9 to 5ish with theSkimm

Latest Episodes:

Elizabeth Chambers on Rebuilding and Healing Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

Elizabeth Chambers has been through… a lot in the past few years. But the founder and CEO of BIRD Bakery isn’t letting her ex-husband or the headlines define her. She’s focused on expanding her business (which now has four locations) and helping her family heal. This week, we spoke to Elizabeth about how she’s found professional and personal stability.

In this episode, shares:

Why she started BIRD Bakery
How she’s set boundaries in her professional and personal life
What’s helped her on her healing journey – and why there’s no one size fits all path
Her outlook on parenting
How she’s learned to sort through advice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lunya Founder Ashley Merrill on the Misconceptions About Being a Working Parent Jul 05, 2023

Show notes

Ashley Merrill, founder and chairwoman of the restwear brand Lunya, started the company when she was pregnant. As she built her brand, she was also growing her family, and her big career moments and her big parenting moments always seemed to align. On this episode, we spoke with Ashley about the misconceptions that being a parent is just a part time job, why we need to speak up about childcare support, and how she’s shifted her career as her children have gotten older.

In this episode, Ashley shares:

Why we need to adjust our expectations about being a working parent
How she made the decision to hire a CEO for Lunya
What it was like to run two businesses during COVID
Why the flexibility of entrepreneurship isn’t always a good thing

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Isa Watson on How She Stopped Obsessing Over Achievements Jun 28, 2023

Show notes

For most of her career, Isa Watson felt like she was living somebody else’s life. She started out as a chemist working her way up the academic ranks, and then she became a world-traveling VP at JP Morgan. And a lot of people online started to take notice of her impressive career. Isa felt she was always chasing the validation of a ‘30 under 30’ or ‘40 under 40’ list, while neglecting her relationships and her own happiness. So, she stopped obsessing over that public praise. And founded Squad, the app that provides the easy and fun way to talk to your friends – away from social media.

In this episode, Isa shares:

How she’s dealt with the pressure of other people’s expectations
The life event that put everything into perspective for her
How she rebuilt her relationship with herself
Why she added 'professional skydiver' to her resume
Her advice for setting better boundaries with social media

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PR Expert Lauren Wesley Wilson on Making Competitive Industries More Inclusive Jun 21, 2023

Show notes

Lauren Wesley Wilson worked for politicians and crisis comms firms for years before she decided to start her own organization, ColorComm. ColorComm started as a luncheon series over ten years ago, and now has grown to become the nation’s leading women’s platform addressing diversity & inclusion across the communications, marketing, advertising, and media industries. This week, Lauren told us how she sought out to make the notoriously competitive communications industry more inclusive.

In this episode, Lauren shares:

How she navigated a cutthroat industry when she was starting out
Why she knew she needed to start ColorComm
What she gave up to found ColorComm
How she made the time and space for her personal life
The goals she created for her personal life

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erin and Sara Foster on How to Take Career Risks Jun 14, 2023

Show notes

You know Erin and Sara Foster as the sister-act behind the VH1 hit show “Barely Famous”, the co-founders of the fashion brand Favorite Daughter, and as the creative minds who’ve helped brands such as Bumble and the Mirror. After growing up in the entertainment world, the sisters not only decided to take on that industry, but also to take on fashion and investing. We spoke to the Fosters about the value of taking career risks – and why they’ve decided to redefine what success means to them.

In this episode, Erin and Sara share:

The unexpected famous person they are related to
What they think of the “nepo baby” label
Why accolades can actually be depressing
How their relationship has changed now that they’re in business together

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nyakio Grieco on What They Don’t Tell You About Entrepreneurship Jun 07, 2023

Show notes

Nyakio Grieco has been paving the way for inclusive beauty and supporting Black entrepreneurs for her whole career. She launched her first beauty brand, Nyakio Beauty, in 2002. Then in 2020, she launched Thirteen Lune, the e-commerce platform dedicated to elevating Black and Brown beauty founders. While Nyakio is one of the most celebrated entrepreneurs in the industry, the road to the top was paved with hurdles. Including shuttering and relaunching her original brand, watching that brand take off after she sold it, and starting over as a founder at 47.

In this episode, Nyakio shares:

Her perspective on failure
How her optimism has served her throughout her career
Why she’s focused on bringing her friends along on her journey
How she stopped being a “people-pleaser”

PS: Skimm listeners can get 20% off Thirteen Lune products using the code SKIMM20. Valid for 30 days from June 7, 2023.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode: Author Avery Carpenter Forrey on Pivoting Your Career May 10, 2023

Show notes

To wrap up this season of 9 to 5ish, we’ve got a bonus episode with author Avery Carpenter Forrey. She was one of the first employees at theSkimm, who pivoted her career to become a writer. Her highly-anticipated debut novel, Social Engagement, drops on May 23rd, and explores millennial wedding culture, class, and relationships. This week, we spoke to Avery about how she pulled off the pivot, what tactical steps she took to get started, and how she maintained relationships with her former colleagues. Plus, she shares what it’s like to be a new mother while promoting her book.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebroadcast: Christine Chang on Leaving Your Desk Job May 03, 2023

Show notes

Today, we’re going back into the 9 to 5ish archives, to bring you one of our favorite episodes from last year - with Glow Recipe co-CEO and co-founder Christine Chang. We hope you enjoy Christine’s advice on how to make the jump from a corporate job to a startup, and we’ll be back with fresh episodes next week. Until then, please enjoy our conversation with Christine.

Every weekend growing up, Christine watched her mom and grandma go to the Korean bathhouses, rubbing things like tea and spoiled milk on their skin. And she’s been hooked on skincare ever since. Now, she’s the co-founder and co-CEO of the skincare brand, Glow Recipe. But before leading this new venture, she actually worked her way up the corporate ladder at L’Oreal. In this episode, Christine gives her advice on how to make the jump from corporate to startup, and what she learned at her desk job that she still uses today.

In this episode, Christine shares:

How she learned to lean on colleagues and mentors
How having a co-founder eases the growing pains of a new business
How her corporate experience helped in the startup mindset
Why she and her co-founder turned down an offer from Shark Tank investors
The important role that emerging technology like TikTok has played in her business

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anastasia Soare on Revolutionizing the Beauty Industry Apr 26, 2023

Show notes

When Anastasia Soare started her brand Anastasia Beverly Hills from one room salon back in the 1990s, eyebrows were pencil-thin and an afterthought. 25 years (and one legendary appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show) later, she’s become synonymous with eyebrows, created a multi-billion dollar brand and revolutionized the beauty industry. Today, we spoke to Anastasia about how she’s still an industry pioneer after all these years, and why she had an unshakeable belief that she’d be successful.

In this episode, Anastasia shares:

How her upbringing in Romania influenced her as a businesswoman
The story of how she convinced a landlord to give her space in Beverly Hills
How Oprah changed her life
What it’s like to work with her daughter to grow her brand

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Celeste Beall on Learning to Run Her Late-Husband's Business Apr 19, 2023

Show notes

Mary Celeste Beall’s life drastically changed in 2016, when she lost her husband Sam in a tragic ski accident. Just weeks later, her professional life also changed, when she was asked to step into the role of proprietor of the legendary Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain resorts, a role Sam had occupied for years. We spoke to Mary Celeste about her experience becoming a leader, while also navigating her grief.

In this episode, Mary Celeste shares:

The conversation that led to her becoming proprietor
How she gained the team’s trust
What it was like to have her work and her life completely integrated
The motto that gets her through
Her tips for being a great host

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected