Justin, Monique, Phil, Alyssa and Jordan

High school: Dobbins Vocational Tech (Class of 79)

College: Temple University school of broadcasting (WRTI Jazz on campus)

Early jobs: Bag boy at Barney’s supermarket followed by a 2 year stint as a meat cutter with Al’s market on Columbia avenue.

I was an average student who enjoyed the attention of being a class clown.  The teachers loved my looks and sense of humor but did not like it during their class.

In 10th grade I was held back because of my sense of humor and poor grades.  Not only was I shocked but embarrassed about having to repeat a grade that many of my younger friends were in.

When asked what grade I was in, my response “I am in the 11th grade but was asked to tudor the some 10th grade classes.  Eventually I was placed in the 12th grade after taking 11th grade subjects and classes while repeating the 10th grade. This was my first valuable lesson in leadership.  When you make a mistake, own it and adjust.

After graduating highschool and spending 1 uneventful year at Temple, I attended the NBS school of broadcasting.  There I met a man who would begin my broadcasting journey, John Watson.

John made me an offer I almost refused.  He said “Phil I’ve heard your show tapes and you’ve got talent.  He went on to say “I am leaving the broadcasting school in 3 weeks to start a radio station in Virginia would you like to join me?  I stuttered, sat up straight and could not beleive this was happening.  A chance to be on a real radio station.  As exciting as this sounded, I had some real issues to deal with which made this decision extremely difficult.

How I handled this life changing edition in my next installment.