Conversations with the Inspiring Tamara Hill

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamara Hill.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I began my journey at California State University, Fresno where I majored in Mass Communication Journalism/Broadcast. Since I was a little girl, I always knew I wanted to be in the limelight. During my years at Fresno State, I interned at AMP TV and B95 Radio station in Fresno. B95 is where I fell in love with radio. I got to intern with the Morning Show Carmen & CK where I learned so much about radio and actually recorded one of my first air-checks with the help of on-air personality DJ Kay Rich. After graduating from college, I thought I would land a job in the entertainment business just because I had a degree. Well, that was not the case and having a degree didn’t really matter. While searching for a job in the entertainment industry, I worked as a full-time travel agent with American Express until I could find a job in the industry.

After a year of applying all over LA, I landed my first radio gig for the Carson Daly Morning Show as his phone screener for CBS 97.1 AMP Radio. I was so elated to get this job because I finally felt like I had a breakthrough and finally got to put my degree to use. Plus, I was working with Carson Daly like I grew up watching him on TRL and always dreamed of being an MTV Vj, the nostalgia was real! Literally, a week after, I got the Carson Daly Morning radio gig, I got a call from another radio station in LA. At this point, I knew it was my destiny to be in this business. Getting hired at two radio stations in LA was really unheard of. So, I decided to take the second gig and be on the street team at Stevie Wonder’s radio station 102.3 KJLH. Working for both stations, I got to see the best of both worlds. With CBS Radio, it was a huge corporate machine where I got to learn so many techniques and understand what top 40 radio is. With 102.3 KJLH, it was way smaller independent and a BLACK OWNED station. AMP Radio gave me more the business side of radio, whereas KJLH, gave me more of the community side of radio which was both a great experience and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Four years later, I have grown so much in this industry and learning new things every day. With KJLH, I help out every now and then, they will always be family; it will forever be my home. With CBS Radio, there were a lot of changes and CBS Radio was bought out by Entercom. This is where I thought my career was over Carson and the entire morning show had left and all that was left was me. I was scared I was going to lose my job because there was no morning show. So, I decided to make myself useful and show them I was way more than a phone screener. I started to write articles for AMP, K-Earth, KROQ, JACK FM, and the WAVE’s website and even got to help out with AMP Radio’s social media. We finally got a new morning show called The New guys with Edgar, Brian, and Chelsea where I got the opportunity to be their phone screener. It was so much fun starting a new show and growing with a team.

Fast forward to now, I upgraded from phone screener and became a producer/social media producer for the AMP Morning Show and got some on-air time as well. I then decided it was my time to shine behind the mic! I faced my fear and I started my own brand/podcast called “Talk That Talk” with Tamara Simone. I wanted my brand to not only be a platform for me but a platform for other like-minded creatives that I could collaborate with and give them their time to shine and just Talk That Talk about their brand or whatever they had going on. With keeping my faith strong and learning the essence of dedication, hard work and patience I know that this is just the beginning of my career but its only up from here!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
One of the many struggles I faced was financially. Not many people know this but I basically lost everything trying to pursue this dream. I left my full-time job with benefits to work for two stations part-time with no benefits. I was financially struggling so bad, I lost my apartment and was sleeping in my car and couch surfing at my friend’s house. To make matters worse, I got my car repoed at work with all my stuff inside, now that was a really an embarrassing moment. It was a very trying time for me but I always kept the faith and a smile on my face. I knew that one day all my hard work would pay off.

Another struggle I faced was some cattiness with one of my bosses at work. She basically pulled me aside said everyone was talking ill about me (which was completely a lie), she even created a totem pole and said I’m at the bottom while everyone else was at the top. I’m not going to lie that had me messed up and at that moment, she completely took my zeal that I had for radio away. But after a lot of prayer talks with family and friends, I knew at that moment, I had to show up and show out. And let me tell you, I started to shine honey and she was hating it.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Currently, I’m working at Entercom for 97.1 AMP Radio. I’m the social media producer of the AMP Morning show with Edgar, Chelsea, and DJ Majestik. I also dabble in other things at the station like commercial production and you may hear me on-air with the morning show or doing the weather reports throughout the day. What I’m known for is pretty much everything when it comes to radio. I didn’t want to just learn one thing so I became a sponge and learned everything I could and till this day, I’m learning new things which is great!

But I’m mostly known for my podcast Talk That Talk with Tamara Simone! It’s almost been a year since my podcast has been released and I wouldn’t have imagined it to be this big with so much love and support.
I’m most proud of my podcast this is my baby! I do everything by myself with my podcast from editing audio, video, hosting and booking my guest. It took me forever and a day to step outside of my comfort zone and get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. My podcast has been such a success and to see the growth from when I started to now is amazing. Plus, my podcast is international, so that was a big accomplishment for me. What sets me apart is that I not only made my podcast for myself to produce content but I did it for other likeminded creatives. I wanted to not only give myself a platform but everyone that’s out there chasing a dream a platform to just talk that talk!

Do you have a lesson or advice you’d like to share with young women just starting out?
My advice for women coming into the industry is don’t give up and have patience, lots of patience. Patience is what I really had to work on because I have none and it’s a constant battle that I’m still working on. In this industry, you’re going to hear A LOT of no’s, be underpaid, have people laugh in your face but you have to let it roll off your back. Always try to find a way to turn any no into a yes. Also, get yourself a few mentors. I was blessed to have Pat Prescott who is an on-air personality for 94.7 the wave & Aundrae Russell who is the PD at KJLH, they have been through it all and it’s great to get advice from people that have been in the game for a while. And remember you’re going to have haters but just know haters are your motivators. And also, keep the faith and remember that your timing is not God’s timing. Trust, believe and embrace the process if you really want it, you will find any way to get it! You got it sis, go out and shine!

Contact Info:

• Email: talkttalkpodcast@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamarasimonelive/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TamaraSimoneLive/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TamaraSimoneLiv
• Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talk-that-talk-with-tamara-simone/id1435087132?mt=2

Image Credit:
Kristin Livingston King

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