As I embark on part 2 of this story please note that this is not a blogpost about finding your passion projects, but rather what finding passion has led me to today.
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Coming back to discovering BFM.
I felt that I had discovered my true calling. What if my actual voice could make a difference in shedding lights on the things that matter in Malaysia?
I begun searching for job opportunities at BFM. Never have I been so excited to write a cover letter and you can read the little pitch I wrote to the talent team at that time:
I eventually got an internship with The Morning Run, my first choice. The Morning Run was BFM’s most popular program, but what I was not prepared was the un-Godly hours as I was definitely not a morning person. I had to be in before 6 a.m., researching the top headlines the moment I sat down. It’s probably where I discovered my interest in coffee because my willpower alone was not enough to sustain me through those mornings.
I was definitely not in it for the money, I was paid hourly, and would earn somewhere around RM 1k. But I was excited to network with different bosses who would come through the BFM office, sometimes high-profile executives, politicians and getting invited to different PR events as a media representative. But I was set on becoming a radio presenter…
…only to realize that it takes a lot of training to hone your radio voice, to deliver points quickly without stuttering and to be able to present without filler words such as “ah”, “um”, etc.
At the same time, they were looking for someone more senior. I was not only inexperienced, I poorly enunciate my words, I stutter through my sentences, and my anxiety hits the roof when I am thrown a question spontaneously.
I of course, realize that if I do have intentions to become a radio presenter, I should aim to do so….after gaining years of experience to develop my own opinion about the Malaysian industries.
My supervisor at that time (who I am still in touch today) suggested I tried applying to become a treasury dealer in his previous company. Getting a treasury job in the bank was apparently a highly sought after occupation, where some individuals could get bonuses up to a year. It was not the case when I joined (another story another time). But I did end up spending a good 4 years being in the treasury corporate line and am so thankful that I went through that career path because the high pressuring environment pushed me to be a lot more meticulous (and semi-impatient).
So that was how my passion for being a radio presenter ended. BFM is still growing strong, and I highly doubt it would be a sunset business with the rise of audiobooks and podcasts. I will revisit this passion again someday.
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I have two more stories about my passion projects which I will continue sometime next week. Stay tuned!
Musings. 