No Set Path: Creative Entrepreneurship Growth Stories

Ditching the Playbook and Building a Sustainable Creative Career

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Oct 8, 2025

Drew English, a multidisciplinary creative and director of photography, shares his journey from music production to podcasting and filmmaking. He discusses the evolution of Upstate Podcast Studio from a basement setup to a professional space and the challenge of balancing various creative ventures. Drew emphasizes the importance of storytelling over technology, his efforts to connect the Hudson Valley creative community, and the meaningful conversations sparked by his podcast during COVID. His unique interview style focuses on personal journeys rather than technicalities.

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ANECDOTE

Basement Studio Grew Into A Public Space

Drew built his podcast studio in his basement as a test and then moved it to a rented room after disliking clients in his home.
The space became a catch-all for podcasting, editing, and cinematography gear as his work evolved.

ADVICE

Choose Work That Energizes You

Focus on roles and activities that energize you and drop the tedious tasks that drain you, like editing others' audio for Drew.
Prioritize conversations and coaching if those give you energy and align with your strengths.

INSIGHT

Hudson Valley Is A Creative Hotspot

The Hudson Valley holds a dense, under-recognized pool of creative talent across media and publishing.
Local creators attract national outlets who prefer remote interviews, showing the region's rising prominence.

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Drew sits down with Blake Pfeil & Jeremiah Wenutu on Cinema Kingston! to explore his winding path from music production to becoming a sought-after director of photography, podcast studio owner, and host of No Set Path. They unpack the reality of being a multidisciplinary creative, building community in the Hudson Valley, and why storytelling matters more than the tech behind it.

Key Topics & Timestamps

00:00 – Drew's introduction and impressive client roster (Adobe, Netflix, HBO, Disney+)

02:00 – How Upstate Podcast Studio evolved from a basement setup to a professional Kingston space

06:00 – The challenge of being spread thin across multiple creative ventures

09:00 – Feeling like an outsider in the film industry while pursuing diverse interests

14:00 – The frustration with editing other people's work vs. creating your own passion projects

16:00 – The Hudson Valley creative community: talent is everywhere, but connection is key

19:00 – Two years of HBO production boom post-COVID, then the 2024-2025 slowdown

22:00 – Plans for No Set Path: building in-person community events and brand expansion

24:00 – From UMass Lowell recording school to New York City music production

27:00 – The pivot moment: buying a Canon 7D at B&H and teaching himself cinematography

30:00 – Starting No Set Path during COVID as a vehicle for meaningful conversations

33:00 – The unexpected impact: random emails from people inspired by the show

37:00 – Why Drew asks "how did you get here?" instead of "what camera did you use?"

40:00 – The realization: storytelling is the thread connecting everything

44:00 – Storytelling as a buzzword in tech startups and why humans gravitate to narrative

45:00 – The Goonies, Spielberg, Lucas, and movies that shaped a generation

50:00 – Easter eggs, film scores, and the magic of eighties adventure films

Takeaway

Being multidisciplinary isn't a weakness. It's your unique advantage in a changing creative economy.

Community over hustle: the Hudson Valley has incredible talent, but genuine connection matters more than networking.

Storytelling transcends medium. Whether it's cinematography, podcasting, or coaching, story is what connects with people.

Most successful people don't actually know what they're doing. They're "failing upwards" and figuring it out as they go.

Name things well: Upstate Podcast Studio succeeds organically because of smart, searchable naming.

Your creative path will look like a lot of different things. Let it evolve naturally instead of forcing a single direction.

The tech doesn't matter. People care about the emotion and story, not your gear list.

Resources & Links

Cinema Kingston!: https://radiokingston.org/en/broadcast/cinema-kingston

Drew's Website: www.drewenglish.com

Lights and Years Media: www.lightsandyears.com

Upstate Podcast Studio: www.upstatepodcaststudio.com

No Set Path Podcast: Search "No Set Path: Creative Entrepreneurship Stories" on your podcast app

No Set Path Newsletter: https://thedrewenglish.substack.com/

Drew's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drewenglishh/

Drew's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewenglish/