The Road of Stars Podcast
The Road of Stars Podcast
Podcast Description
The Road of Stars is a podcast where Mwenya Kawesha interviews dynamic creative leaders who successfully blend creativity and commerce. Moving beyond the "starving artist" trope, it highlights inspiring stories of people who share how they stay true to their creative visions while navigating the business side and shaping their industry. The podcast aims to empower listeners to see a place for themselves in creative industries, so more creative work transforms people and places.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes such as creative entrepreneurship, intellectual property, cultural storytelling, and the challenges in various creative industries. Episodes explore topics like managing the business side of creativity, the importance of personal branding, and the role of the arts in addressing social issues, including episodes with guests like Natalie Edwards discussing funding and production in theatre, and Chris Thorpe addressing political themes in performance art.
The Road of Stars is a podcast where Mwenya Kawesha interviews dynamic creative leaders who successfully blend creativity and commerce. Moving beyond the “starving artist” trope, it highlights inspiring stories of people who share how they stay true to their creative visions while navigating the business side and shaping their industry. The podcast aims to empower listeners to see a place for themselves in creative industries, so more creative work transforms people and places.
The power of intellectual property and brand-building when producing film, factual entertainment and script-writing competitions.
Natalie Edward-Yesufu is a multi-award-winning producer, creative leader, and CEO of Transition Stage Company, known for her bold approach to storytelling. A classically trained actor with a Master’s from Birmingham Royal Conservatoire, she has appeared in BBC productions and produced over 50 new plays and three films, securing international funding across the UK and USA. She is also the founder of Enter.Stage.Write and StoryTown – Ideas You Own, two platforms that merge storytelling, entrepreneurship, and intellectual property, drawing hundreds of creatives and industry leaders each year.
Natalie earned her a Duke of Edinburgh TV Inclusion Award nomination in partnership with Disney, and she has collaborated with the BBC, BFI, Channel 4, and BAFTA-winning producers to elevate new and underrepresented talent. In 2024, after having her first child, she launched ELVÉ—a lifestyle and events company offering curated wellness, education, and community experiences for expats and modern families.
We talk about…
- Natalie’s early career in New York, cultivating confidence and ambition
- How and why she founded her production and entertainment company in Birmingham, UK
- Her early experiences pitching her business ideas
- The importance of personal branding and how Natalie built her profile
- The challenges around production and funding in Birmingham
- The importance of managing money and the business side of the creative industry
- The importance of creatives understanding what intellectual property is and how to protect it
- The challenges and opportunities in the broadcast and film industries
- The impact of winning awards on Natalie’s personal and business brands
- The importance of building and owning your own creative platforms
Natalie’s socials:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natyesufu/#
- Transition Stage Company website: https://transitionstagecompany.com/
- Transition Stage Company Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/transitionstagecompany_/
- ELVÉ Events Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/experience_elve/
- LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/her-she-natalie-adele-edward-yesufu-98694469
Mwenya’s socials:
https://www.mwenyakawesha.com/https://www.instagram.com/mwenyakawesha/ https://www.instagram.com/theroadofstars/?igsh=c3g2YXhrdzU5am4y&utm_source=qr#
Disclaimer: All views are my own and all my guests’ views are their own. There is no product placement in this episode.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.