Benjamin Wagner

Benjamin Wagner is a writer, singer/songwriter, filmmaker, consultant, coach, and founder of Essential Industries Incorporated, a boutique consulting firm specializing in individual and organizational strategy and transformation. His career spans print (Rolling Stone, The Saratogian), radio (WCZN-AM, KOTO-FM), broadcast and digital (Lifetime, MTV), and social media (Facebook, Instagram). As half of the filmmaking duo Wagner Brothers, he researched, interviewed, wrote, voiced, scored, co-directed, produced, and marketed the 2012 documentary Mister Rogers & Me. The film unearths the roots of Mister Rogers' values, unmasks the forces acting against depth and simplicity, and helps viewers develop the means to lead deeper, simpler lives. His 2023 documentary, Friends & Neighbors, an adaptation of his weekly podcast, “looks for the helpers” in post-pandemic America, the people who are working to make themselves and the communities around them whole and help heal a deeply anxious and uncertain America. The film is slated for wide release in May 2025.