Fly Jamerson asked me on a recent phone call what was the best advice I received when I started out and I took it back to my radio days.

When I started in radio in 2004, my boss and mentor Sean Lisle asked me what I wanted my on-air name to be. He explained that most on-air talent didn’t use their real names because people are weird. He may not have said it exactly like that, give me some grace, it’s been 20 years.

I asked him, “What name do you go by on air?”

And he said, “Sean Michael Lisle.”

That’s his name name.

So, I went with Mo Regalado. My name name is Maureen. But my nickname has been Mo for as long as I can remember. (Mo-money, mo-problems, amirite?) So this was a super easy thing for me to adapt to and let’s be honest…it’s kinda baller. Just rolls off the tongue.

Anyway, I digress…

The lesson here is that he told me (again paraphrasing because it’s been 20 years) that I made the right choice because you should never start a relationship with a lie.

That has stuck with me throughout my career and has parlayed into social media so well. Our community and our strength are built on the ability to feel like you know the person on the other side of the screen or the speaker. This is why I harp on being human online, being authentic, and showing up as you.

There’s nothing worse than meeting someone IRL and realizing that they’re not who you thought they would be because of the persona they show online.

If you’re wondering how you should show up today – be you. Everyone else is already taken.

Deuces,
Mo