10 Questions with ... Rizzo & Jeff In The Morning

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Rizzo and Jeff met up while doing mornings on WDZH/Detroit. Jeff was one Half of the Rat and Puff Show. Rizzo came to them after doing mornings on KOSP and WQCM alone after getting his big break doing mornings on WPLJ with Todd Pettengill’s “The Todd Show” Jeff also was on Q102 afternoons and WFLZ nights! Together they joined up after realizing they complimented each other so well at WKHQ to prove that radio WILL ONLY WIN in the morning, with the right mixture of content, music and social media engagement!

1. What do you do to maintain a positive mental attitude and to stay motivated?

We know it sounds cheesy BUT we got into this business knowing it was hard sometimes. Feast or Famine. You get up EVERY DAY and put in a full work day to try and sell yourself. We are a product, a commodity that we believe is better than most out there today! We believe in our talent, our social media skills and know that we will find the right home on the next leg of this journey soon!

2. How are you occupying your time, besides looking for a job?

We do a few things. We are on Facebook interacting with listeners. We have a very popular segment called HOT TUB TALK where we get in a hot tub and do a sort of video podcast about things going on. Coming up we will be doing a coronavirus Hot Tub Talk on our Facebook. We also are active on Snap Chat and Instagram. That coupled with Podcasting keeps us pretty busy outside of looking for work. What many do not realize is just cause we moved on from ONE platform, we still have four others where listeners are craving content. So we lost one platform, why would we stop creating content?

3. Some people get discouraged or enlightened with the business when they actually step out of it for a while. Tell us your observations from the outside.

This is a CRAZY time to be in this business. To be honest the feast or famine quote applies. THIS will weed out everyone who is not 1000% IN all the time. We are changing so much and trying to navigate streaming services, I did not realize how many people just go in do a show and literally re-post nonsense on social media to get it done. SOCIAL MEDIA is such a tool, how is everyone not using it to generate numbers? That puzzles us. I cannot tell you how many people said to me “Rizzo I don’t get to listen much but I follow you on social!” That could turn into ratings and if not, they are still a listener. I see so many people who do not get that yet!

4. Do you plan on sticking with radio?

UM HECK YES. NO QUESTION, DISCUSSION or THOUGHT!!!

5. What's the longest stretch you've had on the beach?

Almost a year for Rizzo (After KOSP) and 18 months for Jeff (after WDZH)

6. What's the best way to get your foot in the door?

TAKE CHANCES! Do a Hot Tub Talk, send a tape to the SVP of Market # 1 if you only ever worked in unrated markets. Take coaching, learn absorb and for the love of god bring more to the table then a great voice. KNOW CONTENT, learn your desired audience and get out on the streets! Podcast and be different and unique! Everyone can read a liner card, not everyone is a true unique personality!

7. What has been your best resource for finding out about job openings?

ALL ACCESS, BABY! Obviously All Access but I would say our agent has been a huge help getting to people in the upper levels of companies but always the friends and connections you make through going to things like Bootcamp, WWRS and working in markets. We never look at competition as enemies but potential friends and allies. This business is WAY TOO SMALL to have an ego or not make friends.

8. What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get a job?

Went to an interview I was NOT QUALIFIED for (PLJ) in a bowtie and shorts. I then basically laid it put there and said “You should not hire me, I am NOT good enough for this job” point blank… 2 hours later on the train back to Philly, I got the job! Jeff on the other hand has always said getting to Q102 the first time being interns for Tic Tak was, let’s just say was, interesting!

9. What is the next job you'd like to obtain?

We are open to listening to offers. We are not market chasers and have had the big jobs. We would love another gig in a major market but now are looking more for FIT over SIZE. KHQ was perfect for us because they allowed us to do things we would never have gotten away with at AMP Radio or in a major market! That said we came here to build a social following and we did that. We have perfected the social media stuff and are open to going back to whatever situation is the best for us going forward. A Pittsburgh, San Antonio or Cleveland would be cool. A market that has GREAT radio and listeners who would get our show and be engaged!

10. Are you finding salaries/benefits lower than you ever thought, about the same, or have you seen some pleasant surprises?

I really think it is about fit and situation. Sure radio is changing but I think people are paid according to their talent and what they bring. So YES if you are a great air talent but has no other skills, promotions, social media, producing then I can see how they may be affected. In our experience it had been fair to a few surprises. We have always felt fairly compensated.

Care to contribute a recipe for our "On The Beach" cookbook?

Sure, you take a dash of talent, mix with a splash of creativity, a quarter cup of perfecting podcasting, a teaspoon of passion and drive, a table spoon of social media and 2/3 cup of cross promotional content to reach the biggest audience and bake it for 4-20 weeks and out should come a heck of a job!!!

“Can be used with or without a sprinkle of video continent like Hot Tub Talk” (For best results please keep engaged on your platforms)