Case studies - Mike Bromfield
Mike Bromfield is one of the presenters of BBC Radio’s Introducing show for Essex. Mike was just 15 when he was picked up by the BBC and trained to be a radio presenter. During the same year, he also set up own music promotion company (SLM) and runs a PA hire company too.
You sound very busy. What's a typical week for Mike Bromfield?
Things vary week to week. Although I work a lot I like to keep involved with my friends. Whilst maintaining full time VI Form education at The Eastwood School and trying to keep up to date with my coursework and assignments (which to the despair of many of my tutors is often in late!) I work for BBC Essex as part of Introducing, the new initiative by the BBC to help push new and unsigned music through Radio One, 1xtra and Local Radio. I organise and promote local music events around venues in Southend and always try to think of a new or unique events to happen in the town. 60% of my time is spent with Ollie Winiberg, my co-presenter at BBC Essex and I can often be found at local music venues, or out with my friends in the town - I hate spending tenuous hours at home doing nothing! I try to be as productive with my time as possible.
How old were you when you set up your music events company?
I was 15. Back in September 2006 a friend asked me if I wanted to help a small charity event that gradually grew to a slightly bigger event, and it was the first time I'd ever dealt with music events or the local music scene. The event raised over £1,500 for Cancer Research UK and this inspired me to get involved with music for the first time. I'd not considered a career in the music industry before this.
How did you get your job at the BBC?
It was a massive coincidence. I was working with a band that my co-presenter Ollie played drums in and that’s how we met. We got on and he asked if I would help him to launch a CD he‘d put together that had been funded by the local council, and so we started looking into venues and different ways of launching the album. We came to the attention of our local BBC radio who invited us for an interview. The new big boss of the station Gerald Main heard us on the show then actually phoned into the show, and offered us a job presenting the Introducing program. Subsequently the CD launch got put on hold for 8 months, but when it did launch at local venue Chinnerys it was a massive success!
Do you ever find it hard to juggle late night events, working on the radio show and studying? How do you cope?
Not all that well sometimes if I am really honest. Time management is not my greatest skill but I seem to juggle 99% of everything 99% of the time just fine. It can be hard as I love to have a hectic social life too. Luckily I have a mum that often puts me back in line when I’m doing too much!
What do you think your parents think of all this? Did they or do they worry about all the extra work on top of school?
I think my parents definitely worry that all my extra curricular activities may have a negative impact on my college work and there’s no doubt that at times it has. But to me, the work I do outside of college is just as important as college, because I'm hoping what I’m doing now is setting me up for a career in the future.
What's the best bit of advice you've ever been given?
To grasp every opportunity with both hands!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I'd love to be promoting bands on a bigger scale, organising tours and festivals - and promoting them too. I also have a keen interested in recording processes so to own my own studios would be a real challenge for me to set up that I would enjoy, and to keep all this up whilst being involved with radio too would be a dream come true.
Who or what inspires you?
There's several people who inspire me - People who have made a success of their life, people with great modesty and great morals that they apply to their work and people with great commitment. More specifically Chris Moyles from the Radio One breakfast show, for his approach to presenting, Harvey Goldsmith who I was privileged enough to meet and talk with earlier this year for his absolute passion and devotion to the music industry, promotion and events organisation and more locally Tricia Etherton, my VI Form English teacher - somehow she seems to juggle ten times more than me, and certainly has more to cope with, and I’m constantly baffled as to how she does it all. And of course my friends who have been so supportive and motivating.
What advice would you give anyone wanting to get into radio or event organising?
It’s exactly the same advice I've been given, when given an opportunity, grasp it, follow it up with a passion and work hard! And listen to those around you they are the ones who can give you true and tailored advice.
How can teachers help their students to Shine?
I think if teachers really push students, and help to further their education besides what happens within the classroom then people become motivated to go out and try new things they wouldn’t. If it hadn’t been for my friend asking for my help with a music event two years ago, I wouldn’t be doing any of what I do now, and it’s important for teachers and students to be proactive.
What do you think about the Shine festival of talent?
It’s a great initiative for young people to get involved in, and it should be taken advantage of. Use it is as a tool to try something you never have before, do something different, productive, new and exciting. Be creative.
You can find out more about Mike and the Introducing show at www.myspace.com/bbcessexintroducing and
www.youtube.com/user/bbcessexintroducing
