In this bonus episode, executive director of editorial programming, Kc Ifeanyi, chats with editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan about Fast Company's Innovation Festival 2025. They discuss the latest panels, and Fast Tracks, or what Brendan likes to call "field trips for grown-ups." This is where attendees visit the companies that FC reports on.
Later, Brendan asks Kc about a moment at the innovation festival that "keeps him up at night."
Fast Company's 11th annual Innovation Festival hits New York City this September 15-18. There's an incredible lineup of speakers, activations, workshops, dinners, and much more. It's going to be a packed week full of insights, networking, and, of course, innovation. Head to events.fastcompany.com to get the most up-to-date lineup of speakers and sessions. And use code "create20" for 20% off a Select Innovation Festival pass.
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Risk, Reward, Repeat: Why Neon CEO Tom Quinn Bets Big on Bold Films
Neon couldn't burn any brighter than it is now.
The film production and distribution company acquired the rights to six consecutive Palme d'Or winners at the Cannes Film Festival: Parasite (2019), Titane (2021), Triangle of Sadness (2022), Anatomy of a Fall (2023), Anora (2024), and It Was Just an Accident (2025). Parasite was the first foreign language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2020. Longlegs became the highest-grossing independent film in 2024. Director Sean Baker won 4 Oscars for his film Anora tying with the one and only Walt Disney for most Oscar wins in a single night. All of this from a studio that's only been around for 8 years.
Film industry veteran Tom Quinn cofounded Neon in 2017 and has marked a distinct lane for himself in a crowded and, let's be honest, less-than-innovative industry.
In this episode of Creative Control, Quinn traces his journey from actor to executive and explains how he's positioned Neon to be the "anti-algorithm" in a streaming world. He also gives his perspective on what's holding the wider film industry back and what Neon needs now to make their success sustainable.
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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How Joy Reid Bounced Back into her Second Act
For 11 years, Joy Reid was one of the most prominent journalists at MSNBC, spearheading three shows for the network, including The Reid Report, A.M. Joy, and The ReidOut.
Her sharp commentary earned her top ratings, a loyal following, an Emmy nomination, and an NAACP Image Award. However, she was unexpectedly fired in February when MSNBC announced a network shake-up. Just four months after her ouster, Joy launched The Joy Reid Show, an independent podcast from her production company, Image Lab Media Group.
Kc Ifeanyi, the executive director of editorial programming at Fast Company, recently interviewed Joy about her views on the current media landscape, the importance of owning one's content and audience, and what we can learn from a Gen X hustler’s mindset.
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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Why Moby keeps giving music away for free
Moby’s prolific music career spans 35 years, most notably helping to bring electronic music to the mainstream—and perhaps less notably, but still importantly, giving so much of that music away for free.
Amid consistently putting out albums, Moby launched Mobygratis in 2005, a platform where creatives can download instrumental music made by Moby to use in any number of projects.
Moby has continued to update and iterate on Mobygratis, but the ethos has remained the same: helping creatives realize their projects with less financial burden and unleashing the “democratic chaos” of seeing what people create with the music.
In this episode, Moby explores his relationship to creativity and commerce, the tsunami of AI, what effective activism looks like, and why as a creative it’s okay (and even better) to not have a plan B.
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
Visit Mobygraits
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Creative Control is Back!
The days of celebrities, athletes, and creators relying solely on their talent to build their brands is over. Today, it’s all about partnering with brands, investing in companies, or even launching a business of your own. Join host KC Ifeanyi each episode as he talks to one of the world’s most creative people about how their business endeavors intersect with, and grow, their creativity.
The days of celebrities, athletes, and creators relying solely on their talent to build their brands is over. Today, it’s all about partnering with brands, investing in companies, or even launching a business of your own. Join host KC Ifeanyi each episode as he talks to one of the world’s most creative people about how their business endeavors intersect with, and grow, their creativity.
South Africa