Patricia Raskin Of Raskin Resources Productions: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A CEO
An Interview With Susan Johnston
Don’t take it so personally. Separate the person from the message and ask it this is really about you. That has helped me.
As a part of our series called ‘Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A CEO’ we had the pleasure of interviewing Patricia Raskin.
Patricia Raskin, owner of Raskin Resources Productions, LLC, is an award-winning radio producer, business owner and leader. Her media programs have aired on Cumulus, NPR, PBS and Fox affiliates and she was one of the first to produce programs on the internet. She has been a positive media pioneer for four decades and has interviewed over 5,000 guests and celebrities.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
In my very early years, I was interested in healthy living and living to at least 100. I was a child singer prodigy so i was used to performing. I did not consciously choose to do my educational and inspirational work in the media. It actually chose me. I was a teacher and a guidance counselor in my twenties and early thirties and had an opportunity to create a television program on cable television when it was first introduced in the early 1980’s. I have always been an early adopter. And the rest is history — the avocation became my business.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
Interviewing a 102-year-old golfer who started playing golf at 92 and scored 100! This was for a documentary I produced called Positive Aging in North Carolina which aired on UNC-TV, the PBS affiliate in North Carolina.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Thinking that I could have the football game pre-empted so I wouldn’t lose my show time that day. The person I would have had to ask was the commissioner of football! The game went on as usual.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
All of the guest experts I have interviewed have taught me great lessons. Also, counselors along the way, The great late Barbara Walters was role model for me especially in my early years.
Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader?
Whether or not to relocate for a possible media opportunity. It was the correct choice but I had no guarantees and followed my intuition and my vision
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Most of our readers — in fact, most people — think they have a pretty good idea of what a CEO or executive does. But in just a few words can you explain what an executive does that is different from the responsibilities of the other leaders?
They set the example and set the course.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a CEO or executive? Can you explain what you mean?
That you have all the power! the great CEO’s listen to their staff, manager and employees. They often make the ultimate decision, but it is not done alone- unless they are an autocratic leader.
What is the most striking difference between your actual job and how you thought the job would be?
I am an entrepreneur so I always have to be aware of the bottom line. Sometimes this interferes with my creativity. That’s the difference. I have to always be diligent and aware of finances. This can be limiting when limited finances restrict forward movement.
Do you think everyone is cut out to be an executive? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful executive and what type of person should avoid aspiring to be an executive? Can you explain what you mean?
NO, you need resilience and excellent communication skills. If you like to do your job with regular hours, a steady paycheck and no high-level risky decisions, then you should not aspire to be an executive
What advice would you give to other business leaders to help create a fantastic work culture? Can you share a story or an example?
Create teams. Listen to your people. Get out “on the floor” and see what is going on. Always separate the person from the problem. Stay with the issues. Always stay close to the vision and try to create win-win situations.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
By creating, producing and hosting Positive Living, Positive Business, positive Dating and now Postiive Aging media programs and podcasts for the past four decades. I am a catalyst for spreading the positive word either through my own voice as keynote speaker or workshop presenter OR as conduit to help my guest experts get their positive message into the world. My symbol is the bumblebee — I “pollinate through the airwaves.”
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)
1 . Have a concrete financial plan. I went for my dream using my own resources and often put the message and mission before the finances
2 . Follow the role models — I have watched many of the experts in my field and have learned from them
3 . Don’t take it so personally. Separate the person from the message and ask it this is really about you. That has helped me.
4 . Take time for yourself. I have overworked at time and it does not create balance or the best version of our self when you feel stressed or burn out.
5 . Be around positive people Those negative people can bring you down if you stay there. And I have “stayed there” too long in the past.
You are a person of great influence. If you could spread an idea that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can prompt. :-)
Be kind. Don’t judge. Put. yourself in other people’ shoes. Check your biases. Be grateful for the blessings in your life.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My motto is from Richard Bach’s book Illusions The quote is (not the exact words) We teach others what we need to learn most for ourselves. I have always taught what I needed. When I needed to be a better parent , I taught parenting skills. When I need to be more positive, I created my Positive Living with Patricia Raskin media programs.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? They might see this. :-)
I would have loved to interview Barbara Walters who passed recently. I was very fortunate to interview Maya Angelou twice before she passed. What an amazing woman — Mother Theresa like.
How can our readers further follow you online?
patricia@patriciaraskin.com
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
About The Interviewer: Susan Johnston is a Media Futurist, Columnist as well as Founder and Director at New Media Film Festival®. The New Media Film Festival® — honoring stories worth telling since 2009, is an Award-winning, inclusive, and boundary-pushing catalyst for storytelling and technology. Susan was knighted in Rome in 2017 for her work in Arts & Humanity.
