Trailblazers
Megatrax Production Music
Trailblazers is THE podcast for sound media Professionals. TrailBlazers is a series of in-depth interviews of, for and about sound media professionals. With a panache for storytelling, guests of this podcast will lead you to become a better professional so whether you’re a leader in the field or just beginning, prepare to learn from those who have blazed and left a trail.
Episode 42: Chad Rufer (Group Director of Programming, Bonneville Sacramento)
We are truly excited and honored to have Chad Rufer on this month’s episode of Trailblazers. Chad discovered his passion for music during his teenage years while involved with his high school’s radio station, KWDM. At just sixteen, he landed his first real radio job hosting a Saturday night “Party Song” show on KLYF in Des Moines, IA, while also anchoring news for its sister station, WHO-AM. With over 30 years of radio experience, Chad has risen from weekend on-air talent to Vice President of
Episode 41: Tom Fox (Voice of Compliance Podcast Network)
This month, we are joined by Tom Fox, President and Founder of the award-winning Compliance Podcast Network and the Texas Hill Country Podcast Network where Tom personally produces over 70 podcasts each week! Tom has won multiple awards for podcast hosting and producing and has the distinct honor of garnering awards for series as diverse as Looking Back on 9/11, Understanding Lyme Disease, and Trial of the Century: The Enron Trial. He is also an Executive leader at the C-Suite Network, the world
Episode 40: Jason Barrett (Founder of Barrett Media)
We are truly excited and honored to have Jason Barrett, the President and Founder of Barrett Media, on this month’s episode of Trailblazers. Before launching his company in 2015, Jason worked in the industry for 20 years as a programmer, host, and producer. Jason has served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming Sports Talk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1
Episode 39: Steve Goldstein (CEO of Amplifi Media)
This month on the Trailblazers podcast we are very excited to have Steve Goldstein as our guest. Steve is an internationally recognized executive and leader in scaling and refining audio ventures across podcasting, radio, satellite radio, and voice platforms. He has developed scores of successful podcast initiatives, radio shows, top talent, and monetization strategies. Steve is an adjunct professor at NYU where he teaches "The Business of Podcasting," the first course at a major university foc
Episode 38: Talaya Trigueros (Host of SiriusXM Watercolors)
This month we are excited to have Talaya Trigueros, on-air talent/host of Sirius XM Watercolors Channel 66 (Monday through Saturday) and occasionally of Real Jazz Channel 67. In this episode, Talaya discusses the beginning of her radio career at the University of New Mexico’s KUNM playing Latin Jazz and Salsa, followed by a move to San Francisco where KRE-AM, a legendary Jazz station in Berkeley, quickly hired her. There she was given her own show, Sabor y Salsa, and due to her stellar ratings
Episode 37: Sam Parker, Creative Director at WIZZFX
This month we are excited to have Sam Parker, Creative Director at WIZZFX - a custom audio production branding service, responsible for crafting the sound of some of the biggest radio and podcast brands across the globe. Alongside Chris Nicoll, Sam leads a team of creatives pushing the boundaries of “traditional” radio imaging and sonic branding. Championing grassroots talent is one of his core values and further helps to differentiate the WIZZFX Masterclass platform, currently the only radio i
Episode 36: Dylan Riggs - Part 2
We had so much left to talk about with Dylan Riggs, Director of Production Operations at Audacy nationwide, that we welcomed him back for another episode! Dylan is responsible for all commercial production at Audacy, is an executive producer of the “The Daly Download Top 30 Countdown with Carson Daly,” and is a voiceover talent that can be heard on 100+ stations weekly across North America. In this episode, we discussed with Dylan his memorable moments in radio, his mindset changes from being
Episode 35: Garrick Whitehead
On this month’s episode we are joined by Garrick Whitehead who is currently Senior Audio Producer/Imaging/Voiceover for Educational Media Foundation – a non-profit, multi-platform media company that owns the nation’s largest contemporary Christian radio networks – K-LOVE and Air 1. Garrick has worked around the globe3 as a DJ and audio producer and is obsessed with sound and how it touches the listeners. He is also the father of 7 children (yes, 7)! and husband to one beautiful wife. In this e
Episode 34: Dylan Riggs
On this month’s episode we are joined by Dylan Riggs, Director of Production Operations at Audacy, nationwide. Dylan is responsible for all commercial production at Audacy, is an executive producer of the “The Daly Download Top 30 Countdown with Carson Daly,” and is a voiceover talent that can be heard on 100+ stations weekly across North America. He’s also a guitar hoarder (54 and counting). Dylan talks about his experiences at different radio stations, his love of metal music, and an incr
Episode 33: Joel Denver
On this month’s episode we are joined by Joel Denver, President, Publisher, and Co- founder of All Access Music Group. Joel has been heard on many markets from Miami to San Diego, and has been a program director, record promoter, CHR Editor of Radio and Records and now the head of All Access Music Group-one of the nation’s most successful radio and podcasting trade publications. 2023 began ALL ACCESS’ 28th year of success serving all of radio/streaming platforms/podcasting and working with al
Episode 32: Myron "Magic" Giggua
On this month's episode, we are joined by Myron "Magic" Giggua, the Production Director and Radio Personality at Radio One Atlanta. Magic, known for his remarkable career in the radio industry, has been riding the airwaves for over 20 years. He began his professional journey at the esteemed Carter Broadcasting station, HOT 103 JAMZ in Kansas City. More recently, he also founded MVP Magic Voice Productions, a multimedia audio recording company specializing in advertising campaigns, music, and fil
Episode 31: Ron Shapiro
On this month’s episode we are joined by Ron Shapiro the Content Creator at Spotify who is greatly experienced at every level of radio & is now a major player in podcasting world with one of the largest podcasting platforms globally, Spotify. He began his career as a producer on the Casey Kasem American Top 40 program, then the director of ABC watermark and was also the producer of the world famous KISSFM here in Los Angeles, CA. On this episode Ron discusses his experience working at Watermar
Episode 30: Michele Cobb
On today’s episode we are joined by Michele Cobb, executive director of the Podcast Academy in New York city. An organization with its mission to unite podcasts creators, industry leaders & people from all over the podcast life. Michele is also a podcaster & has her own podcast titled “The Stories of Impact Podcast” where she speaks with individuals working in the world of science, research, & has great discussions on human flourishing. When she isn’t on the mic podcasting, she has her own con
Episode 29: Bill Schultz
This month we are joined by Bill Schultz, Executive VP of Content at Cadence 13, an Audacy company, and leading podcast studio dedicated to premium storytelling and production. For over 30 years, Bill has made his mark in the broadcasting world and currently works with a team of content creators and influencers to develop, produce, and monetize on-demand audio content covering many genres, including political, sports, comedy, lifestyle, documentary, and true-crime. Listen in to learn why Bill is
Episode 28: Jake Kaplan
Today we are joined by Jake Kaplan, Director of Imaging and Sound Design at Audacy inc. He is an award-winning sound designer with extensive experience in using audio to tell a story. Jake is also a voiceover artist and was previously the Creative Director of Programming for 97.1 Amp Radio and Channel Q in Los Angeles. Listen in to learn why Jake is a true trailblazer and how you can become one too!
Episode 27: Shawn Smith
This month we are joined by Shawn Smith, President of Momentum Media in Vancouver, Canada. With over 30 years of success in media and marketing, Shawn has worked with countless companies in both the United States and Canada, growing broadcast brands and revenues in both countries. Since forming his company, Momentum Media is now considered an independent provider of world class programming and innovative services and tools for the broadcast industry. Learn about a great new product his company
Episode 26: Turi Ryder
This month we are joined by Turi Ryder, owner of Shebops Productions and author of “She Said What?” (A Life on the Air), a book all about the excitement of a career on air! Turi has hosted her own radio shows in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Portland. As she puts it – she gives advice, which you probably should not take, and tells stories, which you probably should not believe. Turi shares how having a crush lead her to a career in broadcasting, the importance of treating people with ki
Episode 25: Pat Cheung
This month we are joined by Pat Cheung, CEO & founder of PodInBox, an audience engagement platform that lets podcasters easily receive audio messages and donations from their fans. He’s also the host of Podcast Growth Hacks, a weekly podcast where he interviews podcasters to unpack their most effective growth tactics. Pat is a serial tech entrepreneur, a Techstars 2016 alum, and co-founder of Silversheet (acquired in 2019). Pat shares his humble beginnings being born in Hong Kong then moving to
Episode 24: Jack Hobbs
This month we are joined by Jack Hobbs, who is the president of Revolver Podcasts, which is a multicultural-targeted, bilingual audio network that offers listeners the ability to enjoy a variety of on-demand programs. Revolver Podcasts is building a community that inspires and empowers audiences to explore and pursue their passions. Its system enables people across the world to discover, share and create content. Initially Jack spent several years on the field as a major league baseball player i
Episode 23: Mark Elliot
This month we are joined by Mark Elliot, Group Program Director for Cherry Creek Media where he oversees all programming aspects for 46 radio stations across the nation. Mark is also the CEO and Founder of Mark Elliot Media, whose goal is to assist you in growing your clusters revenue by executing formats specifically built to win in your market. Mark touches on the parallels between sports and radio, his minor league stint with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the time he exchanged a stay at his house
Episode 22: Haz Montana
This month we are joined by Haz Montana, the VP of Audio Brand for Meruelo Media where he oversees Power 106, Cali 93.9, KLOS 95.5 and 93.5 KDAY. Previously, he worked in programming and management roles at Univision Radio for over 16 years, initially as Operations Manager and then as VP of Content. He also previously served as VP of Programming for Entravision and as Program Director for SBS’s Roman 106.7 radio station in Miami. Montana started his broadcast career as an on-air talent and progr
Episode 21: Matty Staudt
This month we are joined by Matty Staudt, Chief Development Officer at Amaze Media Labs. He is also the Founder of Jam Street Media, a podcast network that includes hit podcasts such as, “Appalachian Mysteria”, “Deep Cover, The Real Donnie Brasco” and “A Life’s Story”. At the young age of 10 Matty created his own radio show live from his bedroom, from that moment on he discovered his life’s passion for broadcasting. As soon as he could drive, he was down at the local radio station where he lande
Episode 20: Podcast Webinar
This month we replay for you our How Will Podcasts Evolve From Here? webinar. A conversation led by Gary Scott, CEO of Inside Voices Media and joined by Martina Castro, CEO of Adonde Media, Jason Saldanha, Chief of Content and Business Development for PRX, Matty Staudt, EVP of Podcasting at Amaze Media Labs, Rachael King, Founder and CEO of Pod People, and Ashton Carter, Director of Recruiting at Pod People. Join us for an episode full of insight from different walks of podcasting as this all-st
Episode 19: Jay Stevens
This month we are joined by Jay Stevens, the President and Founder of Tenshare Media. Jay knew he wanted to be in radio from a very young age and eventually got his start as an on-air talent. He quickly rose through the ranks as a program director in several major markets before taking on senior leadership roles in programming for CBS, Radio One, and Reach Media. His broadcasting journey ultimately allowed him to build his own company, Tenshare Media, where he personally works with programmers
Episode 18: Cheryl Mann and Julie Brown
This month, we are joined by Cheryl Mann who is the president and founder of Goals In Sight, a certified team development expert, executive coach and change management consultant and Julie Brown who is the principal of Julie M. Brown and Associates, a California Bay Area management consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, operations improvement and leadership development. Together they have a leadership program called Leadership Redefined that focuses on development, leadership and gr
Episode 17: Jeff Sottolano
This month we are joined by Jeff Sottolano, Executive Vice President of Programming at Audacy, Inc., formerly Entercom/CBS. Originally attending college as an electrical and computer major, Jeff could have never imagined that a summer internship at WZNE in Rochester, New York would turn into his illustrious present-day 20-year broadcasting career. Take a listen as Jeff leads us down his trek in radio and the ‘horror movie’ that has been the pandemic. Jeff shares his everyday challenges as a
Episode 16: Mike McVay
This month we are joined by Mike McVay, president of McVay Media, a full-service consulting firm and former Executive Vice President of Programming for Cumulus Media, overseeing hundreds of radio stations all over the nation. Mike’s story began just 30 miles south west of Pittsburgh where his father worked on the Pennsylvania railroad as an engineer. That vessel literally and figuratively led Mike to WHJB, where he landed his first radio job and ultimately turned that opportunity into a 40 year
Episode 15: Derek Jones
Episode 15 - This month we are joined by Derek Jones, Director of Creative Services, Chief Engineer and Producer at Megatrax. Picking up his first instrument at the young age of 11, Derek details his early interest in music and how his childhood hobby of playing the drums ultimately laid the foundation for his present-day career. Hear all about his theory that music can enhance learning capabilities, his time at Berklee College of Music in Boston, the intricacies that go into creating an album,
Episode 14: Jon Thomas
Episode 14 – Jon Thomas: This month we are joined by Jon Thomas, Owner of JS Audio Works, your audio production specialists. In addition, he is the contracted longtime producer/ imager for West Virginia Radio Corporation. Learn how Jon landed his very own night show at WVAQ at only 20 years old, the advice he gives to businesses trying to stay afloat during Covid, his take on the current radio landscape and presently leading his own company as a renowned audio engineer. Sharing that he “Wouldn’t
Episode 13: Chris Nicoll
This month we are joined by Chris Nicoll, Creative Director and Founder of WizzFX, a custom imaging service for radio and digital products including podcasting. He shares his journey as an audio branding expert and how it essentially led him to creating this ultimate custom imaging tool. Chris credits his positive mindset and curious nature to his New Zealand roots as he reflects on his start in radio, his desire to help others create through his webinar series, suggestions for upcoming imagin
Episode 12: Valerie Geller
Valerie Geller, President of Geller Media International, shares the reason she fell in love with radio. She explains how her passion led to her becoming an international broadcast consultant and conference speaker. Learn what Valerie, renowned author of Beyond Powerful Radio, means by "preaching from scars, not your wounds," and the importance of using humor to be accessible, which is a massive key to success in the radio industry. Discover why Valerie believes merely having a gr
Episode 11: Rob Greenlee
Rob Greenlee, VP of Content and Partnerships for Libsyn, explains how to get started with your podcast concept, and shares tips to take your podcast to the next level. Learn the essential data skills you'll need to get your podcast to the next level, and how to remain authentic - the key to success - throughout the process. Whether you're a seasoned podcaster or not, learn all about Rob Greenlee's role in The Podcast Academy. This podcasting trade organization has significant plans for p
Episode 10: Gary Scott
In this episode, we chat with Gary Scott, Chief Executive Officer at Inside Voice, a podcast company in Los Angeles, California. Gary, a graduate of UC Berkley, began his career as an investigative and political reporter. He transitioned into radio, eventually becoming the program director of KCRW, one of the most influential NPR stations in the country. Gary shares the behind the scenes scoop on some of his most successful podcasts, including LongShots, a political podcast hosted by famed
Episode 9: Paul Kaye
Join us as we talk to Paul Kaye, VP of Product & Talent Development at Rogers Radio, Canada. Learn how a degree in coaching serves him in developing his on-air talent and how COVID-19 has granted his team the freedom to be more creative. Describing our current situation as a snow globe, Paul brilliantly teaches us all a lesson that applies to life, not just radio.
Episode 8: Barbara Blake
In this month’s episode, listen to veteran Radio Personality Barbara Blake from KTWV The WAVE in Los Angeles discuss why and how she built Citizen Planet. This multi-digital platform community connects the world through multi-culturalism, unity and more. Learn how to create an idea of your own and follow Barbara’s steps so that you too, can create an innovative community as she has. Also, find out how inviting friends of different cultures is beneficial and how you too can become a great citiz
Episode 7: Matt Cundill
This month's guest, Matt Cundill, is owner/operator of The Sound Off Media Company - an audio solutions group providing voiceovers, radio programming strategies, and podcast solutions. Matt, based in Canada, launches podcasts for businesses, entrepreneurs and performers. He is also the host of the Sound Off, Hot Air and Stand Up Speak Up podcasts. In this episode, Matt explains what it takes to be a podcaster, and shares the one thing that taught him the most, which turns out to be a com
Episode 6: Raul Torres of Univision
The latest episode of Trailblazers contains a wealth of wisdom from Raul Torres, Vice President of Production & Imaging at Univision. Not only does Raul share valuable insight on how to succeed in life, he gives a day-to-day overview of managing a national radio network and explains why we should all be willing to embrace failure in 2020.
Episode 5: Phil Becker of Alpha Media
Executive VP of Content at Alpha Media, Phil Becker, manages and directs over 200 radio stations nationwide. In this episode of Trailblazers, Phil aims to inspire you, while sharing critical strategies he uses to manage his hectic schedule, including: · Phil’s three time-management filters to ease your day. · What an idea emergency looks like. · Why he gave up on a mindset of wins vs. losses. · Why you should always hire stars. · Why he doesn’t want to be remembe
Episode 4: Colby Colb Tyner of Radio One
Vice President of programming for the largest urban radio network in the country, Colby Colb Tyner shares what are some of the things he does as a VP to help build his talent pool. A self-admitted political junkie, Colby shares personal stories of success and lessons learned along the way to get him to where he is today. Always rising up to the occasion, Colby is the epitome of a TrailBlazer, paving the way for others who are right behind him.
Episode 3: Rich Boerner of Cadence 13
This month we're joined by Rich Boerner, VP of Programming and Director of Operations at Cadence 13. With a wealth of knowledge and a unique panache for storytelling, Rich imparts advice for the podcasters of tomorrow; giving tips for taking a podcast to the next level; the skills podcasters need to develop continually; and how to monetize podcast brands. Rich also shares a fascinating account of recording the inaugural episode of Goop - the podcast extension of Gwenyth Paltrow's lifestyle bran
Episode 2: Josh Ryan of Zimmer Radio Group
Program and Creative Services Director for Zimmer Radio Group in Missouri, Josh Ryan, shares his passion for radio, things he loves about his job, gives advice to someone trying to break into radio and shares his priceless experience in his local community in Columbia, Missouri and a very special relationship he developed with an adorable 10 year old little girl with Cerebral Palsy and her parents after a station fundraiser his station conducted to help raise funds for the disease.
Episode 1: Robert Smith of NPR's Planet Money
Correspondent and Host of Planet Money, Robert Smith, shares a deep and personal story while covering the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and his boat ride with local Louisiana fishermen who went out to earn their living despite it being illegal in the days following Katrina. Smith also shares the backstory of when he and his story partner set out to buy 1,000 barrels of oil with $10,000 in cash in order to teach his listeners how the price of oil impacts them at the pump every day.