In this final episode of season 2 of the emPOWER Breakfast Podcast, Founder and Host Athene Parker is joined by award-winning director Karen Cunningham for an insightful conversation about longevity, reinvention, and building a career in the advertising and film industry.

Karen’s career spans decades, with multiple creative chapters from early ambitions as an actor, to working in advertising as a TV producer, moving into production as a talent scout and producer, co-founding her own production company Pink Films, and ultimately from there, stepping into a decades long, award winning directing career. Her journey is a powerful example of what it means to evolve, adapt and sustain a long-term creative career.

Karen is known for her emotionally rich, human-led storytelling and her ability to draw authentic performances with her AMAZING casting, often from non-actors. Her directing career began with the award-winning short film “Wonderful World,” created for a children’s charity, which marked a defining turning point and launched her behind the camera, the project sweeping the board at the award ceremonies establishing Karen as an impactful voice shaping the landscape of brands and the ad industry alike.

With warmth, honesty and humour, Karen reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped her path, including navigating gender bias as a female director, building resilience through uncertainty, and embracing reinvention at every stage of life.

Together, Athene and Karen explore:

• What it takes to build a long-lasting career in the advertising and film industries
• The power of reinvention and career pivots
• The realities of being a female director in a male-dominated industry
• How producing shaped Karen’s creative instinct and leadership
• The importance of authentic storytelling and human connection in film
• Balancing personal challenges alongside professional success
• What it truly means to direct your life with intention

This is a conversation about experience, instinct, and staying power.. and a reminder that longevity in creative careers is not just about talent, but about resilience, self-belief and evolution over time.

The chat is woven around a journey through music and memory. Sit back, relax and enjoy. 🎧✨

Track 1 – Blowin In The Wind - Bob Dylan

Track 2 – Like A Prayer - Madonna

Track 3 – Blinded By Your Grace - Stormzy

Track 4 – Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

Track 5 – Perfect Day - BBC Version 1997

Karen Cunningham, female director, advertising industry, film director interview, women in film, creative careers, career longevity, reinvention, storytelling, directing commercials, PRETTYBIRD

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In this episode, Athene Parker is joined by MAMAMIA Founder Mia Powell, for an uplifting conversation about resilience, reinvention and what it means to rebuild yourself through periods of change. Following a theme of rootlessness in her early years that manifested in her pushing herself to the edges, she turned her destiny around and has worked in advertising and production at some of the biggest and best agency and production company names in the industry.

Mia, founder of Mamamia Talent representing Business/Club, Riff Raff and Love Song, reflects on the personal and professional shifts that have shaped her journey, sharing candid thoughts on identity, leadership and creativity as a woman of colour in advertising.. and the courage it takes to start again. With warmth, humour and vulnerability, she explores how life’s more challenging moments can often lead us back to ourselves in unexpected and powerful ways. Mia is fiercely creative in her approach to everything she does which shines through in this conversation.

Together, Athene and Mia talk about redefining success, rediscovering joy and learning to hold both ambition and humanity at the same time. It’s a frank conversation, and one that will resonate with anyone navigating change, whether in work, life, or both.

The chat is woven around a trip down a musical memory lane. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

Track 1 – Sweet Like Chocolate - Shanks & Bigfoot

Track 2 – Hotel California - The Eagles

Track 3 – Jets - Bonobo

Track 4 – Down The Line - It Takes A Number - Romare

Track 5 – So U Kno - Overmono

The emPOWER Breakfast - Mia Powell Spotify Playlist

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In this episode, Athene Parker is joined by Rani Patel, for a profoundly moving conversation about loss, leadership and the journey of self-discovery through spirituality and creativity.

Rani shares her thoughts on life and purpose, believing that creation is a spiritual act, that the business of advertising, at its best, is the art of manifesting the nebulous into matter. Together, they explore intuition, dreams and the unseen forces that guide us, as Rani reflects on the recent loss of her stepfather and the ways grief reshapes both our inner and creative worlds.

Former co-founder of Calling and now Brand and Business Partner at Creator Lab at adam&eve/TBWA, Rani is a pivotal and deeply respected voice within the network. We are honoured to welcome her singular vision, wisdom and vulnerability to the emPOWER series.

The chat is woven around a trip down a musical memory lane. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

Track 1 – Dreams - Gabrielle

Track 2 – No Matter What They Say - Lil Kim

Track 3 – So Far To Go - J Dilla, Common, D’Angelo

Track 4 – Mystic Brew - Ronnie Foster

Track 5 – Ultra Beam - Sunday Service Choir

The emPOWER Breakfast - Rani Patel Spotify Playlist

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.