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10 Questions with ... Jenny Bender
July 18, 2022
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1. Share a moment in your career that you’ll always remember.
In 2020, just a few months prior to my move from country radio to CCM, my station won a CMA (Country Music Association) Award for Station of the Year. Luke Combs called us live on the air to tell us that we’d won and I immediately started sobbing. I’m not in this for the awards or accolades, but as a kid from a trailer park in the armpit of North Carolina who grew up watching the CMA Awards on tv every year, that moment was a humbling reminder that God is able to do exceedingly & abundantly above anything we can ask or think!
2. If you weren’t working in radio what else do you think you’d do?
My sister and I have a dream of running our own dog daycare so that we can take our dogs to work every day; if I wasn’t doing radio full time, I'd love to do that. And I’d still be writing blogs and recording podcasts on the side because I love that creative outlet & connection with people too much to let it go completely.
3. Some great advice you've received is…
My hero & mentor, Chuck Nance (co-host of the Charlie & Debbie Show on 103.7 WSOC in Charlotte) always says, “Today’s enemies are tomorrow’s bosses & coworkers, so work harder than anyone, be kind to everyone and be careful which bridges you burn.”
4. How do you continue learning and growing?
I've found conferences to be SUCH a great way to connect with people who are much smarter than I am, to learn from them, get new ideas, feedback, etc. Even if your company can’t or won’t pay for you to attend things like Morning Show Boot Camp, Momentum, etc., it’s SO worth investing in yourself and your talent - even if it means saving up your money all year and paying your own way!
5. What’s one thing you wish you’d known about radio when you first started?
I had no idea the level of sacrifice that it would require. My first year out of college, I had to move back in with my parents because I could no longer afford to rent my apartment. I had a really incredible internship that I loved, but also had to work 3 part time jobs to pay for basics like gas, food, phone & car insurance. I was willing to make that short term sacrifice for long term gain (and it did pay off, eventually.) Radio also requires a lot of sacrifice for your family & friends. You have to go where the jobs are; not the other way around, and that limits being able to live close to people you love. That has been (and still is) the hardest sacrifice for me.
6. Tell us about someone who you really respect and why?
My husband, Chris. He is just such a sincere, Godly and good person. He has more honesty and integrity in his pinkie finger than most of us do in our entire body. I watch him read his Bible every night before bed. I watch him pray through Ephesians 6:10-18 every single morning as he puts on the full armor of God before walking out the door. He loves people so well & is always showing up for anyone who needs him. His first response to literally every situation, big or small, is to pray first. I have never known someone so full of the fruits of the Spirit and who makes such a deliberate effort in their everyday life to live, walk and talk like Jesus. He’s a wonderful, dependable husband, yes; but more importantly, he’s a solid Christian partner who’s always teaching me & challenging me to draw nearer to Jesus.
7. What’s something about you that would surprise most people?
I’m extremely introverted – like, cripplingly shy. This career has brought me out of my shell a lot, but to this day, if you put me in a crowded room full of people I don’t know, I’ll probably be in a corner having an anxiety attack and feeling like a socially awkward freak.
8. What’s your favorite room at home and why?
We just moved into a new house a few years ago, and our living room is my favorite room in the house because it has 3 large windows that let in tons of natural light. It’s open, bright and so peaceful - an instant mood boost, especially with our two fur babies, Mary Poppins & Truly Scrumptious, snuggled with us on the couch.
9. Finish this sentence: My day doesn’t start properly until I...
As much as it sounds like a cliché sign from Hobby Lobby, my day doesn’t start properly until I have some coffee & a talk with Jesus.
10. What do you do to unwind and chill?
Karaoke, jigsaw puzzles and playing piano
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