Jemma Rose Brown, podcast veteran and general manager of the Signal Awards, an award show recognizing impactful, extraordinary audio projects, says the heart of storytelling hasn’t changed. “I think a common thread [in storytelling] is an independent spirit and an understanding that you can take a mic and say your piece.” 

The appeal of podcasts often lies in the relatability of individual perspectives, which is what attracts organic listeners and fosters loyal audiences. The majority of podcasters aren’t journalism majors; they’re ordinary people offering commentary on current affairs and pop culture. 

That said, while podcasting is more accessible than ever, success still requires strategy, skill and a solid understanding of the medium. 

The human impact 

Established with a decade of expertise in audio storytelling, Brown knows a thing or two about what makes a podcast resonate. Drawn to the emotional and human aspect of public media, she began her career at StoryCorps, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing stories from diverse American voices. Inspired by the power of collective storytelling, she co-founded a cultural festival designed to create a collaborative space for audio creators. Now, as the general manager of the Signal Awards, she has had a front-row seat to the evolution of podcasting—and a keen eye for what makes a show stand out. 

Brown says the grassroots of compelling storytelling lies in meaningful conversation and impactful creation. “And the idea that I keep returning to that I think is true of all podcasts, regardless of form and format, is that the show has some kind of emotional impact, emotional resonance or stickiness,” she explains. It’s that emotional weight that separates a forgettable episode from one that lingers in the mind long after it ends. This kind of resonance often comes from podcasters who use their voice to spark genuine conversation and project authenticity—those who narrate in a way that feels conversational rather than didactic. “I want to feel my brain stretching and reaching,” Brown says. 

Getting started: The basics 

Equipment, production and software are second to the essential components of starting a podcast. Brown encourages aspiring podcasters to begin by cultivating self-awareness and creative clarity on what they want audiences to take away from the show.

After cementing your intent, it’s time to record. “A lot of people freak out when they first hear themselves back. It’s uncomfortable,” Brown admits, “And you just have to know that every single person thinks they sound terrible and just sort of suck up the imposter syndrome and the scariness of that.” She suggests recording a few pilot episodes to get comfortable and find your voice—even if no one will listen to them. This low-pressure practice will strengthen your voice, clarity and most importantly, define your purpose. 

Before you press record 

1. Emotional impact: A great story or conversation should spark emotional resonance. Did it make you cry? Did you bring it up in therapy or find yourself thinking about it the next day? 
2. Authenticity: The creator’s voice is the driving force behind listener loyalty. Therefore, a podcast should reflect a genuine and unique point of view. 
3. Intellectual engagement: Listeners should feel mentally stimulated, as though they’re part of a conversation rather than being lectured. A good podcast invites reflection and creates a sense of belonging. 
4. Compelling storytelling: Did the topic send you down a rabbit hole? Did you crave a part two? Were there follow-up questions you couldn’t stop thinking about?
5. Intimate connection: Instead of sounding like a polished radio broadcast, there should be a conversational feel, as if you are in the room with them, not just a passive listener.
6. Consistency: Stick to a regular posting schedule and engage with your audience. Reliability builds trust—and trust builds community. 

The new growth of podcasting 

In a time where screens dominate most forms of entertainment and quick-scroll content reigns supreme, podcasting offers something different: an intimate and nuanced medium that resonates across generations. Brown describes consuming a podcast as “hand-free and screen-free.”  

Still, the medium presents ongoing challenges. Discoverability is a significant hurdle, and reaching new audiences is hard. For many creators, behind-the-scenes work—building an audience, growth pressures, technical and creative barriers—often falls on a single person. Add in the pressure to expand your reach while overcoming technical and creative barriers, and it’s clear that podcasting requires more than just passion. Yet Brown believes with authenticity, a clear vision and willingness to learn, creators can thrive in the ever-evolving space. 

Where podcasting is headed 

Given the growing saturation of podcast charts, Brown says audio storytelling is in a great place. New subdivisions have emerged in digital platforms, such as Spotify and YouTube, supporting long-term podcast production and monetization, making it easier for creators to turn passions into profession. On the listener’s end, parents are increasingly turning to podcasts as healthy, screen-free content for children. And of course, there is the creative merge currently underway.

“Where the overlap between the creator economy sits with podcasting is something I have my eye on as well.… And more and more young people are excited about podcasts. They don’t really care what network a show is [made] on, how they’re consuming it, if it’s audio, if it’s video, they just love their creator, and they’ll go wherever that creator goes.”

Which really narrows down to the ripple effect of the creator. With a wide range of cultural, educational and personal experiences being shared, podcast hosts have the capacity to generate change and build a sense of community among listeners. The personal impact isn’t just theoretical—it’s something Brown has experienced firsthand. 

“When I started in podcasting, we were such a small community,” she recalls, “You kind of knew everyone who worked in the space, and we would throw listening parties and listen to each other’s work in progress and send each other notes. It felt very small. So I definitely couldn’t have predicted how quickly and voraciously this industry has grown, but I’m so grateful for it and to have grown up with it.”

This article originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of SUCCESS© magazine. Photo courtesy of Jemma Rose Brown.

The post Podcast Veteran Jemma Rose Brown Explains What Makes Audio Storytelling Stand Out appeared first on SUCCESS.

According to Kathleen Keeler, co-lead author of the study and assistant professor of management and human resources at OSU, “Music misfit can lead employees to feel more fatigued, have trouble focusing and not really enjoy being at work.”

Workplace playlists have a well-earned bad rap, and it raises the question: How does a company use music well? 

The short answer? Allow employees control over auditory input on an individual level. The holistic answer requires a look at the fascinating history of workplace music, sound’s impact on the brain and the technology that can help everyone harmonize. 

Learning from workplace music history

Music and labor were intertwined long before “productivity playlists” existed. 

Sea shanties synchronized sailors as they collaborated on group tasks, like adjusting sails. Railroad workers sang songs to coordinate hammer swings. Little Orphan Annie and her companions sang “It’s the hard-knock life…,” establishing camaraderie as they endured poor working conditions. 

These workplace songs all organically originated from workers. Then came the idea to systematically hasten work speed through imposed workplace music. 

Factory workers in the UK were subjected to this in the 1940s through the 1960s, courtesy of the BBC’s Music While You Work program. Researchers have critically examined this practice, addressing the utilization of music “to exert ‘emotional control’ over spaces of work.” 

These are examples of functional music, songs used for a specific purpose. The grassroots examples illustrate how functional music can be a positive tool—but not when it’s imposed on a group without consent. 

The risk of imposed music 

Kevin Woods, Ph.D., is the director of science at Brain.fm, a streaming platform for research-focused functional music. He describes imposed music this way: “There’s something going in your ears that’s meant to control your behavior, and you don’t have a say…. That’s a problem, and people catch on pretty quickly.” 

Studies criticizing the use of music as a form of control date back decades. And beyond the ethics, it’s simply not productive. 

“To create a soundscape that encourages productivity, you have to start with the recognition that most music is counterproductive,” Woods says. Understanding this requires an examination of how music impacts the brain. 

Music’s impact on the brain 

Sound’s effect on the brain is still not fully understood, making it easy to underestimate. Background sound can relax, stimulate or agitate us. Certain frequencies can potentially fight Alzheimer’s. The spectrum is almost incomprehensible. 

The brain’s complex relationship with sound is almost certainly beyond what the average business owner considers when turning the radio on. Understanding the role of music production helps contextualize it. 

“If I’m a great music producer… my job is to make you turn your head and start listening to the radio,” Woods says. “The majority of music in the world is made to grab your attention.” 

This isn’t always negative, depending on the attention required for the task at hand. 

For example, stimulating music may benefit someone who’s sorting a large stack of files. But the same music could derail them later that day when they’re writing a stressful email. 

Choosing music for a group of workers would require catering to everyone’s:

• Neurodivergences
• Music preference 
• Work tasks 
• Mood 

Background music could never be tailored to all of these variables for more than a single person at a single point in time—and this doesn’t even account for workplace aesthetics. A bank has different aesthetic needs than a pet store. An employee stocking shelves has a different attentional capacity than the manager creating the upcoming schedule.

The idea of a single “productive” soundscape to play for everyone quickly unravels, but focus can be positively impacted using music (when leveraged correctly). 

The realistic goal of workplace music 

What’s the end goal with audio in the workplace? 

“It’s productivity, but on your terms,” Woods says. 

Give workers control over what type of music they listen to and when. Not only is this approach more ethical, but it’s also more effective. 

If workplaces must play music, aim to reduce distraction and allow users to opt out. Consider how some individuals are more sensitive to sounds than others, specifically in regard to neurodivergences. 

Allowing users to choose music based on their own preferences is where “focus music” can have an actual positive impact. 

Focus music 

Auditory stimulation has the potential to enhance focus. Many music genres make this claim: lo-fi, binaural beats, frequency music, white noise, nature soundscapes and classical music, to name a few. 

I’ve personally tried all of these. Research-backed or not, anything that vows to improve focus can be found in my Spotify archives. It was this exact pursuit that led me to Brain.fm, which promotes science-backed music made for focus.

Woods emphasizes that this music wasn’t designed for shared, collective consumption. A key distinction between Brain.fm and imposed functional music is listener personalization and autonomy. 

This can only be offered to workers through personal music delivery. 

Personal music delivery in the workplace 

Music transitioned from a more communal experience to a deeply personal one with the rise of personal music players. The Walkman moonwalked onto the scene in the 1980s, ushering in this era. By the time free music streaming platforms like Spotify Dougie-ed to mainstream prominence in the 2010s, private listening was synonymous with modern music consumption. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for auditory autonomy in every work environment, but technology exists to offer workers more control over their audio input. 

1. Bluetooth earbuds: Commonplace and budget-friendly. Some earbuds, like the AirPods Pro 2, also function as hearing aids, so wearing them in group settings is becoming more normalized. 
2. Adjustable earplugs: These allow individuals to opt out of background noise when it’s unavoidable. Some brands, like Loop earplugs, allow users to self-regulate noise levels with adjustable in-ear settings. 
3. Bone conduction headphones: Popular amongst runners, this technology transmits audio through the bone instead of the ear canal. This is a form of open-ear headphones.
4. Sound beaming: Enables open-ear audio consumption without a wearable device. It delivers sound waves directly to a user’s ear, remaining inaudible to adjacent workers. 

Conclusion 

Sailors’ sea shanties did more than just coordinate physical labor: some songs also expressed frustration with the captain. 

Modern workers aren’t likely to break out in song to vent about management, but annoyance with background noise can manifest in tangible ways. 

Employers who give their workers auditory autonomy aren’t just showing them respect—they’re facilitating a more productive environment for everyone. 

Photo by Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.

The post Music at Work: When It Helps and When It Hurts appeared first on SUCCESS.

Awake: A Memoir

By Jen Hatmaker

Before her 26-year marriage imploded early on in the pandemic, Jen Hatmaker was a funny, talented bestselling author and speaker. After? She’s still just as funny, talented and popular, just maybe wiser than ever in her coming-of-middle-age memoir Awake. The For the Love podcast host takes us through crisis with her signature wit in this deeply personal chronicle, challenging everything from gender roles to religious subservience along the way. Told in real-time vignettes, we follow Hatmaker over 40 years, including the building of the life she thought she wanted, the aftermath of its destruction and how she grieved what she lost. It’s a sort of love story… just not the way you’re expecting. One thing is for certain: Hatmaker is living the second half of her life wide awake, and she’ll inspire you to do the same.

Buy this book on Amazon.

Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve

By Drew Afualo

Social media and podcast star Drew Afualo is on a girl power-y mission to help women reclaim their power from the inside out. Her millions of fans—Afualo has more than 8 million followers on TikTok alone—know her as a straight-shooting vigilante against misogyny, calling out fatphobia, racism and other forms of bigotry in her viral videos. Both hilarious and heartwarming, Loud is her personal anecdote-filled playbook for self-love and confidence, encouraging women to reject societal pressures telling them how they should look, act, speak and, well, do pretty much everything. Afualo is the BFF every woman needs in their corner, reminding them that they deserve nothing less than to live a life of their choosing, not what men choose for them.

Buy this book on Amazon.

I Thought It Would Be Better Than This: Rise From Disappointment, Regain Control, and Rebuild a Life You Love

By Jessica N. Turner

Raise your hand if you’ve experienced pain and disappointment. Yes, literally everyone will learn something from content creator Jessica N. Turner’s latest book, where she uses her own painful experience navigating the end of her 16-year marriage to help readers confront their own disappointments and create a fulfilling life. It’s for anyone who’s felt stuck or who’s taken a look around them and wasn’t exactly thrilled with where they’re at. But don’t worry, Turner is here with the unstuck solution. I Thought It Would Be Better Than This is a relatable road map to take control of your circumstances and make intentional changes, a how-to manual for creating more meaningful relationships and a manifesto for hope.

Buy this book on Amazon.

And Then Em Died…: Stop the Insanity! A Memoir

By Susan Powter

In the ’90s, “Stop the insanity!” was an anti-diet mantra and fitness guru Susan Powter’s rallying cry to put down the SnackWell’s and focus on whole foods and exercise. Known for her shaved head and energetic infomercials, Powter was everywhere, even scoring her own talk show. Money mismanagement and bad business deals left her with nothing—she filed for bankruptcy in 1995 and now lives in a senior community for low-income residents and works as a delivery driver for companies like Grubhub and Uber Eats. But her departure from the public eye wasn’t the end of her story. With honesty and grit, Powter recounts her experiences in this inspiring memoir, a remarkable glimpse into the life of a fitness icon and all the challenges she’s overcome.

Buy this book on Amazon.

The Book of Heartbreak: A Novel

By Ova Ceren

What if heartbreak could actually kill you? That’s the premise of BookTok and Bookstagram influencer Ova Ceren’s romantasy novel following a girl cursed to die every time her heart gets broken. Ceren, better known to her thousands of followers as @excusemyreading, trades reading for writing in her debut novel, and who better than a self-described “half-woman, half-book” to write the page-turner we all need right now? After surviving four heartbreaks, main character Sare has one final chance to stay alive. Exploring love, loss and the fragility of all our hearts, we journey with Sare to Istanbul as she attempts to unlock the mysteries of her mother’s past and end this curse once and for all. 

Buy this book on Amazon.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith/Courtesy of Jen Hatmaker

The post 5 Must-Read Books by Influencers That Live Up to the Hype appeared first on SUCCESS.

Onscreen, she’s the creator, executive producer and star of HGTV’s Windy City Rehab and co-star of Ugliest House in America and Scariest House in America. This fall, she returns to HGTV with the series premiere of Sin City Rehab. Offscreen, Victoria has launched Briefly Gorgeous Productions to bring raw, authentic storytelling to reality TV. She also recently debuted a beauty line with Volition Beauty, inspired by her Greek heritage, and has stylish partnerships with The Tile Shop, Cabinets To Go and Hoodsly, the last of which offers her new custom kitchen range hoods.

From homes to products to reality TV, Victoria brings bold vision and timeless style to all she touches.

Q&A with Alison Victoria

SUCCESS: You’ve built an impressive career as a designer, TV host and now executive producer. What pivotal moment has shaped your journey the most?

Alison Victoria: There are so many pivotal moments. It’s all different moments that give me the opportunity to make choices. I [remember] look[ing] at the choice to answer that email that I got [from a Sacramento-based production company looking for an interior designer for an HGTV show] 15 years ago and the way that I unapologetically went for it. Then I just took risks that led me to massive rewards.

After that, there were so many pivotal moments—like making the choice to always follow my heart, as hard as it might be. You’ve got one life, [and] it’s not long. Why waste your time doing anything you don’t love or working with people you don’t like or [who] dim your light?

S: With multiple award nominations for Windy City Rehab and the launch of your production company, what’s your vision for the future of reality TV?

AV: My vision is to continue the raw, unedited, unfiltered experience that anyone has in any category. I’m not sticking with home. I’m going into documentaries. I am going into anything that is authentic.

I love the fact that 15 years ago, I was given this chance and that someone saw [an opportunity] in me. I continued to just stay true to myself, not changing for anyone. I want to keep finding characters like that in this world—who are passionate and real. I want to make sure that the people [who] I put on television are the same people you would meet if you ran into them at a restaurant. That there is no difference, that there is only one character in their li[ves], and it’s their authentic selves.

S: What’s your creative process like, and where do you draw inspiration from?

AV: Inspiration can start anywhere for me. It could start with a fabric… an antique light fixture… or an experience that I had recently, whether it’s through travel or a restaurant or really anything visual…. It always starts somewhere. So the process is different for every job I do.

S: Your philanthropic efforts are inspiring. How do you choose the causes you support, and what impact do you hope to create?

AV: My philanthropic efforts were always with animals early on and still are. I’m on the board of PAWS (Pets Are Worth Saving). Habitat for Humanity has always been near and dear to me, especially the Women Build program—getting out there with my team and building homes for people who deserve them. It’s great to follow [the process], from framing walls to bringing flowers and sitting in the kitchen you helped bring to life. Women Build inspires other women to not just build but to be a part of something important.

The way I got involved with the Chicago Refugee Coalition was through my boyfriend, Brandt Andersen, who has devoted his life to helping refugees through his organization, the REEL Foundation. Because of his film, The Strangers’ Case, and us spending time with refugees in Turkey, Greece and the Middle East, it made me go, “Chicago’s having a real crisis right now. How can I get involved?”

S: With your busy schedule filming, designing and launching new ventures, how do you prioritize self-care and maintain balance?

AV: I don’t know if I like the word balance because we’re all trying our best to do it all. But if you’re doing it right, you’re admitting that you can’t do it all. That was a huge tipping point for me—realizing I needed help. I’m only as good as the people I work with and surround myself with.

Jeff Bezos said he prefers “work-life harmony” over balance—life and work intertwined, not a trade-off. I loved that. For me, it’s about doing a little of what’s important every day. When I’m happy, I feel like I float around the world and happiness is drawn to me.

S: You’re expanding into beauty with a collaboration with Volition Beauty. How does this project connect with your personal values and Greek heritage?

AV: I’m obsessed with olive oil. There is no meal without olive oil and lemon. I have a tablespoon every day. It reminds me of the Greek islands—there’s something nostalgic about it, and I believe it makes a huge difference in my hair, skin and nails. I’ve never worn foundation, and I think that’s helped me age gracefully.

I wanted to create something that feels like summer in Greece. It’s clean, it’s fresh. We’ve been through several iterations to perfect it. I just feel like we’ve hit the jackpot with the Glow Drops, [a combination of resveratrol from Greek grapes and squalane from Greek olives], and I can’t wait to hear what people think.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity and originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of SUCCESS® magazine.

Photo by ©Sarah Barlow

The post Alison Victoria’s Commitment to Living Fearlessly appeared first on SUCCESS.

While anyone can pick up a mic these days, quality will always triumph over quantity. We’ve cut through the noise with a listening tour of some of the best podcasts about the entertainment and media industries.

Slip past the velvet rope for a VIP experience to unearth some of Hollywood’s oldest secrets, brace for culture-bending trends and learn about the entertainment industry… without going to film school. Queue up a few of these selections, pop in your earbuds and tap play.

1. The Business

Host: Kim Masters (Puck)

Frequency: weekly

Listeners love the lively banter and in-depth coverage of what’s happening in entertainment, complete with appearances by powerhouse guests such as director Ava DuVernay and Matt Damon. Masters, editor-at-large at The Hollywood Reporter, uses her industry insight to tackle topics such as the potential impact of proposed film tariffs to how content creators are seizing the spotlight from traditional media.

Listen here.

2. The Digiday Podcast

Hosts: Kimeko McCoy and Tim Peterson (Digiday)

Frequency: weekly

Marketing and media collide in this weekly podcast hosted by Digiday editors. Get an inside look at the stories, topics and issues that matter most to brands, publishers and agencies—which often veer into the entertainment industry. Digiday staff plunge into everything from AI-powered paywalls to how to grow a creator-based newsletter business.

Listen here. 

3. Hollywood Handbook

Hosts: Sean Clements and Hayes Davenport

Frequency: weekly

Billed as “an insider’s guide to achieving your showbiz dreams,” this comedic, improvisational podcast parodies the entertainment industry insider shows—a move that’s gained a cult following throughout its more than 600 episodes. Clements (Workaholics) and Davenport (Vice Principals) have a lengthy list of writing and producing credits between them, paving the way for memorable guests such as Aubrey Plaza and Donald Glover.

Listen here. 

4. How Did This Get Made?

Hosts: Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael and Jason Mantzoukas

Frequency: Mondays and Fridays

Lively banter and cutting wit meet at the mic to examine something that unites us all: bad movies. Each week, Scheer, Raphael and Mantzoukas break down the “very best of the worst films ever made,” whether it’s a Lifetime “thriller” or a summer Blockbuster flop. And they would know. Because chances are, you’ve seen or heard each of the hosts in something throughout the past two decades. The trio is sometimes joined by superstar guests like Seth Rogen.

Listen here.

5. On the Media

Hosts: Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger

Frequency: twice a week

As the name implies, this podcast offers an analysis of news itself. Each week, journalists Gladstone and Loewinger break down the media’s impact on public perception through examinations of the week’s major stories. The duo also address hidden narratives in headlines and lurking threats to information freedom, all while “maintaining the civility and fairness that are the hallmarks of public radio.” The podcast’s frank and transparent reporting and commentary have earned it the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Awards for feature reporting and investigative reporting, the National Press Club’s Arthur Rowse Award for Press Criticism and a Peabody Award, among others.

Listen here.

6. The Ankler

Hosts: The Ankler team members

Frequency: every Friday

Since its 2022 launch, The Ankler has fast become one of the go-to platforms for an in-depth, lively look into the business side of Hollywood. Revolving hosts such as Richard Rushfield, Elaine Low, Sean McNulty and Rob Long bring wit and wisdom to dissecting power plays and sitting on the front line of the streaming wars. Expect topics ranging from artificial intelligence’s impact on storytelling to breakdowns of the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni feud.

Listen here.

7. The No Film School Podcast

Host: GG Hawkins

Frequency: weekly

This podcast is for the creatives who’ve thought about a career in filmmaking… but balked at the cost of film school. Hawkins, a writer and director, covers industry trends and opportunities, touching on niche subjects like cameras and lighting while also interviewing professionals from across the industry, ranging from screenwriters to cinematographers. Listener questions are also answered, staying true to the podcast’s premise: “no film school” required.

Listen here.

8. Pilot TV

Hosts: James Dyer, Boyd Hilton and Kay Ribeiro

Frequency: weekly

Can’t decide what to watch next? Tired of endlessly scrolling Netflix, Hulu and Apple TV+ for your next binge? Pilot TV is the spoiler-free “essential guide to every show that matters.” Expect a rundown of the best new shows, news, reviews and the occasional guests such as Jon Hamm and Tom Hardy. The trio also offers recommendations of older shows, all to help you use your TV time wisely.

Listen here.

9. The Rewatchables

Hosts: Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan and Sean Fennessey (The Ringer)

Frequency: weekly

Film geeks, rejoice! This one’s for the cinephiles who can’t stop analyzing, quoting and, well, rewatching their favorite movies. Each episode features a new look at a beloved film, exploring memorable quotes and scenes and analyzing the film’s cultural impact. The trio has covered nearly everything, ranging from Pulp Fiction and John Wick to Dead Poets Society and Dazed and Confused. Nineties aficionados will especially love the podcast’s specific dedication to the year 1999, “an all-time great year in film,” with looks at teen classics like Election and horror favorites like The Blair Witch Project. Looking to brush up on movies for the next trivia night? Dive into this podcast’s more than 300 episodes.

Listen here.

10. Pop Culture Happy Hour

Hosts: Linda Holmes, Glen Weldon, Stephen Thompson and Aisha Harris (NPR)

Frequency: Four times a week

The podcast, hosted by a roundtable of NPR arts journalists, serves up real-time commentary and recommendations on everything pop culture. With an array of never-ending topics, you’re sure to find your next favorite book, album, video game or movie. The hosts share a little bit of everything, including what they’re reading, and analyze society’s relationship to different mediums (such as TV and why we love its weddings). There’s something new to discover with every “happy hour.”

Listen here.

11. Strictly Business

Hosts: Andrew Wallenstein and Cynthia Littleton (Variety)

Frequency: weekly

Tune in for a C-suite POV of the entertainment industry, straight from the editors of Variety. Launched in 2018, the podcast offers depth and insight into business deals, strategy, trends and the future of media—backed by guests who, in their day jobs, are at the helm of some of the industry’s most successful and innovative companies. The podcast has covered everything from stock market volatility’s impact on Hollywood to the uncertain future of TV and film production in the wake of the LA fires.

Listen here.

12. You Must Remember This

Host: Karina Longworth

Frequency: weekly

What started as Longworth’s passion project has morphed into a beloved (and heavily researched) historical commentary on “Hollywood’s first century.” Longworth harnesses her extensive skillset as an author and former film critic to delve into some of La-La Land’s most complex and intriguing stories—some of which have been buried in time. The podcast’s deep dives have included Charles Manson’s connection to some of the city’s most influential players to the origins of celebrity gossip. This podcast is the perfect companion for a budding historian interested in Hollywood. 

Listen here.

This article originally appeared in the September/October issue of SUCCESS magazine. Photo by paffy/Shutterstock.

The post Listen Up: 12 Podcasts Shining a Light on the Entertainment and Media Ecosystems appeared first on SUCCESS.

She may not have known exactly where she’d end up after getting her graduate degree in public affairs reporting, but she saw herself as being visible. “I couldn’t do what I’m doing now if I hadn’t done all the other things: worked on Capitol Hill, met a guy on an airplane, married him, lived in England, moved to San Diego, moved to Washington, D.C., worked in the Justice Department, moved over to the White House, came to FOX and moved to New York [City],” she tells SUCCESS. “None of what I’m doing today would’ve been possible without all of that.”

We sat down with Perino in New York City to find out what her weekdays look like now that she’s very visible as a co-host of the most-watched cable news show.

4:45 A.M. | PRAY FOR GRACE

Since Perino doesn’t have the luxury of waking up with the sun, she opts for the Hatch Sleep app, which uses lights to get her up before dawn. “I love mornings. I think that’s my natural disposition but also because [of] my family: We’re ranchers,” she says. “The first thing I do is have a quiet moment of meditation and prayer…. I ask for grace and mercy…. I start the day with that intentionality.” Then, before she even turns on a light, Perino scrolls through news compilation emails for domestic news, Middle East news, editorials and op-eds. “I wish I had time to read hard copies. My favorite thing to do is have a hard copy of the Wall Street Journal on Saturdays,” she says.

5:30 A.M. | WORKOUT

Forever a multitasker, Perino has a Peloton in her Manhattan apartment so she can exercise while she digs deeper into the day’s headlines. “I can do a 20-minute ride and 30 minutes of weights. And then I’ll check my phone,” she says. Three podcasts that Perino manages to pack in before the sun even rises are The Daily Punch, The Headlines and The Daily. “I listen at 1.5 speed,” she says.

6:30 A.M. | SHOWER

Her morning shower is part of the disciplined routine. “My husband makes my mushroom coffee. I have coffee while I scroll through the websites: Fox News, Daily Mail, Drudge Report and National Review as I look out over the Hudson River.”

6:45 A.M. | THE RUNDOWN

Like clockwork, at 6:45 a.m., Perino gets on a call with her America’s Newsroom co-anchor Bill Hemmer and her executive producer for a rundown of the two-hour live show. After that wraps, she leaves for the studio. “I have a car service, so it’s only a 10-minute drive. With my long workday, I couldn’t do a long commute. I wouldn’t be able to do this work,” Perino shares, “and I love my job.”

7:45 A.M. | CONNECT

Right when she gets into the office, Perino has her favorite part of her day. “My assistant and I have a chat about all kinds of things… when it’s just the two of us in the office. That’s when I have breakfast: Qi’a with berries and a splash of almond milk.”

8 A.M. | HAIR, MAKEUP, COFFEE

Perino’s hair and makeup team works together to get her camera ready in less than 45 minutes. “I’m uncomfortable with this much makeup, but I know that, on camera, I look my very best,” she admits. “Then, I grab another coffee.” By 9 a.m., she’s ready to wake up the rest of America with the news she’s had on her mind since 4:45 a.m.

11:15 A.M. | EXIT THE BUILDING

After the morning show wraps, Perino has a break until she’s on the air again for her evening show. She uses that time to walk away from the studios. “I have a 2:30 p.m. private pilates appointment at Columbus Circle. It’s about a 20-minute walk or I can take the subway. On other days, I have ballroom dancing lessons. I get exercise, and I get off my phone,” she says, even though she uses the time on the way there to listen to more podcasts, like Ruthless or The Ben Shapiro Show.

4 P.M. | FORMING OPINIONS

“The thing about The Five is that it’s a different show [because] you’re giving your opinion. I’ve learned how to do news in the morning and opinion in the afternoon. It’s a balancing act,” she says. So, in the hour leading up to that, Perino’s asking herself (and others) how to report, analyze and opine on the issues of the day. After a quick hair and makeup touch-up, she’s on the set of The Five at 4:50 p.m. “When I was the press secretary (for President George W. Bush), nobody ever cared what I thought personally. I hid behind that, speaking on behalf of the president,” she says. “But now I’m live on the air. And I work at a place where I’m not going to get canceled or fired for anything I say. Ever.”

6 P.M. | HOME

As soon as she can, Perino heads for the comfort of home. She’ll either walk or take the car service. “I wash my makeup off. I do some sort of stretching—there’s a new app called STRETCHIT, and the stretches are only six or eight minutes long,” she says. By the time she’s done, her husband Peter has made or ordered their dinner. “There are so many things to do at night, and I have FOMO, but I know that time goes by very quickly. And I have so much I want to do…. But I only go out one weeknight a week.”

7 P.M. | TV HOUR

The relaxing hour between dinner and bedtime has just two unofficial rules: It is only one hour, and it can’t be the news. “I have to be very disciplined. So Peter and I watch together. We just finished Landman,” she said.

9 P.M. | LIGHTS OUT

When Perino finally goes to sleep, she means it. No middle-of-the-night scrolling, no checking for breaking news and no early-hours brainstorming for the day ahead. To stay true to that, she has a timer on her phone that kicks her off Instagram. “I have a time limit so I’m not tempted to buy something or watch dog videos,” she says.

When the weekend finally rolls around, that’s when Perino, Peter and their beloved-by-all dog, Percy, can truly unwind. Usually at their beach home in Bay Head, New Jersey. “I save all of my book writing for the weekends. I’ll have great mornings with Peter and Percy on Saturday and Sunday. And then usually from noon to 4 p.m., I’m upstairs writing.”

Perino’s brand-new book, I Wish Someone Had Told Me…, is out now. 

Photo courtesy of Fox News. This article originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of SUCCESS magazine.

The post Inside Dana Perino’s Daily Routine as a FOX News Anchor appeared first on SUCCESS.

“Back then, the outlook wasn’t great,” he recalls.

Instead of letting that narrative define him, he took control of it, eventually earning his master’s degree in special education at Vanderbilt University, with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of the support systems in place for people like him and, ultimately, changing them for the better. 

Now, more than 25 years from his diagnosis, he’s an award-winning filmmaker using his learnings to uplift the voices of other neurodiverse creatives through his film production company, Blu Star Productions.

Widening the aperture: Inclusivity in filmmaking

A single statistic set off a ripple effect in Astrella’s life. After reading that only about 20% of people with disabilities, including autism, are employed, he couldn’t sit idly by.

“That hit me hard,” he says. “I thought, ‘If no one’s going to change that, maybe I can.’”

At Blu Star Productions, he’s carving out much-needed space for disabled film writers, producers, editors and more to showcase their unique talents through feature documentaries that highlight the resilient spirit of marginalized communities.

Astrella saw firsthand how unaccommodating Hollywood sets could be—loud, chaotic, a sensory nightmare for many across the disability spectrum—and decided he needed to create production spaces that gave artists the tools and accommodations they needed in order to thrive. Through Blu Star, film creatives from all sorts of backgrounds are empowered to work at their own pace, with tailored resources that support their individual needs and strengths.

Sets are designed to be sensory-friendly, workflows keep diverse communication styles in mind and the atmosphere is always fun and laid-back. It’s a welcome departure from the fast-paced, high-pressure Hollywood norm. Beyond the set itself, Blu Star also provides mentorship opportunities, opening the door for team members to transform their perceived limitations into powerful strengths.

Blu Star’s online network also acts as a direct pipeline between major studios and their pool of neurodiverse artists, helping them access opportunities they’ve too often been excluded from.

“It’s not about lowering the bar,” Astrella says. “It’s about removing the barriers.”

Beyond the one-point perspective

Astrella discovered his love for filmmaking while he was in early therapy sessions. But it wasn’t smooth sailing from the word “action.” His initial attempts to break into the film industry were met with “age-old stereotypes and preconceived notions,” something the disabled community is only too familiar with.

At that same time, another eye-opening realization came into focus.

“Hollywood, I quickly learned, is blind to the profound potential and unique perspectives neurodivergent individuals bring to storytelling,” Astrella says. He realized it wasn’t just a personal frustration. “It was a systemic failure,” he says.

Seeing the industry from that new angle inspired him to build a world of his own. One where he could tell his story and where other autistic people and folks with developmental disabilities could thrive with the resources needed to truly tap into their talents.

“I realized that being autistic gave me a unique perspective, allowing me to see things in ways that a neurotypical person may not,” he says. “Filmmaking became my outlet and helped me realize my purpose in life.”

That early adversity sparked a clear goal: “to show what’s possible when we’re given the support we need, and to make sure others get the same shot.”

A lens of their own

Behind the camera, neurotypical perspectives dominate. “[And] when individuals with disabilities are excluded from the creative process,” Astrella says, “outdated stereotypes are perpetuated, and different perspectives are missed.”

“If we’re not telling our own stories, someone else is—and they usually get it wrong,” he adds.

Plus, he points out, exclusively neurotypical writing rooms are bound to “hit a wall.”

“Bringing in neurodivergent creatives breaks through that wall,” Astrella says. “Their experiences offer unique perspectives, allowing them to craft narratives, develop characters and envision worlds that, in my opinion, neurotypical creatives probably wouldn’t dream of.”

These include stories on inmate firefighters finding purpose and power through wildfire taming and how a mother’s perseverance sparked the creation of Middle Tennessee’s largest all-inclusive playground.

Through Blu Star, Astrella is putting neurodiverse creatives in the director’s seat, literally and figuratively, bringing different perspectives to the foreground and helping more people tell their own stories, their own way.

Productions with purpose

Every piece of content that Blu Star produces is purpose-driven. From screenplays to feature documentaries, the company goes beyond the conventional to seek out powerful, often overlooked stories, from “the resilience… of the incarcerated community” to “the incredible talents of a doctor living with polio” and “countless other narratives” that deserve the spotlight.

“It’s important that we feature stories that might not otherwise be told,” Astrella says. “Because we all know what it’s like for our voices not to be heard.”

One of his favorite projects, Extraordinary Character, tackles the issue of representation head on. The documentary film follows a neurodivergent theater troupe in its adaptation of a children’s book, Stellaluna. Through the story of a baby bat who is forced to fit in among a family of birds, the film sends a simple message that encourages audiences to think a little deeper about the world we live in.

“Inclusion can be so powerful in creating a world that is more unique and exciting than a world that is more divisive,” Astrella says. 

“At our core, we aren’t so different from one another.”

The Blu Star blueprint

Astrella was lucky to find early support through his parents and programs like Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), a type of therapy that helps improve communication, attention, focus, social skills, memory and academic performance. He says ABA helped him “build important life skills” that allowed him to “[push] past everyone’s assumptions” and embrace his differences.

Now, he’s a Champion of Change with Autism Speaks, using the platform he built from the ground up to advocate for autistic people and highlight the critical need for employers to integrate support systems for neurodiverse talent. When companies fail to do so, he says, it “robs us of financial independence and the chance to shape our own narratives.”

Thankfully, “resources like Autism Speaks’ Workplace Inclusion Now (WIN) program are… helping employers to build inclusive workplaces where people on the spectrum can actually thrive,” he says.

Through Blu Star, Astrella has laid the groundwork for others to follow suit. By modeling what’s possible, he hopes more companies will get on board and use his blueprint to build workplaces that embrace differences rather than seeing them as barriers to success.

He also urges other disabled individuals to speak up for themselves and lean into the support networks around them. “I wouldn’t be here without the support of my family,” he says. “They believed in me long before the industry did, and I’ll never take that for granted.”

And for those dreaming of having their own stories heard, Astrella has some wise words: “Own your voice. The thing that makes you different is probably your greatest creative strength. Don’t try to fit into a mold that wasn’t made for you.”

Explore Blu Star’s full lineup of boundary-pushing releases at blustarproductions.com.

Photo courtesy of Alex Astrella

The post How Alex Astrella Used His Autism Diagnosis to Ignite Change in the Film Industry appeared first on SUCCESS.

Her journey is a master class in how to evolve a career, a brand and a life—all while facing personal trials that could easily have derailed it all.

Today, she doesn’t just host shows—she hosts change, courage and connection.

Heal Squad x Maria Menounos is a digital life improvement show focused on healing, growth and well-being, with Macy’s as its title sponsor.

Small-town start, big-time breakthrough

Born in Medford, Massachusetts, to Greek immigrant parents, Menounos showed early signs of grit and ambition. After studying communications at Emerson College, she got her start at Channel One News, where she cut her teeth reporting on global issues like the 2001 El Salvador earthquake and interviewing President George W. Bush. But it was her pivot to entertainment journalism that made her a household name.

“Career-wise…, I feel like everything shapes you. Everything you do helps you grow, helps you learn, helps you evolve,” Menounos says. “[My] beginning at Channel One News helped shape a lot because it was my first time working on camera, and I was doing really cool stuff.… It definitely gave me an incredible amount of confidence when I moved into mainstream media, being able to do that at such a young age.”

She rose to prominence on Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood and later, Extra—where she, along with her team, earned a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Entertainment News Program. Her success came not from any single role but through her ability to shape-shift across them all. As a correspondent, Menounos loved telling people’s stories and feeling like she was making a positive impact on viewers and interviewees alike.

“I was less interested in the gossip and more interested in the work or the art or telling someone’s story,” she says. “I took that same mindset into entertainment news because I always felt like I had to protect people and help them. I wanted them to shine. I didn’t want to be the person in the ‘I got you’ moment, and so I carried that thread through.”

Reinventing entertainment on her terms

Rather than remaining in front of the camera, Menounos started shaping stories from behind the lens. She and her husband, Keven Undergaro, launched AfterBuzz TV—a digital network focused on postshow television content born from their shared passion for TV and a gap in the market.

“We were really obsessed with TV and wanted to talk about it, and there was nothing there,” Menounos recalls. “When [Keven] saw that Lost’s series finale just broke the internet and people wanted to talk about it, he knew there was something there.” AfterBuzz anticipated where entertainment was headed. As streaming surged and fandoms grew, the platform became a hub for pop culture commentary and a launchpad for rising digital talent.

Menounos wasn’t just adapting to the changing media landscape—she was helping shape its direction. Her later ventures, including the Conversations With Maria Menounos series and additional podcast ventures, further solidified her role as both a content creator and connector. Then came her most personal project yet: Heal Squad x Maria Menounos. But before we dive into that, it’s essential to understand the health journey Menounos was navigating at the same time.

The chapter she didn’t see coming

Even with all her career wins, the most meaningful parts of Menounos’ story have happened behind the scenes. In 2017, she underwent surgery for a benign brain tumor—the meningioma was discovered as she was caring for her mother, who happened to be battling another type of brain cancer at the same time.

The irony couldn’t have been more striking, and the experience sent a clear and powerful message. “Feel something, say something, do something” became her mission. She urged her fans to advocate for their own health and pushed for broader awareness around early detection and self-care. Her advice to viewers on Today: “If the symptoms persist, you must persist.”

A few years later, she was diagnosed with adult-onset type 1 diabetes.

Then, less than two years after that, a full-body MRI screening revealed a stage 2 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, a rare but less aggressive form of pancreatic cancer. Early detection and surgery allowed her to bypass chemo and radiation. The experience only strengthened her commitment to public health advocacy.

Finding a new path forward

Menounos says her idea of success has evolved since her brain tumor. “For me, success is being healthy and working at a pace that matches my energy and my true self…. We’ve all been led to believe that the only way [to achieve] is to be a workaholic, and when I was in that hospital bed with the brain tumor, recovering from surgery, I realized I was living a life that wasn’t authentic to me and my true inner self. I was just doing what I saw everyone else doing, and I was going against my grain and my nature.”

These days, she’s still working hard—but she’s no longer sacrificing her well-being in order to keep up. “My work now and my passion is to help people get to that place where they feel safe enough to realize that, without your health, you can’t have all the other stuff,” Menounos says.

Another tactic for keeping the big picture in mind was learning how to choose wonder over worry. “We’re so conditioned to live in fear and to catastrophize. I was such an expert…, but choosing wonder over worry was what helped me shift out of the fetal position with the pancreas cancer diagnosis to, ‘Huh, maybe I’m predicting something that’s not even going to come? Why am I going to the worst-case scenario first?’”

She retrained her thoughts to lean into curiosity instead of fear. “I would say, ‘I wonder what it’s going to be like when the doctor calls me with good news.’ And then he did. ‘I wonder what it’s going to be like when I get through surgery, and I get to the other side of this, and I get to meet my baby?’” (Menounos and her husband welcomed a daughter via surrogacy in 2023.) Adopting this mindset brought real relief. She also leaned into her faith and credits bestselling author and researcher Joe Dispenza’s meditation practice with helping her transform.

“We need tools, and that’s the thing,” Menounos says. “Life will beat us down, and it’s really hard to get up unless you have some tools.” She says life is about progress. “You don’t want to be living and dwelling in the past because you’re robbing yourself of the beauty of now and to come.”

Heal Squad x Maria Menounos: Where wellness, media and meaning converge

She launched Heal Squad x Maria Menounos in 2019, originally titled Better Together, as a way to share what she’d learned and help others take charge of their own healing journeys.

In the sea of celebrity podcasts, the wellness and life improvement podcast stands out for its authenticity and depth, covering topics like mindfulness, nutrition and holistic wellness. 

Recognizing the limitations of conventional health care and the need for accessible resources, Heal Squad serves as a comprehensive resource for those seeking guidance on various aspects of life improvement.

It’s not just a celebrity chat show—it’s a safe space offering real-world value for those tackling life’s complexities. Menounos interviews thought leaders, health experts and everyday people who have overcome adversity. Topics range from mental health and nutrition to entrepreneurship, relationships and personal transformation.

To help tamp down the overwhelming info that comes with online research, the program launched Heal Squad journeys. Now a cornerstone of her brand, it’s a meeting point of journalism, wellness and community building and, in many ways, a reflection of her own evolution: polished but personal, informative but inspiring.

“It’s just so important to be preventive, to start looking at what you can do now to accumulate better habits and better choices,” Menounos says. “Most of us spend our early lives trying to achieve, and we’re trained: be a good girl, get good grades, go to a great college… and get a big job, make a lot of money. And then, it’s have kids and get married, but health is never ever, ever in the equation. And, you know, preventive health is so important.”

She says there are foundational things you can do for free, like syncing your circadian rhythm, and others, like preventive screenings, that are often covered by health insurance. She’s now leaning in to teach these tools via wellness retreats to help others “be the CEO of their own health.”

“I think, if your pain persists, you have to keep fighting,” Menounos says. If you feel dismissed by one practitioner, she suggests getting a second opinion. She recommends having a good health collaborator, such as a friend or podcast, to help “open your mind to other ideas, other modalities.” She says she’s not committed to diseases or illnesses and the parameters that are put around them. “I believe we can heal from anything,” she says.

The business of being Maria

Despite—or perhaps because of—these challenges, Menounos has never stopped building. She remains one of the few entertainment figures to span nearly every media vertical: TV, film, digital, audio, publishing and sports.

This year, she starred alongside Taye Diggs in the Lifetime short film I’ll Be Home for National Margarita Day, part of a branded content campaign with Chili’s. That ambassadorship—along with on-the-go content displayed at gas stations via GSTV, inside movie theaters with Noovie and at airports with Maria: Discover More—shows just how far-reaching her media appeal is. 

One day, she’s headlining a health podcast and the next, she’s anchoring a national ad campaign. Yet she continues to resonate across age groups, bridging longtime fans of her TV work with a new generation discovering her voice in wellness and digital media.

She’s also embraced motherhood with the same candor that defines her career, sharing her fertility journey. In a world of carefully curated celebrity narratives, Menounos’ honesty is a breath of fresh air, redefining what it means to be in the spotlight.

What it takes: A blueprint for the modern media entrepreneur

More than a star—Menounos is a strategist—and a survivor. In a rapidly evolving media landscape, she’s proven that staying relevant takes more than visibility—it takes adaptability, authenticity and a mission. From high-profile events to quiet recovery rooms, Menounos has managed to turn personal health setbacks into platforms, hardship into connection. What sets her apart isn’t just what she produces but how fully and honestly she shows up.

If the past is any indication, Menounos isn’t slowing down anytime soon. With a growing media portfolio, a thriving podcast and a renewed sense of purpose in motherhood, she’s poised for her most impactful chapter yet.

Her new filter for choosing projects is simple: Does it feel right? “It’s always, ‘Are they good people, and do I feel safe working with them?’” she asks herself. “I’ve dealt with a lot of toxic [work] environments, and I don’t have it in the energy budget or the health budget anymore.”

Her focus is less about fame—and more about footprint: helping others heal and thrive. In Menounos’ world, legacy isn’t inherited—it’s something you build, moment by moment, message by message. And she’s just getting started. 

Photo by John Russo. This article originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of SUCCESS® magazine.

The post Maria Menounos: Building Resilience For a Life That Thrives appeared first on SUCCESS.

5 Best Podcasts for Entertainment Entrepreneurs

1. In the Podlight

Hosts: Caroline Liem and Grant Kretchick

Curious about how Hollywood continues to adapt since the pandemic or how to safeguard your career against AI’s rising influence? In the Podlight tackles these crucial questions, empowering listeners with practical insights and actionable advice. Hosts Caroline Liem and Grant Kretchick, seasoned industry veterans, bring their expertise to help emerging talent and the industry curious navigate the shifting world of arts and entertainment.

With their teaching roles at institutions like Pace University’s Sands College of Performing Arts, Liem and Kretchick’s dedication to lifting up the next generation of talent through the lens of diversity and representation shines through every episode.

Listeners are encouraged to guide their own path forward through creative entrepreneurship and are given the inside scoop of resources like WGA and SAG-AFTRA, unions that are literally on the picket line of change in the industry. From understanding the role of intimacy coordinators to flagging problematic language in contracts (never sign anything “in perpetuity”), each interview is engaging and informative.

Listen here.

2. The Town

Host: Matthew Belloni

Looking for a no-nonsense take on the business of entertainment? The Town delivers commentary on the industry free from the rose-colored glasses and romance of Hollywood. Since 2022, Matthew Belloni’s twice-weekly podcast and similarly prolific newsletter What I’m Hearing have offered grounded takes on what’s developing in Tinseltown and why.

Fans of Belloni’s punchy half-hour episodes appreciate his candid delivery, even if his fervent tone can be polarizing. With a background as an entertainment lawyer followed by years at The Hollywood Reporter, Belloni pulls no punches when it comes to his seasoned insights on the future of entertainment. Whether he’s predicting the consolidation of streaming platforms or interviewing top-tier industry players, The Town keeps listeners ahead of the curve.

Curious if Netflix is truly unstoppable or perhaps overvalued? Wondering how much revenue a hit TV show generates and how that’s evolving? Have we already witnessed the peak of the music industry, and what might the future hold? The Town explores all these topics and more.

Listen here.

3. The Grill Room

Host: Dylan Byers

Have you ever wanted to be in “the room where it happens” (to quote Hamilton) and get the hot goss on who’s actually running the show? Dylan Byers’ podcast The Grill Room takes listeners behind the scenes into the world that shapes media, reporting on the big decisions and the egos that make them.

Byers is an experienced media correspondent, whose newsletter In The Room has been giving readers the inside scoop on his reporting for major platforms for years. Named for the renowned, exclusive dining room in New York’s Four Seasons, where generations of media deals have been made, the allure of The Grill Room is the look inside at the legacy media drama that listeners won’t get from curated media reports published to tell a more controlled story.

Byers delivers two episodes weekly: one featuring an honest conversation with a media professional and the other offering a candid chat with a friend or colleague. With equal parts insider gossip and media reporting, The Grill Room promises to say all the quiet parts out loud for all listeners to hear.

Listen here.

4. ScriptNotes

Hosts: John August and Craig Mazin

If you’re a screenwriter, Scriptnotes is required listening. Hosts John August and Craig Mazin blend wit and wisdom as they interview industry experts, break down scripts, analyze industry trends and deconstruct listener submissions in their fan-favorite “Three Page Challenge.”

With 14 years of weekly episodes, their catalog of content is vast, with older seasons available through their premium subscription and the Scriptnotes app. Veteran listeners enjoy the dynamic August and Mazin bring to each episode, with August’s more serious demeanor playing foil to Mazin’s more silly and relaxed personality. You may recognize Mazin as the former college roommate of Ted Cruz, whose criticism of the U.S. senator ended up on outlets including The Daily Show, delighting listeners and solidifying Mazin’s witty truth-teller voice in the public eye.

No matter the topic, from copyright law to dissecting cult classics like Raiders of the Lost Ark, August and Mazin’s conversations are as entertaining as they are educational, with Scriptnotes providing a treasure trove of insights for screenwriters at any stage.

Listen here.

5. On With Kara Swisher

Host: Kara Swisher

For those who want to understand the crossroads of media, technology and politics, On With Kara Swisher is a master class in hard-hitting interviews. Swisher’s eminent career in journalism started in San Francisco during the ’90s tech boom, earning her the reputation as “the” tech journalist. She’s interviewed Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Jack Dorsey and Steve Jobs, and her influence has shaped the conversation around technology over the past three decades.

Particularly as suspicions of the media reach a new pinnacle, Swisher’s award-winning work and ethical integrity has made her twice-weekly podcast a must-listen for forward-thinking entrepreneurs. Swisher’s interviews are direct, and she doesn’t shy away from any hard topics or challenging questions, making each episode a promise of something worth hearing.

Whether discussing the dangers of social media on teen mental health with surgeon general Vivek Murthy or challenging the narratives of tech moguls like Elon Musk, Swisher’s fearless approach makes you see each topic in a new light. Hailed as one of the most influential tech journalists, Swisher unpacks the complexities of modern media and its impact on business, culture and success. 

Listen here.

This article appears in the May/June issue of SUCCESS magazine. Photo by Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.

The post Top 5 Podcasts for Entertainment Entrepreneurs appeared first on SUCCESS.

But “Fight Song” revealed just one facet of Platten’s multidimensional personality—the “really encouraging, empowered side,” she says. Her latest album, I Am Rachel Platten, invites listeners to get to know her on an even deeper, more personal level, including her struggles with “rage, jealousy, fear, grief and all the things that the human existence entails,” she says.

“I really feel like it’s my proper introduction to the world,” she adds. “This record was the first time that I really vulnerably shared these [other] parts of me…. It’s like I didn’t own the shadow side of me because I was too afraid to be anything but grateful and cheerful and empowered and excited. And I thought that’s who I was supposed to be because I broke out with ‘Fight Song.’”

Songwriting as medicine

Platten spent most of her 20s and early 30s trying to make it as a musician, cobbling together a living by playing late-night gigs, doing commercials, performing in cover bands and touring in her mother’s car. Then, at age 33, she released “Fight Song.” It wasn’t an immediate hit, but when it finally took off in January 2015, it catapulted Platten into the global spotlight almost overnight. She signed with a label—something every aspiring musician dreams of—and even performed on stage with Taylor Swift.

At the urging of her label, Columbia Records, Platten released the album Waves in 2017. She’s proud of Waves but, in hindsight, says she wasn’t ready to produce new music so quickly. The album—and the way Platten was being marketed—didn’t necessarily feel authentic, either.

A lot has changed since then. Over the last eight years, Platten parted ways with Columbia Records, gave birth to daughters Violet and Sophie, endured the pandemic, and started her own independent record label with her husband, Kevin Lazan. Through it all, Platten says she struggled to keep her head above water, battling postpartum depression and anxiety, as well as chronic pain, insomnia and panic attacks that left her feeling disconnected from her body. Songwriting—along with therapy, medication, journaling and many other mental health strategies—helped her heal.

“These songs that I wrote for myself were my medicine,” she says. “These songs saved my life.”

Take “Mercy,” for example, which Platten says she wrote “in the middle of a breakdown” in late 2021. Her younger daughter, Sophie, was just a few months old and had been in the hospital with a high fever; her husband, meanwhile, was passing a kidney stone. And Platten was still in the throes of her own postpartum mental health challenges. One night, she fled, sobbing, to the recording studio in the backyard of her Los Angeles home.

“Something in me broke,” she says. “I remember feeling like, ‘Oh my God, I cannot take any more. I can’t take one more thing….’ And that wail of pain turned into a song within 20 minutes…. In that moment, when that song rushed through me and my pain turned into music—and beautiful music—it was almost like an answer. ‘You are going to be OK, and your songwriting is the way out.’”

Other tracks on I Am Rachel Platten poured out in a similar way, as Platten was wrestling with her personal demons. “Bad Thoughts” is based on a mantra Platten repeated to herself over and over again while suffering from anxiety after the birth of her first daughter, Violet: “I’m bigger than these bad thoughts.” She originally titled the song “Listen to this if you’re having a panic attack” and incorporated guided breathing cues to re-center herself.

But several of the songs on the new album reflect Platten’s healing journey as she overcame her struggles and gained newfound confidence in herself. She wrote “I Don’t Really Care (Set Me Free)” about finally shedding the people-pleasing tendencies she’d had since childhood. “Love me as I am or don’t love me at all,” she sings defiantly. “I don’t really care what you say, what you think about me/ Almost lost my mind trying to make everybody happy/ I know who I am/ I don’t care who you want me to be.”

Motherhood ‘ripped my heart open‘

Her new identity as a parent also shines through. Motherhood “ripped my heart open in the most beautiful and ferocious way,” she says, which led to an emotional depth in her songwriting and creativity she hadn’t previously been able to access. She wrote the song “Girls” as she reflected on everything she hoped and dreamed for her daughters as they grew up, like learning to trust themselves and not being afraid to make mistakes. “It was kind of like a prayer over them, and, as I was writing it, I realized it was also for me and my inner child and for all the women and girls that I loved,” she says.

She also believes pregnancy, motherhood and the struggles she faced allowed her to expand her vocal range. “Because my voice has changed, how I wrote and what I do with my voice on songs is different,” she says. “There are so many more ballads on this record and so many more long, held notes where I can shape and bend the vowel and have fun with it and play with it and really express, through my voice, pain and grief and fear and joy and light. You can hear a lot more soul in my voice.”

Finding her own definition of success

I Am Rachel Platten is raw and deeply personal. But, beyond the lyrics of her new songs, Platten has also opened up about her mental health struggles on social media and on stage. She wants other new moms to know they’re not alone and that it’s OK to ask for help. And, in doing so, she’s received a “humongous” amount of love, support and reassurance from her followers in return, she says.

“Because I was asking for help, it was like a clarion call,” she says. “If I had kept that to myself, I think I would’ve really missed out on the most beautiful connection that happens when we are honest about what we’re going through and are brave enough to share.”

Her vulnerability and mental health advocacy has not gone unnoticed. In October 2024, the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City honored Platten with its “Voice for Change” award—a recognition that, she quickly realized, meant so much more than other forms of validation she had been seeking.

“To be rewarded for this deeply inner work that I did to save my own life, it was so meaningful,” she says. “It really hit me that that was what success was for me…. We should all really examine that definition of success and understand what it means for us personally and not what we’ve been told it is. What is it really in your heart, what really lights you up, what’s really going to make you feel fulfilled when you look back at your life?”

This article appears in the May/June issue of SUCCESS magazine. Photo by Jess Lynn Hess.

The post Singer Rachel Platten Is Still Fighting appeared first on SUCCESS.