How To Become A...

In this episode, Grace sits down with Nina, the creative behind Nina Bombina, a colourful gifts and homeware brand known for its joyful, dopamine-filled designs.

From always wanting to be an artist, to navigating photography, marketing jobs, and eventually building a thriving product-based business. Nina shares the honest, winding journey behind her brand.

We talk about:
Starting a creative business during lockdown
Turning designs into real, sellable products
Selling at markets vs online (and why markets win for her)
Getting stocked, featured, and discovered
Balancing creativity with making a living
The reality of running a physical product business

This episode is packed with insight for anyone dreaming of building a creative brand or wondering if there’s space for them in a competitive industry (spoiler: there is).
✨ “I thought it wouldn’t go anywhere… but I proved myself wrong.”

🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨
🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path
📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at [email protected]
📱Follow us on socials: @howtobecomea__
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does a Glastonbury stage manager actually do?

In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace sits down with Dan, the programmer and venue manager behind the Rum Shack at Glastonbury, to unpack what it really means to run a late-night festival stage, scout emerging talent, and build community-focused programmes that change lives.

From MCing and MySpace hustle, to founding Lyrix Organix and being invited to run the Rum Shack stage at Glastonbury (first asked in 2013), Dan’s path is full of detours, practical hustle and intentional values.

Dan shares:
Why he fell into the music scene at university
How temp jobs (Transport for London) helped him develop real-world admin & people skills
Starting Lyrix Organix and early nights that helped launch artists (Ed Sheeran among them)
How he programs 60+ artists across five days and maps the arc of a festival night
Why he programs outside the mainstream agent-driven model
Scouting talent before they’re “hot”: the Koji Radical example
The logistics puzzle of limited Glastonbury tickets and sharing bands across stages
Building, rotating and mentoring a backstage team (many are former students)
Creating Levelling the Field: a trainee programme for deaf & disabled festival workers
Turning festival accessibility into paid, transferable work across other events
Practical advice: “Start anywhere, follow it everywhere”

He also opens up about:
Imposter syndrome (and why it doesn’t stop him)
Balancing values with the practical workload of running a stage
Why rotating crews and artists matters for inclusion and freshness
How youth development and long-term scouting create career pipelines
The emotional side of programming, visualising how a night will flow

If you’re interested in:
Festival production & stage management
Live music programming & artist scouting
Careers in events, youth development or accessibility
How to launch creative initiatives that scale across festivals

This episode is for you.

Resources:
https://lyrixorganix.co.uk/
https://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/areas/the-common/levelling-the-field/
🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨
🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path
📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at [email protected]
📱Follow us on socials: @howtobecomea__
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of How To Become A, Grace sits down with multi-hyphen creative Timi to uncover how he built a career as both a film photographer and DJ, without following a traditional path.

From shooting campaigns and newspaper features to DJing in front of 80,000 people at Twickenham Stadium, Timi shares how networking, authenticity, and genuinely loving what you do can open unexpected doors.

We dive into:
How he turned a disposable camera into paid photography work
Shooting England rugby captain Maro Itoje for The Times
Photographing Emma Raducanu for Vodafone
Becoming a resident DJ for Saracens and performing at major stadiums
Why having a unique style matters more than formal training
How to price yourself as a creative
The power of putting your work out there

Timmy’s journey proves you don’t need one fixed dream, just passion, consistency, and the courage to ask.
If you’ve ever wondered how to turn creativity into a career, this episode is for you.
🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨
🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path
📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at [email protected]
📱Follow us on socials: @howtobecomea__
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What actually happens after filming wraps?

In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace sits down with Holly to explore the world of post production, the part of film and television that shapes the final story you see on screen.
From editing and sound design to ADR (Additional Dialogue Recording), grading, music, and delivering shows to Netflix, Amazon and Apple TV. Holly shares what it really means to be a Post Production Coordinator.

We talk about:
• Growing up wanting to be an actor
• Musical theatre and auditioning for drama school
• Rejection and losing her agent
• Working in restaurants while chasing creative dreams
• Hitting rock bottom in 2019
• Therapy and rebuilding confidence
• Falling into post production unexpectedly
• Working in Soho — the UK’s post production hub
• What ADR actually is
• How editing changes a storyline
• The magic of music and score
• Freelance life in film and TV
• Long contracts vs downtime between projects

Holly also shares:
• Why being organised is everything
• How to break into the industry without connections
• The reality of working on Apple TV, Amazon & Netflix productions
• Why post is where the magic really happens

If you’ve ever wondered how a script becomes the show you binge, this episode reveals the hidden world behind the edit.

🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨
🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path
📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at [email protected]
📱Follow us on socials: @howtobecomea__
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it really take to become a head chef?

In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace sits down with Andy — Head Chef at ROVI (part of the Ottolenghi group), to unpack the real journey behind running a high-performing kitchen.

From growing up in a hospitality family (with a dad who owned nightclubs and restaurants) to working his way up through kitchens in Australia and London, Andy shares the truth about the industry — the highs, the burnout, the pirate-ship energy of kitchen culture, and the leadership skills no one talks about.

We cover:
Starting out in a family restaurant
Culinary school vs on-the-job training
Moving from Australia to London without a job lined up
Working your way from chef de partie to sous chef to head chef
What being a head chef actually involves (hint: it’s not just cooking)
Managing big teams under pressure
Menu development, seasonal produce & working with a kitchen garden
Cooking for 200+ guests in Sicily & Ibiza
The harsh realities of the hospitality industry
Why supporting independent restaurants matters

Andy also shares the mindset you need to survive in kitchens:
✔️ Work ethic
✔️ Resilience
✔️ Thick skin
✔️ Passion for food
✔️ Leadership under pressure

If you’ve ever dreamed of running a kitchen, opening a restaurant, or just want to understand what happens behind the pass, this episode is for you.

Resources:
https://ottolenghi.co.uk/pages/locations/rovi
🎙 How To Become A... explores real-life journeys behind the careers of everyday people. Each episode dives into the path of someone who's built success outside of the spotlight — no fame, no fortune, just real stories. Discover how they started, the challenges they faced, and what drives them forward. 💼✨
🔗 Subscribe, rate, and share to help more people find their own path
📩 Got your own story to share? Contact us at [email protected]
📱Follow us on socials: @howtobecomea__
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.