Ask Kimberly Fletcher about her radio career and she enthusiastically begins her story with, “Ever since I was a young girl, I knew I wanted to work in radio. This is my dream job come true.” As a top female executive in the radio industry -- a highly competitive industry that is historically male-dominated, especially in the upper echelon -- Kimberly has quickly navigated her career to the senior management level with a top broadcasting company, and at a top radio station in the cut-throat Los Angeles media market—the nation’s #1 radio market. Kimberly is one of only five women occupying a “GM/RVP” position among the top-50 radio stations in L.A.

With business savvy beyond her 30-something years, and fashion-model attractiveness and style, Kimberly attributes her success to some key factors: “I learned so much from my father who raised me to be independent and self-assured,” says Kimberly, “he taught me to always believe in myself.” Kimberly adds that her self-reliance, combined with her passion for business and her strong success drive, have allowed her to accomplish her goals, relating to her work and her life in general.

Back In The Day / The Morning Show

Flash back to the mid-70’s when Kimberly was born in Los Angeles and when, as radio veterans will recall, the original KDAY was broadcasting on AM 1580 as L.A.’s first hip-hop station. The youngest of three daughters, Kimberly was raised in various Southern California communities and exposed to the great variety of radio that L.A. has to offer. When Kimberly was just seven years old, her cousin Bill Sommers took her on a tour of his workplace at L.A.’s KLOS-FM 95.5 and the people, the equipment, the activity, and the energy fascinated her. Kimberly exclaims, “From that point on, I was hooked and I knew I wanted to work in radio.”

As a pre-teen and teen, Kimberly was obsessed with radio. She says, “I knew all the names of the popular radio deejays in L.A., and I was always calling in to try to win prizes.” While in high school at The Webb Schools -- a competitive college prep school in Claremont, Riverside County, Southern California -- Kimberly and a friend produced and deejayed for the school’s radio station morning show. “I quickly discovered that my business skills were better than my on-air skills,” says Kimberly, “so I turned the microphone over to my friend and I focused on programming and sales.” Kimberly broke new ground for her high school’s radio station by obtaining local donations and sponsors, and creating structured timelines, promotions, and giveaways. By the time she graduated in 1991, Kimberly was one step closer to realizing her radio career.

The Road To Radio Success: From Car Sales…

While attending UC Davis, Kimberly worked part-time in car sales where she soon became one of the dealership’s top salespersons. With this experience, Kimberly discovered she had a knack for sales, business, communications, and working with people, and she was ready to parlay these skills to start her a radio career. Once again, she contacted her cousin Bill for more advice. Bill knew that Kimberly was passionate about radio and, now, with her car sales experience, he knew she enjoyed and excelled at sales, so he suggested she first get experience as a media buyer/planner.

The Road To Radio Success: …To Ad Sales

Taking her cousin’s advice, Kimberly applied for media buyer/planner positions. Within a mere two weeks, she had three job offers, including one from an L.A.-based agency that specialized in radio advertising. After working at the agency for about three years, Kimberly became a successful freelance radio buyer in L.A. for another two years. Next, Kimberly served as Senior Account Executive at two prominent L.A. radio stations -- KZLA-FM 93.9 and KFI-AM 640 -- where she soon became a top salesperson at both stations. “Strange as it may seem, my car sales experience was my entrée into the world of radio, and it turned out to be an excellent background for ad sales and business development,” says Kimberly.

Enter Entravision

Due to her growing reputation as a radio sales superstar, Entravision Communications Corporation (NYSE: EVC) hired Kimberly in as Sales Manager for its new KDLD/KDLE-FM 103.1 (“KDL”) in L.A. Kimberly launched KDL’s “dance/party” format, handled budgeting and staffing, and oversaw national and local sales. Kimberly adds, “Working for KDL was a great opportunity for me to mentor and develop my sales staff, while also building my leadership skills.”

Under Kimberly’s management, KDL was so successful that, less than a year later, Clear Channel arranged a joint sales agreement for KDLD/KDLE. Subsequently, Entravision was in the process of reassigning Kimberly to its Spanish-language station in L.A when Kimberly received an offer from Magic Broadcasting/Styles Media to become General Manager for its Riverside-based KWIE-FM 96.1 (“Wild 96.1”), a rhythmic top-40 station. Says Kimberly, “Although I enjoyed working for Entravision, I made the very difficult decision to leave. It was a risky move but I had confidence that, in the long run, it would pay off.” And pay off it did. Within one year, Kimberly brought KWIE to a profit.

A New Day At KDAY

A few months after being hired by Magic/Styles, Kimberly proves her worth by arranging meetings that led to the company’s $120 million purchase of KDAY/KDAI in May 2004—one of the year’s biggest radio deals. Kimberly was subsequently named GM/RVP, managing daily operations and sales for the synchrocast* stations which, in May 2006, completed its signal upgrade and signed Steve Harvey to its morning show. In September 2004, Kimberly launched the newly flipped KDAY/KDAI as an R&B/hip-hop format and, again, she brought the stations to profit within one year. Says Kimberly, “The biggest compliment to my career came from Roy Laughlin. He joined Magic/Styles in spring 2006 as new Junior Partner and market manager for Southern California, and one of his first moves was to sign me to a multi-year contract—I was ecstatic!”

On Track With Work-Life Balance

While she takes her work seriously, the tall and slender Kimberly also balances business with her personal interests. She says, “Magic/Styles is very family oriented, and I further the company’s philosophy of hard work balanced with a well-rounded and fulfilling life. To me, success also means eating healthy, exercising, and enjoying family and friends.” Kimberly is a devoted wife to her husband of five years, and mom to her two kids, ages one and four. She also practices yoga daily and makes time for other hobbies, such as hiking the hills around her Hollywood home, traveling, and encouraging her husband’s successful career as an artist.

Driven To Give Back

Kimberly also enjoys advancing the radio profession, and serving her community, by volunteering and participating in a variety of educational activities, including:

• Guest lecturing at UCLA extension classes on advertising, broadcasting, business, communications, and radio;
• Participating as a panel speaker for local children’s and women’s organizations;
• Serving on the AWRT (American Women in Radio and Television) board which, in June 2006, elected her Vice President of the Southern California Chapter, and participating in the organization’s mentorship programs and networking events; and,
• Continuing her involvement as an active member of SCBA (Southern California Broadcaster’s Association), NAB (National Association of Broadcasters), and the Radio Advertising Bureau since the 90’s.

“I love teaching and mentoring others,” says Kimberly, “especially women who are interested in learning more about the radio profession and radio sales specifically.” It so happens that sales was my path to success.” As for Kimberly’s career advice to others, she offers the following tips (borrowed from those she received from her father): “Always look for opportunities, believe in yourself, and take some risks. Be willing to put yourself on the line.” Also, for those aspiring to work, or already working, in the radio profession, Kimberly suggests joining industry organizations like AWRT, NAB, and SCBA. She says, “These groups offer fantastic educational programs, career support, and growth opportunities.”

What’s Down The Road: KDAY All The Way!

As for Kimberly’s goals for KDAY, she says, “I feel like this is a match made in heaven…when I was born in the 70’s, the original KDAY was breaking new ground as L.A.’s first and only hip-hop station; and, KDAY is again poised to be an original as the only adult hip-hop station in L.A.” She continues, “We plan to continue building our strong ratings and growing revenue with unique programming and additional sales. KDAY has a strong audience of listeners who are passionate about R&B/hip-hop, and who enjoy artists from the 70’s such as Sugar Hill Gang, to the 80’s with Run DMC, to the 90’s with Tupac, to today’s Snoop Dog.” What’s next for Kimberly you may ask? Well, one thing’s for sure…it will involve radio!