We recently connected with Jack Levy and have shared our conversation below.

Jack, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

For those who create – the writers, musicians, designers and inventors of the world – making art and bringing ideas to life is not a choice, but an inner calling. We are compelled to do the work we do simply because our passion for creativity leaves us no alternative. Yet, while vital, passion alone does not put food on the table. To earn a consistent living from such creative work requires channeling that artistic drive into viable business ventures and partnerships. Because creativity for its own sake is all well and good, but creativity backed by strategic thinking is what brings concepts to markets.
This fusion of art and commerce rarely occurs organically inside one mind. The stereotypical ‘starving artist’ excels at creation, but often struggles with the operational side. Meanwhile, the MBA grad may understand business models yet lack an original spark. Thus, creatives who wish to make their passions pay must either learn the principles of entrepreneurship, marketing and finance, or alternatively partner with capable colleagues who provide that commercial instinct.
For those who achieve this blend – the synthesis of creative fire and strategic acumen – a career fueled solely by Imagination and inspiration moves from pipe dream to practical pathway. The creative impulse coupled with business know-how can indeed produce a life’s work of meaning, innovation and income.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was never one who set out to build a ‘career’ in the traditional sense. Rather, my professional path could better be described as an organic convergence of countless creative passions pursued over decades without a master plan. The origins trace back to childhood, when I filled notebooks with sketches and stories, banged out pop songs on a battered Moog synth, and shot amateur films on my father’s Super8 camcorder, stop motion no less – not to one day monetize such skills, but purely as outlets for an innate need to make art. Upon leaving college after less than a year, caught between youthful wanderlust and shapeless ambition, I embarked for the great unknown alongside a kindred spirit ‘Martin’. We worked odd music gigs to fund adventures that took us from Alaska to Canada and finally Los Angeles – not in fierce pursuit of fame and fortune, but simply chasing experiences wealthy in creativity. Out West, I discovered talents for sound editing and design – first just dabbling, then securing entry-level roles in recording studios, post-production houses, and film/TV studios.
In those breakthrough years, my skills were sharpened through collaborations with legions of gifted peers. We were a motley crew of musicians, filmmakers, writers and hackers trying to catch big breaks – most still struggling to pay rent, yet blazing with skill and originality. Eventually, some from that scene would reach household name status and enjoy extravagant success. Yet long before the money and awards, ours was a shared journey rooted solely in the work – driven not by ego or superficial measures of ‘making it’, but by a sacred commitment to creativity itself and the thriving community that gathered around it.
In time, almost accidentally, my reputation for innovation in sound grew legs of its own momentum. One referral led to three jobs which led to five referrals more. Soon I was assembling teams, building boutique studios, and attracting patrons. Yet even running a business fueled by creativity, I channel lessons instilled by my father – serving each client as family and refusing to ever compromise on quality or care.
For at the end of the day, a career molded from imagination is not defined by trophies and bottom lines, but by the purity of the creative spark that ignites it. I’m reminded of this when I reflect on recent efforts like Manifest Media (a podcast network) I co-founded with my longtime colleague Mark. and TABLE READ with partners Mark Knell and Shaan Sharma. In just 18 months we’ve charted in the top 10 fiction for 37 consecutive weeks, are approaching 3 million downloads, earned glowing press, and multiple awards. But more rewarding than the accolades is the chance to collaborate with exceptional storytellers like Ty Burrell and Fred Armisen, publishing unique voices that move and connect audiences. We just keep ascending – a testament to the power of community, innovation, and tireless creativity.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

When looking back on my creative journey, the superficial trappings of success – the awards, industry fame – bring fleeting satisfaction at best. Such honors, while not unappreciated, fail to nourish the soul with meaning for long.

The truly profound moments – those that replenish the wellspring of inspiration year after year – derive from an unexpected source. For me, the ultimate gift this artistic life can bestow is to earn the unsolicited respect of one’s heroes and peers – to be lifted into the pantheon not by sycophants and critics, but by fellow luminaries who recognize a kindred obsessive spirit.

Across decades, I have been privileged to collaborate with bona fide creative geniuses – technical masters and artistic visionaries accustomed to recruiting the world’s best. To be selected by such stalwarts as a partner is the highest badge of honor. One cannot buy, beg nor fake such an endorsement. It is the product of thousands of hours refining one’s craft in monastic solitude, driven solely by a devotional love for excellence. Only such sacrifices evidence the depth of commitment and innovation that compels true savants to bring you into their fold as confidant and co-conspirator.

This is the currency that matters most – not plaques on the wall, but the boon of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with creators who ignite revolutions.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I experienced such an inflection point myself when the pandemic upended life as we knew it. At the time, I had been working steadily in television while also tinkering with an experimental fiction podcast pilot on the side. But with Hollywood productions grinding to a halt in early 2020, I found myself at professional crossroads. Rather than recoil, I chose to pivot – redirecting all my energies into building out that podcast concept I had been cultivating.

Joining creative forces with the immensely talented writer Dominique Mouton, we refined and finished that pilot presentation. The results captured the imagination of several high-profile suitors, ultimately selling to Will Packer Media and iHeartRadio. I then had the honor of serving as producer on the full series, entitled The Lower Bottoms. Starring acting legends like Debbie Allen, Kelsey Grammer and Amber Riley, the show went on to earn great critical acclaim and proprietary chart success.

While economically strained during those early pandemic months, the pivot toward podcasting proved a blessing in disguise. It allowed me to plant seeds in a fresh creative field that continues yielding new opportunities and partnerships today. Necessity breeds invention, and what originally felt like a crisis unlocked growth I never would have pursued otherwise. The lesson learned? Even in uncertain times, always scan the horizons for that next promising opportunity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tablereadpodcast.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacklevyanefx/
• Other: https://www.manifestmediaproductions.com/about https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0506446/ https://deadline.com/2023/03/struggling-to-sell-pilot-script-table-read-podcast-1235280538/ https://deadline.com/2023/10/table-read-podcast-sag-aftra-1235580259/ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/failure-ryan-kavanaugh-podcast-1235637635/