Disruptors Sharon Carpenter: Broadcast Journalist, Producer & Entrepreneur [Business, mindset, entrepreneur, disruptors]
Rob is joined by British broadcast journalist, producer and entrepreneur Sharon Carpenter. Sharon answers questions on how she got to be where she is today and what she has planned for the future. Sharon shares exclusive stories from working as a broadcaster in America to how she manages to balance her personal and professional life. Tune in today for this captivating interview with industry legend, Sharon Carpenter.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- When people who do not know you, ask what you do for a living what do you tell them?
- The first thing I tell them is that I am a broadcast journalist, that is because that is where I started out in more of the news side of things and then I moved over to the entertainment side of things, still as a journalist. Now I do so many different things, I am a presenter, a quiz show host, a producer.
- Does that make you an entrepreneur of sorts?
- Yes, it does. I have my own business called Carpenter Media and most of the work I do through that, I also create and develop television shows through that brand as well.
- Do you find it hard to have a relationship as an entrepreneur?
- It is hard, and I have definitely been in that situation, I do get very caught up with work so sometimes I do forget about the person I am with. I remember I was working on a presentation for a TV show that we eventually ended up selling to MTV. We were working around the clock and sometimes my boyfriend would notice that I was active on social media but was not replying to his posts, he didn’t understand that for me, social media also work. When you’re in that environment you have to be laser-focused. Sometimes there is just so much going on, your mind is so full that you’re not even thinking about that. I will say that I am understanding because of that, and I think it takes a certain type of person to be with someone in that mindset, that is really driven and wants to be successful. You really have to think about what is important to you, I do know people that have been all work focused and then they get to a point when they are like ‘oh I wish I had a family’ and they didn’t make time for that.
- Do you feel like you were able to stay true to yourself working in the media?
- When I first got into the industry, I was first a producer but I had dreams of being on camera. I remember talking to this big-time executive and he said to me “Oh so you want to be on TV?” to which I replied “Yes, it is a dream I have” he then told me “Well your English accent is a distraction!” I was devastated, I had also got a new agent who told me that maybe I should lose the accent and learn to speak with an American accent. I had to think to myself, is that really being me? If I was to go onto a station and start speaking with an American accent, that's not really real. I was trying to figure out, I’m English am I ever going to make it? I then remember going to see Sting perform, he was performing “English man in New York” and there's a line in the song “be yourself no matter what they say” and that's when I decided I was going to be myself no matter what they said!
- How do you deal with putting yourself out there on social media, without worrying about getting hate?
- You sort of has to get to a place where you don’t care. You need to build up your confidence, and to build up your confidence it is all about being good at different things. It has always been important to me to excel at things and produce good quality work, no matter what it is. All of that builds confidence, and the more the hate received will just become water off a duck's back. If you read something, don’t take it too much to heart, read it in a constructive way and take it in the best possible way. After getting so many comments, it has definitely helped me get a tough skin, what does it really matter? Not everybody is going to like you.
Q.What is the best advice you have ever received?
- The best advice I have ever received was actually something that I heard somebody say. It was Anderson Cooper who said this in an interview “work harder than the rest, outwork everybody. Yes, talent is a certain part of it but really it's the amount of work you put in”.
Q.What is the worst advice you've ever received?
- Learn to speak with an American accent! Although it could've been good advice actually. There are a couple of times where it could have been good for me to be able to do that, there is a sitcom and they were casting for a journalist in a small-town America. They really liked me but they asked me to do an American accent and that would have been okay as that's acting. So I sent them a self-tape and it was so bad! However, that's one occasion where that could have been okay to do.
Q.What advice would you give to your 50-year-old self?
- I think what I would say to my 50-year-old self is “it’s never too late.” I think that's the big piece of advice if there's something that you’ve always really wanted to do it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks. It doesn’t matter if people are out there saying ‘oh you’re too old for that’ no, go for it and make it happen! When you’re 50 your dreams are going to be different than what your dreams are now, keep on dreaming up until the end.
- What does the word disruptive mean to you?
- I think that I am a bit disruptive if I am honest. It is shaking things up, not playing by the rules, it is doing things your way and adding some spice, sass and some sauce.
BEST MOMENTS
“Yes you can polish up, yes you can work on being the best version of yourself, but it really is about being true to who you are”
“Look back on your own work, and make sure that you’re happy with where you’re going”
“Make the most out of life, no matter what age you are”
[Business, mindset, entrepreneur, disruptors]
VALUABLE RESOURCES
ABOUT THE HOST
Rob Moore is an author of 9 business books, 5 UK bestsellers, holds 3 world records for public speaking, entrepreneur, property investor, and property educator. Author of the global bestseller “Life Leverage” Host of UK’s No.1 business podcast “Disruptors”
“If you don't risk anything, you risk everything”
CONTACT METHOD
Rob’s official website: https://robmoore.com/
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LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/robmoore1979
ABOUT THE GUEST
Sharon Carpenter is a British broadcast journalist, television host, and producer. Originally from Watford England, Sharon Carpenter moved to New York City to study at Pace University and graduated magna cum laude with a BBA degree in business management. She has worked as an on-air personality for a number of top American television networks including CBS, BET, Sean "Diddy" Combs' REVOLT TV, and VH1. Currently, she is the host of "The Royal Report" - a weekly entertainment news web-series, by People Magazine and People TV, that covers the royal family. In addition, Sharon is a red-carpet host for BBC America. She can also be seen as a regular contributor on The Wendy Williams Show.