When I met Barry Shainbaum, (www.barryshainbaum.com) an amazing photographer, author, inspirational speaker and radio show host, it seemed to be a perfect fit of personalities. I wanted to talk about myself and my business book (Start & Run An Art Teaching Business), and Barry found me interesting and believed I’d be a good guest. So always game for new challenges and squeezing myself out of my comfort zone a little bit more, I turned up at the radio studio of FAITH fm.
Having done some live TV shows with 7 or 8 minutes segments was helpful, and having heard some of Barry’s insightful questions in other interviews, I knew I was in good hands. But it was an hour long show! Sheesh! Or Oy vey! But as my friends know too well, I absolutely LOVE talking about myself and my accomplishments! Me modest, not yet!
The way I prepared for the show was to listen to a few of them, and also to send Barry a few specific links to my site where it’s ALL ABOUT ME, MYSELF and I! But I also knew he does his research thoroughly. The theme of his segment on the radio is almost always of a spiritual nature, with a special interest and emphasis on the Jewish faith. So I was quite looking forward to the new experience of doing a live show. I prayed that all my speaking engagements and practice at Toastmasters will come in handy. And boy, did they!
I still waffled a bit, but I wasn’t going for perfection but for authenticity. From the many emails and phone calls from my Toastmaster friends, I succeeded in being true to myself and even in motivating and inspiring others, too.
If you’d like to listen to the radio show, see the link to my website below and I’d be grateful to hear from you. Send me any comments on anything, including your own experiences, and also on how I can improve - as always I know there’s always room for improvement. So I’ll go and practice speaking to myself some more….
Tanya’s Interview on FAITH fm on 23 March 2008
So what did I learn about speaking on radio?
a) There’s a right time to talk about yourself and your products and services - interviews promoting you, are the perfect venue for that.
b) Stick to answering the questions and try and not go off on a tangent.
c) Do your home work about the interviewers, get to know about them, they’re interesting people, too.
d) Have some ideas about what you’d like to convey in the interview and keep it concise.
e) Just do it; get practice by actually doing it and and go for it!
Great job, Tanya! Thanks for sharing so candidly about yourself - you are an inspiration to all who know you directly or indirectly through your work! I was particularly struck by how you are such a natural in the media - totally approachable and at ease with yourself and others. Wishing you continued success in all your future endeavors!
Cherylin Gilad
Wellness Lifestyle Coach
Richmond Hill, ON.
Thank you so much Cherylin. I hope my sharing helps others, but I’m also wondering if I’m too open sometimes…. like my 12 year old doesn’t wish me to mention anything about my bout with breast cancer, and I’m having to take that seriously. What do you think? Anyone?
Tanya Freedman.
Great job, Tanya! I enjoyed listening to your interview. You seemed so at ease, and you kept your answers interesting and to the point. Also, you got to cover so many aspects of your life, and I got to learn more about you.
In regards to your speaking about your experience with cancer, I think that this is helpful in that it’s made you a stronger person and led you to various areas of your life in a good way. Others can learn from your experience and how you handled your battle with the disease and how it transformed your life. Barry Shainbaum had to deal with the same contemplation in terms of bringing the challenges he had faced in his life to the public, but he’s been able to touch so many lives by being open about that.
I hope this interview helps you further your career.
All the best!
Shlomit
Thank you Shlomit, your comment is very helpful and insightful, especially as I consider you a great freelance journalist and a new friend through my Jolly Good Writers Group. I appreciate your having shared your article you’d written on Barry Shainbaum, as you had known I’d be just as inspired by his story. Thanks to you I met Barry and founded yet another great new friendship and inspirational person.
You’re right about sharing, its just getting the balance of positivity and really helping others; that’s what I’ll concentrate on as well. Thanks again.
Tanya Freedman