Skimm'd From The Couch

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.

Bethenny Frankel grew up learning how to hustle. And for her entire career, she’s consistently bet on herself and her ideas. She joined us this week to talk about where that hustle comes from. And how she grew her business from the ground up, using her platform on “The Real Housewives of New York” to chart a new course for entrepreneurs.   In this episode, Bethenny shares how she got her foot in the door in the early days (7:28), why she chose to join “The Real Housewives” (13:50), and how she uses her instincts to make business decisions (22:31). 

While Eva Chen is known for her loyal following on IG (us included), she’s also known for carving out a career path that’s totally her own. She started off in editorial, and now she straddles the tech and high fashion worlds as the director of fashion partnerships at Instagram. And in case she wasn’t busy enough… she’s also a children’s book author. This week she told us that one of the biggest secrets to her success has been: her network. Because she’s stayed in touch with everyone she worked with.  In this episode, Eva shares how she went from being pre-med to being a magazine intern (5:03), her advice for growing your network (11:41), and why failing is okay (25:25).

Misty Copeland is the most famous ballet dancer in the world. Which means that throughout her career, she's had to consistently break down barriers. For background: Misty made history when she became the first Black female principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. And now, her reach extends beyond the dance world through her books, philanthropy, and advocacy. Her new children's book “Bunheads” comes out this September.  In this episode, Misty shares how she gained confidence in herself (9:04), her advice for developing relationships with mentors (19:30), and her go-to dance song (34:41). 

Entrepreneurship runs in Monica Royer’s family. Her brother Andy founded Bonobos, the menswear company that changed the retail game. And Monica took notes on his journey before carving out a space of her own. She went on to found Monica + Andy, a company that makes organic baby blankets and clothing. This week, Monica joined us to share how she’s created a mentor network and how she got her business off the ground. In this episode, Monica shares how she pivoted from the pharmaceutical industry to clothing (7:27), when she knew she had to act on her idea (think: in the hospital) (8:24), and how she’s cultivated a network of mentors beyond her own family (17:14).

If you need some tips on advocating for yourself at work… Kim Cattrall’s got you covered. The actress and producer joined us to talk about how she learned to negotiate for herself from a young age. And how she trusts her instincts to choose new roles, including her character on the new show, “Filthy Rich.”  In this episode, Kim shares what drove her to acting (10:02), how she makes tough career decisions (18:33), and when she knew she needed to take a step back from work to focus on her health (20:50). 

Once Lilli Gordon found the beauty industry, she left her old career in finance and economics behind. After decades crunching numbers, Lilli wanted to solve different kinds of problems. Specifically, skin challenges. So she founded her own business, First Aid Beauty. She joined us this week to talk about how she knew it was time to change industries. And how she built her company from the ground up.  In this episode, Lilli shares her personal connection to the beauty industry (13:30), how she hustled to get the business off the ground (17:20), and why the company decided to launch FAB Aid (24:40). 

Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins has always been focused on creating change. She started as a leader in the labor and environmental movements, and she’s now using tech to create impact at scale. Her company, Promise, is a financial services tech platform tackling criminal justice reform. And this week, Phaedra joined us to share how she’s become a strong advocate by tuning out critics. It’s something she learned from the late musician Prince… who was also her old boss. More on that in the episode.  In this episode, Phaedra told us why she’s good at managing crisis (4:16), what she learned from her time as Prince’s manager (13:40), and her approach to fundraising (28:00).

Jeni Britton Bauer eats ice cream every single day. While that's become a quarantine habit for a lot of us, it's actually a key component of Jeni's job. That’s because she’s the founder and chief creative officer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, an artisanal ice cream company she started after dropping out of Ohio State. Jeni joined us this week to tell us why dropping out was the best thing she ever did. And how her hustle in the early days helped her create an ice cream empire.  In this episode, Jeni shares why she knew she would be an entrepreneur when she was a kid (4:32), how her experiences starting out taught her how to run a business (11:27), and what it’s like to navigate a team through crisis (24:38).  Stay tuned at the end for a spotlight on Sea Star Beachwear, a company making neoprene shoes and accessories so you can get your feet wet.

Leslie Blodgett is a trailblazer in the beauty industry. She is the former CEO and founder of bareMinerals, a product she grew into an almost two billion dollar business. She sat down with us to talk about how she built a community of loyal customers before the age of social media. And luckily, she's also put those tips into her new book, “Pretty Good Advice.” It gives some pretty great advice. Including: “lead with laughter.”  In this episode, Leslie shares how she hustled to break into the beauty business (5:32), why she built her television persona while being an introvert (12:39), and how she's leaned on a support system of girlfriends (22:10).  Stay tuned at the end for a spotlight on Juju Supply, a company making jewelry, touchstones and totems to give you energy, spirit, resilience, and hope. Want to be featured? Submit yourself or a friend here. 

Claire Babineaux-Fontenot’s life changed in 2015. Because she received a cancer diagnosis from her doctor. Claire, a Walmart exec at the time, underwent treatment and realized she wanted to reconsider her career. She went on to become the CEO of Feeding America, the country’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. This week, Claire sat down with us to talk about how she found meaning in her career. And gave her advice on how you can do the same. In this episode, Claire shares how growing up with 107 (!) siblings impacted her leadership style (2:38), what goes down in that family group text (6:47), and how Feeding America is leading the fight against food insecurity (25:00). Stay tuned at the end for a spotlight on The Yes, a new app that’s reimagining how you shop online. Want to be featured? Submit yourself or a friend here.

Lori Gottlieb knows what it’s like to make a risky career move. Or four. Before becoming a bestselling author and therapist, Lori was a TV exec, then a medical student... and then a journalist. This week, Lori told us how she successfully navigated those transitions in her life. And how she helps her patients navigate those types of changes now.  In this episode, Lori shares how to get comfortable with being uncomfortable (12:40), why we need to humanize each other in the office (23:25), and how to know when you should stop seeing a therapist (19:15).  Stay tuned at the end for a spotlight on PUR Home, a company making green cleaning supplies for your home. Want to be featured? Submit yourself or a friend here. 

In an alternate universe, we’d be cheering in front of our TVs right now. Because the Olympics would be on. So while we wait for Tokyo 2021, we sat down with someone who knows a thing or two about winning a gold medal: Abby Wambach. She 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 (12:45), how she’s developed her leadership style on and off the field (19:33), and why one night at the ESPY awards changed the direction of her retirement (27:49).  Stay tuned at the end for a spotlight on Babyation, a company that’s unapologetically for moms. Their first product: a breast pump that’s quiet and discreet. Want to be featured? Submit yourself or a friend here.

Betsey Johnson joined us on a special bonus episode of Skimm’d from The Couch. She first took the fashion industry by storm in the 1960s and became famous for her instantly recognizable designs. And for her cartwheels down the runway. Her new memoir, “Betsey”, is on sale now and gives readers an inside look at the woman behind the iconic label.  And PS: she can still do a cartwheel and a split at age 77.