Words of Wisdom with Linda Little

Name: Linda Little

Current Title: Director of Sales

Company: Clear Channel Integrated Media - Phoenix

How long with Company: 13 years

How long have you been in the media industry? 15 years

Why did you choose a career in media? I graduated with a degree in Marketing and Advertising specializing in the fashion industry. Radio is my second career, the first being in marketing and product development for a few major retailers. With that experience behind me and a new home in Arizona, I knew I could put that retail experience to good use helping local retailers develop and execute effective media campaigns. Turns out, it's the career I was destined to be in and have loved it every since my days as a rookie account executive.

How did you get your first job in media? I was working in outside sales for a marketing company selling a discount card and some ex-radio AE's were on my sales team. They were constantly telling me that I would be great in the radio industry. Eventually I did some exploring, found a few opportunities in the market, interviewed with a few radio stations and landed a rookie job at a Classic Rock station, KSLX. No list, just a phone book and a lead list of dead accounts, it was a perfect first job in radio.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have experienced in your career? You may laugh at this, but I am one of those people who thrive during challenging times. As a result I cannot think of a time in my career when I wasn't challenged. I was challenged to grow my account list, from nothing, that was pretty difficult, but persistence, good prospecting and a desire to succeed was what got me through. But, if there was a significant challenging time, I would say in late 2008 and 2009 when I took my next career step and became Director of Sales for Clear Channel here in Phoenix. Talk about a tough time to assume that role! By Jan. 2009 the recession was in full swing and in my first month I was given the job of terminating a portion of my sales team. What a tough way to start as a DOS! The year continued to provide me challenges all along the way and forced me to look at new ways for us to make business happen. Luckily I have a strong management team and together we came up with some new ways to grow our business and differentiate ourselves from the competition. By the second half of 2009 we began to see the fruits of our labor and by Oct. of that year were pointed in a strong direction for growth. It didn't come without many sleepless nights, brainstorming sessions and countless ideas we tried. Luckily many of them worked! 2010 was our best year of growth in many years as a result, beating the market by almost 10 percentage points. Now of course the new challenge is to do it again in 2011. I sure liked the way it felt and as a team we are pointed toward that goal.

What was your favorite job and why? I love sales management, period. I have loved all of my management jobs in radio. My first management role as Business Development Manager for an 8 station cluster gave me the opportunity to work with a team of 65+ AE's to develop custom programs for clients. It allowed me to use my creative problem solving skills along with my coaching strengths very effectively. As a Director of Sales over 8 stations now. I am doing the same thing, but working through my GSM's, LSM's and AE's, while leading the sales effort. It is very rewarding to be a part of their growth and our growth as a team.

What words of wisdom would you share with others about a career in media?

• Always surround yourself with people who inspire you to be the best you can be.
• Never take no for an answer without trying to come up with a reasonable solution for all parties involved first. 
• Be a rabid learner. Media is changing by the minute with all the mobile options and digital marketing tools available to advertisers. 
• Be the expert in new media so you can be a valuable resource and asset to your clients and employees. 
• Hire only the best candidates for the job, even if it mean waiting for that perfect person that fits the role you are hiring for.
• Treat everyone with respect, always.
• Make sure you have fun along the way and recognize those around you for their contributions. A little authentic recognition goes a very long way in strengthen strong employee morale and team camaraderie.