#16 - From Intern to Icon | Farnaz Esnaashari

Farnaz Esnaashari rose from Nickelodeon intern to creator and executive producer during her 17-year run at the studio. While running post on Dora the Explorer she developed and sold several shows, ultimately creating Shimmer & Shine, a preschool juggernaut that built a multi-billion-dollar global franchise. Farnaz has steered projects for Disney, Nickelodeon, Spin Master, Mattel and more, and served as SVP, Creative at BRON Digital, leading Unreal Engine series and companion games. Also a Simon & Schuster children's author, she brings a holistic, business-savvy lens to storytelling for all ages.  🎙️In this episode, we explore: ✅ Growing up neurodivergent and discovering art as her language ✅ How being told "no" fuels her determination ✅ The real reason she pitched Shimmer & Shine ✅ Learning the business of licensing and merchandising ✅ What she's doing now to help the next generation of creators 📌Learn more about Farnaz: https://thepitchdocs.com/ 🎥 Prefer to watch this episode? Catch it on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@bviolette?feature=shared 🔔 Like what you hear? Subscribe to The Story Series Podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.