUR STRENGTHS, NOT JUST YOUR BROADCASTING BACKGROUND. ARE YOU GOOD ON SOCIAL (AND HAVE SOME ANALYTICS TO BACK IT UP?), CAN YOU ACT? TRY VO. ARE YOU SUPER CREATIVE AND CAN COME UP WITH GREAT MARKETING IDEAS? HOW ARE YOUR AUDIO/VIDEO & EDITING SKILLS? THERE ARE LOTS OF FREELANCER SITES TO GET STARTED LIKE VOICE123 FOR VO, UPWORK, FREELANCER, FIVERR AND MORE. YOUR BEST BET MAY BE TO CALL BUSINESSES YOU’VE ENDORSED OR PATRONIZED AND SEE IF THEY NEED HELP IN AREAS OF YOUR EXPERTISE. YOU COULD CREATE A PODCAST FOR THEM! CALL YOUR FRIENDS IN THE NEWS MEDIA AND SEE IF THEY COULD USE YOU FOR A STORY. AND USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO CREATE YOUR OWN CONTENT OR SHOW. IF YOU’RE ABLE TO TEACH, YOU CAN BUILD A CLASS ON SITES LIKE UDEMY. GET OUT THERE AND BRING ATTENTION TO YOUR SKILLS! 

   —-

   Here’s a list of websites and people you should connect with! 

   LinkedIn

   Poynter Institute

   MusicBusinessWorldwide.com

   ProductionHub.com

   Glassdoor Jobs

   CastingNetworks.com

   Voice123.com (paid subscription)

   Upwork

   Freelancer

   Fiverr

   Neuvoo.com

   iHireBroadcasting.com

   Advertising/Marketing Agencies in your area

   Non-Profits

   TMZ Live Skype (give them a follow on Twitter & tell them you’d love to be on the show!)

   People you should be following and creating a relationship with!

   MC Media Online (Mercedes Martinez & Charese Fruge)

   Tracy Johnson Media 

   Jacobs Media

   Lori Lewis

   Angela Perelli

   Mike McVay with McVayMedia.com 

   Joel Denver at AllAccess.com

   Don Anthony at JocklineDaily.com & Morning Show Boot Camp
   

   Equipment recommendations for getting started in your home studio:

   Focusrite Scarlett Solo $110 at Sweetwater.com https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ScarlettSoloG3--focusrite-scarlett-solo-3rd-gen-usb-audio-interface

   I bought a Sennheiser Mkh 416 in the good times & it’s widely used in VO but pricey - around $1000. Less expensive but highly recommended mics are the RODE NT1-A https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/NT1AAnniv--rode-nt1-a-large-diaphragm-condenser-microphone and the AT-2020 (Audio Technica) https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AT2020--audio-technica-at2020-cardioid-condenser-microphone

   Audacity & Garage Band are free editing software tools, though I use TwistedWave for Mac. 
   

   All sorts of other vlogging, blogging, podcasting equipment listed on my website; https://coreydylan.com/shop/