Skimm'd From The Couch

For most of her career, Isa Watson felt like she was living somebody else’s life. She started out as a chemist working her way up the academic ranks, and then she became a world-traveling VP at JP Morgan. And a lot of people online started to take notice of her impressive career. Isa felt she was always chasing the validation of a ‘30 under 30’ or ‘40 under 40’ list, while neglecting her relationships and her own happiness. So, she stopped obsessing over that public praise. And founded Squad, the app that provides the easy and fun way to talk to your friends – away from social media.  In this episode, Isa shares:  How she’s dealt with the pressure of other people’s expectations The life event that put everything into perspective for her  How she rebuilt her relationship with herself  Why she added 'professional skydiver' to her resume Her advice for setting better boundaries with social media 

Lauren Wesley Wilson worked for politicians and crisis comms firms for years before she decided to start her own organization, ColorComm. ColorComm started as a luncheon series over ten years ago, and now has grown to become the nation’s leading women’s platform addressing diversity & inclusion across the communications, marketing, advertising, and media industries. This week, Lauren told us how she sought out to make the notoriously competitive communications industry more inclusive.  In this episode, Lauren shares:  How she navigated a cutthroat industry when she was starting out  Why she knew she needed to start ColorComm What she gave up to found ColorComm How she made the time and space for her personal life The goals she created for her personal life

You know Erin and Sara Foster as the sister-act behind the VH1 hit show “Barely Famous”, the co-founders of the fashion brand Favorite Daughter, and as the creative minds who’ve helped brands such as Bumble and the Mirror. After growing up in the entertainment world, the sisters not only decided to take on that industry, but also to take on fashion and investing. We spoke to the Fosters about the value of taking career risks – and why they’ve decided to redefine what success means to them. In this episode, Erin and Sara share:  The unexpected famous person they are related to  What they think of the “nepo baby” label  Why accolades can actually be depressing How their relationship has changed now that they’re in business together 

Nyakio Grieco has been paving the way for inclusive beauty and supporting Black entrepreneurs for her whole career. She launched her first beauty brand, Nyakio Beauty, in 2002. Then in 2020, she launched Thirteen Lune, the e-commerce platform dedicated to elevating Black and Brown beauty founders. While Nyakio is one of the most celebrated entrepreneurs in the industry, the road to the top was paved with hurdles. Including shuttering and relaunching her original brand, watching that brand take off after she sold it, and starting over as a founder at 47.  In this episode, Nyakio shares:  Her perspective on failure  How her optimism has served her throughout her career Why she’s focused on bringing her friends along on her journey How she stopped being a “people-pleaser” PS: Skimm listeners can get 20% off Thirteen Lune products using the code SKIMM20. Valid for 30 days from June 7, 2023.

To wrap up this season of 9 to 5ish, we’ve got a bonus episode with author Avery Carpenter Forrey. She was one of the first employees at theSkimm, who pivoted her career to become a writer. Her highly-anticipated debut novel, Social Engagement, drops on May 23rd, and explores millennial wedding culture, class, and relationships. This week, we spoke to Avery about how she pulled off the pivot, what tactical steps she took to get started, and how she maintained relationships with her former colleagues. Plus, she shares what it’s like to be a new mother while promoting her book. 

Today, we’re going back into the 9 to 5ish archives, to bring you one of our favorite episodes from last year - with Glow Recipe co-CEO and co-founder Christine Chang. We hope you enjoy Christine’s advice on how to make the jump from a corporate job to a startup, and we’ll be back with fresh episodes next week. Until then, please enjoy our conversation with Christine.  Every weekend growing up, Christine watched her mom and grandma go to the Korean bathhouses, rubbing things like tea and spoiled milk on their skin. And she’s been hooked on skincare ever since. Now, she’s the co-founder and co-CEO of the skincare brand, Glow Recipe. But before leading this new venture, she actually worked her way up the corporate ladder at L’Oreal. In this episode, Christine gives her advice on how to make the jump from corporate to startup, and what she learned at her desk job that she still uses today.  In this episode, Christine shares:  How she learned to lean on colleagues and mentors How having a co-founder eases the

When Anastasia Soare started her brand Anastasia Beverly Hills from one room salon back in the 1990s, eyebrows were pencil-thin and an afterthought. 25 years (and one legendary appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show) later, she’s become synonymous with eyebrows, created a multi-billion dollar brand and revolutionized the beauty industry. Today, we spoke to Anastasia about how she’s still an industry pioneer after all these years, and why she had an unshakeable belief that she’d be successful.  In this episode, Anastasia shares:  How her upbringing in Romania influenced her as a businesswoman  The story of how she convinced a landlord to give her space in Beverly Hills  How Oprah changed her life What it’s like to work with her daughter to grow her brand

Mary Celeste Beall’s life drastically changed in 2016, when she lost her husband Sam in a tragic ski accident. Just weeks later, her professional life also changed, when she was asked to step into the role of proprietor of the legendary Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain resorts, a role Sam had occupied for years. We spoke to Mary Celeste about her experience becoming a leader, while also navigating her grief.   In this episode, Mary Celeste shares:  The conversation that led to her becoming proprietor  How she gained the team’s trust What it was like to have her work and her life completely integrated  The motto that gets her through  Her tips for being a great host 

Kristin Cavallari created the archetype for the reality-TV star-turned-mogul. She was on the OG reality show, Laguna Beach, when she was in high school. And she turned that fame (and notoriety) into a business empire. She’s now the owner of a jewelry and skincare brand and a New York Times bestselling author. And she made the jump from TV to the boardroom by following her instincts and leaning into her personality.  In this episode, Kristin shares:  Her best tips for negotiating  Why she cried when she watched the first episode of Laguna Beach What she’s like as a boss Why she decided to own 100% of her business Her advice for the Vanderpump Rules cast

Two-time entrepreneur Jessica Rolph is embracing what she calls “micro failures” at work. You know, when you say the wrong thing to a team member, make a mistake on a project, or you don’t communicate about something. These moments can feel small, but they can take a big toll on us. But Jessica believes it doesn’t have to be that way. As the co-founder of baby food biz Happy Family, which sold to Danone in 2013, and as the current co-founder of the child development company Lovevery, Jessica’s learned to push through the shame and lean into those moments to become a better leader.  In this episode, Jessica shares:  Why she scaled back on her friendships when she was working at Happy Family  How she thinks about “micro failures”  Why she was sad when they sold Happy Family  A moment where she felt lost at work When she decided to launch Lovevery

Thasunda Brown Duckett, the President and CEO of TIAA, had a “meteoric rise” in the world of finance. As the former head of Chase Consumer Banking, and now as one of two Black women who currently leads a Fortune 500 company, she realized early on that “work-life balance” was a myth. Instead, Thasunda lives her life like it’s a diversified portfolio, allocating time and shifting her investment in different areas. So over time, she always outperforms. Tune in to learn how.  In this episode, Thasunda shares:  How to live your life like “a diversified portfolio”  Her secret to building relationships at work What it means to “rent your title, own your character” at work Why she almost turned down her dream role What you need to know to prep for retirement

Kaitlan Collins, co-anchor and chief correspondent for CNN This Morning, is no stranger to sleeping four hours a night, or packing up to travel at a moment’s notice. Which is great if you love the news…but it’s not so great if you love your boundaries. This week, we spoke to Kaitlan about how she’s learned to set boundaries – from the anchor desk to the White House Briefing Room.  In this episode, Kaitlan shares:  The moments where she’s had to keep her composure on live TV  Her public speaking advice  How she’s dealt with public scrutiny – and political landmines  Her advice on dealing with change in the workplace

Debra Lee was the chairman and CEO of BET, where she worked for over three decades. But even though she was a leader in the entertainment world, Debra said her biggest career weakness was being “too nice”. This week, we sat down to talk about Debra’s new memoir, I Am Debra Lee, and how she stepped into her power as a leader – from taking back control of her senior staff meetings, to literally finding her voice.  In this episode, Debra shares… How she dealt with getting denied a raise Why men are promoted based on potential, and women are promoted based on experience  How she took her power back as an executive  The celeb who left her the most starstruck  And PS: There’s so much Debra shares in her new memoir – including some things we weren’t able to get to in our interview. You can find her book here. 

Bozoma Saint John is one of the most celebrated marketing execs out there. She’s worked for Apple, Uber, Endeavor, Pepsi, and Netflix…just to name a few. But while those big names are on her resume, Boz told us about the other titles that have influenced her and her career. Like ‘single mom.’ And ‘widow.’ This week, Boz explains how her story of love, loss, and survival has made her live “urgently”, especially when it comes to work. In this episode shares:  What it means to live urgently at work  Why you need to take the credit for what you do    How we can better show up for our colleagues that are grieving  Why grief has made her a better leader The hardest part of writing her memoir, The Urgent Life

Chantel George had a plan to go to law school. Then, she found out she was good at sales. Really good. In fact, she became one of the best sellers in the tech world. Chantel’s experience learning how to turn a ‘no’ into a ‘yes’, asking tough questions, and challenging the status quo convinced her she needed to start her own sales community. So in 2017, she started Sistas in Sales, the largest global organization for women of color in sales. In today’s episode, Chantel told us how she saw opportunities everywhere – even when they seemed out of reach or hard to spot.  In this episode, Chantel shares:  The earliest lessons she learned about entrepreneurship Why she’s not afraid of having tough conversations  The advice she got that made her a better manager  Who would play her in a movie

For Amy Griffin, being one of the most successful venture capitalists actually has a lot in common with being a college athlete. Amy played volleyball at the University of Virginia, and now as the founder and managing partner of G9 Ventures, she helps early-stage startups perform their best in a different kind of arena. And some of the companies she’s coached include Goop, Athletic Greens, and Bumble. This week, we ask Amy about the secret to her coaching magic. Which, spoiler, is all about relationships.  In this episode, Amy shares:  How her mentality as a college athlete stayed with her throughout her career Her experience stepping out of, and stepping back into, the workforce  How she supports founders through the good times – and the bad  Her approach to relationship-building  How founders can prepare for an uncertain economic environment 

From navigating war zones to negotiating with affiliates of terrorist organizations, Emily Hikade lived for the thrill of working as a CIA officer. But a near death experience at work made her realize: it was time to try a different kind of adventure. While in East Africa, Emily worked nights to start her luxury sleepwear brand, Petite Plume. Today, Emily shares how working in diplomacy prepared her for the challenges of being a founder and CEO. In this episode, Emily Hikade shares: Why she knew she’d have an international career from an early age The moment she started feeling vulnerable in her CIA career  What a near-death experience put into perspective for her How she started her business while working full-time and being a mom of three  Advice on how to know which investors are worth working with 

Pinky Cole came up with her business, Slutty Vegan, in her apartment in Atlanta. She started by taking orders through Instagram DMs and eventually expanded to multiple locations outside of ATL. Now, her company’s worth $100 million. But she says: she wouldn’t have gotten there without hitting rock bottom first. Today, how Pinky found her success, and why she wants to help people in the Black community find theirs too.  In this episode, Pinky shares:  Her favorite recipe from her new book, Eat Plants B*tch How a grease fire that destroyed her restaurant was actually a blessing Her philosophy on success – and why it’s not about being the only one winning Why giving up entrepreneurship and returning to a 9-5 job was the hardest thing she’s done in her career

When Kimberly Brown wrote a high school paper about her dream of becoming a social worker, she knew helping people would be central to her work. She ended up in higher ed as a career counselor. And after she helped her first student get a job, she was hooked. Since then, Kimberly founded her own company to help people – especially women of color – find meaningful work and level up in their careers.  In this episode, Kimberly shares: How celebrating her wins has helped her mental health Her advice to mid-career women on how to find that next step Who might be missing from your professional development network  Why the transition from higher ed to a corporation was the hardest career challenge she’s overcome

On this special episode of 9 to 5ish, Carly and Danielle take listeners through their favorite stories and moments from 2022.  In this episode, Carly and Danielle share: Their favorite moments from guest lightning round answers How prioritizing mental and physical health came up in nearly every episode Why many of their guests had to rethink their professional identities The people who got our guests through the year – and why they’re so important 9 to 5ish will be back in your feed next Thursday. See you in the new year.