On the Job with Radio Host Enrique Santos

with a strong philosophy of giving back. There's a long list of contributions and accomplishments Enrique has fearlessly made in the public eye as the popular host of two prominent, nationally syndicated radio shows on I Heart Radio Good Morning Familiar, Hello Hello. Enrique has leveraged his successful and often humorous voice to lead the charge on social responsibility in his

local community and beyond. Throughout his esteemed career, he has interviewed several political figures and celebrities, and has used as influence to not only speak on behalf of out known or communities, but to also join those communities together. Enrique's integrity makes him an indisputable leader who has assembled a diverse broadcast team. Even though the executive producer, he shares

the wealth with others. You know his team so you know, so everybody gets a piece of the hi, but we all put a little piece of something on the table and we all talk about it before it short starts. As a team, we come up with ideas. Instead of one person having to do all the work, everybody has to put in part. I guess that's why the show is very successful too. That was executive producer of tumanian Us Julio Ramirez talking about his boss, colleague and friend

of over ten years. This morning, we're guests at the I Heart Media Miami Studios or the show is broadcast daily. The studio walls are adorned with Neon signs stating encouraging phrases like do what you love and good vibes only, And throughout my morning speaking with the broadcast team, it became very clear to me that those luminous words aren't merely motivational adages. They are a manifestation of Enrique's positive spirit and leadership. Is it possible to truly love what

you do? And if so, how does one get there? On this edition of On the Job, we sit down with Enrique Santos to hear about the unique path he has taken to a chief success and ultimately happiness. Well, I would say I'm just a simple radio guy, but that wears a bunch of different hats, and I would say that I'm a I'm a blessed guy because I I do what what I love radio for me is really it's it's a way of life and so much of my life that's just my dame, but my life

is dedicated to to to my profession. Especially in such crazy times that were that that we're living. People need a friend, especially doing morning radio, because you get to dictate basically what people's days are gonna look like, whether it's going to be a good day or a bad day. There's something in Spanish it doesn't really translate into English, but it's called confianza. When it's like that confidence, it's like it makes it okay, you have the green light.

Latinos are very warm people when you're able to uh connect through the radio waves and and people feel that connection and they look at you, not just or at least in my case, when it's not just Enrique the radio DJ, Enrique my friend, and they want to talk to you. They want to hug you, they want to tell you how their day went, they want to tell you how how important it was that topic that you just talked about this morning. That to me is is success.

My first job was working for my family business at a video store, and that moved to bagging groceries at a public supermarket in the state of Florida. Um. That was a lot of fun and uh. But as a kid, I remember always and my passion was always to be a police officer. So I've had, I would say, several a couple of mentors in throughout my life. I would say, first my uncle Eddie, who became a UH state trooper for the Florida Highway Patrol. He's just not retired a

couple a couple of months ago. But I remember as a kid, Wow, my uncle Ettie became a trooper. That's so cool. And I used to sit in his police car and play with the lights and with the sirens and listen to the police radio. And I think that indirectly, you know, planted that seed in me and that I wanted to be a a police officer. A couple of things I can say that I'm very very proud of. Obviously,

when I graduated the police academy. Um, it's something that again it wasn't easy because at that time I had to go to part time night academy because I has had a full time job dispatching, So I would dispatch at night on the midnight shift, sleep during the day and get up in the afternoon and go to a night police academy. I financed that myself because the police department wasn't hiring. They sponsored me through the police academy. So that was a big achievement for me because it

was just like my first car. It was just like my first video camera and VHS. You know that my grandparents helped me to co signed to get me in my first car. But you know, I put that money down and I made those payments. My I was very humble but very hard working family. I can't say I was ever hungry. In other words, there was never a meal that was missed at home. Mom and Dad always provided middle income family. We weren't rich, but my parents

are still in me. You know that everything that should be grateful for everything that I have as much or as little, but everything I've had always in my life, it's something I've never had to hand me down. I didn't get an inheritance, and I thank God for that, and I and I thank the universe in the world, world, world for that. I'm very grateful. And that early on the vehicle came with that installed already. It wasn't an add on, you know, it wasn't it wasn't an upgrade.

I feel bad for a lot of you know, people that have life too easy, have things handed down to them, and then you know, they hit an obstacle and they look at it as a brick wall and they can't figure out that they can get over and go around it. So how does someone go from police officer to radio broadcaster? So I was a police explorer since I was a teenager from from there, right out of high school, I became a police dispatcher. I then went to the police

academy and became a police office or UM. One day, calling the radio station that I listened to, UM, the program director picked up the phone and I wanted to know the name of a certain album. The guy who picked up was the PD of the station, and like how Enrique Sound didn't invite him over, And then the next thing you know, he offered him a job part time. San Enrica left police work and became a full time employee next thing, you know, Enrique sitting and the spot

where they were, and that's where his journey began. I always like broadcasting and radio and entertainment and comedy, but

I didn't imagine making a career out of it. But one thing led to another, and my program director friend, you know, I had developed at that skill and that interest and and it was on Spanish, and my Spanish was kind of choppy, but it got better doing overnights and stuff, thanks to mom and dad, because they are immigrants from Cuba, and they always told me, hey, here at home, when you get home, you speak in Espanol,

you speak in Spanish. So grateful that they instilled that in me and that they had that rule at home, because as thanks to them, I am bilingual. I'm probably one of the only broadcasters in in I think in the country, if I'm not mistaken. That's doing the type of radio that I do where we can do it's much. It's not just bilingual radio, it's bi cultural radio. So I never envisioned making a career out of radio. But again,

life is full of of of opportunities. And when they tapped me to to host the UH the Morning Show, it was like Wow. So you know, I kept my certification, I stayed on and I still am a reserve police officer for the City of Miami. So again, it's I blessed that I'm able to do what I love. I'm so passionate and it's like a new calling, right getting into broadcasting, but still able to hang on to my

original career, which was law enforcement. And I'm able to give back and inspire other young people uh to stay away from drugs and gangs and and violence and a life of crime, because if they see what I've what I've been able to accomplish, you know, my hopes are that they can see themselves mirrored in in in what I do daily. You're listening to On the Job the podcast from Express Employment Professionals. One company is on a mission to put a million people to work each year.

Sounds like a big number, doesn't it not to Express Employment Professionals seeking a skilled labor position or administrative ortment. Maybe you're an executive looking for a career that fits sporting. We take pride in connecting the right people with the right company. Express Employment Professionals is on a mission to put a million people to work each year. Let us help we'll open doors for you. Go to express pros

dot com to find a location near you. Welcome back to On the Job and the story of Enrique Santos, who has worked hard his entire life. Every single situation that you find yourself in life, every single challenge, every single worry that you have, every single day that you get up and you say to yourself, what am I doing here? Why? You know? I don't like this nine to five. I don't like this job. I don't like

getting up and doing that. You know, you have your ability, you have the ability to change, to change that, but if you don't take the first step to make that change, it's never going to change. At least take that first step. We're surrounded by opportunities, so open your eyes to those opportunities. One of the main thing is that sometimes it's sitting right in front of you don't realize, and it's an

opportunity that could be a conversation. If something smells wrong, if it feels wrong, it's probably wrong, so do something to change it. If you know what someone is having a bad day and you're able to help that person and engage that person in that conversation, you don't know where that conversation may lead. Just be open. Open to the universe, to opportunities, to conversations, to people's vibes, talk to somebody. Follow your instinct in every single scenario, I

feel good in this place. I don't feel so cool in this in this place, something's off here. Follow your instincts. I follow away instincts all my life, and it's never steer me wrong. I call him Mr Gala or gla what is the right pronunciation? Because everyone invites him to MC. I was like, dude, how many are you gonna do per year? His position so much work and he's not the type that says no never. He's just so workaholic.

I do have a problem with um disappointing people. I feel as if, you know, if if I'm able, if I'm in a position to be able to help somebody, and I have to say no. I do have a like a guilty conscious, like wow, I should have. Things do end up stacking up sometimes, and there there are occasions when I, you know, I have to pump the brakes and say, you know what, I need a day

or two. I need to disconnect. I'm blessed to be in a position becomes a big responsibility and when people look up to you for for certain things, as a community leader, as a role model in our industry, as a leader in the LGBT community, as UH leader in with for the in a voice for the immigrant community, especially with so much negativity it's being spread and so many fears. There's a lot of people that are scared, genuinely scared people they need someone to turn to, they

need a friend. Sometimes it's hard to shut that door or say, you know what if I lose an hour of sleep, but I know that I'm gonna be able to help X amount of people, even just one person. I I have a hard time telling myself no because of that. If it's in our community, you know, since the station's in Miami, so it's a committee. We're gonna try to like help not just give the news, but we give the news here, and what gives the news?

What are you're doing about it? Enrica will be like, somebody better find that person, bring him on the show, tell the story or whatever. Help they need. This kid they got beat up and the video went viral, but they don't follow up on the story. We talk about the problem and look for a solution. Last year I was a young man, was seven years old. Wrote a letter to me, and I'll show it to you. He

sent it through his mom. Autistic kid writes a letter to me telling me how he was bullied in school and how these kids broke his glasses and that I'm his best friend. Sorry, So how could I tell that? No? We brought him to the show. The kid was beyond himself. We cut his hair. I called the superintendent of the school's superintendent took it personally. He says, I'm gonna take care of this. One had lunch with Jose, talked to the teachers, talk to the kids who are bullying him.

So that's the power of radio. That's the power of connecting and the sense of responsibility. So when they asked me to walk, to be a team leader and organize a team, and to host autism awareness name, how could I say no? To say no, I'm I'm saying no to who knows how many Jose's. We cover all the nationalities from our listeners and so, and I think his

voice is neutral. He doesn't sound to Puerto Rican or two Cuban, so he his voice is just perfect for everyone to like and listen and he's the guy that stays in between. I think that I'm respected amongst my colleagues, especially the people that I lead in the industry, specifically the jocks that wear a bunch of different hats. But at the end of the day, normally I'm the first one in and the last one out. So I think there's a certain level of respect and that I'm on

the front lines. So I wouldn't ask you to do something that I'm already not not doing. It's a lot of hours and a lot of people say, oh, you host six to ten o'clock and go take an apse. No, at ten o'clock is when the problem start. We have a million different things that have to be produced for the next day, and then we have a bunch of other meetings that we've got to jump into. And then talking and being respectful to to other people and having

the time. That's something I gotta get better at, being a better listener and giving people the time that that they deserve, and being transparent and being sincere, and when I'm having a bad day, just opening opening the mic and being sincere with my listeners and saying, you know what, today's a bad day. I have a headache. Today's a bad day because I'm worried about this. So it comes at a high price because your personal life and business and your career kind of all mixes. But that's part

of what this career comes with. It's not a nine of five job where you just punch out and then you just you're able to disconnect and do something totally different. This is something where I'm connected, and uh, you need to be on top of you know, world events and current events and things are constantly changing and what's important in a priority Right this second, something can happen in

thirty seconds, which changes all of our days. And again, it's it's a blessing that I'm able to do what I do, but it's a very big responsibility because I need to know the topics. I need to know what I'm talking about. But again, I don't like preaching to to my audience. I always tell my people, my followers, what I do, why I think the way I think, why I'm voting on certain topics, which is taboo, especially within the Latino community. You know, it's very people don't

say who they vote for. That's like with us, you don't talk about that. No, I think it's important for me to talk about that this is why I'm doing it. Let's have a healthy conversation and we can we can all learn from and hope that that that makes sense. It's ever changing and we're always learning myself and everyone on my team, and what my goal is obviously is to be able to replicate what I've been able to accomplish with my team, but create a bunch of these

same winning teams. I'm blessed to have talented people that come up with a plan and strategize that their hearts are in the right place to be able to recognize talent. It's very fulfilling. Now with my most recent step, I've worked for the major broadcasting companies in the country Spanish. I started with Spanish Broadcasting System, that went to Univision and now this new vertical that we just launched at

I Heart I Heart Latino. Mr Mark Anthony, who's a personal friend, and he'd asked me why do you do radio? This way with me explaining my industry to him and him explaining his business and kind of fusing those things together and really sitting down with Mark inspired me to, you know, leave a great position that I that I had at Univision and just to strive for more, not to feel bad about It's nothing wrong with you always and always challenging yourself and always looking for and making

better new goals. So I would say that Mark I would attribute my being, you know, one one of the mentors that that really impacted my life. He really took me from being broadcaster, not just not just a broadcaster, from DJ to boss. Would you say that your career was a case of being in the right place at the right time. I don't believe in look. I think, yes, you can be at the right place at the right time.

If your heart and is in the right place, and you're really dedicating a hard working person, you can achieve, honestly, whatever you want. Not to make it sound cliche. Life is full of opportunities to being able to recognize those opportunities, to be open and receptive to to to change and

not be afraid to to take that leap. But if you work hard enough for something, you you can attain it, don't I don't like lazy people, and I recognize that right away, and people that either get complains it in broadcasting, getting too comfortable is death. Two careers to two projects too.

You've always got to be thinking a step ahead. Again, it's such a fast paced, constant and ever changing business that that we're in that you need to be able to, you know, balance a bunch of different things at once. You need to be able to morph yourself into different positions. So it is a big challenge, but hard work pays off. Hard worker is always gonna outshine even you know it it

canna be a very talented person. But if you're not dedicated and you're not a hard worker, someone that doesn't have that talent that you have, not it may not be as good as you. But they're you know, they're more dedicated and apply to what they're doing, they might outshine you. I definitely love my job and working with Enriqua and the team, and the alarm goes on and I don't have to drag myself out of the bed.

You love what you do, and when you love what you do and you don't care if you work even on the weekends, my heart and the team it's fun. We travel, we you know, as a team, and working with Rik it it's it's it's really fun. I'm honestly blessed making this huge move to I heart media. You know, I was very I was established and very successful on Spanish radio working for Univision. I was making good money. I had my team again going back to Mark Anthony,

and he helped me open I opened my eyes. Hey, you don't have to be an employee anymore, or just employee. That's okay. If you're happy with that, and you're satisfied with that, you can stay there and you can talk to your hundred and five. And in broadcasting we can do that. Casey Casem's and the Dick Clarks and may they rest in peace and people that really open doors for us and broadcasting. But literally, these men worked until

they almost checked out. I always achieved for more, and I wanted more, and I like the challenge, and I said, and let's head this new vertical. So I would say also one of the major major accomplishments of my life were to launch this its awesome animal. I'm looking for us to grow our footprint and with with our events and our reach, that's my goal to really to grow the footprint and to open up the doors and opportunities for other other broadcasters also not just in the Spanish field,

but in the bicultural field. That's so important right now and in in in the country. I'm Liz Reagan and that was Enrique Santos. And that's all for this edition of On the Job. Find out more at Express pros dot com and you can listen to every podcast this season at Express pros dot com slash podcast. This podcast is produced by Decibel Studios in New York, I Heart Radio and Red Seat Ventures. You can subscribe on I Heart Radio and iTunes, where we hope you'll leave a

nice review that helps other folks find us. And of course you can listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you next time On the Job.