“Chachi Loves Everybody” Podcast Features Paul Jacobs, Elaina Smith

Benztown announces the release today of two new episodes of Chachi Loves Everybody, an original podcast produced by Benztown and featuring Benztown President and audio brand builder Dave “Chachi” Denes. The episodes feature Chachi’s recent chats from Benztown’s Los Angeles studios with Paul Jacobs, Vice President and General Manager, Jacobs Media, and Elaina Smith, award-winning host of “Nights With Elaina,” nationally syndicated by Westwood One.

To listen to the new podcast episodes, visit: https://bit.ly/ChachiLovesEverybody.

Chachi Loves Everybody takes listeners with Denes – better known as “Chachi” – as he sits down for candid conversations with radio’s legends, master brand builders, up-and-comers, and innovators in the burgeoning audio space, revealing the true stories behind their successes and their insights into building iconic brands through audio.

➤Chachi’s first guest is Paul Jacobs, who shares his journey in radio and working at Jacobs Media with his brother, Fred Jacobs. He discussed the company’s success in programming, and his success in sales and his work championing radio’s future.

Jacobs rose through the sales ranks to become a General Manager of a major market radio station at age 28. After graduating from Michigan State University in 1976 with a B.A. in Advertising, he went to work selling radio for WNIC-FM in Detroit. After a brief stint working for the William A. Robinson marketing services agency in Chicago, where he created campaigns for Philip Morris and Seagram's, Jacobs struck gold when he was hired as an Account Executive at WRIF-FM in Detroit. This experience launched his sales management career, and four years later, he became the General Sales Manager for KZEW-FM in Dallas, and ultimately, the General Manager for KHYI-FM, also in Dallas. He was lured home to run WDFX-FM in Detroit, before joining Jacobs Media as its General Manager in 1991.

Today, Jacobs helps broadcasters transform their business models from being primarily focused on radio to taking a more “platform” approach, using content to appeal to new audiences and generate revenues. Jacobs is a true “radio champion” – someone who believes in the power of branding and developing radio’s inherent assets.

On this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody, Chachi talks to Fred about:

• Growing up in Detroit and starting a bagel delivery business as a kid
• Working with his brother for the first time at WRIF
• The collaboration between programming and sales and how he rose through the station ranks from sales to GM
• Joining his brother Fred at Jacobs Media and launching the Jacobs Media Blog
• Negotiating with Apple for CarPlay and the future of radio in the automotive industry
• Attending CES and the importance of Xperi and new technology to radio’s future
• How constantly reinventing yourself and staying ahead of industry trends is key to long-term success
• His advice for young people entering the industry

Chachi’s second guest, Elaina Smith, is the Gracie Award-winning host of Westwood One’s nationally syndicated Country radio show, “Nights with Elaina”, now heard on over 150 radio stations across the U.S. Every night you can hear Elaina interviewing the biggest stars in Country music and sharing the inside scoop on what’s happening in Nashville on “Nights with Elaina.” While working at Entertainment Tonight and The Insider in Los Angeles, Elaina found her true passion when she got an opportunity to join a morning radio show in San Diego, and never looked back. After a year on a morning show in Florida, Elaina made the move to Nashville and began her long-running syndicated night show, which is nearing a decade on-air. Elaina is now an ACM and CMA Award-nominated, Gracie Award-winning radio host and is heard on her award-winning “Breaking Thru With Elaina” podcast, where she has in-depth conversations with artists including Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood, and Maren Morris about women in Country music.

On this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody, Chachi talks to Elaina Smith about topics including:

• Getting started in entertainment through internships at Entertainment Tonight and The Insider and doing red carpets while attending SDSU
• Starting in radio by representing JACK-FM at events and then joining Chainsaw and Dave on-air
• Getting her name on “The Timmy and Elaina Show” on A1A in Florida and becoming a local celebrity
• Moving to Nashville to host a syndicated Country show
• The challenging transition from a local to a national radio show and the mentors and supporters who helped her succeed
• Becoming a solo host after Shawn Parr left the show
• Launching “The Nashville Show” in the UK
• Becoming the voice of the ACM Awards, People’s Choice Country Awards, Gracie Awards, and more
• The importance of building relationships and adapting and innovating in the radio industry, and other advice for young broadcasters

The Chachi Loves Everybody podcast is available now on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Audioboom and other podcast services.