Today we’d like to introduce you to Erik Tee.
Hi Erik, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My career in radio/media began in 1987 in Meridian, Mississippi. I initially started off calling every radio station in the city and inquiring about how to get on the radio. This started my love for music but also the community that I lived in regardless of what city I landed in. I have now been in the industry for over thirty years and still have the same love for it as I did as a child. Currently working in Beaumont, Texas I am the Program Director and midday host for Magic 102.5. I have been handling these duties for over 3 years now and love the community here. I am also the owner of my own Voiceover and hosting company Tee Tyme Productions. What I love about what I do is the connection that I have with my listeners daily. Being able to have the listeners recite my theme song or helping to spread the word on events happening in my city. These things bring me joy and often remind me of why I am doing what I do.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t always been an easy path. I didn’t have real mentors until I actually got the opportunity to get my career started. However, and not to sound cliche, there were those who didn’t want to help me. Some didn’t feel I was qualified to do the job and others simply disregarded me because of my age. I was 14 years old when I first got on the radio and it was a small locally owned Gospel station. At that moment I was just happy to be on the radio. I used that as a springboard to other opportunities which lead me to some great mentors on my journey to where I am now.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I host a radio show Monday- Friday from 10 am til 2 pm. The station is music intensive but often I will stop the music and talk to my community. I invite local artists, politician, event organizers, Authors, Content creators and anyone who I see making a mark in the area to my show. Many times, these individuals are overlooked due to their status of not being a key player, but I love to acknowledge the underdogs as they deserve recognition as well. With my Voice over company, I am the voice for several terrestrial and online radio stations, and I host several key events in the Golden Triangle (Beaumont, Orange, Port Arthur. The irony of this is I am honestly an introvert and very private. When I began hosting events, it took me out of my comfort zone and thrust me into a place I had never been. I have several proud moments that are often intertwined. I had an author who had been incarcerated since a teen. He was released a couple of years ago and his sister reached out to me to tell me about his book and to see if I would be willing to interview him. I welcomed him on my show and heard his story, and it truly resonated with my listeners. We discussed his book and things that he was working on including turning his book into a play. Almost a year later he asked me to host his premier showing in his hometown of Beaumont. The feedback of the play was phenomenal, and he was able to broadcast the play to the inmates who were still housed in the facility that he had spent over twenty years in. That was a huge moment for me, and he and I are good friends and have worked together on other things since then.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
One year a magazine company put on a radio and music retreat in Los Angeles. This was my very first time attending something like this and honestly my first time flying by myself without my wife. I met one of the editors from the magazine who saw me standing in the corner to myself. I didn’t know anyone there and I guess it showed that I was a little nervous. He came over to me and pointed out a group of men who were standing around talking. He asked me did I know any of them to which I replied no I didn’t. He firmly said Well get over there and introduce yourself to them. The rest of the weekend was a welcoming experience to say the least. I would highly recommend going to networking events in your area. Find out who is who in the city and see if you can set up a meeting with them. You have to keep in mind that peoples time is very valuable and even if they can only give you thirty minutes, you should utilize that time. Prepare questions and be prepared to let them know what you may be working on or may be interested in. I am a sponge, and I will talk to anyone. Age, race, nor gender is a factor when it comes to starting a conversation. As the saying goes if you are the smartest person in a room, it’s time to move to the next one. Be comfortable in yourself and doors will open, and relationships will be built.
Pricing:
- Please visit the site or contact for more information
Contact Info:
- Website: Teetymeproductions.com and ktcx.com
- Instagram: erikteeshow
- Facebook: eriktee
- LinkedIn: Erik Tee
- Twitter: erikteeshow
Image Credits
TJ Scott- TJ Signature Shots
Jeremy Butler
Erik Tee
