How To Become A…
How To Become A...
Podcast Description
How To Become A... gives insights into everyday success stories. You don't have to be rich or famous to be successful, there are thousands of careers out there which are hugely successful but don't get the limelight they deserve. This is where we come in, interviewing normal people about how they got to exactly where they are. From their very first steps through to big decisions, to their dream for the future. Join us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast covers a variety of themes centered on career development and personal stories, including practical insights into professions like tailoring, culinary arts, script editing, and local politics. For instance, episodes feature guests discussing how they built their businesses in tailoring, the significance of culinary ventures, the nuances of working in the competitive TV industry, and navigating local governance as a young mayor.
‘How To Become A…’ gives insights into everyday success stories. You don’t have to be rich or famous to be successful, there are thousands of careers out there which are hugely successful but don’t get the limelight they deserve. This is where we come in, interviewing normal people about how they got to exactly where they are. From their very first steps through to big decisions, to their dream for the future. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @howtobecomea__ for more good stories.
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 (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 Lyrics Organics 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.
🎙 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.
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