Skimm'd From The Couch

Ann Curry is an award-winning journalist, anchor and producer. She got her start in TV back in the 1970s and has been on our screens ever since. For NBC, she reported from war zones, natural disasters, human rights’ tragedies for 25 years. Her 2012 departure from “Today” was filled with tears and rumors about what happened behind the scenes. In 2015, she left NBC and now executive producers her own shows, including her latest, Chasing the Cure, which launches August 8th on TNT and TBS. On the Couch, we talked with Ann about why her grit helped her prove her worth to sexist colleagues back in the day (4:30), the promise about work she and her husband made to each other (8:20), how her new live TV project wants to crowdsource cures (10:30) and why she finds it tough to talk about leaving NBC (21:00). This episode of Skimm'd From the Couch is sponsored by AC Hotels by Marriott.

Leah Busque Solivan is an engineer and entrepreneur. In 2008, she became a rising star of the gig economy when she quit her job at IBM to found TaskRabbit, the mobile and online marketplace that hooks you up with people to help with everything from picking up your laundry to building your furniture. She sold her baby to IKEA in 2017 and now she’s using her expertise to help other startups as a general partner at the venture capital firm, Fuel Capital. On the Couch, Leah talks to us about how she hired her first 30 task rabbits (11:45), why it was hard for her to celebrate success (18:00), what pushed her to the edge (23:20) and how she helps new entrepreneurs learn from her mistakes (30:20). This episode of Skimm'd From the Couch is sponsored by AC Hotels by Marriott.

Last week, Planned Parenthood’s former president, Dr. Leana Wen, parted ways with the organization. After just eight months on the job. But even before she took the helm at PP, Dr. Wen was a rising star in the public health sphere. She was Baltimore’s Health Commissioner, an ER physician, and wrote a book calling for more transparency in medicine - all before she was 35. We sat down with Dr. Wen a week before she and PP parted ways. On the Couch, she talks to us about how she developed the drive to overcome huge obstacles in her childhood and start college at the age of 13 (6:30), how to find and keep mentors (8:50), and how she’s dealt with haters throughout her fast-track career in medicine and public health (17:00). Listen and subscribe to get in on it. 

ICYMI, we wrote a book: How to Skimm Your Life. It’s all about making it easier to navigate allll the tricky parts of being an adult. From reading a wine list. To negotiating a raise. And then: we took the book on tour. In ten cities across the US, amazing moderators flipped the script and asked us the questions. We had so much fun that we decided to share it with you. Here’s our conversation with Ashley Graham, in our hometown: New York City. We'll be back next week with fresh new episodes from the Couch.

Tina Sharkey is the powerhouse behind Brandless, the direct-to-consumer company that’s all about community. But before she started Brandless with her cofounder, she spent her career building communities online for major companies like AOL and Johnson & Johnson. Tina’s also been on the investing side and has helped out in tons of startups … including ours. Thanks, Tina. On the Couch, she talks to us about how her family taught her hustle (3:51), how she thinks about mentorship (10:18), and why she decided to step down as CEO in March (25:00).  PS: Our book – "How To Skimm Your Life" – is finally out. Get it here: https://theskimm.com/book

ICYMI, we’re on tour for “How To Skimm Your Life” (https://theskimm.com/book). While we’re away, here’s a quick chat we had with Sarah Larson Levey. She’s the co-founder and CEO of Y7 Studio, the yoga company she founded with her now-husband in 2013. Back then, she worked in fashion full-time. And their studio was a small weekend pop-up in Brooklyn. Now, she’s built it into a national chain. On the Couch, she talks to us about turning her side hustle into a main hustle (3:00), working with her husband (8:31), and scaling her brand (11:45). We’ll be back next week with more “Skimm’d from the Couch.” 

Eileen Fisher started her career as an interior and graphic designer. But that changed in the 80s. Eileen took a trip to Japan, where the kimono inspired her to start her own fashion brand. With no experience in clothing design. It’s worked out for her: These days, she’s the woman behind – you guessed it – Eileen Fisher. On the Couch, she talks to us about how she started her business (4:15), growing her company as an introvert (9:20), and why her company doesn’t have your average leadership structure (15:30). PS: Our book is (finally) out. It covers allll the most important parts of being an adult, like negotiating your salary, saving for retirement, and reading a wine list. Get it here:https://theskimm.com/book

Valerie Jarrett started her career as a corporate lawyer. But in the late 80s, she made a change and headed to work in the mayor’s office in her hometown of Chicago. That’s where Valerie hired a young Michelle Robinson. Who you might know now as former First Lady Michelle Obama. Fast forward a few years, and Valerie is now the longest-serving Senior Advisor to the President in history. And in 2016, she was the guest on our first-ever Facebook Live. Guess which one is higher on her resume. On the Couch, she talks to us about her new book (2:04), how to advocate for women at work (9:52), and what it’s like to challenge your boss … when he’s the president of the United States (30:45).  PS: Our Skimm Reads this week is “Every Tool’s a Hammer” by Adam Savage aka the star of “Mythbusters.” The book is all about the metaphorical tools he’s put in his toolbox in his 40-plus years as a creative. Add it to your toolbox (shopping cart) here: https://skimmth.is/2HURiR0

Erika Nardini has spent her career growing and marketing brands, heading up big-name companies like Microsoft, Yahoo!, and AOL. She was living in Boston when a tiny sports publication called Barstool Sports got started. And Erika became a superfan. So when she got the chance to come on board as Barstool’s CEO in 2016, she didn’t hesitate to take it. Even though it was controversial. On the Couch, she talks to us about dealing with criticism, being the boss of her company’s founder, and leading a company where she’s not the target demographic. PS: Our Skimm Reads this week is … us. In case you haven’t heard, we wrote a book. It’s basically a crash course in adulting. If you haven’t pre-ordered it yet, what are you waiting for? Get it here. https://skimmth.is/2UgoeXq

Hannah Bronfman knows a thing or two about hustle. She’s been a professional DJ, the cofounder of an app, and an author. And now, she’s the founder of the lifestyle brand HBFIT. One of our favorite bullet points on her resume: she’s one of the moderators on our book tour. On this episode, she talks to us about where she got her entrepreneurial spirit (8:45) and how she makes sure she’s taking care of herself (20:24). Plus she takes a few questions from our LIVE audience (26:00). PS: Our Skimm Reads this week is … us. In case you haven’t heard, we wrote a book. It’s basically a crash course in adulting. We cover everything from your finances to the right wine pairings. If you haven’t pre-ordered it yet, what are you waiting for? Get it here. https://skimmth.is/2UgoeXq 

Poppy Harlow is an anchor on CNN Newsroom. She’s the host of the podcast Boss Files, where she talks to badass leaders about how they made it to the top. She’s interviewed everyone from Warren Buffett… to Jay Z. And if that wasn’t enough, Poppy’s also a mom of two. On the Couch, she talks to us about how having kids made her more efficient at work (8:00), why she chose journalism (14:03), and that time she interviewed a sitting Supreme Court Justice… while wearing a diaper (22:29). And she takes a call from a very special guest. PS: We’ve been thinking about money a lot at Skimm HQ. Lucky for us, our good friend and adviser Alexa von Tobel wrote a book about it. It’s called “Financially Forward,” and it’s this week’s Skimm Reads. Get it here.  https://skimmth.is/2PZ70N5

Both Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini started their careers when they were really young. Christina shot her first commercial before she could walk and talk. And Linda’s first big role was in college, on “Freaks and Geeks.” They’ve been everywhere since then. But if you’ve logged into Netflix in the last week, you might know that they’re now co-starring on Dead to Me. It’s a new series that’s part comedy. Part tragedy. And allll binge-worthy. On the Couch, Christina and Linda talk to us about how Time’s Up has changed the way they negotiate and how they handle not getting a callback. Plus they take a few questions from our live studio audience.  PS: This week’s Skimm Reads is brought to you by … our team. They recommended “Grit” by Angela Duckworth. It’s all about how success takes hustle and, yes, grit. Get it here.

Joi Gordon is the CEO of Dress for Success. That’s the nonprofit that provides low-income women clothing and career counseling to help them succeed in their careers. But she didn’t start there. Joi got her start as a lawyer and volunteered at Dress for Success on the side. Not long after that, she switched over full time. And she’s spent the last 20 years growing the nonprofit from one storefront in NYC … to a global entity. On the Couch, she talks to us about why she gave up her law career (6:00), what she looks for when hiring full-time employees (10:50), and the key to convincing people to get on your side (14:25).  PS: This week, we’re getting our focus on with Oprah’s new book, “The Path Made Clear.” Get it here. 

Shilpa Shah and Karla Gallardo are the co-founders of Cuyana, the fashion brand that’s all about “fewer, better things.” Aka high-quality clothes and bags at a price that doesn’t hurt your wallet. Shilpa spent the first part of her career building web and mobile apps for Fortune 500 companies. Karla grew up in Ecuador and had a quick career in finance before she and Shilpa met at business school. And decided to start Cuyana together. It paid off. Earlier this year, they closed their Series C round of funding. On the Couch, they talk to us about how to find a cofounder (7:00) and why fundraising is so hard (19:33). Plus we put them to a cofounder compatibility test that a VC gave us way back when (30:52). PS: The spring refresh has officially hit our bookshelves. We’re adding “The Hill to Die On” by Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer to our list. Get it here.  The Hill to Die on/ Get it Here https://skimmth.is/2IzPxtI

It’s Stress Awareness Month. Chelsea Handler has been working on managing hers. You know Chelsea as the comedian … turned late-night host … turned Netflix documentarian … turned activist and advocate. And she just became a 5-time best-selling author with her new book “Life Will Be the Death of Me … And You, Too!” – which came out the day we recorded this episode. Chelsea is a long-time friend of theSkimm and one of our earliest investors. On the Couch, she talks to us about what led to her latest shift, going with her gut, and navigating criticism. Which she’s very familiar with. 

Tracy Sun is an expert at making big changes in her career. She started off as a neuroscience researcher. Casual. But then she decided to follow her passion for fashion and business. Throughout her career, she’s helped start – and grow – several companies. Today, she’s the founder and Senior VP of New Markets at Poshmark, the platform that helps 40 million people buy and sell their clothes and accessories online. One of us is a superfan. On the couch, Tracy talks to us about finding a cofounder, managing a team through the failure of her first business, and not being afraid of the things she doesn’t know. PS: What we’re reading this week: NBC correspondent Jean Chatzky’s new book, “Women with Money: The Judgment-Free Guide to Creating the Joyful, Less Stressed, Purposeful (and, Yes, Rich) Life You Deserve.” Get it here.

Sarah Goldberg has been passionate about acting since she was a little kid. She got her first big break at the Young Vic Theatre in London, but eventually made the switch from the stage to the screen. Now you know her as Sally on HBO’s “Barry,” the show about an ex-marine-turned-hitman who decides to make a career transition. To acting. On the show, Sarah stars alongside some of the greats: Bill Hader and Henry Winkler. On this episode of “Skimm’d from the Couch” – live from HBO’s Inspiration Room – she talks to us about being 45 minutes late to her audition for “Barry”, what it’s like to work with Stefon and the Fonz every day, and dealing with imposter syndrome

Sarah Kate Ellis started her career in the magazine industry, where she helped launch and revitalize major media brands at outlets like InStyle, Vogue, and New York Magazine. Now, she’s the President and CEO of GLAAD. Translation: she’s an expert at using storytelling to shape coverage of the LGBTQ community in media and entertainment. On this episode, recorded live in HBO’s Inspiration Room in NYC, Sarah Kate talks to us about the challenges of leading an activist organization, the GLAAD Media Awards, and writing a book about the time she and her wife were pregnant at the same time. 

Arlan Hamilton started her career in the music industry, working with artists like Jason Derulo, Toni Braxton, and CeeLo Green. But in 2015, she took a look at Silicon Valley and saw a major lack of diversity there. So she decided to change it. Casual. Arlan started her venture firm Backstage Capital to invest in startups led by underrepresented founders. It wasn’t always easy (think: sleeping at the San Francisco airport while she built her business). But it paid off. Backstage Capital has invested nearly 5 million dollars into startups led by women, minorities, and members of the LGBTQ community. On this LIVE episode, Arlan talks to us about speaking up, taking risks, and getting inside the door… as an outsider. PS: After we recorded our interview with Arlan, Axios reported that Backstage Capital has run into trouble raising money for their most recent fund, and that the firm is shifting focus to its accelerator program. Arlan told us in an email Tuesday that Backstage is still working on the fund, and “wil

Katia Beauchamp started her career in finance. But after a few years, she decided that she didn’t feel challenged. So Katia switched gears … and went to Harvard Business School. Casual. That’s where she met her cofounder, Hayley Barna. And together, they launched Birchbox, the subscription company that helps people discover new beauty products. Since Katia and Hayley launched it in 2010, the company has grown and changed a lot: they’ve earned two and a half million active subscribers. They were acquired by one of their investors. And Hayley decided to leave in 2015. Katia has stayed on board as CEO. On the couch, she talks to us about learning to lead on her own, working through a complicated pregnancy, and the time she cold-emailed Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. And got a response.