Many have you may have heard that Zac Pitts will be leaving Living Dayton in October. We’ve spent many hours visiting with him on the set between appearances on the show to promote events over the years, but we still had some questions for him:
After 5 years on Living Dayton- what have you learned?
The last 5 years of Living Dayton taught me the power of collaboration and creativity. The Living Dayton team is made up of some of the hardest working people I’ve ever met. It’s a small, but mighty team. Producing an hour’s worth of live content 5 days a week requires a great deal of efficiency and planning. However, the most valuable thing I learned from Living Dayton is how to truly connect with people through a screen. I love meeting people who watch the show that say…”Oh, you’re the same guy in person that I watch on tv”. Living Dayton taught me the power of authenticity.
Favorite Memories from the show?
Let’s be real…I got paid to have fun every day and meet some really cool people! I had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite celebrities like, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rob Schneider, Steve-O and the list goes on. But the one thing that really stands out is when my photographer (and really good friend) Phil and I drove to Perfect North and spent the whole day shooting stories for the start of ski season. We literally spent the day getting paid to ski and have fun talking to people. I remember thinking “damn, this is cool!”
What won’t you miss?
Touring Mikesell’s Snack Food Company
Simply put…a 9 to 5. When I started my professional career, I would wake up at 2:30am to do the morning news and sometimes get home around 2pm. When I started the 9-5 schedule I loved it! However, 3 years into it I started feeling like every day was predictable. Don’t get me wrong, I love structure and order to my day, but I want my day to start and end differently every day!
What’s Next?
Earlier this year I started creating Passion2Profession. My team and I will focus on helping our community transition into the new digital economy, teaching them how to profit from their personality, knowledge, passions and expertise through video content. Passion2Profession will help entrepreneurs and small business owners build courses, content membership communities as well as producing live virtual workshops and events. My driving force behind this company is to create jobs and financial opportunities for anyone willing to put in the work to build a better future for themselves and others.
What gave you inspiration for Passion2Profession?
Years ago when I was a reporter in Cincinnati I was covering a story about a career workshop for high school students. Somewhere in the presentation the speaker told the crowd of students that no matter what career they pursued, to find a way to make their passion their profession. It was such a profound statement that’s stuck with me ever since.
A few years into hosting Living Dayton I started developing terrible anxiety and having panic attacks on live tv! I had dealt with them before when I worked in news. It was really embarrassing. Though I loved my job I kept struggling with the question of “Is this what I’m really meant to do?” What helped me snap out of the funk was focusing 100% on making the guests feel comfortable and confident on camera! Often times Living Dayton would be people’s first experience going on live tv. Understandably, they were nervous! They’d say, “What if I freeze up?” “What if I stumble?”. I’d coach them before going on air and let them know I wouldn’t let them fail! I loved hearing “Wow, you made that really easy!” “Thanks, you really helped me calm down.”
That’s when I realized my true calling is to give people the confidence to get their message out into the world! I believe the point of life is to grow and to give. So I figured if I can help someone become confident on camera and show them how to monetize their knowledge, expertise or experiences through video content I could help them develop a new revenue stream for their business.
The 2 in Passion2Profession is meant to highlight the concept that it takes at least 2 people working together to make something great. Life should be a series of collaborations, not competition.
What kind of classes can we anticipate?
We’re kicking things off with “The On Camera Switch”. This introductory course is ultimately designed to help people be more confident on camera and develop their message. But it really goes into the fundamental framework of growing your personal brand on social media and how you can become a person known for a particular skill or expertise. This course will really help people start wrapping their heads around the knowledge business and how to get started. You can pre-order the course now through September 27th at Passion2ProfessionDayton.com.
As we continue to grow we’ll partner up with different clients and experts to help them scale their business by helping them with all the technical and production aspects of growing their online channel. We want to have programs that cater to personal and professional development, but leave plenty of room for content that’s just fun!
Who do you envision as your perfect customer?
The ideal Passion2Profession client is someone who’s not only driven, but is also “a giver”. We want to work with people who are hungry to make an impact serving others with their knowledge, passions and experiences! We want to work with people who are open to new ideas and want to grow personally and professionally.
What else should we know?
My goal is to create jobs and revenue streams for people passionate about their calling in life. Every one has a story and life lesson that could help someone else. As I mentioned before, I think the meaning of life is to grow and to give. The more we can grow and learn from our experiences, the more insight we can give to others to help them along their path!
Dayton Native Zac Pitts, a local tv host and member of the band Flee the Valley and his business partner (and fiancee) Ashley Karsten have just announced the launch of their passion project, 
. There are countless people who’ve helped me get to where I’m at in my career and now is my chance to give back to the city that made me who I am.”
