EPISODE · May 29, 2026 · 30 MIN
What Getting Fired at 33 Taught Me About Who I Really Am | Rich Homberg
from Vivá La Visionary™ Podcast · host Coach Bob Shenefelt
Rich Homberg has spent nearly 50 years in broadcasting. He worked his way up through all-news radio in New York, Pittsburgh, and eventually Detroit.Then he got fired.He was 33, running sales for one of the top radio stations in the country, left to chase ownership, and two years later it was over. At 50, he walked away from a VP role at CBS Radio and took over Detroit PBS. He hasn't looked back in 18 years.Things we covered in this episode:→ How getting fired at 33 led to a career he'd never leave→ What it means to be a visionary who learns to leave the room→ Why nonprofits need entrepreneurial leadership more than most companies→ How Detroit PBS grew from 67,000 to 81,000 members while losing federal funding→ What Rich tells his college students about integrity, plans, and treating people like peopleMost of us spend years trying to prove we belong in the room. Rich spent the second half of his career figuring out which rooms he needed to walk out of. And that's what made him great at this.Thank you, Rich! You brought a very tangible energy to the conversation; I greatly appreciate you!*Chapters*0:00 - Welcome & Introduction to Rich Homberg2:10 - How Rich Got His Start at NBC5:30 - All-News Radio and the Road to Detroit8:45 - Why Rich Left CBS to Run Detroit PBS12:00 - Getting Fired at 33 and What It Taught Him17:30 - Hiring a Life Coach and the Enneagram Moment22:00 - What It Means to Be a Visionary Leader28:15 - Running EOS Inside a Nonprofit34:00 - Detroit PBS's Five Pillars of Programming41:20 - Growing Membership During a Funding Crisis47:00 - Advice for Entrepreneurs and Visionaries52:30 - Integrity, Plans, and Treating People Like People57:45 - Final Words and Sign-Off*Connect with Rich*https://www.linkedin.com/in/richhomberg/https://www.linkedin.com/company/detroitpbs/*Connect with Coach Bob*https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-shenefelthttps://www.instagram.com/imatterrevolutionhttps://www.facebook.com/iMatterRevolutionhttps://x.com/iMatterCoachBob~~~📌 Subscribe for weekly conversations with visionaries, founders, and thought leaders!Want to connect with entrepreneurial Visionaries who share your passion for making a real impact?🌐 https://www.imatter.com
What this episode covers
Rich Homberg has spent nearly 50 years in broadcasting. He worked his way up through all-news radio in New York, Pittsburgh, and eventually Detroit.Then he got fired.He was 33, running sales for one of the top radio stations in the country, left to chase ownership, and two years later it was over. At 50, he walked away from a VP role at CBS Radio and took over Detroit PBS. He hasn't looked back in 18 years.Things we covered in this episode:→ How getting fired at 33 led to a career he'd never leave→ What it means to be a visionary who learns to leave the room→ Why nonprofits need entrepreneurial leadership more than most companies→ How Detroit PBS grew from 67,000 to 81,000 members while losing federal funding→ What Rich tells his college students about integrity, plans, and treating people like peopleMost of us spend years trying to prove we belong in the room. Rich spent the second half of his career figuring out which rooms he needed to walk out of. And that's what made him great at this.Thank you, Rich! You brought a very tangible energy to the conversation; I greatly appreciate you!*Chapters*0:00 - Welcome & Introduction to Rich Homberg2:10 - How Rich Got His Start at NBC5:30 - All-News Radio and the Road to Detroit8:45 - Why Rich Left CBS to Run Detroit PBS12:00 - Getting Fired at 33 and What It Taught Him17:30 - Hiring a Life Coach and the Enneagram Moment22:00 - What It Means to Be a Visionary Leader28:15 - Running EOS Inside a Nonprofit34:00 - Detroit PBS's Five Pillars of Programming41:20 - Growing Membership During a Funding Crisis47:00 - Advice for Entrepreneurs and Visionaries52:30 - Integrity, Plans, and Treating People Like People57:45 - Final Words and Sign-Off*Connect with Rich*https://www.linkedin.com/in/richhomberg/https://www.linkedin.com/company/detroitpbs/*Connect with Coach Bob*https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-shenefelthttps://www.instagram.com/imatterrevolutionhttps://www.facebook.com/iMatterRevolutionhttps://x.com/iMatterCoachBob~~~📌 Subscribe for weekly conversations with visionaries, founders, and thought leaders!Want to connect with entrepreneurial Visionaries who share your passion for making a real impact?🌐 https://www.imatter.com
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What Getting Fired at 33 Taught Me About Who I Really Am | Rich Homberg
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