Skimm'd From The Couch

When Alexandra Fine co-founded Dame, a women-founded sex toy company looking to close the pleasure gap, not everyone was on board with her vision. She got a lot of pushback - from traditional investors to advertisers - as she sought to change how the world looked at sex toys and pleasure. So this week: we spoke to Alexandra about how she navigated those obstacles and came up with creative solutions to get Dame off the ground. In this episode, Alexandra shares:  How they funded the businesses when investors said ‘no’  How she’s built her team  Why Dame has to get creative with how they advertise their products  How she overcame people who doubted her mission  Why Dame is suing the MTA 

We spend a lot of time - if not most of our time - at work. And that means: the relationships we have with our colleagues matter, and can impact how satisfied we are with our jobs. So this week, we talked to world-famous psychotherapist Esther Perel about how to create meaningful relationships with our coworkers. And why our interpersonal skills are just as important as any of the skills we list on our resume.  In this episode, Esther shares:  How to have difficult conversations in the office  How managers can create trust on teams  How to build relationships with colleagues virtually  Why she does “couples therapy” for bosses and direct reports  What a “relationship resume” is  PS: Want to hear more from Esther? Check out her podcasts, and her new card game, here.

Mentors at work. We know they’re good to have, but there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to finding one. They can be someone on your team, someone in your company, or someone in a totally different line of work. But no matter who it is, there are some best practices when it comes to starting - and maintaining - those relationships. This week, we talked to Rashida Jones, president of MSNBC, to learn how she found mentors - and how she sustained those relationships throughout her career.  In this episode, Rashida shares:  What she goes to her mentors for How to start looking for a mentor  How to push past the awkwardness of those first few convos   Why mentees have to drive the relationship  Why it’s good to have more than one mentor  How to be direct with mentors about what you want to get out of the relationship  How to transition from mentee to mentor

We heard from a lot of you that you have questions about whether to pursue your MBA or another business degree. So we asked an expert. Erika James is the dean of the Wharton School at UPenn, the oldest business school in the country. So she’s got tips on how to know if you’re ready to get that degree - and how to know if an MBA isn’t the right path for you. Plus: she tells us the do’s and dont’s of the application process.  In this episode, Dean James shares:  How to evaluate if you’re ready for an MBA How to know if an MBA isn’t the degree for you  How to make your application stand out (and what not to include)  Whether you should get an MBA if you think you don't have “quantitative skills”  What you learn from an MBA program  Her perspective on how business leadership has changed 

Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or working at a big company, everyone has a personal brand at work. And everything from your LinkedIn profile to your resume to your interview style adds to that brand. So this week, we sat down with the master of creating a personal brand, Paris Hilton, to talk about how she built hers. She’s not only the OG social media influencer, but she also created a persona that took the world by storm. And spoiler: investing in her brand paid off. Now, she’s got dozens of businesses, not to mention a new hit TV show on Netflix, "Cooking with Paris." In this episode, Paris shares:  Why (and how) she built the persona of Paris Hilton  What she’s like as a businesswoman  Her advice for leveraging social media to reach your career goals Who she goes to for advice when she’s looking to take the next step  How she evaluates who to work with  How to prioritize between personal and professional life

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 

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are underway. And as we all started cheering for the athletes on our TV screens, it got us thinking about winning - and losing - at work. Maybe you got the promotion. Or maybe your long-time project wasn’t a success. How should we navigate the ups and downs? To find out, we called up an expert: 2008 Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin. She’s had some high highs (hello, gold medal)...and also some low lows (injuries, falls, and haters).  In this episode, Nastia shares:  How to block out external noise  How to keep going when you want to quit  How to move on from failure  How she dealt with a 1:1 rivalry  How to hype yourself up 

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.