How To Become A...

Imagine recording a Disney film at Abbey Road, where the music is put in front of you after your tea break and you play it through once before it’s recorded for good. 🎬 That’s a normal week for harpist Camilla Pay.In this episode, Grace chats to Camilla about falling in love with the harp at six years old (and covering her bedroom wall with pictures of them), being the only harpist in Canterbury, and auditioning for the Royal Academy of Music when there was just one place a year. She shares how playing afternoon teas in London hotels turned into sight-reading practice, and how she went on to play on Disney’s live-action Snow White and The Little Mermaid, record on a Harry Styles album, and perform with Raye at the Royal Albert Hall. 🎶Camilla also talks honestly about performance nerves, carrying on when everything goes wrong on stage, why musicians don’t earn royalties from streaming, and balancing a freelance career with family life when your husband is a touring drummer.If you’ve ever been told to keep a “plan B”, this one’s for you.🔗 Camilla’s website: https://camillapay.comFollow us on Instagram and TikTok (@howtobecomea__) for more stories 🎙️ Want to be on the show? Email [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ryan Edwards heard his old band's Top 10 hit playing in a department store on Oxford Street. His royalty statement that quarter was enough for a coffee. ☕ So he built a business to fix it.In this episode, Grace chats to Ryan about going from drumming in indie band The Lines (opening for The Killers and touring with The Charlatans) to being dropped by his label and knocking on doors on the high street with "the worst CV in the world" two days later. He walked into Carphone Warehouse, sold five phones on an unpaid trial day, and spent the next seven years working his way up to regional manager.Now he's the founder and CEO of Audoo, the music-tech company behind the Audio Meter, which makes sure artists get paid properly when their music is played in shops, gyms and bars. He talks about how Audoo went from idea to registered business in under two weeks, and how he got investment from ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus, U2's Adam Clayton and the teams behind Paul McCartney and Elton John. He also tells the story of pitching Chris Herbert, the man who created the Spice Girls, who stopped him two minutes in to say "I'm in."If you've ever had a plan fall apart and wondered what comes next, this one's for you. 🥁🔗 Find out more about Audoo: https://www.audoo.comFollow us on Instagram and TikTok (@howtobecomea__) for more stories 🎙️ Want to be on the show? Email [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Phil Hilton left school in 1980 with one CSE in English. He went on to build a 40-year career in radio and TV that took him from pirate radio in Ireland to the BBC, Granada TV and, eventually, Saudi Arabia. 📻In this episode, Grace chats to Phil about how it all started with a pretend radio station in his attic in Southport, and about the persistence (and many, many phone calls) that got him through every door since. He talks about learning the ropes on hospital radio, doing breakfast shows straight from a party in Ireland, announcing Coronation Street to thousands of viewers, and launching his own radio station. He also tells the story of the day Radio Merseyside was evacuated because of a suspicious package… that turned out to be a Cumberland sausage from a listener. 🌭Phil also explains why he thinks most jobs are already filled before the advert even goes up, and what to do about it.If you've ever felt like your exam results decided your future, this one's for you.📖 Phil's book, Southport to Saudi: https://www.southporttosaudi.co.uk/Follow us on Instagram and TikTok (@howtobecomea__) for more stories 🎙️ Want to be on the show? Email [email protected] Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do you turn a side hustle watering pub plants into a business that lasts 30 years?In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace speaks to Natalie, CEO of Acacia, about accidentally finding her career in commercial landscaping and building a business from the ground up.While studying architecture and interior design, Natalie started looking after plants to earn extra money. One opportunity led to another, until she was asked whether she could take care of 55 restaurants nationwide. Her response? Say yes and work out how to do it.We get into:How a side hustle became a 30-year business Why “fake it till you make it” worked for Natalie Teaching herself floristry through YouTube Surviving the pandemic when hospitality shut down Why networking took years to pay off Learning that making more money doesn’t always mean building a better life Creating a swamp for a Shrek premiere at Somerset House Why looking after your team matters as a founderNatalie also shares the deeply personal story behind Acacia Green Spaces and how losing her best friend Sandy inspired her to use nature, workshops and her business to give back to the community.An episode about taking opportunities, backing yourself and being willing to figure things out as you go.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does a financial advisor actually do and is being “good with numbers” really the most important part?In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace speaks to Eliana about a career that she describes as being surprisingly close to counselling: understanding what people actually want from their lives, challenging their decisions and helping them use money to make those goals possible.Eliana’s route into finance was anything but conventional. She originally wanted to be an actress, studied English, spent nearly 18 years in tech and initially walked away from financial services because she hated its sales-driven culture.Years later, she retrained completing an incredible 18 exams in just 21 months only to discover that despite all those qualifications, nobody wanted to employ her. So she started her own business instead.We get into:What financial advisors actually doWhether AI could replace financial adviceWhy money is really about what you want from lifeStarting a financial advice business with no clientsWhy Eliana deliberately built her business around helping womenRisk, investing and why knowledge can change how risky something feelsSupporting people through divorce, illness, dementia and bereavementEliana also shares how her husband becoming seriously ill and unable to work changed her own relationship with money and ultimately shaped the type of financial advisor she wanted to become.This episode is a brilliant reminder that financial planning isn't just about becoming richer. Sometimes, it's about giving someone the freedom to spend their remaining time on what actually matters.Note from Eliana: Client Stories: References to client cases are shared for illustrative purposes. Financial advisers don't provide legal representation or legal advice - in complex situations like divorce, Eliana works hand-in-hand with her clients' legal teams every step of the way.Industry Stats: During our chat, Eliana mentions 2009–2010 estimates that only around 12% of UK financial advisers were women. According to FCA and Personal Finance Society (PFS) data, female advisers have made up just 12–18% of the profession since the mid-2000s, remaining underrepresented today at around 16–18%.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when an injury ends the career you’ve worked towards your entire life?In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace speaks to Roxy, an immersive show director and founder of her own creative agency, about going from professional dancer to creating extraordinary live experiences.After performing professionally for seven years, an injury forced Roxy to rethink everything. Two weeks after her final show, she stepped into the corporate events world, without even knowing how to put on an out-of-office.Since then, she’s gone on to create experiences for major brands, including Rolex product launches, and build her own immersive creative studio.We get into:Reinventing yourself when your dream career endsGoing from performer to creative directorWhat an immersive show director actually doesStarting your own creative agencyThe huge amount of work audiences never seeCreating experiences people genuinely want to be part ofWhy resilience and hustle matter in the events industryPlus, Roxy shares one of her favourite projects — taking guests into the woods for a night involving fairies, a protection spell, a sacrifice, a feast over fire and, eventually, a huge rave.A brilliant episode about creativity, career pivots and turning the skills from one chapter of your life into something completely new.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does an ecologist actually do and can we really balance building more homes with protecting nature?In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace speaks to Evie about her career in ecology and the surprising relationship between conservation, farming and development.Evie explains how ecologists work with developers and landowners to protect and restore habitats, including the new world of Biodiversity Net Gain, which requires developments to leave biodiversity in a better state than before.We get into:How to start a career in ecologyWhy finding your niche is so importantWorking with farmers, developers and protected speciesThe reality behind the £100m HS2 “bat tunnel”How AI is changing ecology and the skills it can’t replaceWhy communication can be just as important as sciencePlus, Evie shares the environmental realities that should make all of us pay attention, including warnings around the future of our soil and the impact climate change is already having around the world.A fascinating look at a career working at the intersection of nature, people and the future of our planet.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What exactly is a live seller and how do you turn selling clothes from your wardrobe into a business generating over £500,000 in sales?In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace speaks to Connor about his journey from logistics and the British Army to becoming a full-time live seller on Whatnot.What started with his own wardrobe, charity shop finds and car boot bargains has grown into 70,000 items sold, around 50,000 followers and a business run almost entirely by himself. We get into:How live selling and Whatnot work Going from side hustle to full-time business Why he starts every item at £1 Building an audience that comes back for him The reality of sourcing, selling, packing and shipping thousands of items Why leaving the Army gave him the family life he wantedFrom serving in the Army to running livestreams watched by over 1,000 people at once, it’s an unexpected career journey and proof that sometimes you don’t need a five-year plan. You just need to start.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does a property stager actually do and can styling a home really help it sell faster?In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace speaks to Sallie about her unconventional journey from law to entrepreneurship, furniture design and eventually property staging.After training as a lawyer and spending six years in the profession, Sallie realised the career she'd worked so hard for wasn't making her happy. She wanted something more creative and that decision eventually led her to build her own furniture company from scratch.She explains:What a property stager actually does How staging differs from interior design Why empty properties can actually look smaller How she designs spaces specifically to attract buyers Why creating an emotional connection can help sell a homeShe also shares:Her journey from law → advertising → entrepreneurship Starting a furniture business with no design training Going from selling one product a month to around 500 Building the business while working another job—and while pregnant Why professional photography completely changed her businessIf you’re interested in:Property and interiors Starting your own business Changing careers Home staging Interior design Building a creative career Starting again in your 40This episode is a brilliant reminder that changing direction doesn’t mean everything you’ve done before was wasted and sometimes your previous careers give you exactly the skills you need for the next one.👇 Would you stage your home before putting it on the market?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does it actually take to build a successful podcast and what happens when your first media business burns through millions?In this episode of How To Become A…, Grace speaks to Jack, founder and host of The Upshot, the sports podcast and newsletter dedicated to the funniest, wildest and most ridiculous stories from the world of sport. Jack’s journey started long before podcasting. After being rejected from the role he wanted on his university newspaper, he decided to launch his own publication, The Tab, which quickly grew beyond one university and eventually attracted millions in investment. But rapid growth came with some expensive lessons. Jack talks candidly about raising millions, expanding to America, building a 50-person team and ultimately spending around $10 million before selling the business for far less than he once imagined. We get into:Going from aspiring sports journalist to media founderBuilding The Tab from a university side projectRaising millions without really knowing how to run a businessWhy relying on Facebook traffic nearly destroyed the companyThe painful 18-month process of trying to sell itStarting again with a completely different approachGrowing The Upshot newsletter from 10,000 to 100,000 subscribers in six monthsTurning a newsletter into a successful podcastWhy consistency matters more than instant growthHow to grow on YouTube, social media and other platforms without spreading yourself too thinWhy imperfect, personality-led media might be exactly what audiences wantIt’s a refreshingly candid conversation about success, failure, algorithms, entrepreneurship and why sometimes the biggest mistakes give you the blueprint for what to do next.If you want to start a podcast, build an audience, work in media or turn an idea into a business, this episode is packed with lessons from someone who has done it twice—with very different results.👇 Would you rather raise millions to grow quickly, or build slowly and keep control?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.