Media Industry Guru

Here is Jesse Robinson — actor, producer, professor, comedian, and a creative force who’s done it all. From performing at the Comedy Store alongside Damon Wayans Jr. to playing body double for Christian Bale in Vice, Jesse’s career has never stayed in one lane.

He’s produced award-nominated TV series, written indie films, and taught the next generation of actors at Shenandoah University. His impressions? Over 100 and counting—includ...

Here we are with Jackie Sweger. Jackie didn’t enter college with a set path—until she watched Pitch Perfect and saw herself in Becca, the character who juggled college radio and a capella. Inspired, Jackie declared a major in Communication and soon discovered a deep passion for music, writing, and journalism.

That spark led her to work for companies including NPR and SiriusXM. At SiriusXM she helped program content for legendary sta...

Composer Mark Griskey has scored some of the most iconic video game titles of the last two decades — from the Star Wars universe to Pirates of the Caribbean and Marvel Super Hero Squad. Now, with a fresh master’s degree in Music Business from Berklee, he’s blending creative mastery with industry strategy.

Here we sat down with Mark to talk about the evolution of video game music, his time at LucasArts, and how going back to scho...

Here we are with Sophie Sargent. She is a New England native building a career in media through persistence and passion. During college, she launched a self-help podcast and began working in radio and TV, while completing a degree in Homeland Security.

She currently co-hosts the morning show on 95.7 WZID, is a night DJ on 96.5 Live Free Country, and reports for NESN. Sophia also works as a freelance model and actress and is competin...

Here we are with musician, songwriter, and activist David Fagin who has spent his career challenging the industry. As frontman of The Rosenbergs, he pioneered artist-friendly deals and teamed up with Robert Fripp to fight for master ownership. He’s testified on Capitol Hill, composed for major networks, and co-wrote Boston Strong, the Boston Marathon theme song.

A former HuffPost columnist, he’s never shied away from controversy, fr...

Here we are with Nikita Lev. Nikita grew up on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, immersed in a world where music was always present. With a family background in chamber music and a mother who played in a 90s rock band, she was exposed to a wide range of sounds, from ABBA to The Rolling Stones. Inspired by seeing Taylor Swift perform on television at the age of four, she picked up a guitar and began writing songs by the time she was ten....

Here we are with a veteran artist manager and creative director Benji Stein. After seeing many other managers struggle with playlisting and booking shows, Benji created an automated tool for playlist research and a talent buyer search engine. The platforms are called PlaylistSupply and Booking-Agent.io. He wanted to make the process more accessible to himself, his friends and indie artists who may not have a team, label or budget. ...

Here we are with Analog Society. Analog Society is a Timeless Pop band from London, reinventing the best of 60s and 70s music by blending catchy melodies and anthemic choruses with sophisticated arrangements. Their sound bursts with soulful vocals, funky riffs, and Motown-style horns, creating a fresh take on classic influences. We will get to hear how the band formed, their upcoming professional goals, advice, as well as a fun mas...

Jared Sigman is an actor, writer, and comedian based in Los Angeles. He is a member of the comedy troupe Business Ethics, and you can see him in 'The Jared Show,' and "SOAPS" which are both set to premiere later this year. Jared began his journey in the Bay Area Teen Improv Troupe, Creatures of Impulse, and recently co-wrote and starred in the award-winning short film 'Zipsul' alongside Danny Hanna. We wil...

Here we are with Xavier DuBose. He is a creative producer and founder of Variable X Pictures, a production company that empowers artists, filmmakers, and brands to create entertainment that captivates audiences. From live experiences and activations to feature films, Xavier has worked with companies like Mazda, Netflix, Lifetime, and Hallmark, delivering high-quality and memorable experiences. We will get to hear his upcoming goals...

Here we are with Christine Shoshannah, Mulitplatinum Songwriter and founder of Shoshannah Balm™. We will get to her more about her genre choice of music including R&B, folk, and soul and what led her to be a multitalented and multifaceted Grammy nominated songwriter. She is also a producer and mixer and we will get to her more about her experience simultaneously being a businesswoman with her lip balms. We will get her take and...

Kristoffer Birkedal is a musician and songwriter whose life revolves around his love for music. Songwriting is his passion and purpose—a craft he pursues with unwavering dedication because it brings him true happiness.

Drawing inspiration from genres with depth and substance, Kristoffer’s influences span folk, jazz, reggae, classical, and beyond. His own sound is deeply rooted in the 60s folk revival, shaped by artists like Nick Dr...

Here we are with Danny Hanna, a writer and film editor. Here he is going to chat more about his professional background within the film and theatrical space and what it was like going to USC one of the top film schools. He is going to chat more about his credits and major highlights working with industry professionals and major actors. Finally, we will wrap up the episode hearing more about his application for the Hollywood Fringe ...

Here is Brit Balazar. Brit worked as a researcher in a brain cancer laboratory for two years from the ages 15 through 17 before experiencing multiple deaths in her life and realizing life was way too short to not pursue their greatest passion — arts and entertainment! We will learn more about Brit's background now pursuing a career in the entertainment and theater world as well as her upcoming personal and professional goals.

Foll...

Here we are with dolltr!ck. Capturing your ears and eyes with a genre-blending sound of Owl City-meets-Clean Bandit-meets-Korean pop, dolltr!ck is the artist project of Singapore-born music technologist and electronic musician Claire Marie Lim. She entered the industry as a creative force behind-the-scenes, and is now known for her dynamic live electronic music performances as an independent artist, displaying forward-thinking crea...

Here we are with Harry Eucrow. He plays Southern Gothic Americana and Folk-Rock along with his band The Sorry Lot. They've put out two EPs and a couple of singles over the last 5 years, and played a bunch of shows in Denmark, Norway, Spain and the US. Harry started out playing in a lot of shitty punk bands as a kid, then moved on to being campfire guitar player, and finally decided to take my music as seriously as others seemed to ...

Here we are with Lauren Castro. She is an entertainment journalist, writer and social media specialist for Texas Monthly. She knew that she wanted to be a writer before she got to college. She genuinely enjoys learning from others and what their passions may be, how they got to where they are, what makes them tick, etc. She loves storytelling and everything that goes into it: the vulnerability in sharing your innermost thoughts, po...

Here we are with Elizabeth Woolf. Elizabeth is a Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. She debuted her first album in 2020. Elizabeth has performed extensively, both locally in LA and internationally. She recently completed a west coast co-headline tour with Phoebe Katis.
In addition to her solo artist career, Elizabeth is a songwriter, having co-written songs for various artists. Most recently sh...