In conversation with Leo Taylor Jannati

“As a creator, my focus is on the concept of identity and, in particular, characters that live multi-hyphenated lives.”

- Leo Taylor Jannati

Image: Leo Taylor Jannati  

Leo Taylor-Jannati (also known as Leo Jannati) is an actor, producer and podcaster based in Shoreditch, London. He is the host of the Living in the Hyphen Podcast, a podcast about identity and what it means to be living between two worlds. 

Tell us about Living in the Hyphen, how did you come up with the idea  or concept?  

As a creator, my focus is on the concept of identity and, in particular, characters that live multi-hyphenated lives. This is how I came up with the concept of the Living in the Hyphen Podcast. 

What was your overarching mission/aim at the outset? 

My vision is to build a brand around LITH and create varieties of content based on the theme of ‘living in the hyphen’. Documentaries, films and TV shows are all coming down the line.

Can you tell us about your background, and how you ended up as a  podcaster? 

I see myself much more as a content creator than a podcaster. I started out as an actor but have also done stand up comedy, producing, writing and directing. I also fancied myself as a singer-songwriter as a teenager but probably best not to talk about that.  It’s difficult to market yourself though as a multi-hyphenated creator so I just go with content creator as it summarises everything. 

According to you, what does it mean to be a podcaster today? 

In the modern era, I believe that a podcast is the perfect ‘calling card’ for any creative individual or business. It’s a wonderful way to energise your audience and keep them active and involved in your work. I see a podcast as a modern marketing tool for building a community and a loyal customer base.

Have any past or present creative thinkers influenced you?

My two childhood heroes were Ricky Gervais and Peter Kay. I loved how they were able to build TV shows around their characters and create a cult following around their work. These days, I would say that Steven Bartlett is a massive influence for me. He does everything right when it comes to digital marketing and I’m very inspired by that.  I’m also a huge fan of David Bowie and how he was able to constantly reinvent himself and play with different identities.

What is the most challenging thing about what you do? 

I’d probably say having the constant need to go outside of my comfort zone and do things I’ve never done before is the most stressful. But it’s the only way to learn and improve.

What is the best advice you have ever received? 

Just fucking do it. 

What’s been the most rewarding moment of your journey creating Living in the Hyphen? 

I think when I first got the finished logo back from my designer - that was a great feeling as it suddenly felt very real.

Living in the Hyphen

What kind of experience do you want listeners to have from Living in the Hyphen? 

I want them to be entertained and learn something new about themselves through myself or my guests. 

What’s been the biggest lesson – about yourself, your abilities or just  general life lessons – you’ve learnt throughout your career?

Lots of things come to mind but if I was to pick one, I would say that being highly organised is the most important trait to have if you want to be successful. You can have the talent, skill, work ethic and motivation but without a plan and an organisational structure in place, you will never get anywhere without good fortune. Good fortune helps as well though. 

Also, a recent realisation of mine is that, in the internet era, content is no longer a product - it’s a form of marketing. 

What do you love about London? 

The atmosphere and energy is like nowhere else on earth. I think it’s a combination of the history and the mixture of cultures. It’s a great place to grow up and become the best version of yourself. Although it’s expensive (the only real drawback), I can see myself living in London for the rest of my life.  

Do you have any tips for a young person aspiring to work in the  creative industry? 

Be as entrepreneurial and pro-active as humanly possible.

Website: leotjannati.com

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