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10 Questions with ... Ryan Hoppe
November 11, 2014
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
I got my first radio show in 2012 at the age of 19 when I was the host of two radio shows on WHCM 88.3 FM. Those shows were "The ManCAVE with Hoppe & Sack" and "Chi-town and the Big Apple" from September 2012-Feburary 2014. I got my foot in the door when Don Anthony of The Morning Mouth invited me to intern at the Morning Show Boot Camp, which gave me a lot of connections. I also was an associate producer for the nationally syndicated America Weekend radio show up in Milwaukee. For the last year, I've been interning for Dance Factory Radio. I also am the host of "The Hoppe & SuperRICH Show" on WNUR (Northwestern Radio).
1) What do you do to maintain a positive mental attitude and stay motivated?
I just tell myself that anything can happen in life, and that someone will see the passion and hard work that I put into my show. Anything can happen in life ... why can't I get one of my dream jobs in radio?
2) How are you occupying your time, besides looking for a job?
I currently host my freelance shows on WNUR and at the Illinois Center for Broadcasting in Lombard. My show is a mix of FM talk radio and Top 40 hits from the 2000s. I'm also looking for a side job to help support myself (unless I find a radio job by then).
3) Do you plan on sticking with radio?
YES! I have wanted to go into radio since I was in 4th grade (10 years now), so I'm chasing the dream. I was influenced by such shows as Opie & Anthony, Rover's Morning Glory, Eddie & JoBo, and Drex in the Morning. It's been my passion forever so I have so many ideas for the future of the business. I have so much fun when I am around radio, so I am certain that it's my perfect career choice.
4) What's the longest stretch you've had on the beach?
Four months now. I was the back-up associate producer of the nationally syndicated America Weekend radio show up in Milwaukee. I got my foot in the door there when I met Kipper McGee at the Morning Show Boot Camp radio conference in 2013. I would commute to Milwaukee from Chicago on Saturday and Sunday mornings and produce the show at the Clear Channel building up there.
5) What's the best way to get your foot in the door?
My best success so far has been e-mailing anyone and everyone looking for a foot in the door (obviously) and looking for some advice. I got all my internships and freelance positions by e-mailing people and reaching out.
6) What has been your best resource for finding out about job openings?
I love to check out All Access daily ... I look to find the right job for me and then apply for it. I also check out the radio company job listings (CBS Radio, Clear Channel, Entercom etc.)
7) What is the next job you'd like to obtain?
I would love to be a producer for a radio show since I have experience running the board, phone screening calls, editing podcasts, and I am great with social media. I am very hard working and can do any task that is assigned to me. I am looking for any radio job that can be my main job so I can support myself while continuing to grow my radio show online.
8) Are you spending as much time listening to radio as you used to?
Yes, I listen to radio during the day when I'm in the car, at the gym or at school. I love listening to shows like B.J. Shea, Rover's Morning Glory, Brother Wease, Bob and Brian, Dave and Chuck the Freak, and the list goes on.
9) What has been your biggest career accomplishment?
My biggest accomplishment was when I got my foot in the door at WNUR 89.3 (Northwestern Radio). I reached out to a guy on LinkedIN, and he let me sit in on his show in the Summer of 2013. Then I was given my own show that Fall called "The Hoppe & SuperRICH Show," and things have been growing ever since.
10) Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years?
I hope to be hosting a nationally syndicated FM talk show, which is "The Hoppe & SuperRICH Show." It is a hybrid mix of "hot talk" radio and Top 40 hits from the 2000s. My show would relate to the markets since it's very laid back and we give our honest take on the news.
Bonus Questions
What great movies have you recently seen?
I don't have a lot of time to sit for a few hours at home to watch a movie (or to even go to the movie theater). But I love to watch edgy television comedies and gritty TV shows. My favorite gritty TV shows are The Wire, Southland, Sons of Anarchy, Homeland, Ray Donovan, and the list goes on! I also am a huge fan of the adult cartoon genre, so I grew up on all the classics from back in the day on Adult Swim.
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