Celina Pompeani

Count money, man.

Money that grits is fine.

I told trying to told him I'm a beast.

But what's up gang?

Welcome back to another episode of the grind cast.

Get ready.

It's a new day.

And for the first time by popular demand, you were actually people were asking.

Can we can we get Selena, Papi Annie, Matheson?

Right.

Right.

Yeah, the ladies.

They wanted some boss ladies.

My women's leaders rising group here in business.

And they inspired me to go in there and find some boss ladies.

They said, I needed some more women on here.

And I'm like, I got something for you.

We're coming strong, right?

For the first one.

And so we got, I got to read it.

I got to read it because there's so much.

You have so much that I have to, I didn't want to leave this to memory.

So Emmy award winning TV host and producer reporter for KDK, a TV news in Pittsburgh today

live host of the pens TV for the NHL.

So I go to the games to the pens game.

And we're out there.

You go to a lot of games.

I tell little Simon, look, we know her.

Look up.

But she's on the screen with the microphone.

You don't just hire somebody to do that position if you ain't special.

Hosts from the top podcast in partnership with my friend Emory and Armina Stone, spokeswoman

for many Pittsburgh businesses, including areas agencies.

We had you last year.

I loved it.

We did the VIP contest.

We did the jack.

All of that stuff.

I would have gone that trip.

I like it.

I like it.

And so, you know, I first want to tell you, you know, I know just reading those things.

And I know what, what, how busy life can get when you're a person that has a heart like

you, you know, you're just like, you want to say yes to everything and to give of yourself,

you know, to drive here, stay here, pour into other people, drive home.

That's that's time.

Mm-hmm.

And I really appreciate you taking time.

I'm happy to be here.

You do such a great job with this podcast.

And I'm just happy to be a guest today.

It's cool.

We're excited.

We're excited.

So if we could dig right into, you know, your backstory a little bit, you know, how you

got started in what you're doing currently right now, what it was like for you, family

upbringing, all of that stuff.

Well, I have to say I, there was never a point in my life.

And I talk with my hands a lot.

So excuse me.

I'm going to be up front about that.

We got to refrain the hands.

When I was young, the Italians can help it.

But I, the minute I first saw my dad on TV, I always said, that's what I want to do.

He always looked like he was having so much fun.

And I said, that's what I wouldn't do.

I wouldn't be on TV.

I want to talk to people and it never changed.

Oh, wow.

That's awesome.

And even if he wasn't in the industry, I think I would have found myself really quickly

to it because I love people.

I love telling stories.

I never get nervous with the camera.

I love the camera.

I get nervous talking to a group of people, which is weird.

More of that.

Yeah.

It's like seeing everybody's faces and eyeballs.

That's really intimidating.

Even though behind the camera, you're talking to more people.

Right?

But yeah, I'm okay with that.

I'm okay with that.

It's strange.

But I love doing it and he really inspired me.

And my sister, I have one older sister.

And we both said when we were growing up, that's what we wanted to do.

And I'm happy that we were able to get it through it.

Amazing.

That's awesome.

Now I see knowing, having a chance to be around your parents a little bit, I could see

so much of them.

I mean, just a mixture of like-

They love you and Natalie.

Here we go.

I get it.

You got a little bit of both of them.

And my dad has a ton of energy.

But my mom, I think-

She got some energy too.

Oh, yeah.

She got some energy.

She's so bubbly and animated.

Super bubbly.

Super bubbly.

Great person, great heart.

But she gives me to vibe.

But she ain't playing around either.

If you're on her good side, you want her on your side.

Yes.

You don't mean-

I could tell she don't play.

You know, but she got a big heart.

So I get it.

I get it.

She does.

She does.

But yeah.

What was the road like to get to KDKA and doing what you do with the thing when

it's like, what was that journey?

Like, how long was it?

What did you do?

I mean, everything I did-

You don't just wake up one day.

It's like, all right, I'm on a high school.

Here I go.

Throw me in.

No.

I mean, when I started doing any like on-camera work, it really was at my high school.

It was Bishop Canavan.

And they had a morning show called BCTV.

So on that show, I did the weather a little bit.

I did sports.

So that's when I was like, oh, yeah.

Like, this is fun.

I like doing this.

And then I went to Point Park University and they have such a great program.

And I knew I wanted to stay local so that I could work with my dad and do local internship.

So that was important to me.

And they have a great broadcasting program.

Had a great time there.

And then I got hired.

It was my junior year at Point Park.

And this one was- it helped me so much and really got me a head start.

I interned at a station in Stubanville, Ohio.

I know you're from Youngstown, but it's not too far.

Where are you?

I was just in Stubanville two weeks ago.

Yeah.

I mean, it's a short drive.

So I interned at WTOB9.

And this was my junior year.

I think I was- I just turned 20 or 19 or 20.

And a week into it, the general manager said, do you want a job?

And I was like, yeah, I would love a job.

And I thought he meant after college.

He was like, no, no.

Right now.

Yeah, I was like, yes.

Smart man.

So they hired me, which was an amazing experience.

So I was working.

I made sure I had all my classes at school on Tuesday and Thursday.

Those are my days of-

At Point Park.

Yeah.

Point Park.

Tuesdays, Thursdays.

All classes.

You were getting your class done.

And then every other day, I worked full-time just reporting and anchoring down there.

Wow.

So that was really cool.

Putting in the work.

Oh, yeah.

I was putting in the work.

Full-time schedule.

Full-time student.

Full-time schedule.

Full-time schedule.

Yeah, I signed a contract.

That's crazy.

And it was an amazing experience.

Everything there.

On-camera presence, shooting, editing, writing.

That station taught me everything.

And I was there for two years.

And then nobody- not many people.

I don't know if anybody knows the Simon.

We may be telling it to the world now in the block house.

All right.

I like that.

But I saw that the Penguins had an opening.

And I was working in Stubanville.

I was just about to exit out of there.

And Katie O'Malley, who did all the in-erina stuff

pens TV for years, she was leaving to work for the mayor's

office.

And I was like, oh, this would be such a fun job.

So I applied for the job.

Did an interview.

I did everything you had to do.

And I didn't get it.

And I was so bummed.

And I remember going into my audition

at the arena practice was going on.

It was really intimidating.

I was so nervous.

But I didn't get the job.

And I said, you know, it wasn't meant to be.

Busy doing a lot of other stuff anyways.

And then they ended up calling me for the next season.

And they said, you know, we remember your audition.

Do you want to come back in the position reopen?

And that's when I got it at the Penns.

You tried out again.

I tried out again.

Or did they just call you and hire you?

No.

I went back in.

And it was a little of a less intense interview

than the first time around.

But I ended up getting it the second time.

Amazing.

Yeah.

That alone is amazing.

I know.

A little bit of adversity.

But yes.

A little bit of a temporary what people would perceive

to be failure.

Right.

Sometimes people get down on that, get negative about it

and say, I don't want to do it again.

No, keep doing it.

I don't want to fail again.

Right.

So now I'm going to try it again, get my hopes up.

That's what I wanted to do.

And there's a chance.

So a lot of people don't go back to that place and try again

when the opportunity presents itself.

That's what I see from you.

Yeah.

And as soon as they called me again, that second time around,

I was like, I'm going in.

Yes, I will be there.

And it was great.

So I've been with them since 2014 now.

Oh my goodness.

That's crazy.

It's crazy.

I know.

I can't believe it.

Wow.

It's such a great organization.

I truly love working for them.

And I started with KDK8 in 2017.

So it's, I feel like I just start there.

Right.

Yeah, I feel like it's been like two years.

Yeah.

It's time's been flying.

And yeah, now I do a little bit of everything.

I love being able to do so much.

Like we got to work together last year.

I do a lot of work with our meanest stone

as their spokesperson.

So being able to have this career,

but getting to meet so many different people

is the coolest part.

What do you think about?

We talked a little bit about your mom and your dad.

Yeah.

And so what could you say you learn from your mom

that's kind of in you today?

What you learn from your dad that's kind of in you today?

Well, I, I mean, they're very similar.

My mom and dad are the best.

And they have so many similar qualities.

And the one thing they always both said

was just work hard and be kind.

Simple, right?

My whole life work hard and be kind.

So my mom, I really, and my dad is like this too,

but my mom, I don't think has ever said a bad word

about anybody.

She's just like such a sweet soul.

And she's so kind to everybody and is so giving.

And she, that's why I want to hold on to all of those qualities

that she has.

Yeah, that's that heart.

And that is how my dad is too.

He's so giving.

He has so many different charities he's involved with.

And I think he uses his platform in such a good way.

To do good.

Yeah, to do good.

And but he is such a hard worker, Simon, like you.

Like he is the hardest worker that I know.

And that's, I always wanted to have those qualities too

and still be able to have a fun life style.

And you say the hardest worker that you know,

what do you mean by that?

Like how would you describe it to somebody?

So a lot of people will say to my sister and I,

like even growing up in school, I guess your dad ever around.

Do you ever have dinner together because he works in sane hours?

And so people listening may not know what he does.

Yes, I should tell you.

We know.

But we know.

Yeah, yeah.

So my dad, Bob, he's been, it's actually his 40th year

the sports director at KDKATV.

So he's been there.

I can't believe it.

40 years now.

Amazing.

And he, so his schedule is goofy because he will do,

he'll get in at 3 p.m.

He'll get down around midnight.

So all those, you know, when we got him at 3 p.m.

and get home at midnight.

Yeah.

But then he does radio before that.

So he starts radio around 10, wraps up at 2, go home, shower,

eat lunch, go to the station.

So he has a crazy schedule, but he loves it so much.

And he always, even though he worked a lot,

he had long hours, he was always there for everything.

He was there for, he would come home on dinner break.

He would come if we had an event,

a sporting event, and dance or a site.

Oh, he was always still there.

So I never felt like he was working too much.

Amazing.

What an example.

Such a good example.

What an example.

That's what I try to be.

Yeah.

And worry about, man, am I over working?

But I'm at most of those, you know, things

that I'm all there, you know, events and stuff like that.

What a great example.

Like I'll try to find time.

And I know you're this way too.

Like you texted me this morning.

You were at the gym very early.

Oh, yeah.

Have to.

You can't survive.

Yeah.

You have to.

If I'm not up in five, I can't survive.

I'm the same way.

It gets you going.

You feel so good.

But I also, like, even being newly married,

I want to get my workouts in early so that I could hang out

with Mac at night.

Yeah.

Amazing.

Yeah.

Awesome.

I think speaking to your dad, you know,

you had to have a certain amount of people that probably were like,

yeah, you she probably only got her position because of her dad.

You know, I'm sure it helps, you know, to mean,

I can't say I didn't help having the name.

He's done good people like him.

He's been here 40 years, you know, whenever.

But that's not a shoe in.

You know, to me, that didn't automatically get you to the penguins,

obviously, you know, make it you a little quick foot in the door,

but you got to make plays.

You got to work hard.

Nobody's going to keep somebody around and highlight somebody

that's not putting in the work over time.

No matter how much you like the, oh, yeah, I know.

You know what I mean?

So you true.

Did you get some of that ever?

Oh, did I really?

I do Simon.

You still look on Twitter.

You still do?

You got to pay my, oh, no, I have lots of haters.

Oh, yeah.

Not only I was thinking before I asked this, like, watch her be the only one

that's like, no, no one ever, because if anybody, it would be you.

So I have no chance.

If you don't have a shot, I'm done.

So what are they saying about you?

Oh gosh.

So Twitter is where I get most of it.

And that's why I like Instagram more and these happier platforms,

TikTok, because the people on Twitter, they can be nasty.

OK.

So they, I get a lot of tweets from people, those nepotism tweets they never

end.

We get, so at work, we're all on the news desk email.

So when I get an email, I'll get one sent directly to me at KDK,

but then I get to see everything that goes to the general inbox.

So it's like thousands a day.

And so I see emails that they write to the station too about me in there.

So it never ends.

We can check this.

Yeah.

Oh, that one's about me too.

But I don't even mind it because I really, of course, like you said,

that was such a huge part of it.

They, when my news director at the time hired me, they

love that father-daughter connection.

They really did.

And we have a lot of family members at KDK, like Christine Sorensen, Marty

Griff, and they're married, Patty Burns and Bill Burns, way back in the day.

They were a father-daughter team.

They anchored.

I think it was like the noon in 5 p.m. newscast.

So they love the family connection.

So you know, that's definitely what has helped me get in the door at KDK.

And I know that.

And I tell the people that send me those tweets, I know it.

That connection is huge.

But I also.

How do you handle that mentally?

Well, because you're human, you know what I mean?

Or how would you suggest someone handle that mentally?

You know, because I know personally when I first started getting that stuff, that was

one of the harder things for me.

I took it so personal when it first started happening.

Yeah.

I didn't get nobody like, you know, hey, congratulations.

You know, like you're starting to do some positive because this is normal.

Like, I'm like, why me?

I feel like I'm only doing as good as I can do.

I'm not perfect, but I'm putting a lot of good out.

How?

Why?

I get so angry.

And now, I mean.

over the years I've just learned to like, okay,

take away the grain of salt and no big deal.

Part of the process comes with it,

you can't have all this and not have a little bit

of that.

A little bit of that.

It's good that.

So how do you do that?

How do you like talk somebody through like

what goes on in your mind?

Because you know you're gonna keep getting it.

What are you doing?

Oh, I know it won't end and so many people are so kind too,

but I think it used to bother me at first,

but now it doesn't because I used to wanna explain myself

to people like, oh, I'm such a hard worker.

I earn this and now I'm like, you know,

I still treat them with kindness back.

And I always respond and say, you know,

I respect your opinion.

I wish I could change it,

but thanks for watching anyways.

Most of the time they flip flop and say,

oh, you know, we didn't mean that.

We do love watching.

You got more kindness.

That's it.

I've learned to kill people with kindness.

Yeah.

And if, you know, you don't have to prove yourself to anyone,

I know I'm a hard worker.

Right.

Yeah.

So talk to me about your work,

because I think about, you know, sometimes,

you know, I'm on the grind out here.

Oh, I know.

So it's like, if I have that game,

I'm taking my son to the game, you know,

that's like super intentional,

planned out, thought out, put it in the schedule.

Oh, yeah.

And I'm there and it's night time and you're there working.

You know what I mean?

Some think like, man, I know all the other stuff you got going on

and I know how many games there are.

Oh, yeah.

You know, hockey games, there's more than football games.

Oh, yeah.

You know what I mean?

You got eight of those a year.

I know.

Eight of these a week, you know what I mean?

So I know that's like a constant, you know, deal.

What is your like that work?

How would you describe the work and all of that?

So my schedule is so, it's fun,

but it also gets confusing because since I do

so many different things, it's really,

that's the hardest part I think,

is keeping everything straight.

And I want to say yes to everything,

especially when it's, you know, a job that's fun,

that pays well.

So I try to do everything that I can.

But that's the most complicated part I think

is just making sure I give the same amount of time

to everybody because I want to put my best into all of my work.

And I think that's just the most challenging thing.

And I've learned over the past two years really

since the pandemic when I started to do more outside work

that you know, you just got to find the time to do it.

And I do.

How many hours a week you think you're putting in?

Oh, that's a great question.

Are you don't even count?

I don't even count because I work evenings, mornings,

daytime, a lot of weekends, mostly every weekend.

That's a great question.

I'd love to be, must be nice, right?

The must be nice.

Must be nice.

I'm not being negative.

I'm just, I just want to keep it real.

Yeah.

It's hard to add value and keep,

and if you can't keep it real with somebody,

you know what I mean?

Like this, you have to hear this.

People got to hear this because I used

to look at people because I grew up in Youngstown,

or how I grew up around blue collar,

everything was blue collar.

And so I remember people that had success,

and I would like, no one ever really,

I didn't quite get educated on how much work that it requires.

I remember, you know, one of the things we would do

for Christmas that I talk about is my mom would take me

on a ride to see the nice houses when I was a kid

to see the houses decorated.

You know what I mean?

Because we didn't have it, you know what I mean?

So I was like a highlight for me to go there

and be like, wow, and I remember thinking like,

what do these people do?

And I figured out, you know, I had this like grudge,

you know, for people that had certain levels of success

before I understood what it required,

what it costed, that there really is no,

I'm sure you could find a couple out of a thousand,

you know, but there's mostly, there's no like,

get out of jail free, you gotta put the work in.

You know what I mean?

You do.

It looks great.

It must be nice, man, how cool it would be

to be on the news and on the ice and everybody's looking

at you at the Penguin's game and you know what I mean?

And all this and to be, but there's a lot that comes with that.

You know, a lot of man can you do my charity function?

Can you do this for me?

You know, can you call me back?

Can I just get five minutes?

Can I, you know, that's why I started out saying like,

I know with this cost.

Oh no, it's an honor to be here.

That's pulled in so many directions like you,

because you are wanted, the people love you,

people want you, you are needed.

And so how do you sort through all of that

from a schedule standpoint and what does it really require

to, you know, play at that level in anything that you've seen?

Well, that's, I'm glad you brought that up

because all of the events that I don't even do on a weekly basis,

but the pop, pop, like all of the charity events

or any MCing opportunity, I truly have such a hard time

saying no, because there's all great causes.

And that's where sometimes I meet a lot of people,

there you meet such great connections,

they're good networking opportunities.

So it is so rare Simon for me to say no.

It's usually if I'm truly booked already

or have vacation planned, I usually will always say yes.

And now, you know, Mac and I got married in September

and he is so busy with work too.

And we both have been saying, you know,

before we have kids like, this is the time,

like we got a, and we still will after the kids.

I'll, you know, I always want to continue working,

but now we're really putting in the time.

Going all in.

Yeah, we're going all in, yeah.

Putting a working, and we still have so much time.

But that's what it requires, right?

I mean, just is what it is.

It is what it is.

That if that's what your calling was,

if that's what was the vision,

that was the, there's something that, you know,

I tell people like, oh, man, you think about

if, if, how great it would be to play in the NFL.

Well, every Sunday, when people are with their families,

if you're, and you're entertaining for 16 weeks,

and then if you make the playoffs, it's 22 weeks,

and before that it's five weeks of preseason.

Oh, yeah.

So 30, I mean, when you really added up,

you're talking about more than half the year weekend,

you could just forget it.

Exactly.

You know, you can play on holiday Thanksgiving.

All of these Thanksgiving basketball Christmas.

Oh, yeah.

You want to play New Year's Day, New Year's Eve,

college football, you know, it's like when you start

to go to those different levels of influencing people

and impacting people with your gift or whatever it is,

it's just, I think that's what people need to understand

because I think if people understood just be kind

with the strong work ethic,

you would be surprised on how far that would go

because those qualities are so rare, true work ethic,

true, let's keep it real, like not the fun stuff,

what did it really cost you?

What did it really require you to give up and sacrifice?

Because when I look at things,

when I look at people like you from the outside,

I see behind the nice smile and kind eyes and heart,

and I'm like, she's tough, you have to be tough.

You have to be tough to handle all of that.

And I know when you're in a position of even just

the penguins games, you know, it's like,

I know what comes with that, the amount of pressure,

the amount of work expectation level, you know,

you can't get too sick for too long,

or you're like, you are the face,

you know what I mean, out there interviewing people,

and then the hate that'll come with it,

or the, I want to help everybody that comes with it,

and why can't I, I don't want to say no,

and you know, and all of that that comes with it,

I think of like, man, to still keep it all together,

and I can tell you're truly, I mean, we're all human,

so you've got good days and bad days, right?

Yeah, but I can tell you just live on this positive journey

that your heart is fulfilled,

and you can just feel that radiating, you know, from you.

Oh, thank you.

Not that we always have perfect days.

You know what I mean?

Oh, yes, some days I don't know what's going on.

I'm running all over the place.

No, no, no, you make so many good points.

What does it take?

Like keep it real.

If you're talking to like, like close the door,

let me talk to this 17 year old girl right now,

and she says she wants to have that.

She's in LA, but she wants to be, you know,

the chargers anchor, she wants to do this,

and she wants to be on that, and she's asking,

can you tell me what it really takes?

Are you telling her it's just like,

you could kind of wake up whenever you want,

work 10, get off at three, you know,

weekend, you could just go to the beach, you know,

and make it just be real zen.

Yeah.

Or what are you telling her?

This is what it's going to require.

Oh, that sounds nice though, every now and then.

No, I tell, I go back to Point Park University a lot,

and I'll talk to a lot of the classes there

because that school did so much for me,

and I always tell the students,

if you know what you want to do, young,

like what a blessing that is, because a lot of people don't.

It takes, and that's okay too.

It just takes them a little bit of a longer time

in school to figure out, you know,

which direction they want to go in.

But if you know, that is so wonderful

because you could start doing everything you can early.

And I knew going into Point Park, I for sure knew,

this is what I wanted to do.

So I started going to the library

and I got all of our camera gear out

and I would go around town by myself

and just shoot stand-ups,

which is just me on camera.

I would shoot stories, anything I could to get a demo tape ready.

I was emailing news directors all over the country

like during my freshman year at college saying,

here's my tape, I'm only a freshman,

but if you have an opening in four years when I graduate,

like this is my contact info.

So I think just networking, putting yourself out there,

just practicing my dad and I practiced in our basement

since I was honestly in like sixth or seventh grade

and he would bring home the 11 o'clock newscast

and I would have to read it.

Oh wow.

And I also had speech problems.

So it was a little bit tougher for me.

I couldn't say my R's, I couldn't say my S's.

So I was in deep speech therapy.

Wow.

So that's something that people wouldn't understand.

There's an obstacle that you made through.

I said you know, and I had such a great speech teacher,

Mrs. Cook, if you're listening, she was awesome.

But I still have a little bit of a tough time sometimes.

Like I really concentrate in an on C8

because I want to make sure that my speech is clear

because that's what I do.

But I just say keep practicing network, meet people.

Don't be afraid to go up to somebody that you've never met.

I do it all the time.

I even do it now.

Social media, I message people all the time.

I just think that's so important.

And you never know who can connect you someday.

Right.

How about what type of grind work ethic you think for a person

trying to come out?

If they're like before they get into the mindset

of like I'm not counting, you know, give them a little bit

of like here's what I honestly think it probably

would take you hours, wise to get to where you want to be.

And don't say what you think I want you to see.

Keep it real.

You know what I mean?

If you're like four hour work week, you know,

that booked for for our work week.

That would be yeah, I like that.

If that's your belief, like go ahead and give it keep.

Keep it real.

So for somebody in this career path, I mean most kids graduating

school, they have to start out small.

Like when I was in studentville, it's a small market,

but that's where you learn everything.

So when I was down there, I would say I was working 60 to 70 hour

weeks.

And I was in a contract so you don't get overtime.

So you're just putting in no matter what it is.

That's what you're working.

Right.

You just got to accept that.

And I worked weekends.

I did evenings.

I did every holiday.

You have to know that you're going to be working the holidays

working odd hours.

For how long?

Ooh.

I would say until even.

So usually if you do one market, a small market,

you could make your jump.

Like my good friend, Elena Laquattra, you know Elena.

She's at WTAE and she put in her time in Eerie.

She worked in Eerie.

She got here to Pittsburgh.

So she put in those two years.

So sometimes it could be two.

Sometimes it could be four, but you have to be willing to move

all over the country to these markets.

And then when you get to the market, you

want to say it's Pittsburgh.

Usually you'll start out on a weird shift until you work your way up

to have a good hours weekend.

What are you weird shift?

Well, it could be overnight.

Early mornings, like I did the 3 AM shift for my overnight.

We mean overnight.

Oh, overnight Simon.

So they were not fun.

They're not fun.

So you're going to start telling, this is an overnight day.

Yeah.

In the month of July, we're pushing overnight, guys.

What do you mean by overnight?

Yeah, what do you mean by that?

We're sleeping here.

Just get ready.

I think a lot of people do soon.

As soon as the sun comes up, we're calling.

Yeah.

That's the shift, though, as soon as the sun's up.

So a lot of my producers on the morning

show, they would get in at 11 p.m.

That's when they started 10 or 11.

They would be done by 8 a.m.

Oh, wow.

So I mean, it's hard to have any type of lifestyle.

You want to go home and sleep all day.

And I did.

I would get up around 1.

How long did you do that schedule for?

2017 through 3 years.

3 years.

Yeah.

Nice.

Weekends, some holidays, overnight.

Oh, yeah.

But these are the things that this is what I'm saying.

This is a price that you paid that people are like, yo,

you can have that.

God bless you.

So many people.

You can have it.

I don't want it.

You know what I mean?

But that's OK.

Yeah.

The thing that we got to get out to people

is those that say they do want that, though.

Yep.

We got to know what it requires.

So you're not shocked by it.

You know what I mean?

Of like, OK.

You got to do some stuff that sucks a little bit.

Yeah, they have no clue.

I want to just, how about can I just not do the overnight thing?

Just how about just give me the penguin stuff?

You know what I'm saying?

I'll just hand on that one.

You know what I mean?

In the ice arena, I wear a jacket.

I put this in my own.

I'll do those a couple nights a week.

Let me know.

Not the overnight and stupid, though.

Right?

No stuff.

So that is the process that people got to get down.

Before you see the lights, it's before that happens,

you have to pay a price.

And every job, every career, everything has a price.

And if you're not willing to pay that price of admission,

and the thing is that stinks, is you

got to pay that in advance.

You do.

So you don't get to say, well, check it out.

When I get the job that I really want,

then I'm going to start putting in the mowers.

I'm putting those type of hours once you get me to where

I want to be.

Yeah.

The thing that stinks is you got to have the vision,

because you got to have the two, three years of that, four, five.

years of this and the whole time knowing I'll pay this price.

I'll move a couple times.

I'll work these crazy for eight, for eight years, 10 years.

And I'm going to get to where that becomes now I got the best of both worlds.

I got a cool schedule.

I got a cool lifestyle.

I got exactly what I wanted.

Yeah.

And you can always usually, and whatever it is, you can make those things happen.

But you got to go through a period of like, I don't feel like doing this.

You have to.

I have to ask you, Simon.

Do you know a guy named Brew on the radio?

No.

So I'm going to send you his TikTok.

I only know of him because of TikTok.

Okay.

He's this TikTok celebrity.

It's BRU.

Brew.

And he, I love his story because now, you know, he is millions of followers.

He's syndicated.

So I listened to him on our stations here in Pittsburgh.

He's in every city all over the country.

What's your job?

So he's a radio host.

Gotcha.

So excellent.

But he put in so much time throughout his early years, same thing.

All these weird hours at the radio station, different cities, different jobs.

And then he was so good and be had such a following on TikTok.

Now he moved to LA.

He has, you know, he's in every city.

He's kind of like a little Ryan Seacrest.

And I'm like, that's the people that I like to follow and look up to because it's amazing.

Yes.

He put in all that time.

What did you see that he did before he had that much success?

What things stand out to you?

Honestly, I think it was just his work ethic, the creativity.

That's what he means about work ethic.

That's kind of things.

So when he was working, I think before he was in LA, his last city was Detroit.

He was on the radio and I didn't listen.

I guess I could have on the app, but I just followed him on social media.

And he did all the same hours that I did.

He was always working holidays, weekends, early morning, evenings.

It didn't matter, but he was so happy doing it.

Like it was like, this is my dream.

And he didn't care.

And that's, I think, the attitude you have to keep.

If you really love it, just stay on the path and you're going to get there.

There's some things even though you're in that zone, there's some things you've got to

do that you don't love.

Oh yeah.

In what you do.

I didn't love what I love it.

I didn't love that.

You know what I mean?

Part of the deal.

It's so true.

You're around a lot of influential people, athletes, business people, all of that stuff.

What have you even sports?

Because your dad was, you know, you got to know the game a little bit of sports a little

bit.

What have you found in, you know, the traits of like, all right, this is what I just stands

out to me about some of the most successful people that I could think of.

Yeah.

You know, like I try to think of like not the most successful just from a financial standpoint

or business standpoint, but like they got their whole, I could do this on the ground

cast, right?

They got their whole shit together.

Yeah.

They got everything.

You know what I mean?

It's like, all right, they're not great over here.

Personal life.

We got to pray for them.

We all need to be prayed for, but I mean like double, you know what I mean?

So I'll search for like, all right, that's intriguing.

This sticks out to me about that person that they got, they kind of got, they got there.

We got everybody got their own problems.

If you act like you don't, you're full of aloney.

So I know those people even got their own problems, but for the most part as a human, they got

it all, you know, they got it together.

What stands out to you from the people you see?

You know, there's so many people I look up to locally, nationally, who are in roles that

I'm in and people that I've met like you mentioned so many athletes, you, M. Ray,

Bosman with arm, you guys are so similar to me.

Even guys like Sydney Crosby who he's my favorite, he's my all time favorite penguin always

will be because he's such a great person.

He is the best of the best.

And but you guys all have similar traits.

It's that like, if you look at somebody like Sid, he was the same way.

He loved the game of hockey.

He knew he always wanted to do this.

Of course he has a God gifted talent, but you will never meet a harder worker than him.

He puts in.

That's what people don't see.

They don't see.

He just must be lucky.

He got to live with then he live with them.

He did.

He just got to get lucky.

He's good looking guy.

Right.

Got some skills.

You know, but what is that behind the scenes like that makes him special?

And he put so much time in into his career, but also helping and giving.

That's all you see him doing.

And I see it because we cover a lot of events that he does for different charities, whether

it's an outside charity, his, the Lemieux Foundation, the Penns Foundation.

He is never one that says no either.

And I like that quality.

But he also takes the time to get to know people and talk to people.

And he doesn't brush you off.

I mean, he truly wants people to know that he's interested in them.

Yeah.

And it's it's just he's someone to me that I've always looked up to because he does have

it all together.

No doubt.

How about the business folks, you know, that you see what sticks out about those, those

people?

Yeah.

You know, it's the same thing, honestly.

And I get a lot, I look up to my boss, Emreidr, Meenestone a lot because he has a beautiful

family.

They just had a beautiful baby.

Yeah.

White.

Arda.

Arda.

We'll have to play this to him someday.

But he puts family first and he even tells that to me too.

When we first started working together, he always wants me to put my family first.

And that is so important.

But he also knows what it takes to grow his business and to put his name out.

His super hard worker.

He's such a hard worker.

He's a hard worker.

And he's always working.

No doubt.

He really is.

But he still manages to make the time too.

Like my dad always did.

And I know it's hard.

Like you said, it's sometimes you just have a bad day and it gets to you and it's too much.

But he really is somebody I look up to because he's successful in his personal home.

Also in his business, he's always willing to meet people, to make connections, to connect

people.

That's how we met.

I always wonder how you met.

And I met through the charity, the Youngstown Inspire Mons that I had before we came to

Pittsburgh with Still City.

You told me that story.

You told me that story.

I met him.

He wanted to come and support with a couple of the guys and we hit it off that way.

He did a dinner and then he starts telling you what you're going to do.

So he's like, you will come with me in my box.

So next thing I know I'm in the box for the game and the other day I was over there real

quick.

He's Turkish.

So I'm still learning all their culture and values and all that.

But I went to go see the baby.

I went real quick to see the baby.

And I've been trying to watch what I'm doing for the summer.

I got injured so I know Jiu Jitsu for the last couple of months.

So I've been gaining some weight.

Not too bad, but I can see I'm putting it all over.

So I'm like, all right, I'm trying to keep it tight today.

He's like, no, you can't.

What do you mean?

I see his mother.

She was cooking.

But I thought she was just kind of cooking for the kitchen.

She was cooking for us right now.

So he's like, you cannot leave yet.

You know, so I'm like, oh, how good food.

I was eating everything.

I shouldn't eat for two days after that.

Is it good?

I'm still learning too.

I don't know what a lot of things are called.

It's delicious.

I had low wrap like they look like tacos.

You know what I mean?

It's the bunch of that stuff.

Some desserts.

It's all good.

Coffee, espresso.

I just kept coming.

I've just kept rolling.

Rolling out.

And you can't say no.

I tapped out.

If I say no to my grandma's food, you can't.

I'm going to say what?

She's offended.

Yep.

Any any any career advice for someone trying to break out period in their in their field

or slash any do's and don'ts for young people coming.

I'm just trying to make it career advice, do's and don'ts.

I think, you know, there's not many don'ts.

I have a lot of do's and that's like I said, I just think it's so important.

Like I had one student that reached out to me.

We've never met before.

And he was a young kid.

I want to say he's a Penn State almost graduating.

His name's Derek.

Never met him.

He sent me a random email.

He was so the email was so beautifully written.

He was like me.

He had a real already.

He was in high school.

And he was already talented.

I could tell that he's been practicing.

He's so young.

And he said, you know, I just want to do what you do.

And I love hockey.

Can I come shadow you?

I've never met him.

And I was like, absolutely.

Like let's set this up.

He was so fantastic Simon.

Asked so many questions.

He was really curious.

He was willing to do anything.

I was like, you know what?

For somebody that I've never met.

He wasn't afraid to reach out to me.

That's a lot of people are afraid.

Yeah, I think the do's are just prepared.

You'd be surprised how many people are willing and looking for

a way to give back to advice and knowledge on how they are

where they are because somebody did it for them.

But it has to be the right person.

Because so many people show up and say, tell me.

And then they really don't, really, they're not prepared.

You know what I mean?

So it's like this guy would stuck out about him.

Super prepared.

You know, you could tell he was on point coming with curiosity,

coming with questions, not like I'm just here.

I'm like, I'm here.

Get it.

Here we go.

Here's my questions.

You know what I mean?

That's the qualities of a star player

if they're willing to put the work with that passion.

You're so right.

He knew so much about me that he studied

but about all my segments I do with the penguins.

He did so much research.

I was so impressed.

And I think maybe he was a sophomore in high school.

And I told him you were going to go so far

so I can't wait to see where he ends up.

So what's the dues to that?

The dues.

I think just don't be afraid.

Reach out to people.

That's my biggest thing.

Say, introduce yourself, show them your work.

Like the worst that can happen is they don't respond

or they say, you know, we're not interested in it.

That's OK.

Just keep doing it.

I think that's so important to do.

Say shots.

Yeah.

Why not?

You have nothing to lose.

My dad always said that don't be afraid.

The only thing they could tell you is no or not respond.

Right.

Get over that sphere.

I love it.

I love it.

I love it.

I remember back in college that I

would get a little bit anxious doing that too.

But I learned quickly.

Don't be afraid.

Now, I know we talked about how much you like people

to reach out and all that stuff.

So I think what we're going to do is anybody, any questions

we're going to give them Selena's phone number.

You got it.

Here's the phone number.

No, I'm teasing you.

But since we can't give you the phone number,

how can they find you on social media?

What work can they reach out or find you?

Follow you.

So yeah, I'm all over social media.

If you just DM me on Instagram, it's at Selena

underscore Pompey any Twitter Facebook at Selena Pompey

any.

And then my website, I give people my website.

It's just salineapompiyany.com.

But I have a contact form there.

And it goes straight to the email.

So that's always nice if anybody has questions.

I say just right there and it'll come to my email.

And I'll write you back.

Yeah.

Awesome.

We want it.

Now is there a way?

Is this anything?

I don't want it to be over.

Yeah, we're on our way.

I was going to say Josh and Alyssa, do we

have the capability to put her?

Can we put her handles and all that stuff on the thing

we can handle that?

They can handle it.

Keep it easy.

You know, we got all that stuff.

So people can follow you so you can keep impacting

and inspiring people.

Thanks, Brian.

We appreciate you coming out today.

I appreciate it.

Appreciate everything about you.

God bless you.

You're anybody that doesn't know you.

They should be rooting for you because they don't make them

like you all the time.

You just always there to impact people.

Always your heart is always in the right place,

spirit in the right place.

And having let it all get to your head because you're

sawdust.

That's what hurts everybody.

Everybody loves you.

I don't know about you.

You wear it well.

I'll get my friends on Twitter.

They'll save the opposite.

There you go.

Not everybody, right?

99.9%.

Thanks for coming.

Thanks for joining us on another episode of The Grindcast.

Get ready us a new day.