Interview with Andy Levine

I had the opportunity to speak with Founder and C.E.O of Sixthman, Andy Levine. This has been my most inspirational interview to date because not only was I able to learn about his life and career path, but he also got to know me and gave advice on ways to learn about myself. For those of you not familiar with SIxthman, it is a company that designs cruise trips with various bands and their fans. Though I have never been on one of the cruises, I have heard nothing but amazing stories, which inspired to me to want to speak with Andy. From managing the band Sister Hazel to jamming on a cruise with John Mayer, Andy is definitely an inspiration to anyone looking to go into the media industry. What follows is a selection of questions from that interview.

Ashley: For those who would not familiar with Sixthman or Rockboat, can you describe what Sixthman is?

Andy: Sixthman is a company that harvests the energy of communities to bring them together to celebrate their passions and for the experience of a lifetime. Whether it’s a cruise ship or on an island, just wherever. In simpler terms, we build experiences and vacations for bands and their fans. We charter cruise ships and we invite 15-20 bands to come perform and we invite 2,000-3,000 people to come sail on the cruise ship ranging from 4-7 days. People who get on the cruise have an opportunity to meet a lot of people they soon realize they have a lot in common with. Many are repeat cruisers, which allows them to come back together every year to celebrate.

Ashley: What is your role with Sixthman?

Andy: I am the founder and CEO.

Ashley: Why the name Sixthman?

Andy: When I was in high school I played basketball but I was not good enough to start. So that’s what I was ... the sixth man. Then when I was in a band, I wasn’t very good but I acted as the manager and booked all the gigs. Then when I officially managed Sister Hazel I was kind of the in-between person of how the band could connect with their fans. When we were coming up with a name for company I felt like that’s what we were doing. We were taking bands and their fans and blending it as a medium for them to connect with each other and many times that takes a “sixth man” to get it done.

Ashley: How did Sixthman get started?

Andy: In 2001, I was managing Sister Hazel; we had worked with the band to build a really healthy street team. The fans were out there putting up flyers, calling into radio stations requesting songs, going to record stores and requesting their CDs and even letting us sleep on their couches. So in 2001, once the band achieved a pretty decent level of success, a group of fans got together on a message board and said, “ hey we have done everything you have asked of us we want a convention with the band, we want to hang out.” We said, "Yeah they're right!” and decided to do something out of the ordinary.

We invited 400 people to go on a cruise on Labor Day weekend. We were scared to death and I thought I was going to get fired. But we had so much fun and we realized the people that came on the cruise really appreciated the band. They were so respectful and understanding and knew a lot about the band. Of course we did the autographs and bonding. We played blackjack with everybody and we ate dinner with everybody, it was just very very cool. So we got off the ship, and we said we are on to something and we need to continue this. So to get a whole ship we had to get 2,000 people. We started calling other bands we were friends with like Pat McGee, Edwin McCain, and we said, “ Hey if we get your fans and our fans together we can get a whole ship.” They responded and said, “ Hey you get the ship, and we’ll come.” Sure enough, we were able to get enough money to rent out a whole ship the following year and had about 2,000 people there for our first year.

Ashley: How did you get the job of managing Sister Hazel?

Andy: I was in college and I played in a band with some of the guys that are now in Sister Hazel. When we broke up they formed a new band and asked me to manage them. I said, “Yeah that sounds fun” ... I did, and enjoyed that experience.

Ashley: It appears that you hire a lot of young people at Sixthman and then train them in the Sixthman way as opposed to more experienced people in the hospitality industry. Is that on purpose and why?

Andy: You know, I've found that the people that succeed at Sixthman have not been pre-programmed. We consider ourselves a very nontraditional business and nontraditional culture. We have the most success because we look at things creatively and do them differently. We have found here that when people come in with too much experience it becomes a challenge to them to break the “same old way” of doing work. But, on the other side, a lot of people that come in with a lot of experience are really extensive in their work. For myself, it goes back to Sister Hazel. There are all these expensive managers out there that have made a lot of people big. For myself, the only way I was able to have success was because I was young and hungry and willing to try new things and learn and hustle a lot of times. So when I have to choose between “the young and hungry and willing to try new things, make mistakes and fix them” or “ the trained” I’m going to pick the young and hungry. When bands asked me what kind of manager they should get, either the manager that has been around forever and has this big company or someone who is able to hustle and focus on them, I always say “ go with the hustle, go with the hustle.”

Ashley: In what way are you non-traditional?

Andy: Well for one, no one here has offices. We are a culture where we don’t count vacation days; we don’t count when you come into work. We basically give you a set of responsibilities and we ask you to get them done. Wherever or however you want to do them is up to you. We hold you accountable for them and if you try to take advantage of that freedom you pay the price. We believe that work is something you build around life, not the other way around. We know everyone has different situation whether it be families or other obligations. I challenge everyone to try and come up with his or her perfect day and then we try to build responsibilities around that “perfect day”. It’s up to you whether you want to come in early or stay here late. The other thing is, we are really open. We don’t have many secret thoughts. We share with each other and with our customers our ideas. We do the best that we can to know as many of our customers by name. Our biggest problems our solved by our customers because they have the ideas not us. We are just here to listen and we try to do that the most. When we do that well, good things happen and when we forget about it for a moment, bad things happen.

Ashley: You recently posted to your blog your favorite 5 books on leadership. What is the role of leadership within Sixthman and how do you teach Leadership?

Andy: One of the books on that list was Next Generation Leader. I do a lot of reading and one thing that always comes up is, “ You can command action but you have to inspire greatness.” I think the old model is one where people command to do certain things to do a certain way. If you really want people to go way beyond their own capabilities, you have to inspire them. You have to get them to really see what the future is. For me, my challenge as a leader is I have to embody all the values of our company. I think that’s one thing people like around here. They feel like, “ Oh Andy is a good guy, he cares about us and puts himself last, he loves our customers.” I get out there; I get on the phone and do my best to deal with tough problems. I always ask the artists to go the extra mile to share with their fans. I am not near where I want to be, I have a long way to go but I’m constantly reading and learning. I fall down and make mistakes. I think people see that I am trying really hard and I really care. I think it’s important for everyone to see the passion for why I am here and all the amazing things that have happened. I can only contribute to the people that are caring as much as I do, and I think thats one thing that separates good companies from great ones.

Ashley: Do you ever get star struck with all of the Stars you deal with?

Andy: You know that’s a great question (laughs)! I have been so fortunate; I have been with Elton John and John Mayer. To put things in perspective, they are just normal people. They like to be treated like normal people. I never ask for a photo or autograph. The person I have been in awe of, however,was the author of Next Generation Leader, a normal guy and a pastor. He is the one person I went up to immediately to shake his hand and found that I could not speak. Being out with an artist like John Mayer, for example, is just different. We will be out all night drinking scotch and I’m totally comfortable giving him a hard time for what he is wearing. I don’t know what it is. I do respect these individuals for what they've accomplished, but I still feel like they are normal people. So no, I don’t get star stuck.

Ashley: Who do you like the most/ do you have a favorite artist?

Andy: One of the questions people ask me all the time, “ who are the hardest people to work with?” The reason I can’t answer that is because to even consider doing a cruise like this and risking a million dollars with an artist we don’t know anything about wouldn't happen. We do considerable research on all our talent invited to cruise with us, so we won't go near someone who has one bad comment from a fan or a bad reputation. We try to stay far, far away from that. In being prepared and doing our homework, thankfully we have not really had a situation like that.

The artists are all so different. On board, John [Mayer] is great. He is always asking what he can do. I have found that the artists are competitive because they are always saying, “ Tell me about your other cruises compared to ours. Is ours the best? Is ours the most expensive? How does this one rank? Are we the coolest?” So Johns always like what can I do to make this the best cruise ever? John is a great host. When he is on board, he is out meeting people, being the DJ in the club, or doing stand-up comedy. The one thing we ask John and other bands to do is when we announce the event, they need to own it. I need them to make videos, invite fans, and give them an idea of what they expect. When people see how invested they are and that they own it, they are not as surprised when they get here to see him all over the place. John agrees," Yeah you got it.” So far these talented people “walk the walk” and get out there with their fans.

Ashley: How do you pick the mix of bands for each cruise?

Andy: We end up picking about 15-20 bands per cruise. We try to make it so you have half the bands you have heard of before and half undiscovered. Then with any one of those we look at the different “ flavors” you will get. We don’t want too much of the same thing. We will have a blue grass band walking around on the John Mayer cruise because people who love music, love music and its great. We will try to have surprising bands, bands that make you cry, upbeat bands, bands that make you want to drink a beer. We try to think of the different moods you will be in on the cruise and try to get you to experience that livelihood.

Ashley: Of all the cruises to date, what was the one moment when you knew this venture was a success?

Andy: All along this experience there have been so many moments that reminds me everyday how “I cant imagine doing anything else.” When you see people walk away with new friends, connecting with old friends, or just completely ready to burst with satisfaction, I know that I've made a great career choice.

Some examples I will share...

It was on the first John Mayer cruise. It was a 3-day cruise and on the last day John was going to play a show on the deck. I didn’t know how he felt about the cruise. For me, this business is all about (1) will these fans and the bands have a good time and (2) will they want to come back. He was performing and I had not even said anything to the manager yet about coming back again next year. We were all sitting around having a beer and all of a sudden John says, “ Who is having a good time? Who wants to do this again next year with me?” Everyone went nuts and I was so proud and excited! When an artist tells his fans he is coming back, it validates the concept as a success....and no one wants to let their fans down at that point. I put my arm around his agent and said, “ Boy that puts you in a terrible negotiation position.” John Mayer is not that kind of artist to offer something to his fans but expect “more money.” I let his management know that “ it's my job to sell it out and your job to produce it.” (The second John Mayer cruise sailed off successfully March, 2009)

The Bare Naked Ladies on their cruise decided to surprise every guest by standing there when people got on the ship and take a picture with everyone. Then as the ship was sailing away they decided they wanted to do an unannounced acoustic show. A guy comes up to me as the ship is pulling out as he just got his picture taken and is listening to the band play, and he turns to me and says, “ If we turn around and go back right now, I would have already gotten my money's worth.” THAT’s what I am going for.

Randomly on one cruise I went up to a girl and I was like, “ How's your trip?” She leaned toward me and said,” I started to keep a diary and I stopped on day 2 because I was like, no one is going to believe me.” These are the moments that get you so fired up.

Ashley: Did college help prepare you for the industry now?

Andy: I dropped out of college to manage Sister Hazel the end of my junior year. It wasn’t until 3 years ago that I went back to college to finish my degree...at 35. I didn’t think much about it, but it was exciting for me to finish something I already started. In reality, I had 2 college experiences. The first one, I didn’t know what I wanted to do and I didn’t understand the importance of people telling me what I need to know. When I went back, I was able to get into it and see what I was going to apply an education towards. I was able to appreciate the courses and see where it worked in the job I am in now. It was so helpful for me and it helps me everyday. I wish that people in college today could have that understanding.

Notes from Ashley:

-For more information on Sixthman, check out the website: http://www.sixthman.net/

- Here are some videos from Sixthman: http://sixthman.tv/mediamanager/

- Like I said in the introduction, Andy Levine talked to me after the interview about myself and gave me advice. One interesting aspect of the conversation was he talked about a website called primary color assessment. It’s a free online self-evaluation. It helps identify your strengths and passions. If interested in this you can check it out at: http://www.primarycolorassessment.com/

Pictures from the MayerCraft II :

Interview with Lindsey Ward

Both working and going to school helped prepare Lindsey Ward for the tough media industry. Now Ward is a reputable reporter and anchor for WSLS 10 thanks to her hard work and determination.

Wards biggest piece of advice for aspiring anchors is to become a one-man band because it is “ the future of this industry.”

Below is a selection of question and answers from my recent interview with Lindsey Ward.

Ashley: What inspired you to want to go into the media industry?

Ward: Around my junior year, it all of a sudden hit me that I wanted to be a TV reporter, and until that point I didn’t give any thought to it. I went to journalism school after senior year to pursue that route and wanted to find a school that had a great journalism and communication program. One of the big things that drew me to this industry was that you are “in the know” within the community, etc.

Ashley: What activities do you like to do outside of working at WSLS?

Ward: I love shopping. Whenever I leave work I go home and sit on the couch and watch mindless TV. All day long you just work, work, work and it’s such a stressful job. You are always on your toes, so when I go home I watch a ton of reality TV.

Ashley: How did college prepare you for the media industry?

Ward: I was a little different. I worked a full time job while I was in college so I used both of those (college and a job) to bounce off each other which really helped me. Something I was doing at school I would be doing at work so it really helped me to have both of those. For me, it just worked out because it was a better situation that just going to school.

Ashley: What job you have during school?

Ward: Started at channel 12 in Richmond as a teleprompter. By the time I left, I moved up to working assignment desk on weekends. It gave me much more a hand in assignments and stories and being apart of a newsroom. I started editing for shows and that helped me because I had to read every single script so that helped me learn how to write. Then I asked if I could help write scripts and they said yes.

Ashley: What did college not prepare you for in industry?

Ward: The biggest thing it didn’t prepare me for was delivery and appearance. I didn’t have a class where they went over your voice, what you wear, how to look, and your hair/makeup. That was one thing that I gathered from my job. I see so many times where students coming out of college who don’t look professional. Just stuff like the appropriateness for the job. And that’s the news director’s first impression so it’s something to be aware of.

Ashley: What was your first job right out of college?

Ward: My first reporting job in Charlottesville at WCAV, which worked for four stations in one. I was a one-man band and it was tough, really really tough, because you don’t always get the training you need, and you get thrown into the pond. I remember sitting there on Saturday morning and I only had one weekend of training and I had no direction of how to get around Charlottesville. I had a package due at six and I had no idea where I was going. It's sink or swim and so many people get out of the business in their first job because they can’t do it. If you can make it to your second job, I consider it an accomplishment.

Ashley: While you worked in Charlottesville you had many roles such as producer, anchor, photographer, and reporter. What was it like doing so many things for one company and which role did you enjoy the most?

Anchor. I really like reporting but there you do reporting and photography and I was the worst at photography. I would come back with blue, green and orange video (laughs). I could hear my news director in his office saying, “ WHO DID THIS!?”

Ashley: Why you like anchoring the most?

Ward: I think because you connect with the viewers either they love you or they don’t. You really have an opportunity to show them your personality. Whenever you are on the desk you can really connect with your viewers.

Ashley: What was it like being arena host for women’s basketball at UVA? How did you get this job?

Ward: I LOVED that job. It was awesome. In Charlottesville my station was a station for UVA. We had a contract to do certain things like shows on their sports for spring and fall. We basically had certain obligations to them. When they needed a host they asked me and it was great. I REALLY enjoyed it and it was a lot of fun. It was nice because you get to see your viewers outside, and get to meet them and be one-on-one with them. It really shows your personality.

Ashley: What do you believe is a common misconception that people have about working in the media industry?

That you make a lot of money, hands down. They think you make so much money and are wealthy. They look at you like you are ridiculous if you don’t donate to charities, but you don’t have a lot to give.

Ashley: What is the hardest part about the industry in your opinion?

Ward: Just keeping up. It takes a lot out of you… so much out of you. It’s really easy to get burnt out quickly. A lot of people don’t make it past the first job. It takes so much out of you. You realize that you are making very little money and you are working holidays, weekends, giving up a lot of things that may be important to some people. A lot of women don’t make it because if you are anchoring, you are going in at 2:30 p.m and get off at 11:30 p.m. And if you work a morning show, you are going to bed super early. It is just not family friendly.

Ashley: What’s your favorite part about your job?

Ward: I really enjoy anchoring and reporting. Being able to do both. On Friday nights, I have to do sports feature pieces and I really enjoy that because it’s not all serious like sitting in a city council meeting. You're going out and putting together a creative piece. What I enjoy the most is being creative with the job, like writing the video. At our station, we have great photographers who really help you put together some really good stories.

Ashley: Do you have any major goals or future plans?

Ward: Honestly, I have been somebody who has been so goal orientated. Literally there hasn’t been a moment in my life where I haven’t had a goal. Since I have been anchoring here, I haven’t had a goal yet. I have no idea what I want to do beyond this. I just want to get better at anchoring and hopefully our viewers will like it.

Ashley: What advise do you have for aspiring anchors/ reporters?

Ward: One-man band. It makes you better and we made bigger jumps than a lot of the other people at other stations. You are doing so many jobs at one time and if you can still put together a decent tape, they will know you can do multiple tasks. It is the future of this business and it would be silly for graduates who leave college and find a job where they already have photographers because this media is so big into mutli-media journalism.

Interview with Brendan James

Starting out as being “ broke as a joke” in NYC, Brendan James is now an inspiring singer-songwriter. With the help of becoming a self-taught piano master,, his gifted voice and various song inspirations in his life, James is truly an artist to watch out for.

James said,” I want to be a musician and be someone who people can depend on to make good music and perform live.”

James has signed with Decca Records and is hoping to release a second album in March of 2010.

In a recent interview, I talked with Brendan James who discussed his struggles, triumphs and advice in the music industry. What follows is a selection of question and answers from that recent interview.

Ashley: How did you get started in the music industry?

Brendan: I had always been a singer. I always loved singing but it wasn’t until my sophomore year of college that I started to get interested in the piano and song writing. It really was because of a mentor who discovered me early on when I was in New Hampshire at home on college break. He was very encouraging. He told me I should be more than a singer, and that I should try to learn an instrument and write my own songs. He was a pretty pivotal person in my early development. So he was my initial inspiration and then it took some years of song writing and honing in on my own stills. I moved to NYC after college and had to do my best to get noticed on my own.

Ashley: How did you get noticed?

Brendan: Well there were several things that led to where I am now, but I guess it started out the old fashioned way. I was living in NYC in a five-bedroom apartment with four girls, which was …interesting. I was broke as a joke living on canned tuna and Kraft macaroni and cheese. I would just go to all open mics in NYC (had nine plotted out). I cycled through them awaiting to be “discovered”.. Open mics can sometimes lead to gigs at those places and it helped me out that way. I started to play live shows but it was not until years later that I got my first record deal and I met my first manager, then it was a matter of meeting a producer.

Ashley: How did you learn to play the piano?

Brendan: Hours of sitting by myself and trying to figure it out. When I was around 20, I was focused on trying to figure that piano out. I always enjoyed it and taught myself.

Ashley: What was your experience like touring on the John Mayercraft. How did that differ from playing in a venue on the road? Would you do it again?

Brendan: The Mayercraft, and I have to laugh and say this with a smile, it was a crazy five days. It was really great. It brought out a different performer in me. It was a lot of outdoor shows and all about playing to the crowd and having a fun time. On a tour like that, people want to escape normal lives and jobs and want to have a drink in hand and listen to great music. The tour brought out the fun performer in myself and others…. I would definitely do it again!

Ashley: Now that you are married, how does going on tour and being a musician impact your family life? Does your wife travel on the road with you?

Brendan: My wife does not travel with me. We met a few years ago, she met a musician (myself) and I was someone she knew was going to travel a lot. I think that’s the only way a relationship like this can work… when you both understand each other’s dreams and aspirations. She is amazing for that. She is very supportive and I also find time to fly out and see her and she flies out to see me when I am on tour or recording albums.

Ashley: You mention your mother in most of your songs, what influence does she have on you and your music?

Brendan: My mother has always been the most solid person that I have had in my life. I feel she has just been the ideal mother and I think in a lot of my early songs when I wanted to describe that source of strength, she was the first person that always came to mind.

Ashley: Many of your songs seem to come from personal experiences growing up. Is that where you get most of your inspiration? What else inspires you today?

Brendan: A lot of traveling that I have recently been doing has inspired me for this second album. I always draw on what I know and who I know. For a lot of my songs I am trying to tell stories that are close to me and then I tell stories that are close to other people. Most lyrics come from really searching for the truth in people’s lives around you.

Ashley: You are under contract with Decca Records, correct? How did that come about and what was it like to sign with a major record label?

Brendan: Yes, though I first signed with Capitol records 4 years ago and didn’t release my album with them. I made my own album when I left Capitol, with a producer, and then it was up to us to get me signed. Decca Records was interested in signing me, so I had to showcase for them by doing some gigs. They also had to like the album I just made and, once that was finished, we decided to work together.

Ashley: Your songs are so personal, is it hard to get on stage and sing them to a large audience?

Brendan: Funny, I have never thought of that. I don’t think so, it’s hand- in- hand for me, when I write a song I know I am going to share it with people throughthe lyrics I write. Sometimes I make lyrical choices that aren’t too personal. I make them just personal enough where I feel comfortable sharing that with the fans. It's kind of a fine balance because you don’t want to alienate the people closest to you but you want to tell others the honest story of your life.

Ashley: Which is more important to your success, getting on the radio or being seen live?

Brendan: Good question… They are two very different things, but, for someone like me, I want to get my songs on the radio to help facilitate getting my message out. I’m ready to get my music out there to as many people as possible. If you can get on the radio, it helps your recognition across the nation and across the world.. I can’t wait to tour as many places as I can and I love playing live.

Ashley: Did you ever consider playing piano in someone else’s band or did you always want to be a lead singer and sing your own songs?

Brendan: I always wanted to play my own songs. I am one of those guys who never really learned cover songs. I always wanted to sing and play my own stuff because, for some reason, they go hand- in- hand for me; the performing aspect of music and the playing part of it.

Ashley: Do you have any long-term goals for your career or do you pretty much play it one day at a time?

Brendan: I have a long-term goal of making a lifelong career in music and story-telling. It took a few years in the industry to realize that it's tough and you will have hard days but it’s what I want to do with my life. I want to be a musician and be someone who people can depend on to make good music and perform live.

Ashley: What is your favorite part of being a singer-songwriter?

Brendan: Having an outlet that allows me to vent what is going on in my life. Sometimes, even live shows can be very cathartic. When you finish a show, you feel better that whole month because something got out of you.

Ashley: What is the hardest part about the industry?

Brendan: The only consistency is inconsistency. And my parents raised me to plan things out and to always kind of have an idea of your life. So if you really want this, you have to know that it's impossible in this career. It is hard to adjust to; if you really want to do this full-time you have to be at mercy of your music. That’s the biggest challenge for me. You have to stay flexible.

Ashley: What other activities do you like to do outside of music?

Brendan: I love sports. I am a very active person. And I like outdoor activities so you can always find me on some basketball court or out hiking somewhere. It's a big deal to me to stay active.

Ashley: What are you working on right now?

Brendan: I am almost finished writing all of album two. In a couple weeks, official recording begins. I hope to release the new album in March 2010.

Ashley: What is your biggest piece of advice for upcoming artists?

Brendan: Be ready for anything and practice as much as you can by yourself. That way, you come to learn exactly who you are as an artist and a performer before other people try to tell you who you are.

Check out Brendan James online at : http://www.myspace.com/brendanjames

Interview with Travis Wells

I recently had the opportunity to interview and talk with WDBJ sports anchor and director, Travis Wells. He opened up to me about the media industry and the opportunities and obstacles that he has to face everyday along with some great stories! Travis gets to do it all… write, anchor, produce a sports show, report at sporting events in the community and much, much more! Read my interview below to find out what it is like to work in the sports/media industry!

Perrin: You originally attended JMU and then transferred to Radford in 1986, why did you transfer?

Travis: The biggest reason was for basketball. I was playing basketball at JMU and I was having a blast and enjoying it, but I just wasn’t playing as much as I would have liked. It was just an opportunity to go somewhere and play a little more.

Perrin: Who inspired you to play basketball when you were a kid?

Travis: My dad was and still is a high school basketball coach. I grew up in the gym and was a gym rat – I always had the keys to the gym. We would go in there, I am one of four boys, and we all played for my dad. He was the assistant coach when I was there but by the time I graduated he was the head coach and coached my three younger brothers.

Perrin: Did you like having your dad as a coach?

Travis: Yes and no. It had its advantages and disadvantages. One thing we always tried to do was if there were something going on, if we were going at it a little, we would always try to leave it at the gym. When we went home, it was dinner and family stuff.

Perrin:What life lessons did you learn from playing a college level sport?

Travis: I think just being apart of a team was the biggest thing. I see this a lot everyday, especially in a work place like this. So many people have never been apart of a team. They don’t know what it’s like for everyone to do their part and pull for each other and care for each other to work towards a common goal. I think that was probably the biggest thing, just being apart of a team and rallying around guys who were working just as hard as you for the same goal.

I wrote something on my blog the other day about college football and just how the fans are so passionate. Like at the Alabama/Tech game in Atlanta a few weeks ago, oh my gosh! And to see the Tech people last week in the pouring rain and they stayed until the end. And the Nebraska game a few weeks ago, all the people that they brought 2,000 miles from Nebraska. Just passion that people have. I’ve always said if you are passionate about something in your life, no matter what it is, just be passionate about it.

Perrin: And how hard was it to manage academics and play ball?

Travis: It wasn’t that tough, I was always pretty conscience about schoolwork and the books. They go out of their way to help you as far as having academic advisors. Some guys needed them and some guys didn’t. We would have study halls on the road and things like that. To me, it wasn’t that difficult.

Perrin: What was your motivation to become a sports anchor? And when did you realize it?

Travis: I always knew I wanted to do something sports related. In high school, I wrote for the school paper doing sports articles and things like that. I played college sports but I wasn’t under any grand allusions about playing professional sports because I knew I didn’t have that kind of talent. So I sort of knew after college was the end of the road and I had to find a real job. This was a way for me to stay close to the game and stay close to sports and that was appealing to me.

Perrin: What was your first media job/internship out of college?

Travis: The summers between my junior and senior years at Radford I did an internship here (WDBJ) for about three months. I started in the middle of June and was done by the end of August when school started. That was good to get my feet wet and see if this was something I wanted to do and was cut out for. The guys that I worked with here were great, none of them are here anymore but they are all still in town and I call them from time to time. But we’ve got a great group of guys in here now.

My first TV job after college was here. There was a part-time photographer position open and that really wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to obviously do sports but these guys back here convinced me that this was a way for me to get my foot in the door. To be honest, it wasn’t a lot of fun just covering news, but for some people, that is their thing. I mean I had to cover a fatal car wreck, school board meetings, city council meetings and fires and I was like, where is the fun stuff? So I was part-time for a year and then there was an opening in our Lynchburg office for a full-time photographer with benefits, so I went down and worked there for a year. That was even tougher because it was just you and that one other person working in that office. My first on-air job was in Charlottesville at WVIR and I went there as the third sports person, reporter/photographer. I went there for three years and then left and went to Bristol to work for WCYB. Then I came back here (WDBJ) when Roy passed away.

Perrin: Describe how you felt when you heard you were getting promoted to Sports Director at WDBJ.

Travis: It was pretty overwhelming at first because, I think the biggest thing was, I didn’t think Mike would ever leave. Mike had been here for so long and having worked with him for almost seven years, I knew what kind of responsibility came with the job. I knew all the work that went into it, especially in the fall when you are trying to produce stuff for your daily news cast and get ready for a half-hour show every Friday night. The TV stuff I’m fine with but it’s all the extra stuff like scheduling these guys (other employees in the studio) and figuring out who gets off when and stuff like that. It’s been just over a year and I’m finally getting the hang of it and starting to feel more comfortable.

Perrin: What is a common misconception that you think people have about working in the media industry?

Travis: That you make a lot of money (laughs). Like I said, I was a naïve kid in college and thought TV people made a lot of money. I mean there are some anchors that have been here for 20-30 years and they do make a lot of money but it doesn’t really start out like that. I think another misconception is that when people see us on the news at six and eleven, they think that is the only time we are at work.

Perrin: What are some tough obstacles that you have to face in the media industry?

Travis: I think one thing, and I found out this in the last year, you are not going to please everyone 100 percent of the time. We catch a lot of flack around here for covering Tech and not UVA, just things like that. Even with the high school stuff. Everyone wants more coverage for their team. Sometimes I will come in here on Mondays and I will have 30 emails from unhappy people. So just trying to manage that. Also, I think the economy has been a tough obstacle. We used to be able to travel as much as we wanted but everything is sort of looked at a little closer now. We ask if this is something that we really need to do, is it in a ratings period and what do we get out of it. So that’s been sort of a challenge the past three to four years.

Perrin: What else do you do in the studio besides anchor? Write stories/recaps?

Travis: We do everything which is one thing that is unique about the sports office and not always true about the newsroom. All three of us can shoot, report, anchor, write and produce the show. And I like that because if I screw up, I don’t have anyone to blame but myself.

Perrin: Describe what an average day is like for you.

Travis: I’ll get in the studio around two in the afternoon and start producing the show for five and six o’clock, which is about three to four hours before we actually air. I mean these guys are great, who ever is anchoring, we kind of take care of each other. We will edit and write stuff for each other so it is not such a burden on one person. I’ll get out of here around 6:30 for a couple hours for dinner and to see my kids before they go to bed and then come back in here around 8:30. After the show ends around 11:30, I’d love to go home right then but there is stuff to do after the show ends. We tape two segments for the morning show every night so by the time I’m finished that it’s about midnight. Then I’ll come back here and update the Internet and stuff like that so the earliest I am ever out of here is 12:30.

Perrin: What is advice that you would give to someone looking to become a sports anchor?

Travis: That’s a tough one. I think just network as much as you can and make as many connections as you can. Be yourself and be passionate about it. If you really want to do it, it’s not going to be easy, but just stick with it.

Perrin: Do you think it is more challenging for a female to become a sports anchor/director? Why/Why not?

Travis: Not now, no. Twenty years ago I would have said yes but not anymore. There are more and more female sportscasters and I think the main reason for that is people want to target that demographic. They want women to watch sports. I don’t want to say it’s easier or women don’t have to work as hard as guys but there are more opportunities now.

Perrin: Who do you consider are the standouts in the industry and why?

Travis: Wow, that’s a tough question. Mike Tirico is really good. You can tell the guys and girls that are really prepared because they just know their stuff. I was watching something on ESPN the other day and John Clayton was talking about the NFL and I was thinking that guy knew his stuff backwards and forwards. I had a guy tell me one time, “sell it don’t tell it”. You can tell when people have done their research just by their delivery and confidence.

Perrin: What is your favorite part of your job?

Travis: I think probably the people and just the relationships that are you able to build and maintain. That’s one thing I learned from Mike because he was really big on relationships. In this small community people don’t want to hear about the Yankees who play over 100 games. They want to hear what’s going on in their community so I think just building relationships and credibility with people. It’s cool to go up to Tech on a Saturday and your interviewing guys after the game, you see the mob around Tyrod Taylor. But it’s cool to sit back and let it fade out a little bit and get in there and talk to him. All the guys get used to seeing us and it’s hard when they leave! Like last year when Macho graduated it was like man, we were buddies! But I guarantee if I went to go shoot an Eagles game and walked into the locker room, Macho would say, “Hey what’s up man?”

Perrin: Is it harder to get a job doing sports rather than just the regular news?

Travis: It’s all pretty competitive. Sports are probably tougher now in this day and age because of the de-emphasis in the economy. People are cutting back and sports are usually the first thing to go because a lot of people don’t see it as a necessity.

Perrin: What would make me stand out from the thousands of other aspiring sports anchors?

Travis: Just be yourself and be conversational. Go in and have fun and let it all hang out. That’s one thing I have been trying to work on too. When I’m out in the field doing live shots, I’m pretty relaxed but it was not always like that. I mean you better know what you are going to say because there is no teleprompter. I try to have more fun with my anchoring because it is hard when you are just sitting there to show personality, which is something that I need to work on.

Perrin: What are some cool opportunities that you have had because of your job?

Travis: I’ve had a lot of opportunities. One was covering the national championship that Tech played in – the Sugar Bowl in 1999-2000. I get to go to the bowl games and races and stuff like that. They usually set tickets aside for the media’s family, which is nice, but they are not free.

Perrin: How do you decide what to wear for each show / event?

Travis: They expect you to wear a suit and tie when you are on the set anchoring but it is much more laid back when you are out.

Perrin: What do you like about your profession and what don't you like about your profession?

Travis: I think the biggest thing I like is developing the relationships and meeting the people and telling their stories. Even if they don’t know you, I want them to come away saying, wow he is a nice guy. As far as the things I don’t like, I’ve worked with a lot of people who have been in the business for the wrong reasons. So many people in this business have their egos get in the way and they just want to be on TV. So that’s probably what I dislike the most.

Perrin: Are you able to spend a decent amount of time with your family?

Travis: Yeah, I think so. You do what you have to. There are sacrifices obviously. I worked weekends for 8 years and that was tough because my wife was off weekends. Now, I have more weekends off but I usually don’t get to be at home at night so there are tradeoffs. You do what you have to.

Perrin: What do you enjoy to do in your free time?

Travis: I like to read, play golf, and work out.

Perrin: Where do you like to vacation?

Travis: We have gone to Myrtle Beach since I was knee high. But twice in the last four years we have been able to go to Hawaii because my wife won these incentive based sales trips. So this last year was the third time we went because we went to Hawaii on our honeymoon and we stayed three doors down from the place we stayed during our honeymoon, so that was kind of neat. Hawaii is my dream vacation and it will never get old.