Superwomen With Rebecca Minkoff

We’ve all been there. In search of the perfect product that is holistic, natural, and good for us, only to be torn between brands that seem to veer to the very luxe or the "crunchy granola." Not that there’s anything wrong with either end, but it’s clear that the market has been missing a happy medium! Enter Golde, the delicious and nutritious superfood-based supplement and beauty brand that'll wow you with its accessible price point and colorful packaging. The brainchild of Trinity Mouzon Wofford and life/business partner, Issey Kobori, Golde was borne of Trinity’s desire to create products that make taking care of oneself a pleasurable experience. Originally planning a career in medicine, Trinity switched gears as it became all too clear that offering a holistic practice would only be available to the very wealthy. While the method of delivery may have changed, the goal is still the same: making wellness accessible and enjoyable all at the very same time. Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us

This episode is sponsored by Capital One Spark Business. Pregnancy  can be overwhelming, especially the first time around. Your body is changing,  hormones are shifting, and you just want to know which nail polish won’t  be harmful to your baby. CEO Ericka Perry found herself in a pickle when her best friend needed help finding pregnancy and beauty products, but there was not one place where she could simply order a gift bag with the necessary items. At a time when subscription boxes were really starting to take off, she couldn’t believe this was still lacking in the market. Thus was born the The Stork Bag. Almost entirely self-funded, Ericka is a shining example of an entrepreneur who sees an opportunity, works what they know and creates a business for the love of the products and who they serve. Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here, or visit https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice mem

Nicole Lapin may be a financial expert, but that doesn’t mean she was born knowing an index from an S&P fund. Growing up in challenging conditions, not the least of which was being a first generation American, Nicole always knew she wanted to be in news. She took it upon herself to get a job in the industry and slowly started working her way up through agencies in smaller cities around the U.S. A true “fake it ‘til you make it” story, Nicole jumped headfirst into the opportunity to report on finances even though she had little experience in the field. Now in her 30’s and considered a financial expert, she “rethinks conventional financial wisdom,” writing books that educate women and help them to take control of their finances as well as their mental health. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to follow us on Instagram to learn how to win a copy of Nicole's latest book, "Becoming Super Woman." Big Ideas How self-care, boundaries and balance are of the utmost importance to mental health. [10:49] and [2

This episode is sponsored by Capital One Spark Business. If you’ve ever been a teenage girl, or if a teenage girl secretly lives within your heart, you’ve probably lusted after the iconic, candy-colored hair dyes made famous by Manic Panic. Coming of age in New York in the 1970’s, Tish and Snooky were born performers. The sisters have always been artists at heart; they credit their love of color (and glitter!) to their artist mother. Pursuing singing careers and partying at iconic clubs such as CBGB, the pair were constantly complimented on their signature punk style. The persistent fanfare encouraged them to open a punk boutique selling all the items they loved, a first of its kind. Not surprisingly, their wild hair colors were the number one seller. It was a natural progression to pursue production and private labeling of the product. Business women by day and performers by night, Tish and Snooky still turn it up, touring periodically and performing with the likes of Blondie and RuPaul. These women do it al

Laura Brown came up in the 80’s – a period devoid of the internet and Instagram, where fashion inspiration came almost exclusively in the form of magazines. To make things worse for a young fashionista living in Australia, as Laura did, those magazines arrived three months after their release date. Laura was hungry for the glitz and the glam, and made it her goal to one day work and live in the heart of the fashion world. After working a few stints at magazines in Australia and London, Laura arrived in New York. Finding herself at a lavish Marc Jacobs show within days of moving there, Laura finally felt the pulse of the life she had so long been yearning for. After working her way up to Features at Harper’s, she was then hired as Editor in Chief at InStyle. In the three years since, Laura has revitalized the magazine, injecting new life into it, forever showcasing her love of fashion, layouts, and a good dose of creative, hard work. This episode is in partnership with SAP Success Factors. Thanks for listening

We’ll  address the big question first: Christina Stembel of Farmgirl Flowers really did  grow up on a farm. Growing up in northern Indiana, Christina was expected to  fulfill her womanly duties as a wife and mother while her brother went  off to college. But Christina had other plans. She hightailed it to New York within two weeks of  graduating from high school and started working. Christina did not grow up with a lot of people cheering her on and wishing her success, and that made her strive for it all the more. Over some years and many different ideas, she saw that the floral industry held an opportunity to do exactly what she desired in starting her own business: disrupt the status quo, create scalability, and do good in the world. While not without its challenges (who knew the floral industry could be so cutthroat?), Christina has scaled from 56K her first year of business to $31 million 8 years later. As Christina fondly says, success is the best revenge. (In partnership with C

This episode is in partnership with SAP Success Factors. Dee Poku remembers what it was like when she worked for big movie studios. No need to make her own travel plans, or worry about her computer getting fixed. All that was taken care of; just walk out the door and a car will be there to take you where you need to go. All that changed when she decided strike out on her own, and it took some adjusting. Dee could no longer let the weight of her employer’s name bolster her confidence. It took time to be able stand tall and tell people about an enterprise they had never heard of. Her self-assuredness grew, however, and Dee saw how people responded to her differently simply by the way she delivered her message. Today Dee is the founder of multiple ventures aimed at supporting women in business. Her events encourage women to work towards positions of leadership, give them skills necessary to navigate the male-dominated workforce, and let their creativity shine. Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us

Bed. We spend a third of our lives there, and yet oftentimes, our beds, or what we put on them, become somewhat of an afterthought. Ariel Kaye sought to change that. After spending some years in advertising, Ariel came to a point where she was looking for more excitement, and more of a direct way to connect with people. She had always been passionate about interior design and home goods, going so far as to maintain her own blog on the subject in her free time. As she was pondering a change in career, it dawned on her that there were little to no direct to consumer options for bedding. That is when the idea for Parachute Home was born. Now in its fifth year and about to open the fifth brick and mortar (!), Ariel fondly recalls the early days when she would drive around in her car, delivering orders directly to buyers in Los Angeles. Growth and success have come with their own challenges. Here Ariel discusses entrepreneurial ups and downs, what makes her passionate about her company, and how at the heart of it

 This episode is in partnership with SAP SuccessFactors. She’s self-described as “messy” and can play the piano by ear – as long as it’s in the key of C. No, we’re not talking about Katy Perry – Katie Couric is here, she’s caffeinated, and she’s ready to sing for you! A household name for decades, it only makes sense that after years in broadcast news, Katie has finally taken the entrepreneurial plunge and started her own media company. Excited to tackle controversial issues and educate the public, Katie is taking the reigns as her own boss to share timely stories in her uniquely sympathetic, yet fearless voice.  One of the greatest interviewers of our time, Katie reflects upon the fact that it is the balance between being kind and being tough that drove her career to its success. Now in a new era, Katie continues to inspire women of all ages to ask questions, be fearless, and learn to move gracefully through moments of discomfort.  Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us

 Jill Kargman is not your neighborhood soccer mom and she doesn’t play one on TV, either. Her dark sense of humor and love of all things goth might put her out of place at most “mommy and me” gatherings, but this is especially true on the swanky Upper East Side where she originates.  However, Jill isn’t one to waste her time worrying about what other people think. Instead, she worked her alchemical writing magic and spun this into comedy gold, using her position in society as inspiration for the screenplay – turned book – turned TV show, Odd Mom Out. She also plays the feature role in the show, utilizing the talent honed from acting in numerous plays during her time at Yale.  Jill’s creative journey has taken her from arduous internships to writing rooms to the confines of her home office and back again. Jill now plans to return to the big screen as she sets out to script a film inspired in earnestness by the life of her teenagers.  Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a li

This episode is in partnership with SAP SuccessFactors. How would your life be different if you were less afraid to make mistakes, to “fail”?  Amy Shecter doesn’t think women let themselves fail enough, and she thinks it’s high time we become less risk-averse. Statistically, she says, women will only take risks when they feel 95-100% confident in a favorable outcome, versus the average man, who will take the same risk at only 50% confidence. And what, really, is there to lose? Most of the time a supposed failure simply means you’re that much closer to the next success.  Amy spent years in fashion and footwear before delving into the world of fitness and beauty. She immediately saw it as an expanding consumer market. Now the CEO of Glamsquad, a company that brings hair, nail and makeup artists to your door, Amy finds excitement not only in great products and services for clients, but also in the fact that Glamsquad gives freelance beauty professionals a platform to support themselves.  Thanks fo

 The fashion world was the last place Rachel Blumenthal envisioned her career. Growing up on Cape Cod surrounded by adults with “practical” careers, it never occurred to her that a job in fashion might be a viable option. However, when a series of internships and a stroke of luck landed her a job at Yves Saint Laurent, Rachel found herself in the midst of it all.  Despite the fact that she was immersed in a creative environment, the job itself was lacking in that aspect, and on a whim Rachel made herself a ring for fun. That ring was noticed by friends who worked at a magazine, and with just one product she was asked to be featured as a designer in the publication. Overnight she was forced to create a legitimate company, find a buyer and create a website or risk losing the feature. This type of resourcefulness laid the groundwork for what became an incredibly successful jewelry line, Rachel Leigh, and what led to multiple ventures beyond that, most recently, Rockets of Awesome, a subscription-based

Amanda de Cadenet is a force to be reckoned with. She’s had more  noteworthy careers than most people achieve in a lifetime. Amanda began  her career in television at the age of 15. Not for the stardom or the  glamour, but out of pure necessity to support herself. The show, in  which she and other presenters interviewed bands such as Nirvana and  Oasis, proved to be a hit. While Amanda had found success, by the age of  22 she was ready for a change, and moved to L.A. to work as a  photographer. After experiencing firsthand the frustration of  being passed over time and again for photography jobs which she was  qualified for, Amanda began to produce and interview women on her own  show, “The Conversation.” “I’m always interested in peoples’ really low  moments, because I want to know how they came back from it. Because  we’re all going to have them, no one’s exempt. My question has always  been, ‘well how did you get up off the ground one more t

It may not seem like the most obvious progression, but after spending the early parts of their careers in the demanding world of fashion, Noria Morales and Sarah Robinson decided to go out on a limb and pursue a venture near and dear to them as new mothers – creating a parent-friendly play place. Through their (and many parents’) desire to find a place where children could have fun and adults could relax came the inspiration for The Wonder, a Tribeca-based space that includes multiple play areas, adults-only zones and a café, in addition to classes and programming to keep kiddos engaged.  Drawing on the skills they learned while working at MAC, Target and Lucky Magazine, Sarah and Noria discuss the hurdles they overcame to launch a business while working full time, all while managing motherhood and family duties. It wasn’t easy, but things worth doing rarely are! Big Ideas The value of staying the course through the toughest parts of launching a company. [11:38] The importance of taking time to visualiz

Journalist and all-around amazing human being, Noor Tagouri joins us this week for a  wide-ranging conversation. She talks about how she found  success in her career while remaining true to herself, the importance of giving a voice to marginalized communities in the media, and much more. This episode is in partnership with SAP SuccessFactors. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/superwomen/support

 This week, Rebecca sits down with Elizabeth Shaffer & Lizzy Brockhoff, co-founders of MASSE,  a shopping app with a  zero tolerance policy for any paid-for or sponsored recommendations.  They talk about the challenges of creating a new product, how life is  just one big juggling act, and the idea of a praise sandwich. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/superwomen/support

In this episode Rebecca sits down with Jennifer Bett Meyer and Melissa  Duren Conner of Jennifer Bett Communications, where they talk about the  importance of developing a company culture and how to hire people that  fit your vision. They also talk about some of their biggest regrets with  their PR firm and how leaving yourself open to opportunity is one of  the best things you can do for your career.   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/superwomen/support

This week, Rebecca sits down with Raegan Moya Jones, the Founder of aden  + anais and author of What It Takes. After being fired from the company  she founded and had to grown over $100 million, to say she felt knocked down is an understatement. But Raegan's story is one of perseverance.  Soon after she started a new business knowing that trying again and failing was better than not trying because she was scared. Raegan hopes that her story serves as a cautionary tale as well as an inspiration to those looking to start their own business.   Thanks for listening! We love our listeners! Drop us a line or give us guest suggestions here , or visit  https://anchor.fm/superwomen/messages  on your desktop or phone to leave us a voice memo! Follow Superwomen on Instagram. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/superwomen/support

Nicole Gibbons is a disruptor of the paint industry.  In a field dominated by absurdly masculine branding, Nicole is the first person to create a direct-to-consumer paint company that is not only convenient but also disarmingly beautiful. After starting her career in PR, Nicole realized the parts of her job she was most excited about involved design. After planning and saving up for a number of years, she made the leap to start her own interior design firm. While her firm was wildly successful, after a while Nicole was hungry for something different. Taking note of other brands disrupting the supply chain and working with direct-to-consumer models, Nicole wondered how she could apply that to design. “I felt like I really wanted to do something innovative; I really wanted to solve a big problem that hadn’t been tackled before. So I kept thinking about what I could do in the home space that made sense, and paint was the perfect light bulb moment that I had.”  Inspired by her parents, both entrepreneur

It’s not often that the word, “vulnerability”, is listed as a desired trait in a potential employee, but Jennifer DaSilva, president of WPP creative agency Berlin Cameron, thinks it makes for a much better workplace. “One of my firm beliefs is that you need to be shamelessly you, and whether you’re at work or at home or with dinner with your girlfriends, you should bring your full self to the table and allow yourself to be you.” That includes having room to make mistakes. Jennifer firmly believes that greater strides will be made when there is not a pressure for perfection, but an allowance to try, stumble, and grow.  Jennifer and Rebecca go way back. Theirs is a relationship based on mutual support and collaboration, another value upon which Jennifer places great importance. “We’re better together,” is a phrase they are both fond of.  In the business world these are radical notions – prioritizing collaboration over the limelight, vulnerability over stoicism. Jennifer is at the forefront of this mov