Skimm'd From The Couch

Growing up in Islamabad, Shiza Shahid became interested in activism. And that interest propelled her to start the global nonprofit, the Malala Fund. Eight years (and Malala's Nobel Peace Prize) later, Shiza continues to make an impact through her angel fund and her line of sustainable cookware, Our Place.  In this episode, Shiza shares why she created a secret summer camp for girls in Pakistan (11:17), her reaction when Malala won the Nobel Peace Prize (16:44), and her advice for employees looking to create change in the workplace (28:42). SFTC listeners get 20% off fromourplace.com products with the discount code 'Skimm'.

You probably know Kate Upton as a model and actress. She’s also a mother and businesswoman. Kate started working when she was 15, and achieved her success by putting in 16-hour workdays and challenging industry conventions.  In this episode, Kate tells us how she learned to ignore her critics (16:20), what she wrote in a letter to Anna Wintour (18:13), and why she came forward with her own experiences with harassment on set (20:25).  Note: This episode contains details about sexual harassment that may be triggering for some listeners.

Before serving as US Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power was a scholar, activist, and journalist. Tune in to hear how she built her career around her belief system. And how she managed up when those beliefs were challenged.   In this episode, Ambassador Power tells us what she learned from her parents’ failed marriage (9:41), how to disagree with your boss (24:53), and shares her journey with fertility while working nonstop in the White House (30:03).  Her new memoir, The Education of an Idealist, is available now.

Missy Robbins is the chef and owner of Lilia and Misi restaurants in Brooklyn, NY and the co-founder of Grovehouse Hospitality. She sat down with us to share what it’s like to rise through the ranks of the restaurant business. Think: more Chef’s Table, less Monica from Friends.  In this episode, Missy reveals how she recognized signs of burnout (20:07), why she embraced an unlikely partnership (25:59), and shares her ultimate comfort food (39:03).

We’re obsessed with Tate’s Bake Shop cookies at Skimm HQ. So we were thrilled to speak to its founder, Kathleen King, on this week’s episode. Tune in to hear how she built her cookie empire, and why the road to her success wasn’t always so sweet.  In this special live episode, King tell us about what she learned from her family’s farm (2:18), how to build an effective team (31:55), and shares how her success was born from failure (14:30).  This episode was recorded at theSkimm’s Celebrate Smarter pop-up in New York City. Shop in-store or online.

Danica Patrick first made a name for herself on the male-dominated racetrack and became one of the most recognizable female athletes in the world. While she may have retired from racing, she now has a podcast, book, and winery. So, she's far from slowing down.   In this episode, Danica tells us about handling fame at a young age (13:21), making friends on the circuit (16:38), and how she traded racing for the business world (26:01).

Ambassador Susan Rice is no stranger to high pressure situations and public scrutiny. Her career in foreign policy was shaped by strong relationships, steadfast resolve, and a healthy dose of tough love. In this episode, Ambassador Rice tell us about learning from a famous mentor (12:15), persevering through public criticism (27:48), and shares her best advice for navigating political disagreements at the Thanksgiving table (34:40).

With a sustainable mission and a made-to-order business model, Misha Nonoo’s namesake clothing brand has upended the fashion industry. But in order to innovate, she first had to shut down and start over.  In this live episode, Misha shares how her hardest moments became her most creative (20:54), the importance of supply chain sustainability (28:03), and the underrated value of uniform dressing (31:11).

Amy Shecter is the CEO of Glamsquad, a beauty and technology company that’s a Skimm HQ favorite and offers on-demand, at-home beauty services. Amy’s leadership roles have spanned marketing to executive management. While her career trajectory hasn’t always fit into a clearly defined box, she’s paved a path pivoting skills to find success.  On this episode, Amy discusses how to give hard feedback to your boss (12:09), what it’s like to translate vision into tactics (14:30), and shares the conversation with her daughter that changed her career (20:16).

Amy Nelson is the co-founder of The Riveter, a company which started as a series of co-working spaces, “built by women, for everyone” and is now positioning itself as a modern membership network community.  With a firm belief that motherhood should not be an impediment to your career opportunities, Amy launched The Riveter while pregnant, has since expanded nationally to 10 locations, and is now the mother of 4 girls.  On this episode, Amy talks about the responsibility of taking on venture capital (14:07), what she considers the hardest part of building her business (19:23), and shares her take on the notion of women having it all (26:06).

Michelle Lee is the Editor-in-Chief of Allure Magazine. She’s an early adopter of digital strategy within print publications but also a champion for diversity & wants to change the world by broadening the definition of beauty.  On this episode, Michelle discusses how the role of EIC has evolved (15:39) reveals the skills she looks for while hiring (18:01) and discloses which cover stories are closest to her heart (24:27).

Brittany Snow is an actress, producer & director. Her breakout role was at age 12 on Guiding Light, and since then she's starred in many films including John Tucker Must Die, Someone Great, and Pitch Perfect 1, 2 and 3.  Brittany’s directorial debut, Milkshake, had its world premiere earlier this year and she is currently starring in the new FOX drama, Almost Family. On this special live episode, Brittany opens up about tapping into her inner strength (13:53), talks about the importance of not taking any short cuts (15:15), and shares how she stays motivated while playing the long game in her career (22:23) This episode of Skimm’d From the Couch is presented by Almost Family, a new drama that airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on FOX.

Vicky Tsai is the founder of Tatcha Beauty Products, which will soon be celebrating its 10th anniversary. Beauty goes beyond skin-deep for Vicky, as the brand also has a strong philanthropic mission of promoting literacy and education for girls in Asia & Africa.  In this episode, Vicky talks about how she was willing to give up her financial security (4:28), how taking a big risk actually made perfect sense (12:08), and why she turned down acquisition & financing offers year after year as a values-driven company (27:19). This episode of Skimm’d From the Couch is sponsored by AC Hotels by Marriott.

Sarah Kauss is the founder & CEO of S'well. With a product that is beautiful, sustainable, and charitable, Sarah is on a mission to reduce single-use plastic worldwide. In this episode, Sarah talks about the characteristic she harnessed to start her company (8:23), how to shift away from viewing people in your industry as competitors (13:28), and why you can’t always keep your big idea to yourself (28:55).  This episode of Skimm’d From the Couch is sponsored by AC Hotels by Marriott. We're taking a break next week and will be back with an all new season of SFTC episodes beginning October 9. 

Jodi Kantor & Megan Twohey are the the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporters who broke the news of Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment and abuse allegations for The New York Times and the authors of the newly released book, "She Said." In this special live episode, Megan & Jodi discuss the approach which helped them get victims on the record (5:45), how the original tip for the story surfaced (13:04) and why they believe journalism can drive social change (16:03). This episode of Skimm’d From the Couch is sponsored by AC Hotels by Marriott.

Bobbi Brown is a beauty industry titan and a world renowned makeup artist. She's also a best-selling author, speaker, educator & serial entrepreneur. In this episode, Bobbi explains how an elevator meeting became a serendipitous moment for her product (10:35), what it means to be a "pusher" in management (18:00), and how she maintained a consistent brand for more than 20 years (23:30). This episode of Skimm’d From the Couch is sponsored by AC Hotels by Marriott.

Wendy Kopp founded Teach For America in 1989, which leveraged recent college grads against educational inequity in the US. Applying that same approach globally, she co-founded Teach For All in 2007. Wendy has been recognized as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People & was awarded the presidential citizens medal for her work. On the couch, Wendy talks about how to sustain passion in a career that has spanned 30 years (12:40 ) and why inexperience can actually be a strength (23:53). This episode of Skimm’d From the Couch is sponsored by AC Hotels by Marriott. 

Jen Rubio is the co-founder of Away, the suitcases you see absolutely everywhere. Jen and her co-founder, Stephanie Korey, started Away in 2015, raising $31 million in seed financing, making it one of the highest-funded female-backed startups. On the couch, Jen gives her tips on mastering a co-founder relationship (17:35) and how they launched their brand before even having a product (20:07). This episode of Skimm’d From the Couch is sponsored by AC Hotels by Marriott. 

Marie Forleo is an author and entrepreneur who has built one of the fastest growing companies in the country. She’s the founder of MarieTV and B-School, a digital educational program that develops mission-driven entrepreneurs and has helped 44,000 graduates. Her new book Everything is Figureoutable comes out on September 10th and is available now for pre-order. On the couch, Marie explains why she quit her first job on Wall Street to pursue her passion, even when it meant choosing between that and a steady paycheck (6:52). She shares how her journey to confidence came from disciplines as wide ranging as publishing, to bartending, to dance (15:30) and told us the one thing that makes her tell entrepreneurs to, “wake the eff up” (22:09). This episode of Skimm’d From the Couch is sponsored by AC Hotels by Marriott.

Mel Robbins is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and one of the most highly paid and booked female speakers in the world. You may know her from her infamous TED Talk and her 5 Second Rule. Up next, she’ll host her own daytime talk show The Mel Robbins Show which premieres September 16th. Check your local listings for where to watch. On the couch, Mel describes her journey of going from $800,000 in debt to becoming the multi-disciplinary entrepreneur she is today. She shares the practical strategies she uses every day, from the science behind the 5 second rule (3:05), to finding the “message in the mess” (13:05), asking for the right salary (22:00), and turning anxiety into excitement (33:30). This episode of Skimm'd From the Couch is sponsored by AC Hotels by Marriott.