We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Anna Marie. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Anna below.

Hi Anna, thanks for joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Landing a full time job at one of the biggest radio stations in Cincinnati is a dream come true for me. I grew up on the Westside, listening to B105 among other stations. As a young girl, I always thought- “that is the coolest job in the world. I wish I could do that”. As I got older, my self esteem was very low. I didn’t believe I was capable of much. I did not go to college after high school. I worked in the restaurant industry and eventually found a job at a factory. It was a full time job with benefits and I thought it might be what I was looking for. After two days at the factory, I called my mom crying and letting her know I was quitting the job. On my way home that day, I heard a commercial on the radio for Ohio Media School. I signed up the second I got home. After the program, I applied for radio jobs EVERYWHERE. I received a call a month after graduating- a morning show host position in Muncie, Indiana. Moving away to a small town, to start my career, without knowing a soul- was one of the hardest things I’ve done! It sounds ridiculous to say I experienced a culture shock… move from a city like Cincinnati to a city of about 75,000 people- you’ll understand! I knew that I was willing to do whatever it took to be on the radio. Landing your first radio gig on a morning show doesn’t happen very often so I knew I had to take advantage! While in Muncie, I had many thoughts of giving up – “I’m crazy to think I could ever move up in this industry”. I went through two cohosts and a period of time doing the morning show solo over the six years I lived in Muncie, IN. I learned confidence, how to handle messing up in front of 1,000’s of people, and how to work closely with a coworker/ teammate. Moving away from home also taught me how to make friends, be responsible for myself, and I learned a lot about a different way of life! After six years in Muncie, I knew I was unhappy with my situation and had done all I could in that position. I quit radio, moved into my parents basement, and became a bartender for the first time – (that always sounded like a fun career!) All the while, I was networking with radio professionals in Cincinnati. I was not going to give up! After three months, I was offered the afternoon cohost position on B105- the biggest country radio station in the city! It’s been almost a year now and I still feel like I’m living in a dream. All of the hard work and struggle I went through finally paid off!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Anna Marie! I am an on air personality for B105 and Mix949. I host an afternoon show – Jesse and Anna- with my partner, Jesse, on Cincinnati’s largest country radio station, B105. You can hear us weekdays from 3-7pm. You can also listen to me on one of our sister stations, Mix949, Monday through Wednesday 7-11pm! I grew up in a big, loud family on the Westside. I am very close to my family. I have six nieces and nephews and have fully embraced auntie life and like to take the kids out when I can. I love travel, cooking, art, reading, and nature! I am a social butterfly and love to try new places in Cincinnati and meet new friends.
My entire life I have been known as a DRAMA QUEEN. I was the kid in school who got in trouble for talking too much or goofing off. Growing up, I always thought the entertainment industry was fascinating. I constantly envisioned myself with a career that allowed me to embrace my loud personality. In my teen years, I lost my confidence and my self esteem was very low. Once my early twenties hit, I felt a desire to find a passion. Ohio Media School is a trade school for broadcasting- the moment I heard about it, my childhood dreams came back to me! Once I started, I knew I was in the right place. I worked on the online radio station at the school and instantly fell in love with putting together a radio show.
Working in the media requires you to climb the ladder. The best way to do that is moving to a smaller market to get started. I had to move to a small city in Indiana to get my foot in the door. I received a morning show host position on a country radio station and stayed there for six years. I was working for very little pay and miserable living in a small town with little to do for a single twenty- something- year- old. Each day I reminded myself WHY I was there. I would remind myself that in a few years, I would look back and be grateful for sticking it out. On my drives to work (4:30am driving through cornfields), I would envision myself on air in different major markets. I would say aloud “Anna Marie on Cincinnati radio”. I envisioned these moments every day for the six years I lived there. It helped me get through it. Every time I wanted to give up, I reminded myself of the end goal: to be on air in a large market (preferably my home city, Cincinnati).
Fast forward- it all paid off! I made it! I cohost an afternoon show on B105 – Jesse and Anna- weekdays 3-7pm. I also have a solo show on Mix949, Monday- Wednesday 7-11pm. I feel like I am living a dream each day and I feel so grateful to have this position. Radio allows me to connect with the community on a new level: Fundraisers, charity events, local sports teams, concerts, festivals. I love my city and I strive to be as involved as I can! My favorite part of radio is meeting and interacting with listeners. My listeners are the reason I have a job. I have met so many unique people over the course of seven years in radio. My goal as a on air personality is not just to entertain but to be vulnerable. I share personal things about myself hoping that there are other people who will relate and know that they aren’t alone. I strive to be a “friend” to listeners and someone they can reach out to with their story. When listeners come to me and share their lives- there is no better feeling.

I truly believe that speaking your dreams into existence is key. It sounds silly- but it’s real. When you repeat your dreams aloud, write them in a journal, envision them each day- your mind starts to believe it to be true. When your entire body and mind see a dream so clearly, you will do whatever it takes to get there. You can handle the struggle a little better knowing that there is more to come. You have to trust the process. Six years was a long time to be stuck in a situation that I wasn’t happy with- but I knew I had to push through to get where I wanted to be. Many people around me asked when I was going to figure out a new plan or get a “real job”. I didn’t let the outside voices affect my inner voice. When people ask me how I got into radio- I feel most proud to tell the story of how it all started. It is HARD. It is also worth it for your dream, whatever that may be. I really like this quote: “to be successful at anything you don’t have to be different. You simply have to be what most people are not: consistent.”

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Networking and saying YES.

Networking is important no matter what you do. Before I landed a job in radio, I found radio personalities on social media- I followed them- I liked their posts- I commented on their posts- I joined radio groups online- I even sent out a couple direct messages over the years just telling radio personalities that I liked their work and asked for advice. I kept it professional and to the point. All of them responded and now a lot of them follow me back on social media and even congratulated me when I landed my new gig. One woman I met through a Facebook radio group, even landed me a couple big interviews in the industry! Don’t be afraid to reach out to people you look up to! Everyone starts out small. The people in the big leagues remember what it was like to be in your shoes and many of them are impressed by someone willing to put themselves out there.

Say YES. When you’re starting out, you can’t afford to turn down opportunities. Obviously take those rest days and keep your mental health in check! Other than that, say YES to everything. Since I started out in radio and even now- if I’m asked to host an event, volunteer with the community, pick up an extra task at work, or go to a concert – If I’m able, I say YES. This has helped me build my reputation of being reliable and someone who won’t complain. I keep my “YES” mentality when it comes to learning a new skill as well. I have a goal to learn as much as I can in the industry. If there’s a new skill I am capable of learning, then I go for it! You never know when that skill could help you in the future. My managers often thank me for helping out and not complaining about it. They know that I am someone they can count on. When I need a break, I don’t feel bad about saying NO!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Many radio personalities use the phrase “the radio bug bit me”. It’s almost like saying you’ve been infected with a passion for radio and there is no cure. I think many creatives feel this way about their work. When you have a passion for something- there is no escape from it. You can leave for awhile- but you’ll be back. A passion is something that takes over you. You think about it in everything you do. For example: As a radio personality, content is something I’m constantly thinking about. I will be on a trip and something funny happens and my first thought is, “I’m telling this story on air”. My brain is constantly thinking radio.
There is a huge difference between a job and a passion. When you combine the two: you get someone who works as a creative. That’s how I think of it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @annamarie_media
• Facebook: @annamariemedia
• Twitter: @annamarie_media
• Other: Tiktok: @annamarie_media