“What are you going to do with that topic that’s different than what I can get from any other host in the country?” – Jon Chelesnik

Jon Chelesnik’s road to a my-wife-can-retire-from-work career is one that is very rare.

He went from local update anchor to local host to being hired to host at ESPN Radio.  That’s not the part that makes him unique.

When he was replaced at ESPN Radio, he decided to cultivate similar talented people and then, hopefully, find them jobs.  And the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America was born.

Jon tells the story of his rise and fall behind the microphone and the gradually-ascending career he has made starting his own company in the sports talk field.

Check out more of the show notes below to get a feel for what you will hear in this edition of The PASR. I hope you enjoy and, as always, leave a comment to get out anything that this podcast had you thinking along the way.

INSIDE THIS EPISODE…

• Jon talks about how he got into sports radio and how he got to ESPN Radio. [1:29]
• Jon tells a great story about how a question he was asked in a job interview with the boss of ESPN Radio. [5:07]
• Self doubt was a part of Jon’s sports radio self. He talks about it. [7:28]
• Success in the sports radio industry is just like any other industry. Jon explains. [9:26]
• The biggest mistake sports talk hosts are making, according to Jon Chelesnik. [12:00]
• The biggest mistake radio play-by-play announcers are making, according to Jon. [13:30]
• The story of the berth of the Sportscasters Talent Agency of America. [15:42]
• The importance of an understanding spouse as a sports talker. [18:30]
• Jon gives the biggest misconceptions of the sports radio industry. [23:20]
• What are the best traits of a good sports talk interviewer? [27:18]
• The greatest, currently, in sports talk radio according to Jon. [29:13]
• Jon tells a very interesting story about how rummaged through Jim Rome’s personal possessions. [30:33]

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE…

FROM THE GUEST

• “Think And Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. Get the audiobook for free.
• Sportscasters Talent Agency Of America
• STAA on Twitter: @staatalent

FROM ZACH

• Audible: I know you love audio. So I teamed up with Audible and if you haven’t already, you can grab an awesome audiobook from their enormous library of over 180,000 titles for FREE. Go to aboutsportsradio.com/audible.**

BONUS AUDIO

• Here’s some bonus audio that we left off the podcast just for you junkies. More with Jon Chelesnik.