Skimm'd From The Couch

It’s no secret that more diversity is needed in the investing world. So as an immigrant woman of color, Gargi Pal Chaudhuri didn’t see a lot of people who looked like her or understood her background when she first stepped onto the trading floor two decades ago. Since then, she’s climbed the ranks, broadened her network, and become the Head of iShares Investment Strategy, Americas at BlackRock. Tune in for her advice on how to find the best mentors possible as you build your career.  In this episode, Gargi shares:  How to start looking for a mentor The secrets to developing a mentor-mentee relationship The one piece of advice she gives her mentees now (hint: invest)  

The day before Melissa Ben-Ishay started her famous cupcake business Baked by Melissa, she actually got fired from her job. But she’s proof that your worst moments can lead to some of your best. This week, we spoke to Melissa about how she found her confidence as she was getting started, and how she learned to embrace obstacles.   In this episode, Melissa shares… Her decision-making tactics  Her advice for people who lose their jobs How she got over her fear of cold-outreach Why the past two years were the hardest in her career The quality she looks for most when hiring 

Robin Roberts has been in the anchor chair at “Good Morning America” for over 15 years. And while she’s covered some of the biggest news events of our time, she’s also gone through her own off-camera battles. This week, Robin told us why she decided to share her most personal struggles with millions of people – and how to make your own vulnerability your superpower at work.  In this episode, Robin shares:  Why she pivoted from sports into news  How she exercises her “optimism muscle” How she reframes obstacles and learns from them Why vulnerability is her strength at work  How she mentors and supports her colleagues   

Scarlett Johansson is one of the highest-paid actors in the world, and has starred in some of the highest-grossing movies of all time. But those career defining moments didn’t come easy. She’s had to reframe rejection, say “yes” without looking back, and fight against toxic behavior in the entertainment industry. This week, we’ll ask Scarlett how she had perspective even in the toughest moments — including not getting the original call to be Black Widow — and why she recently took the leap to start her own skincare business. PS: theSkimm’s listeners can get 15% off the Outset products with the code SKIMM15. Valid from 4/13 until 4/20.  In this episode, Scarlett shares:  How she’s dealt with rejection in her career Why she decided to pivot and start her own business How she’s made a career out of being someone’s “second choice” and how she kept an open mind How she handled being pigeonholed into certain roles 

When Michelle Kelly started at Lilly Pulitzer in 2004, her business card read “Major Stores Development Manager.” Now, it says “CEO.” Kelly has held 8 different titles across at least 4 different departments at the company — from retail, to merchandising, marketing, to e-commerce. So in this episode, we chat with Michelle about the art of the pivot. Started from the bottom, now we here.  In this episode, Michelle shares:  How she got her bosses to let her switch departments How to tell your boss you want to try something new What it was like to take on growth roles and “start over” on new teams What it’s like to manage your friends and peers  How she thinks about balancing trying new things and moving up the ladder

This week, we’re thinking about careers like recipes. And it’s not just because we’re talking to Dawn Davis, the editor-in-chief of “Bon Appétit.” For Dawn, every experience she had – from working in finance to founding her own publishing imprint – was an essential ingredient that prepared her to run the famous food mag. And this week, we’re talking to Dawn about how to experiment with your own career recipe.  In this episode, Dawn shares:  How she made the decision to leave finance  Why she left an imprint she started to work for a legacy brand  How she gives feedback to her authors and writers How she is building a safe and inclusive work culture at “Bon Appétit”

Even though Lorna Kapusta is head of women investors and customer relations at Fidelity, she wasn’t always so confident talking about her own finances. But that started to change about seven years ago when she realized: she needed to be in the driver’s seat when it came to her money. This week, Lorna shares her own journey– and gives advice on how to start taking control, from investing to having tough money conversations.  In this episode, Lorna shares:  How to start having conversations about money with your partner or friends How to begin your journey towards financial literacy Investing 101  What makes women strong investors  Her #1 money tip 

When Radhika Jones took over Vanity Fair as editor-in-chief, she succeeded a man who had been in the job for 25 years. And taking over a legacy like that isn’t easy — whether you’re EIC or managing a new team at work. You have to explain your vision, win over people who might not agree, learn people’s work styles...all on top of doing your actual job. This week, we asked Radhika how she navigated those early days at VF, and what she wants her legacy to be at the publication.  In this episode, Radhika shares:  How she learned how to run a business meeting — by working with college kids in the classroom  How she explained her vision to VF staffers When she knew her leadership style was working How to navigate working on a new team 

Working for Fawn Weaver isn’t your typical 9 to 5. The founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey operates her business like a family. Think: not just one-on-ones or status meetings, but 24/7 support for employees. So how did she build a company like that? She sought out people who had similar values and fit with her leadership style. And she spent a lot of time on the hiring process.  In this episode, Fawn shares.  How she found her leadership style – and learned to stop people-pleasing Her go-to interview question to determine if someone’s a fit for Uncle Nearest  Why she won’t hire anyone based off a Zoom interview anymore  How she tells an employee they aren’t the best fit for her team  Why a “family” environment doesn’t work for all employees

When Laurie Segall first started at CNN as a journalist, she was basically working in the equivalent of “Scriberia” from “Inventing Anna.” But instead of getting discouraged, Laurie used that opportunity to build out CNN’s tech coverage, and created a new role at the company in the process. And she ultimately became CNN’s senior technology correspondent. This week, Laurie shares how she used her different jobs - good and bad - as stepping stones to work towards the career she wanted. Now, Laurie’s her own boss, as the founder and CEO of Dot Dot Dot, a media venture exploring technology through the human lens. In this episode, Laurie shares:  How she turned disappointment into motivation  How she networked her way into major interviews with tech CEOs  Why every job (even the bad ones) can get you closer to your career goals Why she decided to leave CNN and start her own company

Ever worn a really uncomfortable bra and thought “Who even invented this?” Michelle Cordeiro Grant was one of those people. She worked for major lingerie and underwear brands before starting her own, Lively, after she saw how other brands didn’t put their customer - or comfort - first. And it turns out: flipping the script worked. Lively sold out of inventory in its first two weeks. And in 2019, Lively was acquired for a casual $105 million dollars. This week, we talked to Michelle about how to listen to your customers.  In this episode, Michelle shares:  Her philosophy on marketing How to connect with customers How to make yourself be more extroverted in business How to learn on the fly 

Anne Wojcicki always followed her interests. From sneaking into figure skating rinks as a kid, to taking her interest in genetics to the next level and co-founding the genetics company 23andMe, Anne told us how she’s built her career off curiosity. And as 23andMe has faced challenges from regulators and privacy advocates over the years, Anne had to dig into her passion even more to boost morale.  In this episode, Anne shares:  The 23andMe origin story What boosted morale on her team Why she actively seeks out feedback from naysayers  How she’s played the long game with building her company How the tech world has changed for women

Victoria Beckham has switched industries three times so far during her career: trading in the Spice Girls for a solo career, then launching her own fashion label. Now, she’s in the midst of her third big pivot: a foray into beauty, via a sustainable luxury brand. And she brought in Sarah Creal, a lifelong product developer who’s worked with everyone from Bobbi Brown to Estée Lauder. In this episode, Victoria and Sarah talk about: Building credibility by putting product first Refining long-term business plans Choosing a co-founder Standing out in a crowded field PS: 9 to 5ish listeners can get 10% off Victoria Beckham Beauty products by using code Skimm10 at checkout. Some restrictions apply.

Nancy started her career at Goldman Sachs — but she always knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur. She had grown up helping her grandmother and her mother make natural home-remedies for hair and skin, and realized there was a gaping hole in the beauty market. But she didn’t quit her day job right away: instead, she stayed on the trading room floor for another four years and worked evenings and weekends to run her own business, Briogeo, on the side. Talk about time management skills.  In this episode, Nancy talks about: What she learned on Wall Street during the 2008 financial crash Figuring out when to quit your day job Putting product development before branding Making choices during a company’s early stages When to think about outside funding for a business

This week, we’re throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes from last year. What does it actually mean to know your worth at work? This week, we asked the queen of confidence (and of morning TV), Gayle King, how she found hers. She told us her self worth came from years of salary negotiations, building strong support systems, navigating setbacks, and dealing with tough bosses.  In this episode, Gayle shares:  Her mindset going into negotiations How she gained a sense of self worth as a junior reporter Why tough moments and failure can add to self worth  How she leans on her support system  Why celebrating other people’s success adds to your self worth (hi, Oprah)  How she dealt with being underestimated 

Lindsey Vonn isn’t just physically tough – she’s also known as one of the most mentally strong athletes. She started competing in international skiing competitions when she was just nine years old, and went on to become the most decorated female skier in history, including winning three Olympic Winter Games medals. And along the way, Lindsey dealt with a number of terrifying injuries, which challenged her mental and physical strength. After retiring from professional skiing, Lindsey’s switched arenas, starting her own production company, writing a memoir and leading her own foundation. In this episode, Lindsey talks about: How competition has served her - and hurt her  Career setbacks and how injuries actually helped her Learning to trust people she was competing with Building a risk-tolerant mindset

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg went from working in nightclubs and modeling to becoming one of the first people to start streaming workouts online. That turned into her own health and fitness app, which now has thousands of paying subscribers. Today, Melissa has almost one million Instagram followers and her app, Melissa Wood Health, is a case study at Harvard Business School — despite the fact Melissa never went to college herself. In this episode, Melissa talks about: How meditation changed her life Experimenting as a way to figure out your career path Learning to listen to your gut How she stopped comparing herself to other people

Fran Lebowitz found fame as a writer in the 1970’s, when she started out writing movie reviews and magazine columns. She went on to publish two essay collections containing her observations of New York City and the people around her — cementing her as a definitive voice of a generation.  In this episode, Fran talks about: Finding her writing process Networking without the internet Improvising when she got writer’s block Refusing to follow the crowd

Dana Canedy is a Pulitzer-winning reporter who’s set goals for herself since her first internship. But halfway through her career as a reporter Dana lost her fiancé, which shaped the rest of her life and her career. And Dana figured out how to keep going — becoming the first person of color, the youngest, and first female administrator of the Pulitzer Prize and the first Black person to head up a major US publishing imprint.  In this episode, Dana talks about: How she set goals for herself early on Switching roles throughout her career How her personal life shaped her professional trajectory How to recognize all your successes — even the small ones

Sheila was at Harvard Business School, rifling through the Yellow Pages to find care for her infant son and her elderly father when she realized finding care should be easier. But unlike some Silicon Valley founders, Sheila wasn’t in a rush: instead, she prioritized building her leadership and management skills before she launched Care.com.  In this episode, Sheila talks about: Figuring out what skills she needed to learn before launching a company What qualities she looks for in potential managers Why people teams are essential to startup success Finding your style as a manager and owning your mistakes