#11 How 970 WFLA Became #1: Branding, Strategy & Hard Decisions | Sue Trecasse

In this episode, Nicole Alicea sits down with Sue Trecasse, former Operations Manager and Program Director of 970 WFLA, one of Florida’s top-performing News/Talk radio stations.During her tenure, WFLA consistently ranked in the top 5—and often #1—in the highly competitive Tampa market, a rare achievement for an AM station.But this success didn’t happen by accident.Sue reveals the hard decisions behind building and protecting a dominant brand—including turning down advertisers, rejecting short-term revenue, and maintaining strict control over the listener experience.In this episode, you’ll learn:• Why protecting your brand sometimes means saying no to revenue• How content and advertising together shape customer experience• The real reason WFLA attracted both older and younger audiences• How consistency, tone, and positioning build long-term loyalty• Why short-term thinking destroys strong brandsSue also shares behind-the-scenes stories of programming decisions, internal conflicts between sales and leadership, and the philosophy that kept WFLA at the top.This episode is a must-listen for business owners, marketers, and leaders who want to build brands that last.Produced by David “Fingers” Bell and Nicole Valentin Alicea.