ORLANDO, Fla. – Ricky Padilla is no stranger to central Florida. In fact, he’s called Orlando home since he was 12 years old after his family moved to the Sunshine State from New Jersey.
After graduating from Lake Howell High School, Padilla earned a scholarship to Seminole Community College playing baseball. Padilla furthered his education, graduating from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communications, but it was at UCF where his journey in radio began.
Padilla had a love for music and set his eyes on the radio, but it wasn’t an easy start.
“It was months before I got an email back,” Padilla said.
He eventually secured an internship position as a part-time street team promotions assistant at a large hip-hop radio station.
Padilla had bigger plans. The college student wanted to be on the airwaves. Securing an internship was his foot in the door, but how to be an on-air host didn’t come with an instruction manual.
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“Nobody really shows you what to do,” Padilla said. “So I used to read articles out loud and went from there practicing the boards on my own time to learn what to do”.
His practice paid off eventually landing a part-time on-air gig.
“My shift was Sunday 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.” Padilla said. “It was probably the worst shift you could get in radio, but I treated it like gold and then gradually moved up from there.”
Padilla remembers the call he received offering him a full-time position working overnights.
“I was working like three part-time jobs at the time so it was a great feeling finally getting a full-time position,” he said.
Over the years Padilla made his fair share of friends in radio, but by chance ended up working with a popular deejay he knew and eventually secured a close bond with.
“Initially DJ Nasty and I worked different shifts and then someone called out and I got to fill in and someone else called out and he was filling in and that night on-air, our chemistry working together was just there,” Padilla said. “That was all she wrote and we’ve worked together and had a show at all the stations we worked at together ever since, he’s family now”.
Of course, Padilla has had his fair share of ups and downs in his radio career.
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“I remember getting let go from that first job,” Padilla said. “I kept my chin up, but as soon as I got in the car I cried because I loved it so much and had worked so hard to get that gig”.
There was one moment Padilla remembers the most about getting fired.
“I was told I wasn’t going to make it in radio,” Padilla said. “Getting let go from that job was a blessing in disguise in a way because I moved on to better opportunities and being told I wasn’t going to make it in radio was fuel to the fire that motivated me to work even harder”.
Padilla has been heard on legendary Orlando radio stations over the years from 102 JAMZ to Power 95.3, STAR 94.5, and currently at the rapidly growing FLY 103.1.
Padilla didn’t stop growing and learning. In addition to radio, he became a businessman — owning parts of different clubs and restaurants. He also manages the social media influencer and comedian LeJuan James and even emcees for the Orlando City Soccer Club.