Could Be Pretty Cool

Description: Talib Jasir, founder of the Afros and Audio Podcast Festival and the Vanguard Podcast Network, joins us to talk about nearly a decade of building in podcasting. His story starts with a love of radio drama and a habit of deciding to do something before he knows exactly how, and it has led to some firsts he didn’t even know about until recently. We talk about his new platform for audio drama creators, where the line falls between a podcast and everything else, and why he believes independent creators hold more power in this industry than they realize. Key Topics: · Discovering audio drama as a modern creative medium · Starting before you have all the answers · Building a conference for and by Black independent podcasters · Taking a break after years of nonstop work · Audio drama as portfolio building for film and TV creatives · What makes a podcast in a video-first landscape · Why the future of podcasting depends on independent creators · Podcasting as a living record of who we are Featured Guest: · Talib Jasir - Founder of the Afros and Audio Podcast Festival, Vanguard Podcast Network, and Down the Road Media Notable Quotes: “I believe that we are, as podcasters, laying down a living record of who we are today.” (Talib Jasir) “I think we have an opportunity if only we know how powerful we are in this industry, because without our content, this industry can’t even move.” (Talib Jasir) Connect with our guest: · Talib: talibjasir.com, vanguardpn.com, afrosandaudio.com, and DowntheRoad.Media · Social: Talib Jasir and Afros and Audio Follow Could Be Pretty Cool: @couldbeprettycool | couldbeprettycool.com | couldbeprettycoolnews.substack.com Keywords: podcasting, audio drama, independent podcasters, Black podcasters, podcast industry, creator economy, scripted fiction, podcast festival, creative careers, storytelling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Description: Hip hop artist Lee joins us to talk about the songs he’s been writing since he was a kid and the long road to finally releasing them. With a background in business and finance, Lee expected to have a head start in the music industry, and he shares what actually happened when he brought that mindset into the studio. We also talk about his influences, the realities of being an independent artist right now, and his advice for young people who want to make music without losing the ability to take care of themselves. Key Topics: · Holding onto a creative passion through years of self-doubt · Writing music rooted in storytelling, culture, and lived experience · Bringing corporate business skills into the music industry · Learning the culture of a new creative space · Social media, streaming, and the independent artist · Balancing a day job with a serious creative practice · Building real craft over chasing viral moments Featured Guest: · Lee - Hip hop artist and songwriter with a lyric-focused, storytelling style; new project coming soon Notable Quotes: “I do this because I just really, really love it... if you do it for free, then you truly love it, and that’s kind of where I am right now.” (Lee) “Focus on really building your craft... because when it’s real, that’s what people are going to respond to most.” (Lee) Connect with our guest: · Lee: @lee___music on Instagram, and his music is available on all major streaming platforms Follow Could Be Pretty Cool: @couldbeprettycool | couldbeprettycool.com | couldbeprettycoolnews.substack.com Keywords: hip hop, independent music, rap, songwriting, music business, creative careers, day job and creativity, music industry, streaming, sustainable creative careers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Description: Simone D'Antonio, founder of the Italian edibles brand MAMMAMIA, joins us to talk about turning a culinary tour of Italy into a cannabis brand. He shares what it took to start before he knew what he was getting into, how customers reshaped his original vision, and the thinking behind a product designed to get people talking. This is a conversation about creative entrepreneurship in a type of business we haven't featured on the show before, and the challenges will sound familiar to founders in any industry. Key Topics: · Spotting a gap and deciding you can do it better · Building a brand around taste, design, and Italian culture · Adapting a creative vision to what customers actually buy · Taking calculated risks with product and marketing · Navigating state and federal cannabis regulation · Persevering through the highs and lows of founding a company Featured Guest: · Simone D'Antonio - Founder of MAMMAMIA, an Italian edibles brand based in California Notable Quotes: "I can do something that tastes better than this, looks better than this... So I focus on branding and the actual recipe." (Simone D'Antonio) "Every business is like a roller coaster... You just focus on that beautiful bigger picture that you have in your mind, and you don't care about the bad days." (Simone D'Antonio) Connect with our guest: · Simone: saymammamia.com and @saymammamia on Instagram Follow Could Be Pretty Cool: @couldbeprettycool | couldbeprettycool.com | couldbeprettycoolnews.substack.com Keywords: creative entrepreneurship, cannabis edibles, hemp edibles, Italian food, brand building, product development, food entrepreneurship, cannabis regulation, calculated risk, startup founders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Description: Kendra Walker founded Atlanta Art Week to put the city's galleries, artists and institutions in front of audiences who weren't looking for them yet. Several editions later, she's taking a step back to figure out what comes next. In this conversation she's candid about what the work cost her, what the arts community gets wrong about who deserves credit, and why a pause can be the smartest business decision a founder makes. Key Topics: Building a citywide arts event from a personal network Capital as infrastructure, not a nice to have The real line items behind a grassroots event Charging from day one versus proving the concept for free Who gets listened to in a creative scene, and who does the actual organizing Reading participation numbers as information Deciding when to pause, pivot or keep going Application based participation models and why organizers use them Atlanta's place in the national art ecosystem Featured Guests: Kendra Walker, founder of Atlanta Art Week, arts advisor and writer, Georgia State University (psychology, fine art minor) Notable Quotes: "You need money. I lost money believing in this initiative, and it paid out in certain ways, but you have to put money up to take a chance." (Kendra Walker) "If you want respect, you have to give respect. It doesn't matter someone's age. If they're doing the work, you have to respect them." (Kendra Walker) "If the community's not backing it, it doesn't make sense to keep producing and pushing out things if the numbers aren't adding up." (Kendra Walker) Connect with our guest: Kendra Walker on LinkedIn Atlanta Art Week: atlantaartweek.co | @theatlantaartweek Follow Could Be Pretty Cool: @couldbeprettycool | couldbeprettycool.com | couldbeprettycoolnews.substack.com Keywords: Atlanta Art Week, Atlanta art scene, arts ecosystem, creative entrepreneurship, cultural infrastructure, founder pivot, grassroots events, arts funding, gallery ecosystem, independent curators, event sustainability, creative economy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Description: Keith McHenry spent his youth working in a Cambridge grocery store and studying art before co-founding Food Not Bombs, a global movement that shares free vegan meals to protest war, poverty, and state violence. Over four decades later, despite facing state surveillance, FBI terror designations, and over a thousand arrests, Keith continues to champion autonomous, community-led care. In this conversation, he discusses the intersection of creative activism and street theater, why authorities fear simple acts of community solidarity, how punk culture helped expand the movement to over 1,000 cities worldwide, and why direct mutual aid remains one of the most powerful tools for social change. Key Topics: The origins of Food Not Bombs and its growth from Boston to San Francisco Blending art, street theater, and humor with direct action activism Navigating state surveillance, FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force filings, and mass arrests The three core principles: free vegan food, non-hierarchical consensus, and nonviolent direct action How touring punk bands helped spread the movement across Asia, Europe, and the Americas Why avoiding foundation grants preserves organizational independence and longevity Reclaiming humanity and compassion through practical, local community support Featured Guest: Keith McHenry is an artist, author, and co-founder of Food Not Bombs. Since 1980, he has dedicated his life to nonviolent direct action, organizing mutual aid initiatives, and supporting autonomous activist chapters in over 1,000 cities globally. He is the author of several books, including his memoir Soup Street and the organizing guide Hungry for Peace. Notable Quotes: "The fear of a good idea is what threatens the people in power the most." (Keith McHenry) "Maybe what the revolution is is that we're taking care of one another in this kind of form of mutual aid..." (Keith McHenry) "There's this deep thing in humans where we just can't be put down." (Keith McHenry) Connect with Keith: foodnotbombs.net | keithmckenry.net | keithmckenry.substack.com | anarchistcook.blog Follow Could Be Pretty Cool News: @couldbeprettycool | couldbeprettycool.com | couldbeprettycoolnews.substack.com Keywords: Food Not Bombs, Keith McHenry, mutual aid, direct action, street theater, grassroots activism, veganism, anti-war movement, Soup Street, social justice, autonomous chapters, community care, creative activism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices