Skimm'd From The Couch

Whitney Wolfe Herd is one of the biggest women in business. She founded Bumble in 2014, and became the youngest ever female CEO to take a company public when it IPO'd this year. So we decided to ask the best of the best for her tips on how to think about getting started.  In this episode, Whitney shares:  Why founders need to communicate (read: over-communicate) their vision for the company  How she used “no’s” she got early on as motivation  Her advice on how to hire (and potentially fire) friends and family  How to market your company when you have no money How to think about your personal finances when you’re starting your business

Meet our revamped career podcast, 9 to 5ish with theSkimm. We're bringing you the work advice you need, from women who’ve been there. Every week, join the co-founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm, Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg, as they help you get what you want out of your career by talking to the smartest leaders they know. New episodes drop every Wednesdays, starting July 21st. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a single ep.

Jenna Lyons was the Executive Creative Director and President of J.Crew Group. And she also became the face of the brand and a brand herself. But then...she left J.Crew after 26 years at the company. This week, Jenna sat down with us to talk about how to build an authentic personal brand and leadership style. And how to maintain that sense of identity (and hold onto your confidence) even when you leave your job.  In this episode, Jenna shares how she stopped micromanaging, why she was surprised no one called her after she left J.Crew, and how to build a personal brand.

Ursula Burns is one of the most notable business leaders in America. She ran Xerox from 2009 to 2016, and when she took the top job, she also became the first Black woman to run a Fortune 500 company. This week, Ursula sat down with us to share why leaders in 2021 can’t just be focused on profits or increasing a stock price - they have to be focused on people.  In this episode, Ursula shares why being an executive assistant changed her life, how she created accountability on her leadership team, and why companies have to prioritize the wellbeing of their employees.

Last year, when the world was locked down, Amanda Kloots gave us a window into the toll that COVID-19 has taken on individual families. The former Broadway dancer and Radio City Rockette lost her husband, Nick Cordero, last summer due to complications from COVID. She put her journey up on social media - and the world supported her and grieved with her. This week, Amanda sat down with us to talk about navigating grief and the impact it has on work and career.  In this episode, Amanda shares how she pivoted from the Broadway stage into teaching fitness classes, why she chose to grieve so publicly, and how she practices positivity (hint: try thinking of one positive thing each day).

This week, we're throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes from last year, with Olympian and soccer star Abby Wambach. Abby knows a thing or two about winning a gold medal - she actually won two while she played for the US Women’s National Team. And the soccer star hasn’t slowed down in retirement. She’s now a bestselling author and an equal pay activist.  In this episode, Abby shares what it was like to play with her idols, including Mia Hamm, how she’s developed her leadership style on and off the field, and why one night at the ESPY awards changed the direction of her retirement. 

Whembley Sewell is the youngest editor at a Condé Nast publication. And she’s the EIC of its newest publication, them. And when you’re the youngest at the newest, cue: pressure. But Whembley told us she doesn’t let the challenges of the job get to her because she stays focused on them’s mission of celebrating the stories and voices of the LGBTQ+ community.   In this episode, Whembley shares how to create meaningful relationships with an audience, her advice for fostering an inclusive work culture, and how she balances being collaborative with giving her team freedom.

Once Ayesha Curry’s family started expanding, so did her culinary career. Ayesha built her brand one blog post and YouTube video at a time. And now: she’s one of the most recognized personalities in the food world (think: multiple cookbooks, a magazine, and a foundation to end childhood hunger). This week, Ayesha sat down with us to tell us how she found her career calling after she became a parent.  In this episode, Ayesha shares how she taught herself about business, why she emphasizes collaboration at work, and how she and her husband push each other to stay motivated.

Whether it’s getting that promotion or starting your own business, it can be intimidating to map out your career goals. But this week, Stacey Abrams told us to try one simple approach: write it down. The voting rights activist, politician, and author has a lot on her plate at any given time, from getting out the vote to writing romance novels. And she keeps her eye on the prize...literally keeping a spreadsheet. Tune in to hear her tips on how to stay focused on your goals. And why being honest with yourself - and even your boss - about your ambitions is a good place to start.  In this episode, Abrams shares how she prioritizes, how she decides to not pursue something, and what she wants to do next.  PS: Check out the latest book from Stacey Abrams here. 

Kendra Scott built her jewelry brand (also called Kendra Scott) with a $500 dollar investment out of a spare bedroom in her house. And now, it’s a billion dollar business. That didn’t just happen overnight. In this special live (on Zoom) episode, Kendra told us how she’s been able to turn her biggest failures into her greatest successes. And how she turns a 'no' into a 'yes.' In this episode, Kendra shares where her resilience comes from, how her relationship with money has changed, and her advice for how to pitch yourself.

Welcome to our special Mother’s Day episode. Skimm’d from the Couch is a career podcast...and we can’t talk about work and career without talking about how that changes when you become a parent. This past year has also created new challenges for working moms, while exacerbating existing ones. Which, PS: often go unrecognized.  So we wanted to know: what can we do about it? To get some answers, we invited Reshma Saujani back on the show. She’s the founder of Girls Who Code, the leader of the Marshall Plan for moms, and a mom herself. We talk to her about parenthood, entrepreneurship, and how to fix a system that undervalues the invisible work of women. In this episode, Reshma shares how the past year has been for her, what policy changes could benefit working parents, and her advice for taking action in your own workplace.

Cindy McCain’s life has been in the American political spotlight for four decades. Her late husband, Senator John McCain, was elected for six terms in the Senate. And he ran for president twice. Cindy was by his side for all of it. But before the White House races and the political spotlight, Cindy was a 20-something from Arizona who had to find her strength as a newbie in DC. And in 2018, she had to tap into her strength again in the face of personal tragedy.  In this episode, Cindy shares her journey with confidence, how she’s handled criticism, and also...her tips for long-distance relationships.

At the age of 31, Aja Brown made history when she became the youngest mayor ever elected in the city of Compton. But when she was first running, people said, “Are you even old enough to be mayor?” Well, it turns out age really is just a number. Mayor Brown was one of the most qualified people to ever run and win that office. And now she’s basically the CEO...of a city. This week, we asked Mayor Brown for her best management tips (think: don’t micromanage) that she’s learned over her two terms in office.  In this episode, Mayor Brown shares how she overcame being underestimated, why she’s really strict about setting boundaries, and how to know it's time to move on to your next gig.

Bela Bajaria is the woman who makes the decisions about what’s going to be your next binge-watch. She’s the head of global TV for Netflix, and has helped bring some of our favorite shows, like “The Queen’s Gambit” and “Bridgerton” from the page to the screen. So how’d she actually get her dream job? Perseverance. Because she started as an assistant…and now she’s here. And btw, she also lost a job along the way. This week, she sat down to tell us how you can still get the Hollywood ending for your own career.  In this episode, Bela shares how she convinced her first boss to take a chance on her, what you should do if you get let go from your job, and she tapped her network to land at Netflix.

Diane von Furstenberg (aka DVF) knows the secret to a long and successful career. Hint: it’s reinvention. She’s been in the fashion business since the 1970s. But she’s changed her direction, and her brand, more than a few times. This week, DVF joined us to tell us how to embrace change (even when it’s hard) so you can be the designer...of your own life.  In this episode, DVF shares how she deals with fear, why you should own your vulnerability at work, and how she’s embracing change during the pandemic. And Carly reflects on the time she received an unexpected phone call from Diane as a teenager.

Welcome to our Women’s History Month series on Skimm’d from the Couch - where we’re bringing you the women who made history this past year.  Meet: Dr. Laura Forese. Dr. Forese is the COO of New York Presbyterian, one of the largest not-for-profit hospital networks in the country. And one that’s been instrumental in caring for COVID-19 patients. Also under her leadership, the hospital rolled out a comprehensive paid parental leave plan that includes extended leave for up to six months and continued benefits coverage. Oh, and we forgot to mention that she’s an orthopedic surgeon.  In this episode, Dr. Forese shares how she asked for maternity leave during her residency, why she transitioned into management, and how she communicated with her team during the pandemic. 

Welcome to our Women’s History Month series on Skimm’d from the Couch - where we’re bringing you the women who made history this past year.  Meet: Dara Treseder. She’s the head of global marketing for Peloton — a brand that’s made at-home fitness viral during the pandemic. Case in point: Its membership has more than doubled in the last year. But this isn’t Dara’s first ride. She’s also got GE, Apple, and Goldman Sachs on her resume. So basically she’s at the top of the leaderboard.  In this episode, Dara shares how she receives critical feedback, why she sets OKRs for her family, and her advice for starting a new job remotely. 

Welcome to our Women’s History Month series on Skimm’d from the Couch - where we’re bringing you the women who made history this past year.  Meet: Dr. Kathrin Jansen. Dr. Jansen is the head of vaccine research at Pfizer. So she literally helped develop the COVID-19 vaccine that’s being distributed in the US and around the world. But why stop there? It turns out, she’s developed other breakthrough vaccines throughout her career. Like the one that fights HPV. In this episode, Dr. Jansen shares how she deals with resistance and skepticism (15:28), how she balances listening to her intuition and data (13:36), and the moment when she found out just how effective the Pfizer vaccine was (26:38).

Welcome to our Women’s History Month series on Skimm’d from the Couch - where we’re bringing you the women who made history this past year.  Meet: Alicia Garza. She’s the Principal at Black Futures Lab and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network — the movement that sparked a global rallying cry last summer. Black Lives Matter has since been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, as the world recognizes the groundbreaking work Alicia and her co-founders started.  In this episode, Alicia shares the secret to building relationships (14:10), her tips for overcoming rejection (16:20), and what she does to stay invigorated in her work (30:10). 

Welcome to our Women’s History Month series on Skimm’d from the Couch - where we’re bringing you the women who made history this past year.  Meet: Kristen Welker. She’s the Chief White House Correspondent for NBC News, and the co-anchor of Weekend TODAY. You probably recognize her from moderating that final presidential debate of 2020...which she calls the biggest moment in her professional career. This week, Kristen joined us to talk about how she prepared for that moment - and how she kept cool under pressure.  In this episode, Kristen shares what to say to your boss when you want more responsibility at work, what it’s actually like to be a White House reporter, and why meditation helps her with public speaking.