Recently, Founder & CEO of the FUTURE NOW Media Foundation, Peggy Kim, hosted a Leadership Talk featuring David Eilenberg, Head of Content for Roku Media. Eilenberg, a well-known creative executive who previously held top positions at ITV, Turner, and Mark Burnett’s company, is responsible for the overall vision, creative strategy, and go-to-market execution for The Roku Channel, a free ad-supported streaming service. Roku was founded in 2002 as a tech company selling hardware and software licenses to other companies. A few short years later, in 2008, it launched its first streaming player. And, today, Roku is the #1 TV streaming platform in the United States. While Eilenberg’s new role is evolving in real-time, his current objective is to unify the vast library of scripted, unscripted, original, and licensed content under the broader Roku ecosystem. Eilenberg explains, "Users come to the Roku platform to stream Netflix and HBO Max, and we work with all of their marketing teams to drive people to their content. The whole goal of the company is to create the best content experiences for viewers, and the thesis behind this is that eventually, all TV will be streaming.” And that also includes Roku's own free, ad-supported streaming channel, The Roku Channel, offering free Roku Originals, live TV, and favorite TV and movies. The process of development for Roku is similar to the traditional network model, with separate teams dedicated to scripted and unscripted originals. “As much as we’re trying to devise systems that are producer-friendly, more efficient, and can be forward-thinking in terms of how we approach the content landscape, the structure is familiar to a television network elsewhere,” says Eilenberg. Roku actively seeks out pitches from producers, production companies, and agencies while also tasking the content acquisition team with finding content to bring into the Roku libraries. Known IPs with fandom and brand equity, for example, are one of the most commissionable types of content. The question of what makes content appropriate for Roku is complex and ever-changing because of the growing size of its addressable audience. “With 70 million people on the platform, it’s not a single genre audience like certain cable channels,” he stated. “I think it’s great that we get to program food competition shows to people who love unscripted food programming, but then also take a shot on something like ‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,' which is a feature film that has been Roku’s biggest breakthrough piece of content to date.” At the same time, striking the balance of serving such a broad audience with a wide range of tastes in genres can be challenging. “On the one hand, you don’t want to be so dispersed that users get distracted, but on the other hand, you don’t want to neglect the subgenres that are outside the mainstream.” Once the content is made, the next challenge is discoverability and capturing the attention of the viewer. Eilenberg explains that one of the most important tenets of development is conceptual clarity, and that extends to Roku's most powerful tool...the clickable grid on the home screen. “What I think about all the time is, if all I have at my disposal is the title of the show, a single image, and the tagline, what are these three components? Because that’s my one chance on the home screen to get people in.” It is clear that Eilenberg loves what he does. He has always had an affinity for the arts, performance, and storytelling. He grew up in a theater family and knew early on that he wanted to be a writer. He graduated from Harvard with a degree in history and American literature and obtained an MFA in screenwriting at USC, and got his first big break as a writer on an MTV animated show called “Head Trip." Throughout his career, writing has been his superpower...whether writing a stand-out pitch, selling projects to buyers, or creating a memorable script. He advises young leaders to stay in touch with who they are at their core: “Who you are right now is really important, and the strengths that you have right now will continue to be strengths that you refine as you go forward, whatever role you may end up finding yourself in.” After several years working for various companies as a producer, writer, and director, Eilenberg became the Head of Development for producer Mark Burnett, whose shows he had produced in the past. He then found his calling as a creative executive, developing, producing, and selling award-winning hits like “The Voice” and “Shark Tank." Then, Eilenberg transitioned to the buyer side at Turner, the seller side at ITV America, and then back to the buyer side for Roku. Speaking on his multi-faceted experience of being a seller at major production companies to a buyer on the corporate side, Eilenberg says, “Spending time selling has made me a better buyer… It creates empathy to have done both things because I’ve had the chance to be on the other side of the table.” When asked which he enjoys more, Eilenberg replies, “Both," and explains that the great joy of being a seller comes from having an idea that breaks through, while the great joy of being a buyer comes from getting to empower creative voices. Eilenberg shares that there are emotional hardships to both roles as well: “The hard thing about being a seller is that no matter how good you are, you have to spend a lot of time hearing the word ‘no’. The hard thing about being a buyer is that no matter how good the stuff that's coming in is, you have to say ‘no’”. According to Eilenberg, there are three traits that make a successful buyer. The first is honesty. Producers can benefit from honest feedback by applying the critiques to future projects. The second is velocity. “A quick no is the second best answer to a yes.” Finally, to be a successful buyer, you have to honor the audience that you have. “There are great shows that are great shows but may not be great shows for that specific platform.” Discussing the current content landscape and the future state of streaming, Eilenberg predicts that there will be a growth in audiences wanting free ad-supported streaming television (FAST). FAST channels like The Roku Channel are perhaps the fastest growing environment in digital media. “It’s very interesting to see the growth of FAST channels…. We’re talking all the time about why people want a linear viewing experience because I think the industry, at a certain point, once on-demand technology existed, assumed that linear would die off, and the opposite is happening.” Eilenberg speculates that choice overload and news consumption inform part of why people want a linear viewing experience. As a final thought, Eilenberg shares that relationship-building is the most critical skill that young leaders need to succeed, especially in a fast-changing industry. “I think that the most important advice that I can give is to hold onto each other when you find people with whom you collaborate and communicate well. Those people can dictate the course of your career and your life… I have now had creative relationships of 20 years standing. Those are the people I started out working for and who then worked for me. People who I’ve pitched, who’ve then pitched me.” He adds, “The quality of your relationships is incredibly important, and they require maintenance… If you can start working on that early, you're all going to be better for it.”

Brendan Kneeland is a Vice President at MediaLink, a strategic advisory firm at the intersection of Madison Avenue, Silicon Valley, Hollywood, and Wall Street. Brendan works with Fortune 100 CEOs, CMOs, and other top leadership across advertising, tech, and media companies to accelerate business opportunities, maximize the value of their ad agency ecosystems, and evolve internal and external brand strategies in a way that keeps his clients at the 'bleeding edge' of the media landscape. He prides himself on the relationships he builds with clients and is a strong believer in 'never forget where you came from' and paying it forward (and meaning it). Brendan has been a dedicated MENTOR in FUTURE NOW's nine-month Mentoring Program and in the Speed Mentoring events held throughout the year. We asked him to give us his take on MENTORING and best practices for MENTEES to maximize their experience with their MENTORS. Why are you so passionate about mentoring? For me it’s not worth it to be in the business of media or creativity if you don’t have people you admire, people who inspire you, people you have fun with. Mentorship – not just top-down, wisdom-from-a-cloud mentorship, but real down-to-earth and empathetic advice from people who give a sh*t about you – THAT has been the bedrock of my career. The business ecosystem is not fair and I think it’s vital to help anyone who’s motivated to have a career or a start somewhere. Being able to do it for other people who are motivated, people who are unsure of what they want, and everywhere in between – it makes me feel my most human. It’s a virtuous circle that feeds itself. Try it! How does one find a mentor? How did YOU find people to mentor you? I found mentorship initially in my career through the International Radio and Television Society (IRTS). Things that have been of interest to me – media/marketing summits, and networking events for LGBT young professionals – were some early spots that I picked. Honestly, if you take a couple of your biggest passion points and Google those nouns with ‘young professionals’ next to them, you’re likely to find something. FutureNOW is of course an excellent forum for this, whether it’s the annual event or speed mentoring…but I would just say that mentors are all around you. Lots of folks I’d consider mentors of mine are mentors of different ‘sectors’ of my life. I get a lot of motivation to be creative from a friend of mine, my age, who works as a data engineer but is writing his first novel, for instance. Some of my other mentors are more experienced coworkers or even old bosses with whom I’ve maintained contact after moving on to the next gig. I think it’s important to not fall into the trap of thinking that a ‘mentor’ has to come in a certain package and be a certain age above your own. Find people who have some experience and perspective and the motivation to be interested in providing that perspective, even if it’s in a limited time. When reaching out to a potential mentor, what should that first email or LinkedIn message say to best catch the person’s attention? I think if you can convey that you are reaching out in an informational capacity, explain how you came to know who that person was, and couch it (sincerely) with the idea that you want to, for instance, ‘learn more about them and their professional journey thus far as I hope to enter this field or that company at this time,’ people will be surprisingly responsive. This works much better though if you have an ‘angle’ of knowing them either via a 2nd or 3rd party connection. And please please please take command of the scheduling and make it easy for them. They are doing their day-to-day job, living their day-to-day life with their family/friends/other loved ones, and you’re asking for a piece of their time, so make it easy and then make it count! And don’t get discouraged if they don’t answer, especially on LinkedIn. One follow-up suffices – usually after that doesn’t hit I move on. What are the top 3 TO DO's on how to have a great mentoring experience? Candidness – you don’t have to share your life story but being open about what you’re motivated by or worried about or dealing with helps your mentor better cater the experience for you. Consistency – have goals, set them, and be methodical. Keep your meetings as regularly as possible and help them help you with strong organization. Proactivity – clue us into what you’re looking at / reading / consuming in media that are relevant to you and excites you and spurs a strong point of view. What do you think? How do you want to affect whatever it is you’re interested in? What does success look like or an ideal creative output look like? What are the top 3 DON’T DO's? These are more or less the inverse of the Do’s 😉 Don't be demanding – there is a difference between being candid about what you aspire to do and expecting folks to drop everything or to stick their neck out and use ‘relationship capital’ for a half-baked ask. Don't be inconsistent – not showing up when expected or otherwise wasting people’s time is something I as a mentor try very hard to avoid and my hope would be that whoever is approaching me for advice or an intro within my network would do me the same courtesy. Don't expect your mentor to have all the answers – mentors aren’t vending machines, nor are they mind readers. Help us, help you. If you’re not motivated to seek things out, how are we supposed to be on your behalf? How do I set goals, especially if I'm not sure what I want to do yet? I had a really hard time with this myself – I’d say, take stock of what you’re passionate about, what aspect of culture you consume or thing you want to be involved with, as well as what you’re good at, and plot all of it on a piece of paper. See where the intersections might be! Also, I would say it’s ok if your first job is not your ‘forever home.’ Sometimes goals and motivations reveal themselves to you as you do things.

Theft can look like many things: a nameless hacker stealing your personal information, a pickpocket nabbing your wallet, or even just a guy with a notepad copying your intellectual property. Throughout history, women often depended on the men around them for social status and respect, which made them easy targets for co-opting or taking credit for their ideas. It is time to give credit where credit is due. Here are three remarkable women to recognize this Women's History Month. Margaret Keane Margaret Keane is now known and celebrated for her famous "Big Eyes" paintings of women, children, and animals with very stylistically large eyes. However, the credit due her was long in coming. Keane’s husband, Walter, claimed the pieces as his own and began selling them in the 1950s. As more and more paintings were sold, he began mass-producing the paintings and merchandise and forced his wife to create more and more. The "Keane Eyes" grew in popularity. So did his abuse of her and her and her daughter (from a previous marriage). Keane finally filed for divorce and walked away from the millions of dollars her ex-husband earned in her name. It wasn't until five years later that she revealed that the paintings were indeed her handiwork. Her story hit the big screen in 2014 in a film called, “Big Eyes," directed by Tim Burton and starring Amy Adams as the artist. Keane passed peacefully in July 2022 and her memory lives on through her work. Sister Rosetta Tharpe When you think of “pop music,” you think of Michael Jackson. When you think “gravity,” you think of Issac Newton. When we think “rock and roll,” we ought to think of Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Dubbed The Godmother of Rock and Roll, she pioneered the genre. Tharpe's performances, even down to her cadence and enrapturing stage presence, are the hallmarks of rock and roll, though few even within that music genre know of her influence. Seeing a black woman in her church dress work the stage with such a huge personality and her ability to play the guitar with such talent and skill was unheard of at the time. Even today, it's not the first image that comes to mind when thinking about rock and roll. She enchanted audiences all throughout the 40s and 50s and inspired the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and many others. Sister Rosetta Tharpe had an exuberant spirit and played the guitar with her soul. Sadly, she was buried in an unmarked grave with her legacy all but forgotten, while others borrowed from her and made their millions. She was finally recognized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. Elizabeth Magie Families have enjoyed the beloved game of Monopoly all across the US since its patent in 1935. People played the game to alleviate stress and to distract them from the extreme poverty of the Great Depression. Charles Darrow, credited as its creator, lifted himself up from his bootstraps, sold the idea, and made millions. It is a perfect tale of American grit, an embodiment of the American Dream. In reality, the game was created as early as 1902 and patented in 1904 as "The Landlord Game" by a woman named Elizabeth Magie, who created it to criticize capitalism. The idea was stolen by a man named Charles Darrow who went off to make millions. Ironically, Magie's concept was turned on its head as the player's goal is to become rich while forcing opponents into bankruptcy by buying and developing pieces of property. The winner is the last one standing. Today the game is owned by Hasbro. Elizabeth had multiple patents, wrote poetry, and made great strides for women as a progressive, but she was never recognized for her most well-known creation. These are three examples of the many remarkable women who have contributed significantly to the entertainment industry throughout history. And, many more stories like these have yet to be told. _________ Campbell, Tori. “Stealing Art: When Men Took Credit for Women's Work.” Artland Magazine, 3 Aug. 2022, https://magazine.artland.com/stealing-art-when-men-took-credit-for-womens-work/. Karwatka, Dennis. “Elizabeth Magie and the Game of Monopoly.” Tech Directions, Nov. 2016, pp. 10–10. Lorusso, Marissa. “How One of Music's Biggest Stars Almost Disappeared, and How Her Legacy Was Saved.” NPR, NPR, 27 Sept. 2019, https://www.npr.org/2019/09/27/759601364/how-one-of-musics-biggest-stars-almost-disappeared-and-how-her-legacy-was-saved. “Margaret Keane.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, June 2022, https://www.biography.com/artist/margaret-keane. Pilon, Mary. “Monopoly's Inventor: The Progressive Who Didn't Pass 'Go' by NYtimes.” Nytimes.com, Admin Https://Www.hgsss.org/Wp-Content/Uploads/2019/04/HGS-New-Logo_2019_siteheader-300x77.Png, 23 Nov. 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/business/behind-monopoly-an-inventor-who-didnt-pass-go.html?emc=eta1&_r=0. WALD, GAYLE F. “Cotton Plant.” Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of Rock -and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, BEACON, S.l., 2023, pp. 1–3.

Back in 2019, a little movie called “Hair Love” won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and shattered glass ceilings in the process. It follows the story of a little Black girl and her father as they attempt to style her hair for a special occasion. The Kickstarter to fund the film raised over $300,000—the goal was $75,000—and “Hair Love” quickly became a sensation. Last month, FUTURE NOW Founder and CEO, Peggy Kim, sat down with Carl Reed, one of the producers of “Hair Love” and Co-Founder of Lion Forge Animation. “I never thought that something we care so much about would resonate with other people,” Reed admitted about the film, calling the short’s Oscar win “amazing,” “crazy,” and “surreal.” Reed’s road to the Oscars started as a comic artist at age 15, when he hitched a ride with his brother out to San Diego Comic-Con on a whim, hoping to get some work. “I took the circuitous route,” he explained, starting as a comic book illustrator. Growing up as a big comic fan, Reed “didn’t realize [that] everyone didn’t just like comics or animation or things of that nature… I just assumed everyone did, because it’s pretty cool, how can you not like it?” Reed is completely self-taught. He didn't go to art school or take any art classes, but he did devour books on drawing and watched old VHS tapes from the library to sharpen his skills. He got jobs making art for commercials and eventually moved out to Los Angeles to do broadcast animation. He even started a marketing agency in addition to his comics work, where his team did everything from toy design to web design. “We did what we had to do to keep our office lights on.” “It’s a much better world [today],” Reed said. “I can’t imagine a better time to get started. There are no barriers to entry…. You can share your work instantly, and if someone likes it, you can have potentially millions and millions of people following your work and be generating revenue without the studio system [and] without taking the traditional route.” Reed shared some of the lessons he's learned throughout his career, especially the importance of community and feedback. “People have a really deep connection to things that they helped from the beginning.” He advised listeners to “build your own tribe” to give feedback and support. Reed also emphasized the imperative of getting things done. “Create content fast,” he said, explaining that improvement comes from feedback, and feedback only comes if you have delivered something. Many artists are plagued by crippling perfectionism, but “to pay bills… you have to get stuff out, and it won’t be perfect, but that’s the only way to grow.” Reed further commented that there is a time and place for passion projects, but they “will never, never be perfect. It won’t even be what you want—you’ll look at it and you’ll cringe,” even if no one else will. “You’re your own worst critic,” he said. The success of “Hair Love” has given Reed and Lion Forge a calling card with more open doors and people willing to take meetings, but he was quick to say that he and his partners still have to “prove ourselves every time,” and pitches remain nerve-wracking. “You have a very short time to basically infect the buyer or partner or whoever you’re pitching to with the love you have for the project,” and sometimes you have to boil a pitch down to the bare essentials. Reed seems to have found a good balance, especially considering that Lion Forge’s next big project, the television show “Iyanu: Child of Wonder,” has been picked up by HBO Max. On the topic of leadership, Reed admitted that he’s “still learning.” But, he believes that it is “crucial” to be “super upfront and super transparent and [to] have a lot of accountability…. Otherwise, you will never see your gaps and see where you can grow, and you won’t have the trust of your partners, employees, et cetera.” Reed has come a long way since he hopped in his brother’s van to go to Comic-Con. “I was the only Black person in the room,” Reed recalled of his earlier years. “There were these old-school philosophies about content [and] if it didn’t check these boxes, there was this perception that it wouldn’t work.” However, with hits such as “Black Panther,” “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” and, yes, “Hair Love,” that mindset is shifting, slowly but surely. Reed values authenticity in his work: “I have a mission and a goal behind the type of content that I want to create,” he explained. “That content typically will be new and different… and will also represent diverse audiences and new voices and new perspectives.” “These old ways of doing things that are based on a lot of bias aren’t relevant,” Reed said. “You can’t quickly turn around a huge ship,” he acknowledged, but “you don’t necessarily have to ask for permission… The world is wide, wide open.” Three weeks after the Leadership Talk, Reed announced a new venture, Composition Media, an animation studio with an innovative approach to making animated film and TV content for a global audience, with much of the content highlighting minority and underrepresented communities. Reed continues on his road less traveled, paving a way for others, and he's not asking for permission.

FUTURE NOW kicked off 2023 with a Leadership Talk with Melanie Washington, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Contract Advisory at MediaLink. Nicknamed the “contract whisperer," she leads the company’s Contract Optimization and Risk Evaluation (CORE) advisory practice and counsels global chief legal officers at brands and agencies through legal challenges around data compliance, risk mitigation, and quality assurance. In 2020, she negotiated a whopping $8 billion in contracts for clients such as Nissan, Disney, and Mattel. Washington graduated with a degree in communications and media studies from Northwestern University. After spending a decade in the marketing industry post-graduation, she enrolled in law school with the hopes of better understanding the legal complexities of the advertising industry. “Contracts are the most important part of the entertainment industry…. We’re no longer in the age of handshake deals or verbal agreements,” Washington explained. With hundreds of millions of dollars on the line, she believes it is crucial that marketing leads and Chief Marketing Officers understand the ins and outs of contracts and that fostering a culture of collaboration across different departments can ensure a company’s overall efficiency and performance. “Restructuring business goals and integrating them into global contracts is a lucrative practice for driving growth and incentivizing agency partners while holding them accountable.” This conviction is how Washington came to develop her current role at MediaLink. “I now work on both sides of the business: on the brand side, advising media businesses on how they’re structured, as well as on the legal affairs side, providing counsel on how new agreements are drafted through the lens of operational efficiency.” According to Washington, creating this new business at her firm is her greatest career achievement thus far. She had only been with the company a few months when she pitched the idea to the executive team, articulating the concrete ways in which this new venture would help optimize operations and drive company growth. To convince people to take a chance on her, Washington was relentless yet humble, admitting that she didn’t have all the answers but was willing to learn, and she demonstrated the value she could bring to the company. MediaLink under the leadership of its Founder and CEO, Michael Kassan, has always encouraged an entrepreneurial mindset, creative thinking, and a culture of innovation. For Washington, it has been a place where she has thrived, surrounded by some of the smartest people in the business. Washington shared with listeners that being an entrepreneur isn’t just about starting your own business; you can be an intrapreneur, an employee who channels that same creativity and innovation to find new revenue streams and identify ways to expand the business for an employer. The entrepreneurial mindset is having the courage to put yourself out there even if there is no blueprint to follow. The leadership talk came to a close with a question from the audience: “What is the best thing we can do as students or alumni given everything that’s going on in the economy, entertainment industry, and the world?” Washington gave three responses. The first was to “find a way to differentiate yourself.” With an overwhelming number of candidates competing for the same jobs, she encouraged the audience to consider what they bring to the table and how they will contribute to the companies. Washington’s second tip was to “just ask; the worst answer that you can get is a no.” People are often so afraid of asking questions that they miss out on opportunities. Whether it be going back to past employers for job inquiries or asking your mentor to reach out to someone on your behalf, remember that people will try to help if you ask. You have to take a chance on yourself in order for them to take a chance on you. Lastly, Washington suggested “speaking dreams into existence.” Presenting your goals with the spirit of success can help turn your aspirations into reality. You also don’t have to keep your dreams a secret. In fact, the more you talk about it, the more you will be held accountable for it. So, say it out loud. Be intentional about how you talk about your goals and get excited about the future. She attributes much of her success to her mentors and colleagues. Though she didn't know exactly what she wanted to do post-graduation, she was very intentional about the people she surrounded herself with. Being in the presence of ambitious, proactive, and talented minds opened up networks, fueled new ideas, and led her in the right direction. But, the greatest influence on her life? “I’ve engaged with many inspiring people throughout my career, but I have to say it all started with my mom.” Raised by a single parent, Washington says she saw her mother work tirelessly to give her and her sister the best education. “Although my time with her was cut short, I learned so much by watching her. She taught me to always champion and uplift others.” And, Washington does that in a myriad of ways, not the least of which is through her service as a board member of the FUTURE NOW Media Foundation and as a mentor to future leaders.

Streaming has revolutionized how viewers consume media and how advertisers promote their products, and Allison Levin, VP of Ad Sales & Strategy at Roku, has been one of the leaders in the forefront of this transformation. She sat with FUTURE NOW’s Founder & CEO, Peggy Kim, for a recent Leadership Talk. Levin was the first ever ad sales hire at Roku eight years ago, and she has gone from leading a team of 1 to a team of over 500. Today, Roku is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico based on hours streamed, and closed out 2022 with over 70 million active accounts globally. She has pioneered upfront deals with some of the largest ad agencies and holding groups and has been instrumental in growing Roku’s portfolio of clients. She and her team are responsible for driving new products and go-to-market strategy for the overall advertising business. Levin explains that since Roku is an engineering and product-first company, it requires a lot of translation. She has three main areas of focus: working internally to prioritize and determine what products are going to be the most interesting for advertisers; how they can best serve their consumers; and what partnerships will be the most strategic for the future. When it comes to partnerships, data and metrics are key. Levin says, “When an advertiser can measure the success of their campaigns can actually see the data and the insights, they're much more likely to come back to continue to spend to grow with us in the platform.” “What I love the most is helping to solve challenges for marketers with building new stuff. And you know, this, we’re still in the early innings of streaming TV. And so, there's still just so much we're building that's happening. And that's very, very exciting.” The clarity of Levin’s interests and passion for sales strategy and marketing has come with time, experience, and the guidance of mentors. A skilled debater in high school, Levin initially thought she would become a lawyer. But she changed her mind when she got into Boston University, where she majored in communications with a focus on public relations and then marketing. “I think, for me, the passion was always selling, telling stories, and helping to tell a story to a market that's backed by data and insights. And over time, you know, I had a boss who helped me to understand to see really, that my power was standing in front of those marketing programs and in front of those stories. And that sales is probably a good place for me to start.” During her conversation with Kim, Levin stressed the importance of curiosity and how it fosters innovation and growth. “My dad runs his own business, and he told me from an early age, ‘If you are going to be the chef, you better pick your own ingredients.’ For me, anything I do, I want to understand the components of it, I want to fully know the details. I do not necessarily need to be a part of all the details, but I at least need to understand it to be successful at it….You need to understand the ‘why and what’ behind it.” In an industry that is constantly changing and as Levin and her team continue to build and innovate, she points to the value of fearlessness. “Every day we wake up and think about how we can make the best TV streaming ad platforms for marketers and consumers. We reimagine what TV could be. All because TV was this way for 50-60 years on the linear side does not mean that experience has to be recreated for streaming.” Levin and her team continue to push the boundaries when it comes to the future of streaming. Innovation only moves forward when people are brave enough to think outside the box and dare to fail. Levin posits, “What’s the worst that can happen?”

Syler Hand, Cross Platform Optimization Coordinator at Nickelodeon Oh, what a year-and-a-half it has been! From graduating from Pace University to starting my first full-time job at Nickelodeon in New York City as a Cross Platform Optimization Coordinator, life has felt surreal. I always knew I wanted to work in the media and entertainment industry, especially after interning on the Social Media and Digital teams at Food Network and TLC in college. But landing a full-time job? On the coattails of a pandemic? That’s where things can get tricky. But thanks to a plethora of connections that I made through FUTURE NOW, that process was a lot less challenging (and scary). If you have told me I would be working on slime-filled, kid-tacular Digital projects three years ago, I would have been highly doubtful. Pandemic-related hiring freezes and general uncertainty shook the industry. So, I knew getting a job was going to be even more difficult. When I heard about the FUTURE NOW conference in March 2020, I knew I had to apply. This seemed like a great way to put myself out there (virtually, mind you) to expand my network and knowledge. Throughout the conference, I had the opportunity to speak with so many talented industry experts from countless companies and organizations. I made wonderful connections with attendees and speakers alike. I left the conference feeling so hopeful and inspired that I decided to apply to the Mentoring Program. After receiving my acceptance letter (another pinch me moment), I spent 9 months building a genuine personal and professional relationship with a highly skilled industry expert. I learned and grew so much during my time with her, and she even played an instrumental role in helping me during my job search at the end of my senior year of college (thank you, Lisa!). A year later, I got to interview her on ‘stage’ eat the Conference about our time together. The main takeaway from these experiences? Network, network, network. People want to see you succeed, even in times that may seem hopeless. Thanks to FUTURE NOW and all of its incredible opportunities, I not only ended up in my favorite industry, but I work at a company that was a major part of my childhood.

Brendan Dewley, Production Assistant at Late Night with Seth Meyers My name is Brendan Dewley, and I’m a recent alum of the University of Michigan. I’ve been a Production Intern and Production Assistant at Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBCUniversal) since August 2022, where I will be through the end of January! I moved out to NYC to write and perform comedy last fall so working at Late Night has been a dream come true for me and I love working at 30 Rock. I applied to the late-night comedy internships every year at school, but this past year I connected with alumni at NBCU and asked for advice. I worked a remote internship early 2022, applied the night applications went live for the internship, and went through two rounds of interviews before I got the call from my recruiter telling me that I had gotten the gig! FUTURE NOW helped me learn how to take the initiative and follow up with people on LinkedIn and via email even after brief interactions like at the FUTURE NOW Media and Entertainment Conference. I still keep in touch with a few of the mentors I met through the program.

Claretta Bellamy, Digital Reporter at NBCBLK I currently work as a digital reporter under NBCBLK through the NBCU Academy Embed Program. While working under this two-year fellowship program, I’ve written stories about Black history, culture, entertainment, and health. I've also had the opportunity to travel to Selma, Alabama, and Buffalo, New York to report on-camera for NBC’s series about racial healing. I really enjoy working here because I’ve interviewed so many fascinating people making positive changes in their communities and have learned so much while speaking with experts about topics I care about. Applying to this program was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for my early career. FUTURE NOW was a critical component to my success. Through the program, I really understood the importance of networking and had many opportunities to engage with others. FUTURE NOW also provided me with a valuable mentor, Raquelle Zuzarte, who really guided me when I was applying for jobs and keeping track of positions. FUTURE NOW was an important stepping stone that helped form me into the individual that I am now, and I am so thankful that the program exists.