Celebrity Spotlight: Tim McCarthy

Tim McCarthy is the creator, producer and host of the radio show Living in Success. He has over 25 years experience in radio broadcasting and has won the Colorado Broadcasters Association "Award of Excellence" for 2 other shows in the past 6 years. Says Tim McCarthy, "Wanting to help others live in success came as a result of a body transformation program I went through where I lost a considerable amount of weight. But in that adventure, the transformation went farther than just creating a new body. It transformed my understanding about what we (people) are capable of doing with good information and good support." Putting together a radio program that offered those elements has become Tim McCarthy's passion.

Living In Success airs live at 7am MST on 600 KCOL in Fort Collins, Colorado. This is a 10,000 watt newstalk AM station that covers northern to central Colorado, including the Denver metro, southern Wyoming and eastern Nebraska. The basic idea of the show is to offer thoughts and ideas to enrich the lives of listeners. General topics covered on the show are health, relationships, family, self-management, finances, career and business. There is no other show of this kind in our listening area.

You can contact Tim McCarthy at successtalkmedia@yahoo.com

1. Tell us about a time when you were in fear about your creative career journey and you didn't think it would go anywhere.

Honestly, I can't recall a time when I really felt that what I was doing in a career sense wasn't going anywhere. Broadcasting and I came together completely out of the blue. I had never even given broadcasting as a career option until the day I called about learning how to be a D.J. Very quickly I was offered a job at a local radio station and it seems the "marriage" was a great match since I've been in radio since 1973. Everything I have set out to do in my career I have succeeded in. I even walked into a major market early in my career, literally not knowing anyone or having any connections, and got a job at a big adult contemporary station within days. I don't think it's so much that I am "so good" at being on the air, but rather broadcasting is just what I was put here to do. So whatever I set my mind to do in this business, it happens. I am very grateful for this. I have had some wonderful experiences and met so many great and interesting people as a result.

2. Tell us about a time when you were confident about your creative career journey and you absolutely knew it was going to be ok.

This answer could almost be an exact copy of the answer to the first question. But to talk about something specifically, my radio program, "Living In Success" is in a growing mode right now. It always takes a lot of time for people to accept a specialty feature program. In the meantime, it could easily go under or I could just get frustrated that things aren't happening faster. I have already gone through these emotions and have resolved myself to just stay the course with the goals and the intentions of the show. I absolutely believe in the purpose of the show, to provide positive and practical thoughts and ideas to enrich people's lives. And I do know if I remain dedicated to this, as people come to know about the program, believe in it and see that I am serious with sticking with it no matter what, it will be ok. I believe that completely.

3. How did you discover your passion?

I didn't discover it. It discovered me. I was about to be discharged from the military without a solid career direction. I was in my barracks one night, writing a letter home I believe, and I had the radio on. An advertisement for a broadcasting school in that area came on seeking people who wanted to learn to be on the radio. Then it mentioned that I could pay for the school through my G.I. education benefits. So I don't know what possessed me to call the number, but I did. I got a call back. We set up an appointment. I filled out the paper work. They accepted me and school began. It was only after I was learning how to announce and run a broadcast control board and talk up record intros that I discovered I had a passion for this career. I was a D.J. for almost 24 years and in the past 5 or 6 years now have shifted my love for broadcasting to talk show hosting, which again I didn't set out to do. It found me when a particular show was scheduled to go on air in 10 minutes and somebody realized there was no host. I happened to be the lucky guy standing in the right spot at the right time and was told I was going to host this show. I had the "bug" by the time I was finished and have since created 4 radio specialty feature shows and have won broadcast awards of excellence for 3 of them. Living In Success will be the 4th...I promise.


Read other Celebrity Spotlights:
     Steven Lane Taylor
     Mark Albion
     Shawna Carol
     Raphael Cushnir
     Bonnie Marson
     Oriah Mountain Dreamer
     Various Celebrity Wisdom
     Jan Phillips
     Scott Cluthe
     Tim McCarthy
     Rhonda Britten

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