Spotlight: What is the biggest lesson you have learned along the way in your professional journey? What was your biggest surprise? What was your biggest disappointment? Natasha Staniszewski: I would say the one thing that I really had to work at or the one thing I really learned was try and be the best version of yourself on tv. It doesn’t serve you or anybody else to be fake or just to be something that you are not. So the more comfortable that you are with who you are I think the more comfortable you are on camera and the more people will relate to you, I think. So trying to be funny when you are not a funny person or you know trying to do some jazzy highlights in some sort of loud or crazy way when that is really not who you are is not going to work on camera and I think people sniff out fake really quickly. People can tell when you are trying to be somebody who you are not. So the quicker you can figure out who you are and get good at that on camera the better off you will be. “It doesn’t serve you or anybody else to be fake or just to be something that you are not. So the more comfortable that you are with who you are I think the more comfortable you are on camera and the more people will relate to you,” As for big surprises there weren’t any along the way I would say. Sorry that is a boring answer for you. Fortunately, I have not hadmany disappointments either. I feel so fortunate I am so lucky I had jobs open up right when and where I needed them to at the time. I moved up the ladder fairly quickly. I would say the only thing I feel is a little bit unfin - ished business is I always wanted to cover or have some sort of show that was just hockey focused.
Hockey is my favorite sport to cover, the NHL. I never really had the chance to do something just hockey focused, which isn’t to say I won’t in the future, but that is one thing I will say I haven’t quite done yet in my career. Spotlight: So, you are looking for a full-time hockey gig is what you are telling me? Natasha Staniszewski: I would definitely be open to it 100% yes. That is what I am telling you. Spotlight: Since we follow you on social media we see that you have become a brand ambas- sador for the upcoming RBC PGA Scramble and are doing some promotional work with Windmill Golf Group. Are you open to other similar opportunities in and out of the sport industry? If so, how would someone go about contacting you about these opportunities? Natasha Staniszewski: Definitely. I still haven’t, I mean how long has it been since I got laid off, six months, so it hasn’t really been that long. It has been a whirlwind. I moved provinces obviously and I am still trying to settle in, that sort of thing. So at this point I am still open to anything, I am hoping that opportunities may present them- selves that I have not even thought of. I don’t think I am finished in the broadcasting industry. I would like to think that I am not. I am hoping that there is something still out there, but maybe not. Maybe there is something else out there that will come my way so I am all ears at this point. I “ I don’t think I am finished in the broadcasting industry. I would like to think that I am not. I am hoping that there is something still out there, but maybe not. Maybe there is something else out there that will come my way so I am all ears at this point. I haven’t ruled anything out.”
“It didn’t feel like any big deal to throw us together. We got along well, we had good chemistry, viewers seemed to like us and I know it is sig- nificant for sure to have two females working together for the first time on that national show and it is very cool to have been one half of that team, but in the moment it just felt like the most natural normal thing.” Natasha Staniszewski: Well, I think I touched on it already a little bit in that I just think the benefit you get from working in smaller markets is huge. I would say that the tendency is that as soon as you finish school you just want to get into a big market and you want to get on tv as fast as you can and you want to become a big star or whatever, but I think there is such value in going into small markets and gaining all that experience that I spoke about earlier. The chance to build all those skills from writing highlights, interviewing to shooting your own footage are huge and I think they will make you a better reporter as you advance in your career. I loved my time in those small towns, they are not for everybody, but I would say enjoy the journey it is a great experience and it’s a great chance to experience new places. To move away from home you get the opportunity to experi- ence something different where you have never grown up or lived, I think the experience you get from that will be valuable. So I would say for sure think about the small towns. I think, I mean the industry has changed a lot I would say since I got into it. There are so many different ways now to break into the industry so be open minded and be prepared to work hard because it is so com- petitive and you will need to do the little things and you will probably have to put your time in, but if you are good, people will see you eventu- ally. They will 100% see you.
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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021
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