Keeping in mind the old expression that “it takes ten years to become an overnight success,” as much as we all would love a shortcut, a golden ticket, a Fast Pass, the truth is that you DO have to put in the time and get the reps. BUT, the good news is that along the way you’re starting to build the foundation to eventually make a successful pitch from, to whoever it is that you’re trying to get in front of.

I’m not only talking the talk, but walking the walk, having recently seen a culmination of my eight years of efforts that climaxed with an interview with actor Mark Wahlberg.

I will sometimes laugh to myself when I interview someone and people will ask me, “How did you get him/her as a guest,” but not this time. I fully expected the “Whoa! Tell me the way that played out” reaction.

Laying the Groundwork

As someone who does a lot of speaking engagements, I prefer How To-type presentations. Specific steps, resources, mouse clicks, useful websites, and other related tips and tricks are practical takeaways for an audience hungry for actionable advice, rather than pie in the sky speeches that are either self-serving and/or aimed at making you feel good – hopefully.

So, while I know the desire here is to learn HOW to get one-on-one with a Hollywood A-lister, it’s important first to understand how to even get in position in the first place to potentially have such an opportunity. In other words, a rookie might make their major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and that’s a nice story, but the time that was spent on Little League fields and making the journey through high school and college ball is a vital part of ending up on the sport’s biggest stage.

In my case, I started podcasting in February 2014. In fact, I’m proud to say that I haven’t missed a week since, still putting out a new episode of “Now Hear This Entertainment” every Wednesday without fail. You see, this, my friends, was the foundation that had to be built in order to build towards getting the recognition that all of us as creatives are seeking. Whether you’re in front of the camera, behind it, or somewhere in between, you have a “break” in mind that you’re waiting to get in the business. In other words, you’re hoping someone will notice you. But you wonder, how do I get all that to connect?

It's best to start with what you know, or, as I did eight-plus years ago, who you know.

Building relationships means staying in touch with those people, like this shot from March when I had lunch with the keyboard player for Aerosmith, who I’d had on my podcast

Working Towards the Big Names

When I first launched the “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast, I made a list of people I knew would say Yes to an interview. Read that again. I said people that I knew, and not people I wanted to say Yes.

Within my first 20 episodes I’d gotten a singer who’d been on “The Voice,” a performer that appeared on “American Idol,” and, a Blues Hall of Famer.

Relationships - ask yourself, “Who do I know that can do (insert desired goal here) for/with me” OR “Who do I know that might know someone else that will help get me where I want to be.”

With those notable guests already on my show’s résumé I was able to start attracting others who had significant achievements. The more that you continue to build this way, the more that people will look and say, “Well if it’s good enough for (name), it’s good enough for me.”

I wouldn’t say that nowadays I’m at the point where I can get anyone I want. But, I think you’re hard pressed to pass up an opportunity to be on a show when I tell you that in my 430 episodes I’ve interviewed guests ranging from Roy Orbison, Jr. to the keyboard player for Aerosmith to the lead guitar player for Garth Brooks to the drummer for Cheap Trick to the bass player for P!NK to the trumpet player for Billy Joel, plus, five GRAMMY Award winners, a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, a Las Vegas headliner, three Emmy Award winners, and even participants from “American Idol,” “The Voice,” “America’s Got Talent,” and “The X Factor” (including one singer who won “The Voice”).

While I record more of my interviews remotely than face-to-face, doing some in-person adds a deeper layer to meeting someone, like this former participant from “The Voice” who I interviewed in Nashville

Taking it to the Next Level

When we were kids, we would bring home good grades from school and my dad would tell me and my brother and sister, “Show me those marks in the higher grades.”

It’s all well and good to get opportunities to start building relationships, er, doing interviews with the likes of the folks above that I listed, but where do you go from there? Who’s next? Can you reproduce those marks in the higher grades, so to speak?

In February 2019, I launched a second weekly podcast and because it had no connection whatsoever to “Now Hear This Entertainment,” I was almost starting over again. However, unlike five years earlier, this time I had the formula.

So, I put my head down and forged ahead with interviews with people like the legendary football coach Lou Holtz (who also spent lots of years as an analyst on ESPN), plus guests who were Olympians, current or former NFL, NHL, and MLB coaches or players, a UFC Hall of Famer, a current NASCAR driver, and, well, you get the picture.

Now the time came to use that “If it’s good enough for (name), it’s good enough for me” approach.

(Disclaimer: It should go without saying that there absolutely has to be relevance. If you’re working on a horror project and want to get Jennifer Lopez involved, convince me that there’s a connection because if I don’t see it, she certainly won’t.)

What about the Mouse-Clicks?

My target was Mark Wahlberg for a couple reasons. First off, my second weekly podcast is called, “Catholic Sports Radio.” (It’s not what you think. I don’t report scores or talk about wins and losses or statistics.) I know that Mark is very open about being a devout Catholic, so that checked a box. Next is that he had a new film to promote, “Father Stu,” which is a true story about an unlikely individual who would become a Catholic priest, given his propensity for using profanity and, oh by the way, being a boxer. In checking a second box (what’s in it for him), a third was being ticked as well because the sports angle was being complemented (in addition to Mark being passionate about fitness, not to mention having also had a role as a boxer in 2010’s “The Fighter”).

Now came the action steps needed to get the interview.

Thankfully, my best friend is an actor/filmmaker and had convinced me to invest in an IMDb Pro membership some time ago. That tool gave me access to, in this case, the publicist name and contact information for Mark Wahlberg’s rep.

But remember when I talked earlier about getting the reps and putting in your time? The lessons you learn along the way include how to deal with rejection or just flat out not hearing back from someone. The latter is what happened to me and one month later I re-sent my pitch. As a publicist myself, I’ve adopted what I call a four Ps approach: patient, polite, professional, but persistent. My clients would tell you that that’s what has helped me get the results for them that they’ve enjoyed. Too many people give up and just move on when someone doesn’t contact them back.

In my case, re-sending that pitch resulted in being contacted back instead by the company managing the publicity for the film, and starting the discussion with me towards a potential interview with Mark Wahlberg.

Full disclosure, though, is that you also have to be prepared to not only dazzle someone with “this is who I’ve done business with,” but, answer questions when they want specific data. In my case I was proud to tell them that “Catholic Sports Radio” had gotten listeners from 75 countries around the world. Thus, you’re adding to your credibility and why your pitch deserves strong consideration.

Soon thereafter it was a case of organizing what would be me being a part of those who were given access to the junket that Mark did for “Father Stu” on a date that they chose (not me).

In addition to my usual audio format, I interviewed Mark Wahlberg on video to get a version for YouTube also

Managing your Expectations

I’m here to tell you that you should not expect people to promote your work for you.

“Now Hear This Entertainment” has gotten listeners from 155 countries around the world and is one of the top two percent most popular shows out of more than 2.8 million podcasts globally. You read above the notable guests that I’ve gotten (and there are still others that could be added to that list, by the way). “Catholic Sports Radio” has some great data and guest names too.

But, while there is a feeling that, “Of course this person should want to promote being on my show,” it’s important to realize that it’s your own work and your pride is getting in the way. You must be your own biggest advocate. Sitting back and waiting for, no, expecting people to trumpet what you’re doing will leave you disappointed.

Would it be great to have Mark Wahlberg promote having been on “Catholic Sports Radio”? Of course. But, when I (more recently) interview the likes of Country Music Hall of Fame drummer Mark Herndon (from the legendary group Alabama) or multi-GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Bill Champlin (who spent 28 years as a member of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Chicago), I do everything I can to promote it and give my guests the assets they can use (wait for it) if they choose to.

After your Work is Released

You should absolutely be proud of home runs such as a project with a high-profile entertainment professional. Just don’t sit and bask in the glow too long.

After my Mark Wahlberg episode came out, I was asked, “Who’s next?!”

Build upon your successful endeavor so you can add another similar accomplishment to your résumé.

But also, learn from something that I wasn’t prepared for. Suddenly I was getting contacted by people who wanted me to connect them to Mark Wahlberg! That was a whole new challenge that I hadn’t anticipated in the equation.

Is it the proverbial good problem to have? I’ll let you know after I land my next big fish.