How To Become A...

What does a graphic designer actually do? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace sits down with Darren, Head of Design at digital brand experience agency Odd Common, to unpack what really goes into building powerful brands in the digital space. From typography and visual storytelling to managing creative teams and pitching to global brands, Darren shares how he turned a childhood love of art...

In this episode, Grace sits down with Daisy, a Strategic Partnerships Lead at Treatwell, to explore what it actually means to build powerful brand collaborations. From dreaming of a creative career to navigating sales, marketing, and eventually partnerships, Daisy shares her non-linear path, including working abroad in Madrid and building partnerships with major brands like John Lewis. Together, t...

*Trigger warning for this episode: discussion of infertility and baby loss* What does it really take to start a charity from scratch? In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace sits down with Bex and Laura, founders of 'The Worst Girl Gang Ever Foundation', a charity supporting women and families through miscarriage, baby loss and infertility. What started as two strangers connecting over shared e...

What does it really mean to be an ethical queer brand owner? In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace sits down with Adam, founder of Rainbow & Co, to talk about building an LGBTQIA+ apparel and accessories brand that puts community, representation and integrity first. From studying graphic design and advertising to running a business from his apartment, Adam shares how personal experience,...

In this episode, Grace sits down with Paul, founder of BOL Foods, a leading plant-based, nutrition-focused food brand. Paul’s journey is anything but traditional. From dreaming of becoming a professional footballer, to working on a game reserve in South Africa, to breaking bones as a snowboard instructor… his path zig-zagged before leading him into the world of food. After 14 years helping scale I...

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 busin...

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 i...

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. W...

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 mean...

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 t...

How do you turn years in the classroom into a business that actually helps kids? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace talks with Ramita, a former middle-years teacher who founded Elevate , a curriculum and mentoring platform that supports pre-teens (especially girls) with resilience, confidence and social skills. Ramita walks us through: Her original path (pre-med → genetics → a life-changi...

What does it really take to become a fashion designer? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace sits down with Alethea, a designer at Next, to break down the reality of working in fashion, from high street accessories to predicting next year’s trends. From growing up on a council estate with dreams of becoming a designer, to working for Vivienne Westwood, to designing pieces you’ve probably see...

What does a Brand Manager at Marriott actually do? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace sits down with Kel to unpack what it really means to shape, launch and scale hotel brands across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. From moving countries as a teenager, to working front-of-house in a five-star London hotel, to landing a graduate role at Marriott, Kel’s journey proves that brand leadersh...

What happens when your two obsessions, movies and food, become a business? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace talks to Amy, the founder of Taste Film , about building a cinematic dining concept that pairs full film screenings with menus inspired by the movies. From the seed idea in 2017 to pop-ups, COVID pivots, viral growth, and expansion into new cities. Amy walks us through the messy,...

What does it really take to become a sports agent and eventually run your own agency? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace sits down with Stefan, sports agent to Chris Eubank Jr. and co-founder of YRDS, to break down the real path into athlete representation and sports business. From internships and Olympic volunteering to the Premier League and launching a boutique sport & entertainmen...

What does it actually take to become a freelance photographer? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace sits down with Grace to unpack the honest, behind-the-scenes reality of turning photography from a hobby into a career. From unpaid internships and temp jobs to shooting for major brands and launching her own agency, this is a transparent conversation about the creative highs and the financia...

What does it actually mean to be a “music creative”? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace sits down with Toby to unpack the unconventional, multi-layered path of building a career in music — without fitting into one box. From performing and writing his own music to running a studio, directing visuals, programming festival stages, and founding Sounds Queer to platform emerging queer artists,...

What does it actually take to become the CEO of a global interior design business? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace speaks to Penny, founder and CEO of Siren, about her 20-year journey from young interior design graduate in Sydney to leading studios across Australia, Singapore and London. This is not just about beautiful spaces. It’s about building a business from scratch, scaling inter...

What does a Social Media Supervisor actually do? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace sits down with Sammie to unpack what it really takes to manage major entertainment brand accounts, from internships and unpaid placements to working on Spider-Man campaigns and running social for Disney+. This is the honest, behind-the-scenes reality of working in digital entertainment. We cover: Wanting t...

What if the most powerful tool for managing stress, performance, and emotional resilience was something you’re already doing 23,000 times a day? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace speaks to Danny about his journey from corporate finance and semi-professional football to becoming a breathwork coach. This isn’t just about wellness trends. It’s about resilience, identity shifts, and discover...

What does an Industry Lead in Digital actually do? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace speaks to Doulla, a former Industry Lead at Reddit, about building a career in digital from non-linear beginnings, leading sales & industry teams, and finding purpose beyond titles. Doulla shares: Her zig-zag career path: mature student → Nielsen → London 2012 Olympics → Facebook → Reddit How she tur...

What does a sustainability entrepreneur actually do ? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace talks to James, co-founder of waste design studio Are You Mad, about turning waste into paychecks, pop-ups and products. James shares how he moved from the fashion/music world into building a studio that makes acoustic panels, shop fittings and funky shoe-risers out of local waste, runs community work...

What does an Associate Project Director actually do on a huge London build? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace speaks with Tom, an Associate Project Director at Mace, about the day-to-day reality of delivering multi-year, multi-million-pound projects in the city. Expect cranes, late-night problem solving, and the tiny decisions that keep thousands of people safe. Tom shares: How he got in...

How do you build a mental health service that actually reaches children and young people and survives as a business? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace talks to Ami, founder of London Young Counselling, about creating a school-based mental health company from scratch. Ami explains how she turned temp admin jobs and a single idea into a service that places trained counsellors on school sit...

What does it really mean to lead in recruitment? In this episode of How To Become A… , Grace sits down with Joe to unpack the journey from trainee consultant to billing leader, managing a high-performing team while still generating revenue yourself. Joe explains what a “billing leader” actually is, why recruitment gets a bad reputation, and what it takes to build a sustainable career in one of the...