What we’re working on…
Before I (Suzanne) became a business owner, there was some mystery about how all of the contractual work adds up to a whole. Like, what are they doing all day??? Now that Elena and I are running our own company, I have much more clarity on how contractors and business owners are spending their time.
We thought it was high time we pull back the curtain a bit and share publicly what we’re working on this spring and summer. As we’ve mentioned before, it’s thrilling, anxiety-inducing and a great learning experience to build a steady portfolio of work that balances our time, our skills and stretches us in the ways that we want to grow as professionals. We also want to publicly express our gratitude to the partners who have taken the time to get to know us and have trusted us to support their organizations.
So, here’s how Elena and Suzanne are keeping busy:
Maine Public Classical: Did you know that you can hear Elena and Suzanne each on the air on Maine Public Classical? Each Saturday, Suzanne hosts classical music from 7 - 10am and Elena hosts music from 11am - 3 pm every Sunday. We filled in for a host this winter during a vacation. This spring, we’ve been filling in during these weekend shifts while Maine Public Classical identifies their new Music Director. This has been a lot of fun! Personally, I’ve always been much more comfortable in the producer chair, not on-air and this has given me more confidence in my work and empathy for the on-air pros who do this everyday.
Arizona PBS: Another opportunity to hear Elena and Suzanne on the air! Central Sound at Arizona PBS produces a weekly hour-long show featuring the best classical music live concert recordings from the state. Elena and Suzanne are among a revolving roster of show writers and hosts for this program. You can listen to the show, Arizona Encore, HERE.
PRX: A new collaboration for WSRM, Elena and Suzanne have just agreed to be the Senior Editor and Senior Producer, respectively, for a new podcast series that’s part of the PRX Big Questions Project. (You can read more about the project HERE.) We’re very excited to work with two creative host/producers who pitched a series about what it means to be a mother. These host/producers are ALSO interested in unexpected and ear-catching storytelling, and sound design. We’ll share more about this project as the series gets underway, but watch for the first episode in mid-September this year.
Music Programming: Early in starting our business, we heard from former public radio colleagues that they were struggling to fill on-air and music director positions in the classical music format. That’s interesting, we thought: we both have considerable experience programming (choosing) music for radio broadcast! An idea was hatched and in January 2023 we officially started creating a classical music programming service that we anticipate launching this year. In the last month, we’ve brought on a new partner (more about that soon!) whom we believe will be integral in implementing this service to save public radio stations a little money while ensuring their music programming is interesting and relevant to their local audience.
Resumé and website coaching: We continue to offer professional coaching services, from on-air and producer training to personal coaching on interviews and resumé and website tune-ups. By the way, have we told you how proud we are of Colleen Phelps?!? Colleen is a creative and experienced music writer and broadcaster. This spring she asked us to sharpen her resume and bring brand cohesion to her resume and website (check it out HERE). Colleen is a name to watch – a creative content producer who is skilled in asking intelligent and thought-provoking questions. We’ve really enjoyed working with Colleen and we think you will enjoy working with her, too. Also, congratulations to Colleen on this week earning a Gracie Award!
Continuing our education: When we created this business, one of our priorities was building a career that continued to challenge us each to learn and grow. With that in mind, this year we’ve decided to expand our business beyond media to work more broadly in communications strategy. Waters Edge Wealth Management has courageously agreed to allow WSRM to advise the firm on their communications plan around some important changes to their business. More to come – and we’ll be tracking our progress on our website, too!
Plus, in April, Suzanne is starting coursework online with Cornell University to earn a certificate in Public Relations! Once she finishes that this summer, Elena will also begin work towards a new professional certificate in Communications.
So, in a nutshell, we’re staying busy! We’re also eager to connect with new people and discuss potential future collaborations or partnerships or just catch up. We’d love to meet you for coffee, online or in person. Click on our ‘Contact’ link to book time with us.
Most of all, though, we want to say a great big “THANK YOU” to these organizations for their ongoing support and trust: Maine Public Classical, Arizona PBS, PRX, and MusicMaster. Thank you! We’ve so enjoyed working with you and we look forward to more collaborations in the future, too!
