Business radio show finds a hungry audience
BY MARY ANNE ROSS
Correspondent

SCOTT PILLING staff Milton Paris interviews Ray Fiorello of Cranberry's Gourmet Shoppe in Monroe during a taping of Paris' "Getting Ahead in Business" radio show.

MONROE - Milton Paris is taking his show on the road. Literally.

Paris is the creator and host of the half-hour radio talk show "Getting Ahead in Business," which airs on WCTC-1450 AM at 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays. The program, which focuses on topics of interest to business people, has grown so much in popularity that Paris decided to take it out into the community.

"This is the only business talk radio show in the Northeast," he said.

And business owners are happy to have Paris serve his listeners as they serve breakfast and lunch. On a recent Thursday morning, Paris taped his show at Cranberry's Gourmet Shoppe on Public Road in Monroe.

"Even though the weather was bad on the day they taped the show, we had a great turnout," Cranberry's owner Tom Barone said. "It was very busy."

During the taping, Paris interviewed representatives of nine different businesses, gave away prizes and fielded questions from the audience over the course of three hours. The resulting shows started airing last Saturday on WCTC, which is owned by Greater Media Inc.

Paris is not new to radio. Before moving to Monroe, he lived in Long Island, N.Y., and hosted "Aim for the Sky," a program designed to help businesses solve problems and promote themselves.

His current show is similar.

Paris interviews CEOs, authors and experts in various fields, as well as local business people and entrepreneurs.

"Our shows are packed with information. It's better than going to the library," Paris said.

He's considered an expert in his own right, having been a coach and consultant to sales people, executives and managers at small and medium-size companies for more than 40 years. He is also a sought-after lecturer and has authored the book "250 Statements and Thoughts to Live by in Sales," which is available on various Internet sites.

Paris said he has noticed there are several issues that frequently concern business people.

"People often ask me, 'How can I stop procrastinating?' I work with them closely on that," he said. "Basically, I have them make a list of the reasons, and we attack each one."

He said he motivates his clients, helping them to concentrate on the benefits of what they can accomplish once they stop procrastinating.

Another area he is frequently asked about is strategic thinking and business planning.

"Whatever you want to do in life, you can do it. You just have to have a plan," he said. He noted that people going on vacation know where they are going, who they are traveling with and how long they will be there. "But if you ask many business people about a plan, they say it's all in their head. If you don't have a plan, then you're planning to fail."

As a consultant, Paris said he tailors his efforts to each client's specific needs and goals.

"I help them focus on what's important. Together we figure out how to remove any obstacles that stand in the way of them reaching those goals," he said.

For the radio show on WCTC, his next road stop will be at the Brunswick Square Mall on April 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. He will be back at Cranberry's Gourmet Shoppe on May 1.