SavvyMom Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award

SavvyMom Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award

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What are you doing with your life?

That question is most often reserved for teenagers and young adults. Those of us who have run the gauntlet of 16 - 25 with our children know what I am referring to. Those of you who have that to look forward to, get ready.

Recently however that question has been posed to me. Not directly in all cases but the shifting eyes and stammering from lots of friends and family over the past 10 months since I 'retired' from my 25+ great years in the advertising agency business says it all. And no matter how well I answer, the response has usually been polite yet dismissive.

But the funny thing? I don't care. OK, that may be too strong. The more politically correct way to say it would be, "I have no concerns". Either way, my response back is usually, "Thank you for your concern, but I know where I am going". I wish I had been that tactful at age 18.

The truth is that my advertising career was my second career. And one that I fell into because of my talent for developing and nurturing strong business relationships with my clients. My first career, broadcasting was over by age 25. This 25 year run has been incredible.

Now on to career number 3. And it comes from a most unlikely source: my Grandma Wilson . She asked me when I was about to head off to university not what I wanted to do for a living, but what did I want to do with my life. I know I gave her a hasty, dismissive answer. I am sorry for that.

But the question stuck. And now that I have the time, energy, drive, ambition and support (thanks Sally), I really can tell you what I want to do.

Helping people achieve their full potential. That's my real passion. I have enjoyed much success in my advertising career mentor younger employees.

Helping people is the reason I joined Pre Paid Legal (I have seen the upward rolling eyes over this decision). But it was simple really: our membership gives you the power to protect your legal rights and protection from having identity theft destroy your life. My family came awfully close to both of those last fall. No one should have to go through that. Plus, we get great satisfaction of talking to people and educating them about the risks of identity theft. We do that through our public information seminars. We are available any time any place. (www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/spennock).

Related to that is the underlying motivation for getting up each day to go to work: running in the Reggae Marathon this December to raise money for research on behalf of all father's who take an interest in their kid's lives. http://www.reggaemarathon.com/. Within a couple of weeks I will be able to announce details of the campaign and how you can help. And yes, I will be asking for your help.

So over 30 years later, I can more honestly tell my Grandma that I am working to help people. I know she would be proud.

Until next time...

Advertising and New Media.com: Guy catches glasses with his face#links

Advertising and New Media.com: Guy catches glasses with his face#links

The Mystery behind "the mykals report" Name

It was supposed to allow me to remain anonymous. Obviously that did not work.

Since I began blogging last October, I have been asked numerous times what "the mykals report" stood for. It is a long story that began in 1979 but I will be brief.

At the time I was in my second year in the Broadcasting program at the Doon campus of Conestoga College. I was already working part time as the evening operator (playing the music and commercials for the Announcers) at CKKW and CFCA in Kitchener (now changed to http://www.koolfm.com/). I was also the operator for Don Cameron who was the play-by-by Announcer for the Kitchener Ranger Hockey team broadcasts.

But as much as I enjoyed the job, I desperately wanted to be an on-air 'DJ'. That was the real reason I had gotten into broadcasting school.

I dreamed about being on-air. Talked about it constantly. Drove my fellow schoolmates and friends crazy.

I applied to all the radio stations within a reasonable driving distance from Kitchener...Brantford, Guelph even Hamilton. Created and endlessly updated my demo tape (yes, we used reel-to-reel tape in those days). Finally after months of 'no's, my persistence paid off. I got a call from the Program Director at CJOY in Guelph http://www.cjoy.com/home/default.aspx. Would I like the all-night weekend shift and could I start that weekend. Yes and yes!

Dream come true. For less pay and fewer hours but I didn't care, I was going to be a DJ!

But I needed an on-air name. Everybody did it. No one went on-air with their real names. After as much deliberation I could squeeze into the couple of days before I went on-air for the first time, I settled on 'Christopher Michaels". Shortened to 'Chris Michaels'.

A star was born...

OK, it was only Guelph, midnight to 6 am Friday and Saturday nights but I was the DJ! Thank you Gord Field, the Program Director at the time for believing in me.

Back to 'the mykals report' name. I wanted to remain anonymous. "Ahhh I thought...I can resurrect my old on-air name, 'Michaels'".

The blog name, "The Michael's Report" sounded official. Unfortunately it was taken. But never one to give up, I spelled it phonetically..."my-kals". A blog was born.

For those of you who have been following the blog for a while, you know that I stepped out from behind the mask some time ago. More fun that way.

It has been quite the journey over these past few months and as I ramp-up my fund raising efforts with the Reggae Marathon, it is likely to continue evolving.

Until next time...

PS: I wrote about the drive from Kitchener to Guelph in an earlier blog. That Plymouth Valiant sure was a good car http://mykalsreport.blogspot.com/2008/11/69-valiant.html

PPS: The picture is of the 1981 Radio and Television Broadcasting Graduating Class. Yes, I am in the picture :)