Skimm'd From The Couch

Jessica Lessin has broken some of the biggest stories on the tech companies we all know (think: Facebook, Google, and Apple). Now, after years of covering founders and entrepreneurs, she’s become one herself. She started The Information - a subscription-based digital media company covering technology and business. This week, she told us how her perspective has changed since going from employee to founder. And what she’s still trying to learn on the job.  In this episode, Jessica shares how to transition an internship into a full time job (4:50), why it's hard for her to show her personality during WFH (9:51), and what she thinks the future of social media companies will look like (22:00).

Emma Grede is one of the only guests we’ve had on this show who told us she loves negotiating. Early on, she realized that it was her strong suit. And she’s honed that skill throughout her career...especially while she built her own fashion brand alongside a Kardashian (hi, Khloe). Tune in to hear Emma give us a negotiating lesson...and her advice for how to enjoy the process more.  In this episode, Emma shares her tips for negotiation 101 (9:30), how to lean into your strengths when networking (15:00), and what you’d be surprised to know about Khloe (34:40).  PS: We're calling all Skimm'd from the Couch listeners. Help us help you by filling out this five minute listener survey. Find it at theskimm.com/podsurvey.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is one of the most recognizable people in the world. She started her career as the winner of the Miss World pageant, and later took the global entertainment industry by storm. Along the way, she’s had to develop her confidence, resilience, and self worth. This week, Priyanka sat down with us to share her career journey - and how her relationship with herself has evolved.  In this episode, Priyanka shares how her relationship with confidence has changed (8:14), her advice for dealing with difficult emotions (11:42), and how she’s confronted pay inequity in her industry (22:09). PS: We're calling all Skimm'd from the Couch listeners. Help us help you by filling out this five minute listener survey. Find it at theskimm.com/podsurvey. 

Do you ever feel like you don’t show your real personality at work? Our guests this week, Dr. Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas, say unfortunately, that’s pretty common. They teach at Stanford’s business school. And through their research, they found it’s okay - and important - to show your coworkers that you’re human. Which includes having a sense of humor. This week, they sat down with us to share why laughter really can be the best medicine...especially in a Zoom meeting.  In this episode, Dr. Aaker and Naomi share tips on how to read the room - or the Zoom (22:08), why managers can build stronger relationships with their team using humor (18:32), and how humor can help you land a job (29:20).  If you want to learn more, you can buy their new book. It’s called “Humor, Seriously.” Seriously. Buy it here: https://www.humorseriously.com/buy.  PS: We're calling all Skimm'd from the Couch listeners. Help us help you by filling out this five minute listener survey. Find it here: theskimm.com/podsurvey.

Ever feel like you don’t have the "right" resume for the job you’re applying for? Rachel Hollis has. The motivational speaker and author didn’t receive a formal education. And didn’t have a network or connections when she was starting out. But the secret to her success? Pure hustle. This week, Rachel shared why showing an employer how hard you work will get you hired...fancy degree optional.   In this special live (over Zoom) episode, Rachel shares her advice for dealing with burnout (19:23), her favorite question to ask in a job interview (23:20), and what she won’t share on social media (27:23).  Editor's Note: We asked Rachel to address the controversy and criticism surrounding her lack of inclusivity and accusations of plagiarism. Listen at 29:19. PS: We're calling all Skimm'd from the Couch listeners. Help us help you by filling out this five minute listener survey. You can find it at theskimm.com/podsurvey

Maria Sharapova spent years playing tennis five hours a day, seven days a week. The result? Five grand slam wins. And an Olympic medal. Her career is a lesson in grit and determination. And shows that hard work really does pay off. Now, she brings that same determination to her business career. This week, Maria shares the secret to staying motivated in any job…even if you aren’t a world class athlete.  In this episode, Maria shares what she was like as a competitor (9:58), how she turned pressure into motivation (13:50), and why she’s a fan of 'dressing for the job you want' (28:33). Stay tuned at the end for a spotlight on Clare, a company simplifying the paint-shopping process, so you can create a home you love. Want to be featured? Submit yourself or a friend here. 

“The pivot is real.” That phrase has defined Tamron Hall’s professional and personal life: from walking away from her job at NBC News, to hustling to get her own talk show on air, to her IVF journey. This week, Tamron told us how she approaches life’s unexpected moments. And how she turns setbacks into success. In this episode, Tamron shares how she turned an early-career demotion into motivation (8:45), her advice for picking yourself back up after a setback (15:40), and what it’s like to be the boss of her own show (25:40).   Stay tuned at the end for a spotlight on Essence Nutrition, a group of registered dietitians who provide evidence-based nutrition counseling tailored to your individual needs. Want to be featured? Submit yourself or a friend here. 

Naomi Hirabayashi and Marah Lidey are the co-founders and co-CEOs of the self-care start-up, Shine. And while starting a business from scratch and working in self-care may sound like an oxymoron (hello, fundraising and 24/7 hustle), Marah and Naomi told us they’ve been able to find balance and take time for themselves. Their secret? Finding strength in their partnership.  In this episode, Marah and Naomi share what makes their partnership work (17:02), how Shine went from being their side-hustle to main hustle (20:30), and their number one piece of self-care advice (29:48).  Stay tuned at the end for a spotlight on Coco Shop, an independent, Antigua-born brand making high-quality cotton clothing. Want to be featured? Submit yourself or a friend here.  PS: Our How to Skimm Your Life New Year’s Challenge started January 3. It’s 21 days of Skimm’ng your way to a smarter life, from work to your wallet, health, pantry, and more. And it's not too late to get involved. Go to theskimm.com/challenge to check out th

Kara Swisher has been called the most feared and well-liked journalist in Silicon Valley. She’s been covering tech industry leaders for decades...and is famous for making them sweat. Just ask Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, or Elon Musk. Her secret to building those relationships with entrepreneurs? She’s not afraid to pick up the phone (or slide into a DM) when she has a question.  In this episode, Kara shares why you shouldn’t hide your personality at work (14:18), the reason she considers herself a “bad employee” (21:29), and who she wants to interview next (30:30). 

If you’re looking for a promotion at work... Elaine Welteroth has some tips. She’s got a lot of “firsts” on her resume - from being the first Black beauty director at Condé Nast to being the youngest editor-in-chief in the publisher's history. This week, Elaine told us she hit those milestones by being intentional about everything she did. From the emails she sent to who she sought out as mentors.  And since we recorded this interview, Elaine’s adding something else to her resume. She’s just been named as co-host of "The Talk" on CBS. You can tune in to see her starting January 4.   In this episode, Elaine shares where her entrepreneurial spirit comes from (6:52), how seeking out mentors changed her career trajectory (10:52), and why the “firsts” we celebrate are indicators of how much progress we still need to make (18:30).  Stay tuned at the end for a spotlight on Hungry Bunny Virtual Donut Shop, a virtual donut shop serving the nation with 100% cruelty-free cake donuts. Want to be featured? Submit yours

Even Cindy Crawford isn’t confident 100 percent of the time. But you’d never know it. Because she told us that she’s a big fan of faking it till you make it - even on the bad days. She learned that strategy early in her career… and it paid off, as she became one of the most famous supermodels in the world.  In this episode, Cindy shares how she learned to advocate for herself (9:10), what she’s learned from taking risks (18:30), and the advice she gives her daughter Kaia (22:31).  Stay tuned at the end for a spotlight on Rebel Girls, an edutainment company on a mission to inspire and instill confidence in girls and young women. Want to be featured? Submit yourself or a friend here.

Linda Johnson Rice is the CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, the former publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines. This week, Linda told us that she didn’t make it to the top by going it alone. The secret to her success? Listening to her team. Because even CEOs need to ask for advice.  In this episode, Linda shares what she learned about management from her parents, who founded Johnson Publishing (7:12), her advice for dealing with imposter syndrome (12:45), and why she’s a big fan of thinking out loud with her team (26:40).  Stay tuned at the end for a spotlight on Ivy’s Tea Co, a pop culture and Hip-Hop inspired holistic health brand that sells herbal teas and herb-infused sweeteners. Want to be featured? Submit yourself or a friend here. 

Noura Sakkijha is the co-founder and CEO of Mejuri, the buzzy jewelry company that sells affordable, quality pieces directly online. While Noura’s the third generation in her family to go into the industry, she had to navigate brand new challenges on her own. This week, Noura told us about the struggles she faced in the beginning…and how she learned self care was important for her health and the health of the business.  In this episode, Noura shares how she’s learned to separate her personal life and her work life (14:28), why therapy has helped her get through the most challenging parts of being a CEO (10:11), and how she’s built her company culture to prioritize honest feedback (20:58). 

Chelsea Hirschhorn is not a natural risk taker. But she had to change when she started building Frida from the ground up. Frida is now a go-to parenting brand that helps moms and caregivers navigate the realities of parenthood. And this week, Chelsea told us that the risks she took along the way, from leaving her steady job as a lawyer to running unconventional advertising campaigns, were all worth it.  In this episode, Chelsea shares what skills she learned as a lawyer that she applies to her job as CEO (7:04), why Frida is a ‘people-first’ organization (16:09), and how she’s helping her employees at Frida navigate WFH with parenting (18:28).

Ramona Hood has been at the same company (FedEx) for nearly thirty years. She started as a receptionist…and now she’s a CEO. Ramona joined us this week to tell us how she stayed determined - and why creating her own personal “board of directors” (think: a network of mentors, coaches, and sponsors) helped her get to the top job.  In this episode, Ramona shares how she was able to get noticed at the company (6:03), her advice for approaching potential mentors (12:53), and why she believes authenticity is the key to leadership (24:51).

Welcome to our election special of Skimm’d from The Couch, where we’re talking to women from both sides of the aisle about their careers in politics.  Deesha Dyer was the social secretary to President Obama. Think: her job meant hosting everyone from Beyoncé to the Pope. But Deesha told us her path to the White House was nonlinear, and that she actually got her start at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as a 31 year old intern. Tune in to hear how she got her foot in the door. And how she learned to tackle her imposter syndrome as she rose through the ranks. 

Welcome to our election special of Skimm’d from The Couch, where we’re talking to women from both sides of the aisle about their careers in politics.  Elise Jordan is a veteran of the George W. Bush White House, where she worked as speechwriter and an advisor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and as communications director for the National Security Council. So we knew she’d have some tips on how to be a strong communicator at work. Even in high stakes situations.

Ashley Graham is the ultimate multihyphenate. Think: supermodel, entrepreneur, designer, author, advocate, and a new mom. On the road to success, she’s defied every label that people have tried to attach to her, and she’s become a trailblazer in the fashion industry and a voice for inclusivity and empowerment. Oh, and also: she’s a ton of fun.   In this episode, Ashley shares why she never fit into any mold throughout her career (12:50), how she’s built her personal brand (21:09), and why jealousy prevents you from making progress (22:41).

Dr. Yaba Blay is a scholar-activist and cultural consultant whose work centers on the lived experiences of Black women and girls. While she’s got all of the degrees and academic accolades, Dr. Blay sat down with us this week to talk about why she’s taken her work outside of the classroom. And how she’s creating impact through her creative campaigns and community on social media.   In this episode, Dr. Blay shares how she uses her personal connection to her work as fuel (6:26), why she believes it’s important to be able to change your mind (12:14), and when she decided to create her series “Professional Black Girl” (21:00). 

Let’s be real: some of us had big things planned for 2020, before the pandemic came along. But even with everything going on, a lot of Skimm’rs haven’t let that get in their way. And one thing we’ve heard from a lot of you is how routine and self-care have helped them stay grounded when everything else is in flux. This week, we wanted to do a reality check and turn the mic on you. We’ll hear from two Skimm’rs making big moves in spite of circumstance, from moving across the country (4:40) to changing careers (11:30). This is a special episode of Skimm’d From The Couch, sponsored by Estée Lauder.