(By Charese Frugé) Shilynne Cole is the Brand Manager and Afternoon Drive Host for Audacy Greensboro, NC’s Urban AC 97.1 WQMG, which has consistently been one of the top-rated Urban AC radio stations in the country.

She started in the business at Columbia, SC’s WWDM-FM – the station she grew up listening to – as an Evening On-air Personality and Music Director. She went on to work for KQMQ in Honolulu, HI as a Weekend Personality, then KIKI in Honolulu as a Midday Host and Music Director, then eventually mornings. KSSK in Honolulu was the next step for Cole, followed by 102 JAMZ, WJMH in Greensboro where she added Middays and Imaging duties to her responsibilities. And after that, she moved on to WQMG and the rest is history.

“I’ve wanted to be in radio for as long as I can remember,” says Cole. “At least since I was 10 years old. I think I caught ‘the bug’ when my mom bought me one of those transistor radios. I would listen to it all day and into the night. She would have to come to my room and yell at me to ‘turn that thing off and go to sleep!” I would listen to ‘The Big DM’ practically 24/7 and tell myself, ‘I’m going to work for that station one day.’”

“The music was incredible, the jocks were larger than life, and their presence in the community was huge. When I was in high school, as the student body president, I was in charge of reading the announcements every morning over the P.A. system. My dreams of being in radio were solidified when my principal approached me one morning and said, ‘You know, you have a great voice. You should think about doing radio.’”

“When I was 16, I did an internship for the local gospel station – then in college, I did three different internships. After graduation, I got a job programming a local gospel station. One year later, I auditioned for Andre Carson at ‘The Big DM’ (WWDM). I was so nervous. It was the station I had listened to practically all my life, and I was going to actually audition! It was 2:00 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon and the jock on the air at the time kept hyping me up, running back and forth between Andre’s office and the studio, giving me the play-by-play, which made me even more nervous! I got the job, and I screamed all the way home. My plan was to do radio for a few years, then transition to TV news (I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Broadcast Journalism). Six months later, I became the music director and that was it! There was no turning back!”

“The biggest highlight of my career so far was in 1998, when I had the opportunity to be in a famous SUPERSTAR’s background choir for her performance at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii, but I don’t think I can say too much about that due to an NDA. (What’s the statute of limitations for an NDA)?”

“Working with QMG has been such a blessing so far. It’s the station listeners can come to for information on events, public services, and more, and we take our relationship with our listeners very seriously. In addition to playing the hits, being the entertainment, your favorite personalities, and the concert connection, we’re heavily involved in community outreach with organizations that strike a chord with our listeners. We’re the ‘megaphone’ for the good in our community.”

“Some of the bigger challenges I have faced over the years were obstacles or setbacks, but as I have grown, I now look at every ‘challenge’ as an opportunity to grow. So, looking at challenges through that lens has taught me to see each situation for what it is, ask myself, ‘How can I grow from this,’ or ‘What is this situation trying to teach me,’ and come up with a solution. There’s always a solution.”

Another big challenge in the industry in general is attracting a younger audience. As the audience ages, and technology advances (quickly) we’ve got to have a strategy to continue to grow the audience. Cole has her own. “Communication, empathy, and understanding are three words that immediately come to mind,” she says. “Once we understand the differences in the ways we communicate, we can certainly begin to find a middle ground to do so. Learn how to communicate with the younger generation. Find out what moves the needle for them and be empathetic to their unique struggles, including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Great strides have been made in these areas, yes, but there’s still so much uncovered ground. We’ve still got a long way to go to reach gender, race, and age equality.”

“Despite those challenges, develop a good work ethic,” says Cole. “If you have a passion for radio, by all means, pursue it and be willing to put in the work, but also learn what it is to have a great work-life balance. BE YOURSELF AND HAVE FUN! When I started in radio, there were so many female radio personalities whose sound I admired, but the best advice I received in my early days was, ‘Give them YOU.’ It’s about authenticity. Always hone your craft. Be coachable. Develop discernment when it comes to people. Learn the business of radio. Who are your listeners? What are their likes and dislikes when it comes to music, entertainment, and social causes? Knowing these things can give you a better perspective on how to connect with your listeners. Be a sponge. Be consistent. Develop a good work ethic. I said ‘work ethic’ twice because it’s important.”

“I guess I’m lucky, There’s not a lot that keeps me up at night (thankfully), but I do always think of ways to be better at what I do….in both careers,” says Cole. “I’ve learned (finally) to shut everything down when needed in order to find proper work-life balance. I will admit, I’m still a work in progress when it comes to being a ‘recovering workaholic,’ but work-life balance is key, not only for your physical health but for your mental health as well.”

Follow Shilynne Cole on Facebook, X, and Instagram at @shilynnecole1.