Gotta Get My Feet Wet

Starting next week, it will be time to test the waters of self-employment again for the first time in about 22 years. Yes, the early 80's saw me and and a buddy swan-dive out of the radio broadcast business (account rep/air personality/program director/scapegoat) and into the cauldron of small-town advertising agency insanity. I say "swan dive" only because it was a very graceful and well-wished exit from the radio stations I was working for. They threw us a party with beer, chips & dip, and a cake with the hopes of romancing us and our clients to spend money on their (our old) station. Cool, huh? It wasn't really that cool since all the other stations thought we were a couple of clowns destined to steal away their "grandfather" ad business. So, what is "grandfather ad business"? The short stroke: radio stations keeping clients on the air for years and years by charging them pre-historic commercial time rates...and I mean cheap spot rates of Jurassic-like old age. Now, the other radio stations would keep their cheap spot rates (we're talking $3 a spot in 1983) close to their vests, all the while quoting us the usual $12 to $15 out of their nifty brochures (reserved only for agencies, out of town clients, and the uninitiated). They thought that was justified since they had to "discount" the invoice to us 15% (the typical agency commission). But let's get back to the "grandfather" thing, or what is more commonly known as "the good old boy network". I know what you're saying, "What a couple of naive losers...weren't you aware of that before you bailed out?" Well, yes we were, but...still possessing 32 year old testosterone I was sure we could overcome any obstacles. So we got ourselves a small office, built a small recording studio for radio commercials and voice-overs, bought a small stapler and some small business cards and we were in business! Why it failed and how I didn't anitcipate what the death-blow would be will be revealed in the next post. Actually, a series of death-blows is what caused our demise...the demise of the business and our friendship. So why would I attempt it again after all these years? One of my favorite sayings, "It ain't the years honey, it's the mileage" sums it up. Who's quote is it? I'll give you a hint with another quote from him: "I don't know...I'm making this up as I go along!" More later. Peace!