Episodes

  • Spill's CEO on becoming more than 'Black Twitter'

    Spill's CEO on becoming more than 'Black Twitter'
    Apr 14 2026
    In 2022, Alphonzo “Phonz” Terrell was the global head of social and editorial at Twitter until he was part of the mass layoffs following Elon Musk's acquisition of the company. Terrell and his fellow Twitter alum DeVaris Brown immediately pivoted to create their own social media platform, Spill. After years of seeing how harmful and exploitative social media apps can be to Black and queer folks in particular, they were determined to design a space to serve and safeguard the communities that actually drive online culture. It's easy to think of Spill as Black Twitter getting its own platform. And while Terrell is devoted to maintaining the trust of its users and building more equity for them, what he really sees Spill becoming is an operating system for fandom. In this episode of Creative Control, Terrell explains how being a "failed" musician set his career in motion, what the future of fandom looks like, how he's navigating brand partnerships with community trust, and what growth opportunities he sees for Spill in a very chaotic social landscape. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news To listen to the latest episodes of Creative Control on Fast Company:https://www.fastcompany.com/podcasts/creative-control
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    53 mins
  • Your Creativity Needs a Good Stretch—and Riz Ahmed Is Here to Help

    Your Creativity Needs a Good Stretch—and Riz Ahmed Is Here to Help
    Mar 10 2026
    When Riz Ahmed feels lost in his creative endeavors, he asks two questions: Does it stretch me? Does it stretch culture? Those questions have guided Ahmed to an Oscar- and Emmy-winning acting career (The Long Goodbye and The Night Of, respectively), a boundary-pushing music catalog, and stories that have redefined who gets to be seen at the center of the frame. And now, in the latest chapter of his career as WePresent's guest curator, he’s posing those two questions to all creatives. In this episode of Creative Control, we explore how Ahmed is utilizing his role as WePresent's guest curator (a role previously held by the likes of Marina Abramović, Solange Knowles, and Olafur Eliasson) and how his upcoming version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet ties directly into his vision of stretching culture—particularly at a time when it needs it most. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news To listen to the latest episodes of Creative Control on Fast Company:https://www.fastcompany.com/podcasts/creative-control
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    35 mins
  • Inside ‘Half His Age’: Jennette McCurdy on female rage, desire, and control

    Inside ‘Half His Age’: Jennette McCurdy on female rage, desire, and control
    Feb 3 2026
    In 2022, Jennette McCurdy shook the culture with I’m Glad My Mom Died, a brutally honest memoir that spent more than 80 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, sold more than 3 million copies, and is now being adapted as a series for Apple TV+. But more than anything, the book marked a turning point for McCurdy as she reclaimed writing—not acting—as her true creative home. Now, she’s pushing her passion even further with her debut novel, Half His Age. The book follows Waldo, a 17-year-old student who enters an affair with her married English teacher. It’s an unsettling, razor-sharp examination of power, consent, female rage, class, and consumerism. In this conversation, McCurdy unpacks her writing process (it’s a full-body endeavor), the discomfort she’s intentionally leaning into, and what it means to take full authorship—and creative control—of her career. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news To listen to the latest episodes of Creative Control on Fast Company:https://www.fastcompany.com/podcasts/creative-control
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    43 mins
  • “Get greater later”: Hit-Boy on growth, boundaries, and building beyond music

    “Get greater later”: Hit-Boy on growth, boundaries, and building beyond music
    Dec 16 2025
    Grammy-winning producer Hit-Boy has shaped the sound of modern hip-hop—crafting timeless records for Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Nas, Kanye West, and more. But behind the hits is a deeper story about creative ownership, personal growth, and learning when to let go. Recorded live at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival, executive director of editorial programming KC Ifeanyi traces Hit-Boy’s evolution from a teenage producer chasing opportunity to a creative leader rewriting his own rules. He opens up about being locked into a restrictive publishing deal for nearly two decades, how mentorship from Jay-Z helped him regain control, and why he now sees that period as a necessary part of his growth. Hit-Boy also dives into his creative process—why he treats beat-making like a video game, how rejection is baked into the job, and what it really takes to make music that lasts. He shares his perspective on AI as a creative tool (not a threat), his journey with therapy and mental health, and why setting boundaries has been essential to protecting his energy. Now expanding into film, brand work, and building a creative hub for the next generation, Hit-Boy describes this chapter of his life as a “software update”—a full reset, creatively and personally. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to ⁠https://www.fastcompany.com/news⁠ To listen to the latest episodes of Creative Control on Fast Company:⁠https://www.fastcompany.com/podcasts/creative-control
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    34 mins
  • Going Solo: Tracee Ellis Ross on the future of unscripted storytelling

    Going Solo: Tracee Ellis Ross on the future of unscripted storytelling
    Nov 11 2025
    Since its debut, Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross has become Roku’s most-watched unscripted original (show?) ever—igniting global conversations about self-discovery, independence, and the freedom of traveling alone. At Fast Company's 11th annual Innovation Festival this past September, Tracee and Brian Tannenbaum, head of Roku Originals, took to the stage for a candid conversation about how the series redefines unscripted storytelling and authentically reaches a unique audience, as well as why this experience has forever changed Tracee's expectations of creative and business partnerships. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news To listen to the latest episodes of Creative Control on Fast Company:https://www.fastcompany.com/podcasts/creative-control
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    36 mins
  • IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHASE FOR BUSINESS - The Small Business Surge: Why Entrepreneurial Growth Is Defying Economic Noise

    IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHASE FOR BUSINESS - The Small Business Surge: Why Entrepreneurial Growth Is Defying Economic Noise
    Nov 10 2025
    Small business owners are staying optimistic — three-quarters expect revenue gains despite ongoing labor shortages, inflation pressures, and economic uncertainty. Their confidence, fueled by strong demand and increased clarity around tax policy, is driving investment and innovation heading into 2026.
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    15 mins
  • How Elvira Built a Brand to Die For

    How Elvira Built a Brand to Die For
    Nov 3 2025
    Cassandra Peterson, better known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, has spent nearly 25 years turning horror, humor, and high camp into an art form—and a solid business. In this bonus Halloween episode of Creative Control, Peterson opens up about her wild journey from Las Vegas showgirl to pop culture icon, discussing how to build a brand that lasts and her latest project that's been decades in the making: Elvira's Cookbook From Hell: Sexy, Spooky Soirées and Celebrations for Every Occasion. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news To listen to the latest episodes of Creative Control on Fast Company:https://www.fastcompany.com/podcasts/creative-control
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    44 mins
  • From the Werkroom to the MCU: Shea Couleé on where drag is heading next

    From the Werkroom to the MCU: Shea Couleé on where drag is heading next
    Oct 14 2025
    Shea Couleé has become an undeniable force in drag, rising from Chicago’s local scene to snatching crowns on RuPaul’s Drag Race to breaking new ground in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Shea has been an integral part of drag becoming mainstream—and she has a few ideas on where it should be headed next. In this episode, Shea charts her creative journey through drag, lessons she’s learned in building a brand, how her Black and queer identities have turbocharged her creativity, her iconic debut in the MCU starring in Ironheart, and why more risk-taking in drag is what’s needed now more than ever. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news To listen to the latest episodes of Creative Control on Fast Company:https://www.fastcompany.com/podcasts/creative-control
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    35 mins