Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike

Latest Episodes:

Micaela Erlanger on Styling the 2 Biggest Press Tours of 2026 Jul 16, 2026

Show notes

Micaela Erlanger is the Emmy-nominated stylist behind some of Hollywood's most talented stars, including Meryl Streep, Lupita Nyong'o, and Kelly Clarkson. On this episode, Erlanger takes us behind the scenes of all of Nyong'o 20+ looks for The Odyssey press tour and the mythological details she pulled from to create the ensembles. She also reveals her Mount Rushmore (aka her four favorite looks) from her work with Streep on the recent The Devil Wears Prada 2 tour. Plus, she shares the difference between "meta dressing" and "method dressing" in her styling.

Author Jessica Knoll on Power Dynamics in Her New Novel Helpless Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

Jessica Knoll is the best-selling author of the novels Luckiest Girl Alive, Bright Young Women, and The Favorite Sister. On this episode, Knoll discusses how her own relationship with money and power informed the writing in her newest novel Helpless, which hit shelves on July 7. She also delves into what true success as a novelist would look like to her and how she feels in retrospect about her 2018 New York Times opinion piece "I Want to Be Rich and I'm Not Sorry."

Order Helpless here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Helpless/Jessica-Knoll/9781668062302

Michelle Buteau on Why It Feels "So Good" to Release Survival of Thickest Season 3 Right Now Jul 02, 2026

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Comedian Michelle Buteau is the star and co-creator of the hit series Survival of the Thickest, which dropped its third and final season today. On this episode, Buteau discusses not knowing if she had enough trauma to be a comedian, why she started making money as soon as she leaned into being herself, and the deliberate decision to make her main character in Survival of the Thickest a stylist. Plus, she shares everything she’s excited about for this new season of the Netflix series, including her directorial debut.

Maria Sharapova's Best Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

Maria Sharapova is a five-time Grand Slam tennis champion, but after retiring from the sport in 2020, she pivoted into the world of entrepreneurship, taking on business roles for companies such as Supergoop!, Bala, and Therabody. On this episode, Sharapova shares her tips for creating a strong business pitch (hint: shorten your deck!), how she learned everything she knows about money, and details about her style evolution from the court to the boardroom. Plus, she takes us behind the scenes of her new podcast Pretty Tough, which airs weekly on Wednesdays.

Author Tia Williams on Why Writing Personal Fan Fiction Is Her Favorite Writing Hack Jun 18, 2026

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Tia Williams is the best-selling author of books such as Seven Days in June and The Perfect Find, and her most recent novel, The Missed Connection, just came out on June 9. In addition to her career as an author, she also spent over 15 years as a beauty editor at magazines including Glamour, Lucky, and Essence. On this episode, Williams discusses what it was like working in print magazines during the Devil Wears Prada era, the financial decision to continue working her corporate job while writing novels, and why penning fanfic about her own life trained her to become a career author. Plus, she shares everything that went into the research process for her recent romance and detective novel.

Laverne Cox on Why Her Memoir Feels “Divine” in This Political Moment Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

Laverne Cox is an actress, producer, and LGBTQ+ advocate, and as of June 9, she’s also the author of her memoir, Transcendent. In this episode, Cox discusses how her childhood love of thrifting has evolved into a vintage Mugler obsession, why it feels "divine" for her memoir to come out in this political moment, and what it was like being “broke and fabulous” in New York City before she booked Orange Is the New Black. Plus, Cox shares some of her greatest writing inspirations, including bell hooks and Walt Whitman.

Whitney Leavitt on Unapologetic Ambition, Her Style Evolution, and Being a Breadwinner Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

Whitney Leavitt first rose to fame as a member of the TikTok group "MomTok" and as a star of the subsequent reality show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Since then, Leavitt has evolved her entertainment career time and time again, competing on Dancing With the Stars and making her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago. Now, she's embarking on yet another new chapter in her career with her production company, Leavitt Media House. On this episode, she candidly discusses her career ambitions, why leaving Secret Lives feels different this time, and what she’s learned about style from her move from the Utah bubble to New York.

Dr. Becky Kennedy on Sturdy Leadership at Home and Work May 28, 2026

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Becky Kennedy, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, best-selling author, founder of the parenting platform Good Inside, and a social media creator with over 3.5 million followers. Today on the show, she’s bringing us all the methods, strategies, and mindsets people can use to become sturdy leaders in their lives—whether that’s at home with their kids or at work with their teams. She shares how she approaches her calendar, why a “same team” mentality is helpful for navigating challenging situations, and her thoughts on the concept of weaponized incompetence.

Ego Nwodim on Finding Power in a “We Gonna See” Mentality May 21, 2026

Show notes

Ego Nwodim is an actor and comedian known for her seven-year tenure as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, as well as projects like Mr. Throwback and Mindy Kaling’s Not Suitable for Work. On this episode, Nwodim discusses her time at SNL—including the casting process, why it felt like a really cool corporate job, and the deep friendships she formed with colleagues, including Heidi Gardner. Plus, she shares her online shopping method and why her motto when it comes to Solidcore is, “But did you die?”

Poet Cleo Wade on Building Community, Beating Writer’s Block, and Not Caring What Other People Think May 14, 2026

Show notes

Cleo Wade is a poet, artist, and New York Times best-selling author whose latest book, In a World of Sunrises: 365 Days of Heart, Soul, and Hope, debuted this April. On this episode, Wade shares insight on what she's learned from her early career in fashion, the influence growing up in New Orleans had on her style, and how she’s navigated her money anxiety. Plus, she shares the one prompt she always uses when she doesn’t know what to write and her advice for anyone trying to build community and make friends as an adult.

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