Kekeluv Continues Morning Show Search for Co-Hosts
We're continuing our search for either one or two people to join Kekeluv in the Morning. Most radio stations would have chosen someone by now but this is a different situation. 103.5 Kissfm realizes how important this station is to the community.
I could have requested several people to join the team but it's really the most delicate to position to hire. I've personally given several people the opportunity to seize the moment but getting up at 5:00 a.m. isn't the sexiest time to start your day.
Whenever we look outside Idaho we get the normal response from applicants including myself,
"Idaho? The potato place?? Really?"
That brings me to some great advice I received early in my career.
Every city has a gas station, grocery stores, shopping malls, fast food restaurant, and local nightlife. You just have to decide how many shopping malls you want and the quality of life it offers. It's not about market size. Decide wisely because at the end of the day you have to decide whether you can be happy and what kind of people you want to work for.
I've taken that approach throughout my career and Boise has been one of the best decisions in my life. That doesn't mean it's right for you. I can only share my experiences here, and as we search the globe looking to build a new morning show, it's important to paint a picture for you.
Who is Kekeluv?
I grew up in Texas, moved away to join the United States Navy in hopes of playing volleyball on the beach and fly jets for a living. Yes, that sounds a little like a throwback scene from Top Gun. I ended up chasing my radio dream across the country. That's the part that came true. I did radio and television for the majority of my time in the NAVY.
The military is the reason why I'm here in the Pacific Northwest. The funny thing is I'm a warm weather guy and love the beach. Heat is what I thrive on and when it's over 100 degrees in Boise, doesn't get any better! I've been working with the same management team for the last ten years and that's RARE. That is stability.
The love of my life has always been this career. I dream about it in my sleep and it's almost impossible to turn off. That changed when I met my wife and we welcomed our angel, Lennox. He's three years old and the best thing that happened to both of us.
I've dedicated the last ten years to help break the cycle of abuse. Child abuse prevention is a cause that I'm most known for in Boise and the surrounding cities. I'm the force behind, Live for 175.
This is our annual child abuse prevention event lasting 7 days. It's one thing I do all year that completely consumes my emotions. We save lives this week, and it's one massive emotional rollercoaster that everyone is invited to ride. Live For 175 is an on-air open forum for people to share and provide encouragement to victims and survivors of abuse.
Picking a co-host is like saying, "I do." You need chemistry, and THAT is the challenge. This is why I'm writing to you personally or to a few of you. This could be one or two people in this position we're looking for. I'm looking for someone with perspective, is opinionated, energetic, funny, silly, adventurous, digital/socially tuned in, and someone who wants to be the Treasure Valley's best. I'm also looking for someone to drive me to be better at my job. The operations manager keeps saying that he's looking for someone that can make me laugh and is willing to challenge me. Is that you?
Are you a producer, dj mixer, comedian, host somewhere looking for a new challenge, super creative, or just someone who thinks this could be a dream. I'm open to hiring a few people to build a wake-up show that hasn't been done in Boise. Time is running out though and It's solo for me right now. Wait, it's me, Alexa, and Siri right now. I'm sure you can imagine what kind of feedback I get. Let's just say there's a lot of repeating myself!
Growth in the Treasure Valley is 🔥and you can find Boise on most of the top 10 lists. I just watched 3 massive hotels open up this year all weeks away in downtown. I also think you can judge a city by its concert/entertainment scene and we've got one!
We host our own Boise Music Festival with the cluster each Summer which puts us in front of 60,000 plus fans. The A-list rolls through the Treasure Valley like Maroon 5, Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Chris Stapleton, Twenty One Pilots, Logic, G-Eazy, the UFC, WWE, and more keep getting announced everyday.
We also run our own hot air balloon event that will draw 25,000 people this Summer.
Boise is also home to the Boise State Broncos with a pretty hot buzz coming off a Las Vegas Bowl win against the Oregon Ducks. Some would argue that the Broncos will forever have one of the top 5 games in college football history when BSU beat the Sooners in double overtime in the Fiesta Bowl. That staple win is what put the Broncos in the public spotlight. Oh, yes...we have the blue turf. Don't hate our smurf turf baby!
Shopping? Yazzz. We've got plenty of that from the boutiques in Downtown Boise to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory before shopping at Boise Town Square Mall. Too pretty for indoors? Grab some sushi at Kona Grill and take a stroll next to the beautiful fountains that sit in the heart of the Village. Check out the Village at Meridian that also is host to our annual child abuse prevention 7-day campaign, Live for 175 (April 14-21.)
Are you into Microbrews? Everywhere! What about wine? Nampa has some great places to take wine tours like Ste. Chapelle, Snake River, and Sawtooth Winery.
You're 15 minutes from anything in almost any direction, and that's one of the sexiest things about this area. Wanna snowboard in the Winter? 15 minutes. Jet ski at Lucky Peak in the Summer? 15 minutes. Hike up Tablerock? 15 minutes.
If you're looking to raise a family in the future THAT goes without saying. Boise is safe, period. This is also a life-saving city when it comes to my little family. St. Luke's Children's Hospital saved our son's life and ours too because life wouldn't be the same without him.
I wanted to write this from me to you and anyone who might be thinking about coming to Boise, Idaho. I laughed at moving to Boise until I stepped off the plane and spent the night. I had no idea. I've lived in Houston, Alaska, Seattle, Memphis, and Washington. I loved each of those places like Houston for Volleyball on the beaches, Seattle is everything amazing with exception to traffic. and Alaska was an experience I'll never forget. I'm a city boy at heart, and none of them rank higher than Idaho. The people are so nice, crime is extremely low, the economy is booming, nightlife is great, outdoor activities are so vast, and not waiting in traffic to do all these is priceless! That comes back to the quality of life. Can you get everything you need here to help facilitate your happiness and not always think about leaving? This is a hidden Treasure.
Feel free to stalk me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I definitely need to work on my Twitter and Snapchat game. I have stories.
If you're interested in investing your career in mornings with Kekeluv on 103.5 Kissfm in Boise, please send us your package to jeff.connell@townsquaremedia.com. This is a full-time position with amazing benefits and more than a job. This is a career. It's not about how smart you are or even whether you're a man or woman. We need a socially active, opinionated, and more importantly, nice person to apply. Be silly, goofy, and just be yourself. You may or may not fit, but that doesn't mean you're not good enough for the opportunity. Always remember that we're casting for the right person. Good ☘️
Hey Keke, what are you looking for specifically?
- Great communicator and organized.
- Perspective on life with experience on telling stories, interesting point of view with an opinion.
- Pop culture relevant. Do you talk about what everyone else is speaking on?
- Digitally active on social media and understanding how to drive interaction. How many followers do you have?
- Not scared to take a picture of video (it's 2018 - we need to be in their face 24/7)
- Know how to shoot video and take photos.
- Skills that add to your strength (Photoshop, Adobe Audition (or any audio editing software), videography, blogger, comedian, and the ready to work long hours attitude.
- Are you a great mixer and have been on the 2nd or 3rd mic before?
- Drama free zone. No gossip kings or queens allowed. Looking for staff that wants to build a dynasty, not a disaster area.
- Not shy. I know this goes without saying but we need an aggressive team. We'll be on stage in June in front of 60k people hosting the 9th year. Will you crumble or go crazy?
This won't be a templated morning show that you fit into. We're building from the bottom - ALL THE WAY UP! This is going to be a lot of fun. Serious applicants only apply.
The things you need to apply or at least help you get noticed
- The current sample of your on-air work.
- Mixer? Send a sample.
- References? Don't say, "available upon request". List your top advocates.
- Production/photographer/videographer - send samples.
- Online social butterfly? List your stats.
- First and foremost - be honest.
You will be on camera, on the radio, and possibly on billboards. Make sure you're into all that yo! If you're shy, this might not be your dream job.