Creative Control

Creative Control

The days of celebrities, athletes, and creators relying solely on their talent to build their brands is over. Today, it’s all about partnering with brands, investing in companies, or even launching a business of your own. Join host KC Ifeanyi each episode as he talks to one of the world’s most creative people about how their business endeavors intersect with, and grow, their creativity.

Episodes

March 10, 2026 34 mins
When Riz Ahmed feels lost in his creative endeavors, he asks two questions: Does it stretch me? Does it stretch culture? Those questions have guided Ahmed to an Oscar- and Emmy-winning acting career (The Long Goodbye and The Night Of, respectively), a boundary-pushing music catalog, and stories that have redefined who gets to be seen at the center of the frame. And now, in the latest chapter of his career as WePresent's guest curat...
Mark as Played
In 2022, Jennette McCurdy shook the culture with I’m Glad My Mom Died, a brutally honest memoir that spent more than 80 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, sold more than 3 million copies, and is now being adapted as a series for Apple TV+. But more than anything, the book marked a turning point for McCurdy as she reclaimed writing—not acting—as her true creative home.   Now, she’s pushing her passion even further with h...
Mark as Played
Grammy-winning producer Hit-Boy has shaped the sound of modern hip-hop—crafting timeless records for Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Nas, Kanye West, and more. But behind the hits is a deeper story about creative ownership, personal growth, and learning when to let go. Recorded live at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival, executive director of editorial programming KC Ifeanyi traces Hit-Boy’s evolution from a teenage producer chasing opportunity t...
Mark as Played
Since its debut, Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross has become Roku’s most-watched unscripted original (show?) ever—igniting global conversations about self-discovery, independence, and the freedom of traveling alone. At Fast Company's 11th annual Innovation Festival this past September, Tracee and Brian Tannenbaum, head of Roku Originals, took to the stage for a candid conversation about how the series redefines unscripted stor...
Mark as Played
Small business owners are staying optimistic — three-quarters expect revenue gains despite ongoing labor shortages, inflation pressures, and economic uncertainty. Their confidence, fueled by strong demand and increased clarity around tax policy, is driving investment and innovation heading into 2026.
Mark as Played
November 3, 2025 43 mins
Cassandra Peterson, better known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, has spent nearly 25 years turning horror, humor, and high camp into an art form—and a solid business. In this bonus Halloween episode of Creative Control, Peterson opens up about her wild journey from Las Vegas showgirl to pop culture icon, discussing how to build a brand that lasts and her latest project that's been decades in the making: Elvira's Cookbook From Hell...
Mark as Played
Shea Couleé has become an undeniable force in drag, rising from Chicago’s local scene to snatching crowns on RuPaul’s Drag Race to breaking new ground in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Shea has been an integral part of drag becoming mainstream—and she has a few ideas on where it should be headed next. In this episode, Shea charts her creative journey through drag, lessons she’s learned in building a brand, how her Black and queer i...
Mark as Played
Las Vegas Aces star Jewell Loyd has amassed a stack of staggering accolades: garnering two WNBA championships, two Olympic gold medals, and six WNBA All-Star nods, not to mention being anointed as the "Gold Mamba” from the late great Kobe Bryant himself. But Loyd’s impact goes beyond the court.   In 2015, she and her brother launched Loyd & Co., a financial services firm they built to give underserved communities real access to c...
Mark as Played
In this bonus episode, executive director of editorial programming, Kc Ifeanyi, chats with editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan about Fast Company's Innovation Festival 2025. They discuss the latest panels, and Fast Tracks, or what Brendan likes to call "field trips for grown-ups." This is where attendees visit the companies that FC reports on.     Later, Brendan asks Kc about a moment at the innovation festival that "keeps him up at ...
Mark as Played
Neon couldn't burn any brighter than it is now. The film production and distribution company acquired the rights to six consecutive Palme d'Or winners at the Cannes Film Festival: Parasite (2019), Titane (2021), Triangle of Sadness (2022), Anatomy of a Fall (2023), Anora (2024), and It Was Just an Accident (2025). Parasite was the first foreign language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2020. Longlegs became the hi...
Mark as Played
For 11 years, Joy Reid was one of the most prominent journalists at MSNBC, spearheading three shows for the network, including The Reid Report, A.M. Joy, and The ReidOut. Her sharp commentary earned her top ratings, a loyal following, an Emmy nomination, and an NAACP Image Award. However, she was unexpectedly fired in February when MSNBC announced a network shake-up. Just four months after her ouster, Joy launched The Joy Reid Sho...
Mark as Played
Moby’s prolific music career spans 35 years, most notably helping to bring electronic music to the mainstream—and perhaps less notably, but still importantly, giving so much of that music away for free. Amid consistently putting out albums, Moby launched Mobygratis in 2005, a platform where creatives can download instrumental music made by Moby to use in any number of projects. Moby has continued to update and iterate on Mobygr...
Mark as Played
June 3, 2025 51 secs
The days of celebrities, athletes, and creators relying solely on their talent to build their brands is over. Today, it’s all about partnering with brands, investing in companies, or even launching a business of your own. Join host KC Ifeanyi each episode as he talks to one of the world’s most creative people about how their business endeavors intersect with, and grow, their creativity.
Mark as Played
September 18, 2023 1 min
Mark as Played
Steven Lim used to work at Buzzfeed, cohosting the wildly popular show ‘Worth It.’ But a few years ago, he left to start his own digital studio, Watcher Entertainment, to take a chance on making content a little differently. Being a creator himself, Lim knew the struggle of writers, producers, and talent fighting to keep their own IP and earn what they’re worth, so he decided to take a unique approach that could be a new standard f...
Mark as Played
Last week, we took a trip to VidCon in Anaheim, California, to meet up with some of the top creators in the industry. Joel Bervell, a fourth-year medical student at Washington State University, rose to fame on TikTok for calling out racial inequities in the healthcare system. One of his first videos, posted early on in the pandemic, taught people that pulse oximeters can overestimate oxygen saturation on people with darker skin—a f...
Mark as Played
SuperOrdinary launched in 2017 as a way for U.S. brands to reach consumers in China. The company has since expanded to working with creators in other international markets. SuperOrdinary cofounder and CEO Julian Reis explains how his company is further leaning into what he calls the “supporter economy”—and how he’s navigating operations amid geopolitical tensions.
Mark as Played
Founded in 2017, Cameo is a platform that allows people to buy custom messages from celebrities to send to their family and friends. The company has expanded the business and created a viable revenue stream for celebrities and creators—even for those who may not be in the traditional Hollywood spotlight. Cofounder and CEO Steven Galanis believes the company amounts to a public utility, connecting celebrities to fans in a direct, ac...
Mark as Played
AI art generators such as DALL-E, Midjourney, and Craiyon have gained noticeable attention in the past months. But like so much of what AI touches, there are some big questions that need answers: Who owns the images that feed into these generators? Who owns the images they produce? Entertainment lawyer Wynton Yates shares his perspective on AI art generators, copyright infringement, and the legal questions being debated right now. ...
Mark as Played
This is the third of our special series about fandom. To start from the beginning, listen to our episodes from the past two weeks! When it comes to fan creators and making money, copyright law is pretty strict—any unlicensed use of a property that doesn’t fall under fair use (like the characters from Star Wars, for example) is considered copyright violation. But at the same time, plenty of fan merchandise and other creations, both ...
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    How do the smartest marketers and business entrepreneurs cut through the noise? And how do they manage to do it again and again? It's a combination of math—the strategy and analytics—and magic, the creative spark. Join iHeartMedia Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman as he analyzes the Math and Magic of marketing—sitting down with today's most gifted disruptors and compelling storytellers.

    Eye On College Basketball

    CBS Sports’ official college basketball podcast is the most entertaining and informative of its kind. Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander bring the sport into your ears at least three times per week with commentary, reporting, insider information and statistical analysis throughout college basketball all year long.

    The Questlove Show

    The Questlove Show builds on the award-winning Questlove Supreme podcast, bringing listeners into intimate, one-on-one conversations with peers, influences, and friends. Hosted by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, each episode uncovers the unexpected — from morning rituals and hidden talents to the art and experiences that shaped a guest’s journey. Sometimes playful, sometimes profound, always curious, QLS offers rare insight into leaders in music, film, television, comedy, literature, mental health, and beyond. It’s a fresh, unpredictable spin from a trusted source — a place where randomness is encouraged, tangents are welcomed, and conversations are anything but ordinary.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Dan Bongino Show

    The Dan Bongino Show delivers no-nonsense analysis of the day’s most important political and cultural stories. Hosted by the former Deputy Director of the FBI, former Secret Service agent, NYPD officer, and bestselling author Dan Bongino, the show cuts through media spin with facts, accountability, and unapologetic conviction. Whether it’s exposing government overreach, defending constitutional freedoms, or connecting the dots the mainstream media ignores, The Dan Bongino Show provides in-depth analysis of the issues shaping America today. Each episode features sharp commentary, deep dives into breaking news, and behind-the-scenes insight you won’t hear anywhere else. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dan-bongino-show/id965293227?mt=2 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sftHO603JaFqpuQBEZReL?si=PBlx46DyS5KxCuCXMOrQvw Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/bongino?e9s=src_v1_sa%2Csrc_v4_sa_o

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.