Daily Inspiration: Meet Betsy Billingsley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Betsy Billingsley.

Betsy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 1996, when I was still in college, I had a friend who was working part-time at an oldies station in our small town of Lima, Ohio. I thought it sounded like fun and he got me an interview. When the station manager asked if I had any experience, I told him that I like the old show WKRP and I knew a lot about the oldies, since that’s all my parents listened to while I was growing up. I started that Saturday. I was in heaven! I learned as much as I possibly could about editing, continuity, scheduling music, interacting with listeners, timing transitions from songs to a jingle, talking in between songs. Within three months, I was working the live overnight shift, which led to the 7pm slot for the All Request Party. The Big Buck launched my eighteen year radio career. I was part of a team of entertainers who were passionate about the community and loved music. I was fortunate enough to meet so many superstars, and also so many people who were just every day listeners who connected with our stories and our music. From stage to studio, I devoted myself to being Renee Scott.

Until one day, I was told that my position was being absorbed and I was being terminated. Everything I knew was ripped away. I’d spent almost twenty years in an industry that I loved and I had no idea where to go from there. At the time, I was the first female operations director for all 5 stations. I was on the #1 morning show for the market, and had been the first female program director for three different stations. I had made my mark but what skills did I actually have outside of radio?

Again, a close friend stepped in and suggested I apply for a marketing director position at the Lima Mall. Well, I figured I didn’t know anything about being a DJ, so I could learn this, too! What I realized quickly is that a lot of what I had been doing at the radio station was marketing-websites, press releases, public speaking, creating tag lines…storytelling at it’s finest!

And that’s what I started to do. I told the story of our mall. From the past to where we were in that moment. I helped the tenants tell their stories, and I gave a new generation memories with each Santa set and KidX Club event that I held. As the story of the Lima Mall was recognized, our traffic increased, our social media following grew and our sponsorships and tenancy rates grew. But, as had happened so many times before, the bankruptcy writing for the corporation, not the mall itself, was on the wall. I could see what was coming and knew it was time to find the next challenge.

Finding the perfect nitch took months. I interviewed for multiple marketing jobs, was offered a few, but nothing felt right, until (again another friend) suggested that I apply for the director position for Downtown Lima, Inc. But what did I know about working in the non-profit world? Well, I thought, I’ll just have to learn. So much of what I did at the mall and the radio station took me into this next journey.

Telling the story of Downtown Lima was such a great experience. Getting the organization lined up and ready for success was exactly my wheelhouse and I loved it. Creating events, working with members, getting first hand knowledge about running a nonprofit organization, all things that allowed me to be creative and kept me very busy. But sometimes, there’s other opportunities that you never thought would be open to you that just fall into place.

The whole time I was at the mall and with Downtown Lima, I was on the Board of Trustees for Visit Greater Lima, the convention and visitors bureau for Allen County. When I interviewed at Downtown Lima, Inc., I joked that I would only leave if the executive director job for Visit Greater Lima became available. Two years later, after introducing exciting new events like ArtWalk, decorating the downtown for the holidays, and learning to fundraise and write grants, I was sitting in front of a hiring panel for a role I thought I could only dream about, Executive Director of Visit Greater Lima! And now, I get to tell the story of all of Allen County and Lima!

Visit Greater Lima is responsible for implementing marketing programs to strengthen a positive awareness of the county and its assets through consistent communications and collaborative partnerships. Ours is the job of marketing. The true storytelling of a place we love and a place we think others would love to visit. Leading a team into the future of tourism marketing is the best part of my story yet, and I’m so proud to be a part of the success our organization achieves.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The challenges that I faced, though at the time seemingly tragic, led me to exactly where I can succeed. Each of my positions has taken my skillset from previous positions and built upon that talent. The moment that I realized the layers of random skills I had acquired over the years, the easier it became to realize I could fit into any mold. For example, reading contracts at the radio station, translated into reading leasing contracts at the mall, which leads me to reading partnership and grant contracts in my position now. A literal building block of skills, one stacked upon the next.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I hope that I’m known for integrity and forward thinking in the majority of my positions in my career. I have always had a strong sense of right and wrong (hello, oldest daughter!). I’ve also always been a tiny bit anxious, which when put to good use, allows me to have backup plans for the backup plans. I try to see what the next curve is going to be, and plan for that. For example, AI is no longer just a conversation, it’s here. So how do we use it in the tourism industry? What does Visit Greater Lima need it for? How can we accomplish more by implementing AI programs? All things that keep me awake at night, but in a good way!

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
I watched a lot of people in broadcasting struggle to adjust to other jobs and industries after the broadcasting career went away. They struggled because they became that radio personality and didn’t maintain a line between their real life and their work life/personality. You are not your job. Your job does not define you. You need outside influences and people to really enjoy a life well-lived. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but it’s so freeing in the times when you don’t have that job to fall back on.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.visitgreaterlima.com
• Instagram: @visitgreaterlima
• Facebook: @visitgreaterlima