Oddly, the phrase, “Kent Sterling Fired” is still showing up as a source from Google to generate traffic to this website. As long as there is some twisted need for people to check on my unfortunate professional turn of fortune, I will let people know how I’m doing. I am the world’s foremost expert on my own life, and although I don’t find it too fascinating, I can fart a 500 word post on my own life.
I am curious whether people google “Kent Sterling Fired” because they hope that I have been, or heard that I was fired and wonder why. I’m hoping that the split is 50/50.
I met with an accountant this week about taxes, and he told me that there is a burgeoning group of a similarly displaced workforce out there determined to work for themselves. The corporate mentality just doesn’t seem as attractive when you spend a lot of time busting your ass to bring wealth to others, and then get your walking papers.
My accountant is great guy and taxman-to-the-stars Kirk Fosnaugh, and he came with some information about self-employment and small business ownership that was interesting and a little subduing. It’s seems the government wants more than their share of the money we make, and when you are just starting something and the message the government wants to convey first is that for every buck you make Uncle Sam is going to take roughly half. Ouch. For what? The interstate highway system? I’m good with that. That doesn’t cost half of my money though. Medicare? Social Security? $2-billion bombers? Keep ’em. Let me fuel the economy with my own reckless spending.
Rob Nichols, another Emmis expatriate and I, are starting a business where we will serve as partners in an initial small effort to help high school sophomores and junior student/athletes find a college home where they can find a home for both sets of talents. Do what you love, is my mantra as it always has been. Helping kids was tremendous fun when my son was in high school, and I think Rob and I can help.
This website is endless fun, and I added three writers last week to bring some more heft to the process of sharing unique perspective. The more this site is updated, the better the audience is served. And that will free me up to go out and talk to people. I like interviewing folks, so that will be the next step for the site. As time goes on, I’ll figure out how to sell it too.
The third thing I’m doing is writing a book about fatherhood. I’m into the fourth chapter, and that’s alternately fun and difficult. The good memories and times when I was a really good dad make it fun. Recounting those instances when my choices were a little bit selfish make for tough writing. That’s life I guess. Good times. Bad times. What I want is an honest account of being my Dad’s kid and my kid’s Dad. Dad was a great character, and Ryan is an incredibly fine young man.
I always wanted to do these things, so that’s what I’m doing.
I’m feeling really good. Not worrying about two radio stations 24/7 is a very positive step toward sanity. If I ever go back to radio, I’ll do it in a much smarter way. Delegation is key, and I always maintained enough responsibility of the day-to-day process of running the stations that it drove me unwittingly crazy. The thing I loved the most is helping the talent, and hearing them get better at what they do. That’s what I’ll do next time – if I choose to do it again.
My wife is happy. I’m happy. Being off the radio career hamster wheel is an excellent psychological salve. There are so many extensions of the lessons taught to me during my 17 years at Emmis and three years at WGN and WMAQ in Chicago that I feel like it was an excellent training ground for what’s next – whether that next thing is managing these three enterprises, or having something else find me.
This will be a fun time that allows me to eat what I kill, and continue to work on being a better human being.
To those with whom I’ve worked, keep calling anytime. I’m not at Emmis anymore, but I count you as friends. Keep the faith. Newstalk and Sportstalk Radio are formats that can create great results for clients, and as long as that is the case, producing informative, entertaining and unique content will be critical. If the powers that be decide that you don’t fit, don’t sweat that. The world is bigger than radio, and you are all very talented people.
In the first paragraph, I wrote that I could fart a 500-word post on myself. I was wrong. I can fart an 816-word post on myself.
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