The Lasting Impact of Mentorship: Grace Stevens on Creative Careers and Accessibility
Grace Stevens, creator and host of the podcast How To Become A… and Digital Marketing Manager at Sony Pictures Entertainment, first joined Creative Mentor Network as a mentor on Sony Positive Influence. Through the mentoring programme, she discovered the power of creative careers storytelling and the impact mentorship can have in opening doors, sparking new ideas and building lasting connections, including with her mentee Liz, who inspired the launch of her podcast. In this Q&A, Grace reflects on what she learnt from mentoring, how CMN shaped her perspective on access to the creative industries, and why she’s passionate about sharing career journeys that rarely get the spotlight.
How did mentoring help you develop in your career?
Mentoring opened up a whole new world for me that I didn’t know existed. I thought it would be me trying to help Liz, but we honestly taught each other so much. The insight into someone else’s journey and why they want to do what they are doing isn’t something that is readily available, but this programme allows you to learn from each other. I was able to help Liz grow on her skills, introduce her to new contacts and explore her ideas all in a safe space. I truly learnt the meaning of mentoring, and the long lasting impact it can have. I hope that me and Liz will always be in contact and continue to teach each other.
What inspired you to start a podcast?
The podcast really began with this programme. Liz would visit me at the office and we realised there are so many successful jobs that no one knows exist. Social media can warp what success looks like, along with the education system, making job opportunities appear quite linear. Therefore, I wanted to start something that gives an insight into everyday success stories, and a podcast is the best fit for that. People have been so willing to share their stories to help inspire others and it makes you realise that if we expand younger generations view on careers, they might be more motivated to work for a job that’s suited to them.
Do you think it’s hard for people to get their foot in the door?
The programme opened my eyes to how inaccessible the creative industries can be to those who don’t have ’someone in the business’ they already know. I was aware that schools don’t push creative jobs, deeming them ‘unsafe’, but I also wasn’t aware to what extent. This is why learning this information from places like Creative Mentorship is so empowering. It teaches us to see where the disadvantages are and use the opportunities we have available to help others. People helping people is the most effective way to make change, and the creative industries are all about helping people be seen, have their work noticed and that goes whether you are a musician, graphic designer, a producer or a marketing manager. We need to make opportunities available to people from any background, because the talent is what is most important, and there’s so much talent out there!
“I was aware that schools don’t push creative jobs, deeming them ‘unsafe’, but I also wasn’t aware to what extent.”
Can you tell us more about the podcast?
Our podcast, ‘How To Become A…’, starts with each guest telling us what they wanted to be when they were growing up, through to their first steps into industry, with pitfalls and celebrations of their role and their goals for the future. This is so that nothing is missed off and for listeners that may have always wondered ‘where did you even begin?’, the podcast will answer those questions. It’s for younger generations that want an insight into uncelebrated industries, but are willing to see what joy they bring to people’s lives. It would also be impactful for someone looking to change their career but are unsure of how, where or what. It also fits perfectly for someone who’s inquisitive (like myself) and eager to learn about specific career journeys to see what we can take as inspiration and influence for our own personal journeys.
We have had a range of industries, season one covers restaurant founders, a talent agency owner, a culinary director, a PT and so many more! We of course feature Liz, as a script editor, who was my mentee from this very project. Season two launched on September 10th and kicked off with a large format illustrator, but we also have a CEO/Founder of a global Interior Design Studio , a Breathwork Coach, CEO/Founder of a Youth Mental Health Company, and so much more.
Where would you like to see it go next?
What I would love for ‘How To Become A…’ is that it becomes a staple for schools, business and extra curricular projects that want to help people with their career. We are only at the beginning and can already see the difference it is making, therefore with more support there are thousands more to help. I want people to reach out with questions, requests, and for us to have the opportunity to help them and hopefully lead them to a dream job (that doesn’t necessarily have to be shouted about on Instagram) that makes them feel fulfilled.
Season two of How To Become A… has just launched, kicking off with a Large Format Illustrator and a Leader In Recruitment. You can listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
