I Want Her Job: Recent Episodes
Polina Selutin
If you've ever thought, "I want her job!" then join us for curated career conversations with women leading the future of business -- including both entrepreneurs building something of their own and thought leaders disrupting storied industries.
In each episode we'll give you the inside perspective on different career choices, along with specific advice and tips for building balanced careers and fulfilling lives. We believe that you can have a high-growth career and still make a social impact. We believe you can boldly challenge the status quo, while taking a step back to build a life you love.
Join us every week for a virtual sit-down with game-changing women who believe in helping one another, and if you like what you hear, don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review.
We hope you and your family are safe. And for those of you struggling right now, or for those of you who are scared, we hope you are finding the support you need. With the events all around us right now you may be wondering, “Will I still have my job a week from now?” Or, maybe with this extra time to reflect you’ve been thinking your current role no longer fills your heart.
If a career switch is on your mind, start creating your own career pivot plan. But first, download our ‘Career Quickie’ I Want Her Job The Podcast episode with Dr. Dawn Graham. Dr. Dawn is the author of, of Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers and Seize Success and a coach for the Wharton School’s Executive MBA program. You also might have heard her on Sirius XM channel 132 where she hosts Career Talk.
An expert on career switching, Dr. Dawn’s advice is among the best we’ve ever heard. And although recent events can make our lives feel wildly out of control, we hope you’ll listen to this episode to get solid advice for working on the things you can control. In this curated mini-podcast featuring some of our best moments from our interview in episode #104 with Dr. Dawn, we share advice for questions such as: Should I go back to school? How do I interview for a job in a new career track? How do I know if my job switch is worth it? How can I prove my fit to the hiring manager?
Download and listen on for advice on all of the following …
- What you need to demonstrate to the hiring manager in an interview
- Why you need to be really clear on what you want to do
- What you need to demonstrate to the hiring manager
To contact the show reach out to: podcast@iwantherjob.com
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Colombian-born Renata Black lost both of her parents in an airplane accident when she was a toddler. A tragedy of this type could devastate and stunt a life. But that is not Renata’s story.
Instead, Renata shares how the loss of her parents, and her knowledge of the precious nature of life, became her competitive advantage. Renata was adopted by her aunt and uncle and was raised in Miami. She dropped out of school at 15 and returned to Colombia to stay with her grandmother. After moving back, she saw the differences between living in the United States and the poorest areas of Colombia. It gave her an early understanding of the vast differences in how people live.
Later in her 20’s, when a dream job with MTV didn’t work out, Renata purchased a ticket to travel the world. In doing so, she expanded her perspectives regarding how fellow women live in various areas of the world. It was Renata’s world travels that gave her a deep motivation and burning desire to find ways to help other women rise through microfinance. And, it was while she was volunteering in India that she had a moment of inspiration after a woman came up to her and said, “I don’t want your money, but can you teach me how to make it?” So, Renata studied under Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize Winner, for three months and then launched a microfinance program in India – the Seven Bar Foundation.
In 2016 Renata met Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara though a mutual friend. The two launched EBY, a direct to consumer size inclusive seamless underwear membership program. Their products are for “women who kick ass every day and who want to empower other women to kick ass, too.” Through the online subscription, you can share your style profile. Then, boxes of selected-for-you underwear will arrive every 1, 3 or 6 months. And to support other women while you support your best assets, 10% of net sales are directed to the Seven Bar Foundation– to empower women in business around the world through microfinance. In their first year they’ve helped 1,800 women and children rise out of poverty.
Renata lives her life by asking herself every morning, “What can be possible if I live outside of fear?” After listening to Renata’s story, you may be inspired to ask yourself the same question, and then take the first steps toward the living the in the answer.
To contact the show reach out to: podcast@iwantherjob.com
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Bethany Hamilton is unstoppable. Since losing her left arm at the age of 13 to a tiger shark, nothing has stopped her from living her life to the fullest. When Bethany returned to surfing just one month after losing her arm -- and two years later won a national surf title -- she became an inspiration for millions. The move Soul Surfer released in 2011, starring AnnaSophia Robb, shares that story. Bethany’s latest documentary, Unstoppable, offers a deeper, wider and more personal view into her life -- including her early childhood, competitive surfing career, marriage and motherhood. It also follows her into magnificent waves while she surfs Jaws and other breathtaking locations.
In episode #109 of I Want Her Job The Podcast, Bethany shares how her values, family, faith and love for the ocean have guided her life path. If you need the courage to go after your deepest desires, you’ll be blown away by Bethany's mindset. Hearing about her life, and everything she has achieved, can seem impossible and too distant to be relatable. But that is precisely why you have to listen to this conversation and put Unstoppable on your must-watch list. Bethany's kind, compassionate and unassuming nature makes her relatable as an athlete, mother and friend. Hearing her describe how her faith and passion are her source of energy to pursue her goals, is likely to give you a boost toward turning what is possible into a reality.
In our conversation we also discuss Bethany's other pursuits including her organization, Friends of Bethany; her new yearlong Unstoppable course; and her books, Soul Surfer, Be Unstoppable, Body & Soul and Unstoppable Me.
To contact the show reach out to: podcast@iwantherjob.com
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When was the last time you were uncomfortable … purposefully uncomfortable? If you dread the feeling at all costs, then you have to hear our conversation today with Tania Katan, author of Creative Tresspassing.
Tania believes in mavericks. She’s a fan of getting messy. She believes you should face your fears. She wants you to be okay with being weird and unique. In the book, and in our conversation today, Tania shares her career story. She discusses the weight she felt in some of her previous jobs, and shares the moments that left her stifled and feeling alone. Tania also talks about how she began to flip those feelings upside down and by leaning in to her creativity to drive more value in her work.
In episode #108 of I Want Her Job The Podcast Tania also talks about the viral women’s empowerment campaign she co-created called #ItWasNeveraDress. In the campaign, the classic female bathroom symbol was reimagined as a cape-wearing power woman. The campaign went global and was featured in Time, New York Times, and CNN.
Learn how you can turn your job into a creative revolution. Consider today’s conversation your Cliff’s Notes on doing just that.
To contact the show reach out to: podcast@iwantherjob.com
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Robyn Fisher really loves ice cream. As a kid, she and her family would have ice cream for those special moments in life – to bond, recover and really savor life. Fast forward to college. Robyn was in the middle of her studies and couldn’t find a decent ice cream in NYC. She recalled the fresh gelato she experienced in Italy and realized that while gourmet coffee was taking off, there was a gap in the market for fresh ice cream. This realization set her life path toward the founding of Smitten Ice Cream.
After graduating from business school, Robyn found an engineer willing to work for equity for two years on creating a better ice cream machine, Brrr, a liquid nitrogen machine with six patents and a secret formula for gourmet ice cream.
This led to the creation of the Today Smitten makes every ice cream batch to order. You read that right – nothing is frozen until the customer orders it.
In this episode of I Want Her Job The Podcast, Robyn shares her motivations that led to Smitten and discusses how starting Smitten gave her a life purpose and a job she truly loves. You also will hear Robyn’s unforgettable story of selling her first batch of ice cream in 2009 in a San Francisco park while using a Radio Flyer Wagon attached to a nitrogen machine and motorcycle battery held together with a bungee cord. After spending two years on the idea and her entire savings, Robyn gave herself two weeks to test if there was a market for her product. It was the depth of the recession, but instead of giving up or finding reasons why her idea wouldn't work, Robyn tried her idea on a serious budget, tweeting the location of her Radio Flyer ice cream. Robyn's experiment worked, and people showed up, a lot of people. That experiment changed Robyn's life and showed her there was a market for authentic food made with passion.
Today, you can experience Smitten ice cream in five stores in the Bay Area. Beginning in March 2020, wherever you are in the U.S., you will able to give your loved ones the sweetest surprise by making them a unique ice cream flavor. "Spoon me" and "You dumped his ass" are examples of custom ice cream flavors.
Robyn's story is the perfect example of having the courage and passion to follow an idea despite the odds or large competitors. Robyn innovated on an existing product, created a unique experience and built a business based on passion, integrity and smiles. If you have dreams of starting your own business, Robyn's story offers plenty inspiration to get you thinking differently about the possibilities.
To contact the show reach out to: podcast@iwantherjob.com
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Guest Co-Host Willow Older, Co-Founder of @today.i.noticed
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Need some inspiration about getting involved with an issue you’re passionate about? You’ll find plenty in today’s interview with Shannon Watts. After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Shannon was devastated. Like many of us, she assumed the horrific tragedy would provoke outrage and change. When legislative and social change didn’t appear, and the status quo remained solidly in place, Shannon channeled her outrage and grief by starting a Facebook page for her few dozen online friends. Almost 7 years later, that single page has evolved into Moms Demand Action – a political powerhouse and one of the largest grassroots organizations in the country.
In today’s conversation, I Want Her Job The Podcast Host Polina Selyutin and Guest Co-Host Willow Older discuss Shannon’s new book, Fight Like a Mother, which is part memoir, part manual, and part manifesto. We talk about Shannon’s journey as an accidental activist and find out how Moms Demand Action is changing perceptions and creating unlikely allies in the battle for common sense gun safety legislation.
Shannon also shares how she manages to rise above cynicism, despite unprecedented rates of gun violence. We learn why “losing forward” is a crucial part of reaching big, long-term goals. And we find out how Moms Demand Action is developing volunteer leaders across the nation.
To contact the show reach out to: podcast@iwantherjob.com
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Guest Co-Host Willow Older, Co-Founder of @today.i.noticed
If you enjoyed this show, please share it with a friend!
Sometimes we know from the moment we’re young people, just *exactly* what job we want to have when we grow up. When she was only 6-years-old, Jenni Kayne attended a fashion show with her mom. It was love at first catwalk spin. While still young, Jenni learned to sew. She continued to follow her heart throughout her years in a creative high school, and at only 19-years-old, Jenni launched her own design label, Jenni Kayne.
Now, her California-inspired design line of effortless staples crafted to stand the test of time.
Sometimes we know from the moment we’re young people, just *exactly* what job we want to have when we grow up. When she was only 6-years-old, Jenni Kayne attended a fashion show with her mom. It was love at first catwalk spin. While still young, Jenni learned to sew. She continued to follow her heart throughout her years in a creative high school, and at only 19-years-old, Jenni launched her own design label, Jenni Kayne.
Now, her California-inspired design line of effortless staples crafted to stand the test of time, can be found in seven cities, online and at Nordstrom, She's also out with a new home line, new knits for kids, and a new book – Pacific Natural: Simple Seasonal Entertaining. Next year, Jenni has five more store openings planned and revenue that proves her brand continues to shine bright.
In today’s conversation, I Want Her Job Podcast Co-Founder Polina talks to Jenni about her brand that aims to “simplify and elevate the everyday.” Jenni shares how she elevates her everyday life, and offers tips for how you can do the same – even when on a budget. Her line, which promises style and quality season after season, is beautiful. And it reminds us that a thoughtful approach to living is within reach to all who believe that details matter.
To contact the show reach out to: podcast@iwantherjob.com
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Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a career switch? Or, have you wondered what to do to make that career switch successful – and not a complete disaster? We sat down with a woman who wrote the book on the art of a career transition – literally. Dr. Dawn Graham is author of Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers and Seize Success. She’s also a coach for the Wharton School’s Executive MBA program and host of Career Talk on SiriusXM channel 132. In today’s episode of I Want Her Job The Podcast Dawn answers your top career transition questions.
Questions discussed include:
Should I go back to school?
How do I pass an interview in a new career track?
How do I know if my job switch is worth it?
Today’s episode shares advice from Dawn that is practical and will help you think through your career switch. And with advanced degrees in counseling psychology, her training allows her to understand the fears, doubts or mistakes that can often block us from making the career switch our souls want us to make.
Clarity comes through action, Dawn tells I Want Her Job The Podcast Co-Founder Polina. Learn how Dawn’s advice can help you test out the new career role you are considering. Then, hear guidance from Dawn about what to do when you get an interview, how to show your dedication for a new role, and more.
To contact the show reach out to: podcast@iwantherjob.com
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Making decisions is critical for any CEO. But today’s Leading Lady has a Master’s in the art.
In this episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Denyelle Bruno, CEO of Los-Angeles based health-conscious restaurant Tender Greens talks to us about the importance of ensuring that senior leaders understand how vital it is to ensure that decisions are received and understood throughout multiple levels of an organization. And, she would know a thing or two about this, because in addition to her current role, she previously served as president of retail operations for Drybar, where she led the opening of 55 locations. And if that wasn’t impressive enough, in addition to that, Denyelle also was one of only seven people who worked with Steve Jobs to open the first 25 Apple stores. Her career experience also includes roles as vice president of retail for PUREBEAUTY and at Peet’s Coffee & Tea in vice president roles focused on retail strategy and market expansion, as well as retail marketing and operations.
The advice that comes from a career tenure like Denyelle’s is gold. And, after all of her experience, one of the most important pieces of advice she has for all of us is simple, yet gutsy:
Ask for the role you want. As Denyelle shares in our conversation, almost every role in her successful career has resulted from her asking for it.
It’s an important lesson to remember, especially as many of us often think that if we just work hard enough, and broaden our skill set and experience, then the offers will come directly to us. And while this happens sometimes, what we’ve been reminded of during our chat with Denyelle is that if you really want the job, ask for it. But first, listen to today’s episode for tips on how to ask for it from the expert herself. After all, you never know if this could be the move that changes the course of your career … forever.
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Ever since she was younger, Laura Rutledge has been the living embodiment of the mentality “Can’t stop, won’t stop.” Growing up, she was a serious ballet dancer and focused on music. And, in a way, she says ballet and music were almost like her first job, because through them she was always working so hard to get to that next opportunity. Whether it was a scholarship or a professional job as a ballet dancer, they were her goals, so working toward them became her job.
Ballet requires a level of perfection, Laura tells us in today’s conversation. And it was a level that required her to stay focused on one goal at a time. She credits this thought process for benefitting her career today at ESPN. At the network, Laura is the co-anchor of morning show Get Up!, one of the lead reporters for the network’s college sports coverage, and the host of SEC Nation every fall on SEC Network. And, in August she debuted The Moment with Laura Rutledge, a new show on SEC Network about making sports fans’ dreams come true.
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Laura also is one of ESPN’s College Football Playoff reporters, and was assigned to the CFP semi-finals the past two seasons. She is a reporter for the network’s marquee Super Tuesday college basketball games and serves as the network’s lead reporter for the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament. Elsewhere in the world of college spots, Laura also covered the SEC Softball Tournament and NCAA Women’s College World Series. She’s also ESPN’s lead reporter for the SEC Baseball Tournament and NCAA College World Series. In addition, Laura has anchored many episodes of SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight, and she’s worked as a red carpet host at the ESPYS last year and this year. Last fall, she made her NFL reporting debut on Monday Night Football.
Just a week ago Laura received a new title – Mom – giving birth to her first baby, a daughter named Reese Katherine Rutledge. It was the perfect birthday gift for a mom, who will now forever share her birthday with her daughter.
Read on to learn how one of the hardest working women in sports organizes her day, fights off sick days, prepares for a handful of shows, and manages to look incredibly chic and classy in the process.
Lydia Fenet undoubtedly has a dream job. In her role as managing director and global director of strategic partnerships at the famed auction house Christie's. Lydia’s role combines travel, strategy, art and social impact. In addition to living a life full of art and adventure, Lydia has raised more than half a billion dollars for over 400 non-profits worldwide as the leading benefit auctioneer in the country. In our conversation, Lydia reveals how she has used her work ethic and her unique skills of humor and persuasion to become a leading auctioneer. We also talk about her first book, The Most Powerful Women in The Room is You, where she shares the mindset and day-to-day tactics she used to land her first dream job as an intern. We also talk about the time Matt Damon accidentally called her Lindsey … and how one could possibly navigate that situation?! (With a classic response, of course.) Lydia also discusses one of her favorite events she’s worked on – leading a benefit with Bruce Springsteen at Madison Square Garden in front of an audience of 6,000. Dream job? Check. Most powerful women in the room? Double check. If you have your heart set on a dream job, Lydia’s entire career path is a roadmap that can be transferred toward any big career goal.
We've all been through heartache and heartbreak, but today's guest on I Want Her Job: The Podcast has made a career of it. Amy Chan is the Founder of Renew Breakup Bootcamp, a retreat that takes a scientific and spiritual approach to healing the heart. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of JustMyType.ca an online magazine that focuses on the psychology behind love, lust and desire. In our conversation, Amy shares how a painful break up led her to the idea for starting her thriving business focused on love and healing. We discuss how Amy’s research on love dating changed her life and set her on a mission to help others, while running a successful business. You will love this episode if you are curious about different dating attachment styles, common mistakes, and the single most important thing each of us can do to get on a happier, and more loving path. After listening to Amy’s passion for how love and psychology are connected, it will be obvious why Marie Claire calls Amy, "A relationship expert whose work is like that of a scientific Carrie Bradshaw." Her company has been featured across national media including Good Morning America, Vogue, Glamour, Nightline and the front page of The New York Times. We can’t wait for you to listen and to have Amy back on our show to discuss her upcoming book, Breakup Bootcamp – The Science to Rewiring Your Heart. Sign up for our newsletter and find more interviews: www.iwantherjob.com
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The mission of Megan O’Connor’s company is empowering: We build educators into entrepreneurs. The company she co-founded, Clark, gives tutors and educators an online platform with tools for opening and managing an education business. For example, if you decided you wanted to start a side business tutoring, you could join Clark to automate scheduling, payment management, monitor student progress, find client leads, and get support from others with similar businesses. Clark also has added a content platform that facilitates sharing and collaboration among tutors on content ideas. Clark is the perfect example of technology enabling business owners to improve where they spend their time, and increase their revenue, impact and reach. Clark was even featured on Apple's Planet of the Apps, and as a result received venture funding and the opportunity to work with Gary Vaynerchuk to perfect their platform.
Some of the best startups are created when the founders are passionate about solving a problem. While growing up, Megan watched her mother – a school teacher – struggle with the demands of her personal tutoring business. When Megan realized there wasn’t a solution on the market to help her mom reduce time spent on administrative tasks with her tutoring business, the seed for Clark was planted. Today, Clark has 11 full-time employees, funding from leading venture investors, and ambitious plans to continue its work of creating powerful tools that empower the people doing some of the most important work there is, our educators.
Imagine that you are in a room in Silicon Valley. You think of your electrical engineering degree from Stanford, but you also think of the time you immigrated to the United States with only $43 to your name. Everywhere you look there’s men, but you’re a woman. And although setbacks are the norm for females in your industry, you’re proving yourself to be a force in venture capital. After all, you’re on the inside helping Marc Benioff build Salesforce – from the ground up.
This is the story of Magdalena Yesil. Magdalena and three other extraordinarily strong, ambitious women share their stories in Alpha Girls, the latest book from acclaimed New York Times best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize nominee Julian Guthrie. In Alpha Girls, Julian takes the reader into the rooms where deals, risks and decisions shaped some of Silicon Valley’s biggest industries.
The Alpha Girls story is so damn, jaw-dropping good that there was a bidding war for the film and TV rights that included the likes of Amazon, Universal and Brett Ratner, among others. The winner? Female-founded Welle Entertainment. And, with a TV series on the horizon, we can’t wait to be taken into the girls’ world in a completely new way. But, as always, we recommend you read the book first. It will help you truly savor and dive into the awe-inspiring lives of the Alpha Girls.
In episode 98 of I Want Her Job The Podcast, Host Polina Selyutin talks to Julian about her book. We discuss how the four women featured got on their respective paths and worked their way to becoming “the only” in their venture firms. We also discuss how Alpha Girls has opened a door into venture capital as a path of opportunity for other women. Although it is a highly intense, high-stakes, high-stress and super-competitive space, for those ready and prepared for the challenge, the women known as the Alpha Girls have offered four roadmaps to tremendous success and a chance to shape the future.
As the director of audience strategy and entertainment at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Julie Kosin oversees the news team, as well as topics ranging from movie and TV, to books, music and art. She’s been with the publication since graduating from Syracuse in 2014 as a magazine journalism major. Prior to her role at the publication she was an editor for College Fashionista.
When Julie was younger and growing up in Scranton, Pa. – home of yes, The Office – visiting New York City was a special treat. She would look forward to seeing shows on Broadway with her family and visiting the Empire State Building. Now, with NYC as her new home, Julie gets the opportunity to interview A-list celebrities in her office, watch popular TV shows like Game of Thrones (and call it work!), and also plan website content that goes up every half hour on the site for the legendary fashion publication.
Julie always loved magazines and English classes and realized when she was a senior in high school that it could be a job for her. “I loved getting my ideas on paper, and something clicked for me when I realized I could potentially turn that into a career,” she shares. “Then I started actively researching what that would look like and how journalism could be an option.”
In today’s conversation we discuss how Julie got her start working in the industry, her advice for others who want her job, what it’s like to interview celebrities and more. We also talk about her ability to work across brands with other Hearst magazines like Elle and Marie Claire and talk about one of her favorite video projects she’s ever worked on for HarpersBAZAAR.com
Esther Wojcicki is asked about parenting advice – sometimes over 10 times a day! In How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results, Esther shares the guiding principles she has used to raise her wildly successful daughters, as well as in her teaching of journalism to students at Palo Alto High School who affectionately call her Woj. Her parenting philosophy can be distilled into a combination of values and practices within an acronym called TRICK, which stands for trust, respect, independence, collaboration and kindness. In her book, Esther drills into each area, explaining why she believes each component to TRICK is critical. She also offers ideas for utilizing her TRICK philosophy with your children, and shares dozens of memorable stories.
There is no doubt the book will be a best seller since Esther has had such tremendous success as a mother and teacher. Each of Esther’s daughters have phenomenal career achievements. Daughter, Susan Wojcicki is the CEO of YouTube; Janet Wojcicki is a professor of pediatrics at University of California, San Francisco; and Anne Wojcicki, is the founder and CEO of genetic testing company 23andMe. At the center of Silicon Valley for her entire career as an influential teacher, Esther also is a dedicated community member. With Google famously beginning its empire in daughter Susan’s garage, Esther has truly been surrounded by the tech revolution.
Hundreds of Esther’s students still keep in touch with her, and as her daughters say in the book’s foreword, they often meet former students who say, “You know, your mom really changed my life. She believed in me.” Esther has been nominated for national awards for her teaching and thousands of students who went through her program often consider the experience life changing – both for the work they did, and for the respect, autonomy and the bar set by Esther.
In addition to sharing her philosophy for raising independent, kind and community-oriented children, Esther’s book feels like a handbook for global citizenship. She firmly believes that kindness, finding ways to help others and the quality of our relationships are at the forefront of a happy life.
In our conversation, Esther shares how tragedy and other intense difficulties during her childhood influenced her parenting philosophy. We discuss why using TRICK with children and in schools leads to radical results and learn hands-on tactics for using TRICK in your family. Esther is a brilliant example of the impact one teacher can have, and the joy of living a life of purpose.
When Casey Clark’s national tour of Les Misérables ended after nearly two years, and it was time to find a new job, Casey realized she tired of living the ups and downs that come with professional acting. As she shares in today’s show, professional actors often face long stretches of unemployment – filling in gaps with survival jobs and temping in various roles to pay the bills, sometimes for months, or even years.
One fateful day, Casey went on an interview that she thought was about singing coaching, and ended up being asked to teach speaking voice instead. Casey quickly fell in love with voice coaching and the opportunity to help women amplify their own voices. This session eventually led her to co-found Vital Voice Training.
Around the same time Casey started voice coaching, she read a book called Half the Sky, which left her feeling angry at the depth and enormity of problems facing women in our world. The combination of entering the voice coaching world, and wanting to help women, convinced Casey her mission was to help amplify the voices of women who were helping other women. In the 95th episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Host and Podcast Co-Founder Polina Selyutin discusses with Casey how voice coaching works, tips for improving public speaking skills and much more.
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Elisabeth Leonard was living in New York City and had her dream job working at Rebecca Minkoff. She’d worked her way up the company, from a position as a receptionist, to a job in the PR department. Then her life changed dramatically. And for the better! If you think it can’t get better than what Elisabeth had going for her in New York then keep listening.
She moved to Santiago, Chile, a little over three years ago to be closer to her long-term boyfriend who had been living and working down there himself for a handful of years. Taking a leap from leaving the only city she had ever known, Elisabeth moved to Chile! And it gets better yet, because she still had the opportunity to work for Rebecca Minkoff, but this time on a remote basis leading special projects.
Last fall, one of those special projects involved helping Rebecca launch the Female Founder Collective– a network of businesses led by women, supporting women. Its mission is to enable and empower female-owned and led businesses to positively impact our community both socially and economically. Businesses that are part of the Collective have the opportunity to share a special FFC seal on their storefront or website that signifies by shopping there a consumer is supporting a female-founded business.
Today in episode 94 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Elisabeth joins I Want Her Job Founder Brianne, to discuss making major moves, the importance of kindness in career advancement and why working as a receptionist is a job with a lot of benefits. We also discuss her mindset working remotely, the importance of routine when working at home and why a dog named Ziggy was one of the greatest beings to ever come into her life.
At the age of 23 while serving in the Israeli army Adi Arezzini was feeling bloated, constipated and had a stomach that looked like she was carrying around a bowling ball inside. She was active and training soldiers, yet she had a very angry digestive system that left her feeling terrible with her own wellness and health. And eating the food the army provided wasn’t exactly helping …
So, Adi tried a new avenue and got a colonic. It helped her for a while, but served more as a band-aide approach. It wasn’t until she got back to the United States and moved to Florida that she was able to cook her own healthy foods and finally help her stomach heal. And though her healthy eating approach was helping, it still didn’t fix her problem 100 percent.
At a fateful meeting at a friend’s house Adi met the person who would become her co-founder. With his background in coffee and tea, and her background in health and wellness, the two started to combine different loose leaf tea blends to find one that would help her stomach’s health and, as a perk, actually taste good at the same time. It was through this process that Teami Blends was born.
Offering teas made of herbs and natural ingredients, Teami Blends strives to create a product that provides a truly effective plant-based solution. The company is now a multi-million dollar brand with a massive following and community of Teami loyalists. And, just last year, Teami’s line of tea-infused skincare made it to the shelves of more than 1,000 Ulta retail stores.
In today’s episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast we talk to Adi about how she grew Teami from a company built out of her mom’s house into the behemoth it is today. We also discuss her motivations, talk about that extremely uncomfortable time living in Israel with digestive issues and explore her mindset for success.
Fran Hauser’s career history makes one thing very clear: She’s a powerhouse. Having served as president of digital for the Style and Entertainment Group at Time Inc., Fran oversaw digital business for PEOPLE, InStyle, Entertainment Weekly and others. She also served in other senior roles at Time Inc., including as general manager of Time Inc. Interactive. And before that worked at AOL as vice president and general manager of AOL Movies and Moviefone.
Now, Fran serves as a startup investor and advisor for companies including HelloGiggles, Meditation Studio and The Wing. Impressively, 18 of the 20 companies in her portfolio are founded by women. Fran’s passion for empowering female businesswomen can also be seen in her volunteer activities. She serves on the board of directors for GlobalGiving; as a special advisor to Girl Be Heard; and as an advisory board member of 92Y Women inPower and Rent the Runway’s Project Entrepreneur.
Last year Fran published a book every modern career woman needs on her bookshelf, The Myth of the Nice Girl. In it, she guides females to believe and understand that it’s possible to me ambitious and likeable; that you can make decisions firmly and collaboratively; and that you can give feedback directly and kindly. In short, it offers advice for getting the career you love, without becoming a person you hate.
“After years of self-discovery, building a successful career, and paying close attention to what worked – and most importantly – what felt right for me, I ultimately came to see that I didn’t have to sacrifice my values or hide my authentic personality in the name of achieving success,” Fran writes in her book.
In today’s episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Fran joins hosts Polina and Brianne to discuss the disease to please, her model for setting boundaries, strategies for speaking up more in meetings, and the importance of including men in your network. We also discuss ways to add fences around your time, some of her favorite sources for inspiration and exciting trends in the digital landscape. We hope this interview leaves you feeling empowered and emboldened to achieve the career you love, that also allows for you to be the truest version of yourself.
Sharon Coleman is on a mission to bring comfort to those going through cancer treatment. The inspiration for her business came through her own struggle with cancer. She endured extensive treatments when she was diagnosed, and two years later had undergone surgery, radiation and many, many hours of chemotherapy treatments.
The experience inspired her to create a curated care package gift box business called Lemon and Honey Gifts. Each box is made with love and an understanding of what people going through treatments need and want. If you’ve ever been in the position of not knowing what to do or say when a friend or family member is diagnosed, Sharon’s packages packed with comfort are a place to start.
In today’s episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Sharon shares how she started her business and opened her Shopify store, without any previous technical e-commerce skills, as well as how she learned to navigate the dozens of new issues that would pop up each week. She also shares the resources that helped her start and grow her e-commerce business, which is helpful for anyone looking to launch her own business. Plus, Willow Older, a writer/editor and friend of the I Want Her Job team, joins Polina Selyutin as co-host on this very special show.
Advance warning, Lori Gottlieb’s new book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, is very likely to send you to therapy to deal with issues that may be holding you back. The book combines Lori’s own relationship crisis – a surprise break up, which sends her to a therapist– along with the lives of four of her clients who are also dealing with a range of personal issues. And while each person in her book has their own challenges, from dealing with a terminal cancer diagnosis to pursuing only toxic relationships, Lori emphasizes that we should not minimize our struggles just because we feel they don’t compare. She suggests that we should not apply a hierarchy of pain. While not always immediately life-threatening, when layers of pain are revealed it likely connects to one of the four concerns we all must face at some point – death, isolation, freedom and feeling meaningless.
The way Lori threads together the stories of her clients and herself, will leave you fully absorbed as you turn each page. At times the book feels like a TV series, which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering her career path began in film when she worked as a writer on ER. And now, bringing her career full circle, Eva Longoria recently optioned Maybe You Should Talk To Someone as a television series.
In today’s episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast it will become evident to you that Lori has found a profession that combines her clinical psychology degree, along with her knack for helping clients. Through her book and her writing, we hope you will find that Lori also can help you! And if you can’t afford a therapist, or find the time to see one, we also discuss with Lori other ways to identify patterns and thoughts that could be holding you back.
For more on Lori Gottlieb, be sure to follow her “Dear Therapist” advice column for The Atlantic. In each piece she shares gripping stories of people dealing with difficult situations to drive home fundamentals of identifying negative patterns, as well as tips for how you can make life changes that stick. She expertly breaks down concepts in a way that can make it much easier to remember and apply her advice to your own life.
To contact the show reach out to: podcast@iwantherjob.com
As the founder of LinkedIn Reboot and Reboot for Business, Katie Fogarty’s work has helped people transform their LinkedIn profiles, personal brands and career opportunities. And with a background writing for morning TV news, working for a global PR firm and even for a U.S. Senator, Katie’s experience in public relations and journalism has given her a perfect combination of skills to help others summarize their personal stories on their LinkedIn pages.
In today’s episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Katie shares the benefits of making a LinkedIn profile page that displays the best of what you have to offer and explains why you should give your presence on the social network more attention.
Topics discussed:
- Easy ways to start engaging on LinkedIn
- Ideas to build stronger connections via the platform
- Ways to improve your visibility.
- Three mistakes people make on LinkedIn
- Future trends on the platform, why LinkedIn is “a conversation” and Katy's favorite tools for running her personal business.
If you enjoy this, please subscribe and share it with a friend!
To contact the show reach out to: podcast@iwantherjob.com
Christina Ramirez was on an assignment at UC Santa Barbara 13 years ago when she came up with the idea for eco-conscious toothbrushes. Today her Plus Ultra Bamboo Toothbrushes are sold in more than 320 retail stores in 22 states, including Whole Foods and Amazon. She also has her sights set on expanding into other eco-conscious products.
In our conversation Christina shares how wise advice from her stepmom encouraged her to leave a job that had left her feeling miserable for an out-of-the-mold job that would bring her long-term happiness. The wise push, Christina says, gave her the confidence to walk toward her ultimate business dream. But her dream didn’t come without a lot of hard work and tough lessons. We talk about the ups and downs she faced when starting a new business – from flying to China to find manufacturers, to a tough lesson in quality control when her first lot of 5,000 toothbrushes were damaged.
We also talk about all the steps Christina took even before facing the production hurdles to bring her idea for a bamboo toothbrush to life. She had a goal: She wanted to create a product sold at Whole Foods. So, she applied for, and was hired for, a job as a cashier. Then, for 6 years she did everything she could to move up in the company. And although she says she didn’t make enough money to even buy a car, she was happy to be working among like-minded peers while learning about the business. Christina shares how she pitched her idea for bamboo toothbrushes to Whole Foods, and how she got the green light from the company’s buyers on a category call. And then, since she didn’t even have a product yet, she shares the day-and-night hours it took to research, develop and manufacture the product shed dreamed about.
If you’ve ever wanted to build a business, we think you will love Christina’s inspiring story. And we’ve got a good feeling it will give you that boost you need to pursue your very own business dreams.
Other Topics Discussed:
- Finding a job that serves your soul
- Manufacturing in foreign countries
- The reality of the time commitment in starting a company
- Outsourcing
- The problem with old school toothbrushes. (In 2018, more than 50 million pounds of toothbrushes ended up in landfills.)
To contact the show reach out to: podcast@iwantherjob.com
Sign up for our newsletter and find more interviews: www.iwantherjob.com
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f you’re like us, you love wearing fashion that makes you feel confident and stylish. Today’s Leading Lady creates fashion just like that, and she also takes it a step further by infusing a female empowerment theme into her brand as well.
Who are we talking about? If you guessed Rebecca Minkoff you are right on. Rebecca has the ultimate girl-moves-to-big-city, girl-works-hard and girl-makes-it story. At only 18 years old she moved to NYC to chase her dream of making it as a fashion designer. Many hit pieces, like the Morning After Bag, helped catapulted her accessories line to bold-faced name status. And in 2009, she introduced her first ready-to-wear collection.
Now the Rebecca Minkoff brand has domestic and international retail locations and is distributed in more than 900 stores worldwide. Additionally, as the woman behind the brand, Rebecca was named as a member of the New York State Council on Women and Girls, and in fall of last year she established the Female Founder Collective, which features a network of businesses led by women that invests in female-owned businesses. She’s also the founder and host of Superwomen with Rebecca Minkoff.
Listen in as we talk to Rebecca about her design inspirations, her business and her new podcast. Then, visit us at IWantHerJob.com for show notes and a link to our previous interview with Rebecca from 2016.
Frida Polli is the founder of Pymetrics, a startup that uses algorithms to reduce hiring bias through software. The software uses neuroscience-based games and cutting-edge AI to reinvent the way companies attract, select and retain talent. It also helps job seekers match to jobs best suited for their strengths, personalities and capabilities.
Companies utilizing Pymetrics during the hiring process include Unilever, LinkedIn, Tesla and Accenture. The organization has received press from The New York Times to The Economist and Wall Street Journal. And it works. Data from Pymetrics is showing that job offers and retention rates have increased for the organizations using its services.
From a job seeker standpoint, many of us have started jobs that, in hindsight, weren’t the best fit for our personality types. With Pymetrics, applicants are tested through a series of online games for a certain set of cognitive and emotional traits. The games are put together to help a candidate find a job that’s a great fit! And, this is all done through a common application, removing hiring bias from the hiring equation.
In today’s episode of I Want Her Job The Podcast, Frida talks about how AI and new approaches to hiring can transform how candidates apply to – and are accepted to – jobs. AI also improves the job application and matching process in a massive way. She also shares how observing the candidate hiring process while earning her MBA at Harvard gave her the idea for Pymetrics. We also have an honest conversation about her early influences, strengths and weaknesses. Listen in to hear how Frida is boldly leading a massively exciting hiring shift in our society.
In today's episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, we check back in with Anna Lambert, director of talent acquisition at Shopify. An e-commerce platform that handles marketing, payments and shipping, Shopify empowers entrepreneurs all over the world. With more than $82 billion of transactions made on the platform, it powers more than 600,000 businesses. Our original interview with Anna was one of our top 10 most-downloaded shows, and so we decided to get an update on her job and company for this week's Career Quickie. We ask her about how Shopify hires differently, how the company's open-mined approach attracts a wide variety of candidates and advice for how you can reach out and pitch yourself for a job. Listen to our conversation to hear more about what recruiters want to see when you reach out to them. Also learn more about why your story, your interest in a job and your path can make you a strong candidate, with or without a traditional background. Shopify, Anna says, believes in the potential of passion, skills and transferable experience.
When it comes to leadership, Debbie Madden has the experience. Currently the fearless co-founder and CEO of Stride Consulting, an agile software development consultancy for companies and startups, Stride is her fifth company and the role marks her third time as CEO. The organization's clients include The Daily Beast, casper and Equinox, and has been named to the 2018 Inc. 500 list, as well as designations for Crain's Best Places to Work In NYC — twice! In today's episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, we talk to Debbie about her culture-first philosophy, discuss what has fueled Stride's growth and delve into her top leadership strategies. We also talk about performance review techniques applied at the company, job opportunities that exist in agile software development and why the company is such a magnet for former teachers and those who love to teach in various ways. Debbie also opens up to us about the brave decisions she made after her breast cancer diagnosis. While the phrase "great leader" can be thrown around so often it can feel like a cliche, Debbie truly embodies the definition of leadership. We feel confident that once you hear Debbie's story of pursuing a dream — despite extreme difficulty — it will inspire you to push yourself further.
Jessica Honegger is the founder of Noonday Collection, a soaring business that designs and sells fair trade jewelry and accessories made by artisans around the world. She's also the author of Imperfect Courage. In the book, released in August, Jessica she shares her story about how she launched Noonday Collection as an inspired side hustle and provides guidance on soul searching, collaborating and broadening your circle of passion. In today's episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, we talk to Jessica about how she pushed through fear to create a global organization that is changing the world. We also talk about the book's theme: You will be scared when doing new things and stretching outside of your comfort zone. But, you need to go forward anyway. You need to run scared toward a life of purpose and adventure. "We avoid real issues, fear of the world, and it leads to a life of boredom, a lack of impact, spiritual death," as she describes it in her book. There is a certain power in being scared, and going forward anyway. There is a beautiful world waiting for you on the other side. Jessica's personal story is a case study for the extraordinary joy and fulfillment that comes from using your unique talents to help others, while also stretching and growing yourself into higher levels of living. She encourages to view your life path with vulnerability, adding empathy for yourself and others. Listen in and hear how she turned her fear into fortune for herself and others, and you might just get an idea for how you can make a major impact, too!
How often have you wondered: Why am I doing this? Why do I want this? Why am I experiencing this?
What if you had the chance to discover your "why" during a yearlong opportunity — before you kicked off your career? That's exactly what Abby Falik has created for individuals during a gap year between high school graduation and college entrance with Global Citizen Year. She is the founder of the organization, which also helps students stretch themselves, learn about new cultures and languages, and also gain priceless experiences and memories. Students of Global Citizen Year stay with host families in Brazil, Ecuador, India and Senegal, and work as apprentices in local organizations.
Abby was once the type of student she hopes to inspire. She was attending college at Stanford when she realized that she was longing for more than the life that a traditional model of education provides. She wanted more out of her education that simply listening to professors in lecture halls. Taking action, Abby left traditional education behind and spent a year in Brazil working and traveling. After coming back to Stanford after this life-changing journey, she noticed she gained confidence and maturity, which she credits as an advantage that altered the course of her life. On this trip Abby had discovered her own "why" and her vision for her lifelong work was born.
But before Abby realized her vision, she worked in a nonprofit — managing, building and creating ideas — and then attended Harvard to obtain an MBA that would help her create Global Citizen Year.
In today's episode, we discuss the exciting trends in education and how our perceptions and expectations of higher education can (and should) change to create better accommodations for how we live. We also learn what inspires Abby's work and why she hopes the model of taking a "bridge year" will soon become the norm for most students in the United States. Then again, maybe we should all consider a bridge year — whether we're entering college or beginning year 15 of our careers.
In our latest episode of I Want Her Job The Podcast, I Want Her Job Founder Brianne Perleberg, and I Want Her Job The Podcast Co-founder Polina Selyutin turn the mics on each other. Listen in as they describe how the podcast came to life, how it was launched, the steps they took to create it and how they bring in the amazing guests you hear each week. Additionally, Brianne and Polina talk about their respective careers. Brianne talks about how she launched I Want Her Job in 2010, how she came up with the idea for the site and the jobs she's had during the day along the way. (I Want Her Job is a side hustle for the duo at this point.) Polina shares what inspired her to reach out to Brianne with the idea to collaborate on the podcast, how she learned to edit podcasts, her early influences and why it's sometimes okay not to listen to your parents -- even if you love them dearly! We hope you enjoy the special twist in today's episode as you get two know the two women behind this podcast.
Ashley Eckstein is a force, which isn’t surprising considering she’s a strong believer in The Force Star Wars brought to life. As the voice of Star Wars’ Ashsoka Tano, Ashley brings to life a strong character who always wants to do the right thing. And in real life, she isn’t much different from that character.
She strives to empower young girls and women everywhere through Her Universe, an online community where female fangirls can be themselves and also find merchandise featuring their favorite Lucas Film, Disney characters and more. And like the Disney characters she loves, Ashely had to persist to make her dream come true. Why? The industry simply wasn’t welcoming to creating sci-fi and fantasy focused clothing exclusively for a female fan base.
But like any heroine, Ashley found a way to turn a negative into a positive. Because other major companies didn’t want licenses for merchandise this space or didn’t use the ones they had, she was able to prove a fan base and a market without any competition. Of course, a few years later when Her Universe began proving sales, other companies began to pay attention. It has grown so much in size that it’s now a subsidiary of Hot Topic.
Now, in addition to her role with Her Universe and as the voice of Ahsoka Tano, she can add author to her list of accomplishments. This summer she released It’s Your Universe, an interactive book that guides its reader on making their dreams happen. Listen in for a sneak peek of our interview with Ashley in today's Career Quickie, and then read the interview in its entirety on IWantHerJob.com.
Beth Comstock is the former vice chair of GE and a corporate director of Nike. Her accomplishments include building GE’s Business Innovations and GE Ventures, as well as overseeing the reinvention of GE Lighting. Prior to her role as vice chair she served as chief marketing officer of the company. And before that she had another dream job as the president of integrated media at NBC Universal, overseeing the company’s digital efforts, including the early formation of Hulu.
While Beth has built an incredible career, she’s also made some tough decisions in the process of doing so. We’re all lucky enough live vicariously through her, with the opportunity to learn more about her journey and the decisions that led her to career success in her new book out today called Imagine It Forward.
In it, Beth shares her story, documenting the ups and downs of working at GE and NBC during a time of tremendous growth. But, Beth will tell you she also wrote this book to help those out in the middle of their career. It’s for those who want to make change happen, but feel they need permission to do so, whether through others or from themselves.
In today’s episode I am joined by I Want Her Job founder Brianne. Together, we talk to Beth about inspiring change, the importance of embracing tension and conflict, how to navigate gatekeepers and more.
We hope you enjoy today’s conversation. You can also visit I Want Her Job dot com for an online version of today’s interview.We rely on word-of-mouth to help our community grow and would love if left a review of our podcast on iTunes and subscribe to future episodes. You can read more interviews on I Want Her Job dot com, where you can also sign up for our newsletter. And if you have ideas for future guests, we’re just an email away.
Jessica Jackson Sloan is currently serving as council member for Mill Valley and as the National Director of Cut50, a bipartisan organization working to reduce incarceration rates and to make communities safer. Previously she served as Mayor and Vice Mayor of Mill Valley. Jessica was the 18th guest on I Want Her Job The Podcast, and her episode was one of our top 10 most-downloaded shows. Today, we check back in with Jessica to hear what she's been working on since we last talked. And in today's episode she shares ways to get involved today in your local government. While most of us aren't going to run for mayor -- thought it's worth considering! -- there are usually dozens of local opportunities within your city. They can bring a great sense of fulfillment and community spirit that can enrich your life as you help your neighbors. Also with today's show, we are adding a new series format called our Career Quickie. Of course, we will still bring in-depth, thought-provoking conversations with our Leading Ladies, but we will also add in these short shows -- up to only 15 minutes -- that either check-in with a former interviewee, provide an actionable tip you can apply to your life, or provide a sneak peek at some of the best advice in our series of website interviews. We'd love to hear from you. Let us know what you think of our new format by reaching out to us at podcast@iwantherjob.com, and as always, you can visit IWantHerJob.com for more inspiring interviews. Now let's check in with Jessica.
Emily Benson is a retail consultant, author, writer and mobile boutique expert on a mission. She wants to help empower retail entrepreneurs to make more money in their businesses. In today's episode of I Want Her Job The Podcast Emily shares her story of opening a mobile boutique, challenges she's encountered along the way, lessons she's learned and some of the business strategies that have helped her succeed. If you're looking for creative inspiration for your wild idea, we think Emily's fearless ambition, joi de vivre and strong business skills will inspire you to go for it. If you are looking to go deeper into operating retail boutiques, check out Emily's book, The Ultimate Boutique Handbook, check out her site Stylish and Successfuland listen to her podcast, Boost Your Boutique.
Want a peek at the future of our global society? Ask April Rinne to have a seat at your table. April bridges the private, public and social sectors as an advisor to startups, established companies, policy makers, think tanks, investors, and local and national governments. With these stakeholders she leads discussions on policy reform, global expansion, sustainable development, emerging markets and the future of work, travel and tourism. An individual with true global reach, April has lived overseas for more than 10 years, traveling to more than 100 countries during that timespan. She's also worked in more than 50 countries, averaging about 20 different countries per year. April serves as a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum, where she leads the Sharing Economy Working Group. In today's episode of I Want Her Job The Podcast, April discusses how her parents instilled in her a love for travel, discovery, adventure and giving back to the world. She also shares a very sobering fact with us—she lost her parents at a young age. But ever the optimist, she explains that her life path evolved after losing them, and she's embraced their values and what they taught her to create a life full of adventure and giving back to the world in big ways, with her dad's key advice never far from reach. "The world is a marvelous place," he said. "Go check it out!" April's story inspired us to expand our thinking. We hope you are just as inspired to widen your sense of discovery locally or nationally. As April reminds us, there is opportunity everywhere to learn and make things better.
Sarah K. Peck is a force. She's a writer, startup advisor, yoga teacher, and founder/executive director of Startup Pregnant-- a media company documenting the stories of women's leadership across work and family. Previously she worked as vice president of communications for a Y Combinator-backed startup, One Month, where she also was a successful writing and communications consultant, published in more than 75 online publications. Sarah also is a 20-time All-American swimmer who swam the Escape From Alcatraz marathon nine separate times. And we also can't forget to mention the time Sarah swam the 1.5-mile freezing swim from Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay in only a swim cap and goggles to raise money of charity: water. In today's show we open up the thought process behind how Sarah achieves her audacious goals. We discuss yes, her amazing swimming accomplishments, as well as her move from a job in the architecture and design industry to a career she created for herself in writing and communications consulting. We also talk about how she developed her own curriculum on storytelling that was sold through her site and General Assembly. Then we talk about how her blog, writing and consulting work led her on a path to working at a startup, and eventually, how her first pregnancy led her to create the business idea for her eventual business, Startup Pregnant. In talking to Sarah, we were enamored with the creativity she uses to design her life and to rethink traditional ideas about how we do things at work and in our own lives. Known for her deep and thoughtful approaches to solving business problems, we have a feeling everyone will take something away from our interview with her in episode 81 of I Want Her Job The Podcast.
In today's episode of I Want Her Job The Podcast we are speaking with a woman who is leading a company that is utilizing technology to change education for the better. Jamie Candee is the president, CEO and board director at Edmentum, an education technology company providing web-based learning programs and solutions to more than 1 million children in 40,000 schools across every state in the nation. In our interview we speak with Jamie about how she followed her lifelong passion for education to a career that nourishes her soul, while also helping to improve educational service options for thousands of students. We talk about her clear and ambitious goals, her impressive path to CEO, as well as discuss her other senior roles she held prior to this position in Operations, Revenue and Product Strategy. Jamie also shares her management philosophies and advice for pursuing -- and getting -- senior leadership roles. Jamie's enthusiasm and commitment to her career in education is so incredibly inspiring, that it may very well convince you to explore a path in educational technology. Listen on for more.
Lesley Jane Seymour has made a career out of connecting and supporting women. Whether it was providing guidance for teens during her editor-in-chief tenure at YM magazine, or for young women while at the helm of Redbook and Marie Claire. And before her newest venture, she took this role of chief connector and supporter to the pages of More magazine, where she created history by including Michelle Obama as guest editor for an entire issue of the glossy. Now as the Founder and CEO of CoveyClub, Lesley is aiming to enrich the lives of women in the middle of their careers through support via the platform and community. In today's episode of I Want Her Job The Podcast, we speak with Lesley about inspired her to launch CoveyClub, why she's so motivated to help women face challenges in the corporate world during the middle of their lives, and we hear about her audacious goals for CoveyClub. We also talk to her about depression, her ideas for getting unstuck through lifelong learning and more. Her wisdom in today's episode is delivered with truth and a special honesty that comes naturally to her. We hope the episode inspires you as you take your next step forward toward a well-lived life.
If you're a parent, chances are you know about Dr. Laura Markham. And if you don't, allow us to introduce her and her parenting advice that could be life-changing for you and your family. Dr. Laura is the founding editor of AhaParenting, a blog 130k+ subscribers strong. As a parenting expert she's been interviewed for thousands of articles by publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Real Simple, Newsday and Parents magazine. In addition to her blog, she shares critical parenting advice in each of her weekly emails, aimed to help you build stronger and deeper bonds with your children. After all, we are mightily convinced she just may be a modern-day Mary Poppins.
In today's episode Dr. Laura shares her philosophies on raising kids with empathy and connection, as well as ideas for building stronger and more trusting relationships with your children. She walks us through a scenario on how to deal with temper tantrums, tips on managing technology with kids and more. We also discuss how putting in the work now to build loving and trusting relationships can ripple toward the future, creating an output with lasting effects.
As the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine for 14 years, Kate White led the iconic women's glossy straight to the top. And now she's a best-selling author of career and suspense books that you just can't put down. How did she do it? In today's show she shares how her gutsy instincts, risk taking, rule breaking, love of data and strong business skills blended to create the special sauce that was her personal secret to success. Kate shares how this mindset, as well as other strategies, fueled her accomplishments at Cosmopolitan and how they can help you, too. Then, if you want to take Kate's advice to the next level, we highly recommend you pick up her latest book, The Gutsy Girl Handbook, to learn how you can apply her tactics to negotiate your salary, manage your time, learn from failure, reduce your worrying, shed the "good girl" instinct and more. Listen in to learn how, like Kate, you can become better, bigger, bolder and more bad ass in everything you do, and how it just might very well be the shift in your career path that you need to nail (and kick ass) at that job of your dreams.
Joi Gordon was working as an assistant district attorney, pursuing a legal career when one day she realized, this wasn’t her dream job. Then, while watching a morning show she learned about a nonprofit that supplied low-income women with a perfect interview outfit. As someone who knew the power a great suit could bring, she was intrigued.
Now, Joi has served as the CEO for Dress for Success for the past two decades. The organization, which spans more than 156 cities in dozens of countries is often referred to as the “Starbucks of the nonprofit world.”
In today’s episode of I Want Her Job The Podcast, Joi shares why she’s a lover of learning, why the right dress or suit can make all the difference and the importance of following your own path.
After experiencing the hassle of living abroad and moving, Meesen Brown sparked to the idea that there had to be a better way to make travel easier. She realized the need to help fellow women who wanted to travel, but who didn't have the time or resources to find housing arrangements. And with this, the idea for Behere was born. Today Meesen is the co-founder and CEO of Behere, a service for women that provides furnished housing options for cities around the world that a woman can contract on a month-to-month basis. You read that right: You can live in select cities around the globe for a month at a time, no long-term contracts or obligations. With a Behere membership, your rental will include workspaces, fitness memberships, city guides and more. Listen in to hear how Behere's mission to make travel easier and more comfortable can help you on your great adventures. If you enjoy this show please share it with a friend.
Imagine if you could travel the world, creating videos and social media content that wanderlusts all over the world consume on the daily. With more than 378,000 YouTube subscribers and a popular travel vlog, Hey Nadine, Nadine Sykora has a gig that does just that. And with travel to 49+ countries under her belt in the last 7 years, she’s a go-to for adventure advice and travel tips.
In today’s episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, we talk to Nadine about what it’s like to share her experiences with others on various digital channels, how she started her vlog, her best tools for creating vibrant and engaging content, and tips for others who are interested in traveling around the globe – and making a living off of it. We also talk with Nadine about her important role as a brand influencer, including her partnership with Best Western, and learn more about what she does as an influencer and why she loves her partnership with the brand.
Listen in as we ask Nadine about a few of her favorite travel adventures and find out more about her dream-worthy job.
Amanda Joy Ravenhill knew she wanted to make a large impact on our society in her day-to-day work. And she gets the opportunity to do just that as the executive director of the Buckminster Fuller Institute, an organization founded to remember and implement the ideas of R. Buckminster Fuller, a renowned 20th Century inventor and visionary. The Institute is dedicated to the same mission Buckminster Fuller had -- catalyzing transformative solutions to complex global problems through design thinking education. The Institute's programs offer a look at local needs and global trends to design a holistic approach that brings together art, science, design and technology. The organization is known for its flagship program, the Buckminster Fuller Challenge, which offers an annual $100,000 prize to support the creation and execution of a strategy that has the potential to solve humanity's most pressing problems.
As a passionate advocate for environmental work and social justice issues, Amanda has found a job that fulfills her. Today we discuss her path that brought her to her executive director role and go deeper into her day-to-day duties in that position. We also talk about Project Drawdown, a book and digital platform she co-founded that shows the path to carbon neutrality with a positive twist. In the book, an international coalition of researchers, professionals and scientists present viable techniques and practices to halt climate change, allowing us to view the challenge as an opportunity to create a just and livable world.
In addition to her daily job, Amanda started a band --The Seastars -- with four of her close friends, who also happen to be leaders in sustainability and social impact movements. The group sings cover songs, but they adapt the lyrics to focus on the environment. We recommend you check out their fabulous cover of "Royals" by Lorde.
Please share this show with a friend, and if you enjoyed it, leave us a review on itunes.
Heather Freiser's role as the Vice President of Brand and Content for career website, The Muse, puts her squarely in the role of creating videos and articles that share stories in unique and captivating ways. In other words, she directs the production of content that makes you want to click, listen and watch useful and interesting career advice that supports job seekers and helps those currently employed with on-the-job advice.
Prior to her role at The Muse, Heather was a senior brand editor at Contently, and before that she served as a senior producer at Bloomberg, overseeing all production for the network's closing bell show, Street Smart. And before that she held various production roles at Fox Business Network and Fox News Channel.
Heather also is the owner, along with her husband, of a literary-themed restaurant in Atlantic Beach, New York called Beginnings. The restaurant provides diners with an immersive dining experience that is paired with a literary theme. For Beginnings events, Heather gets to dream up and create literary nights for titles such as The Godfather; Angela's Ashes; The Great Gatsby; Eat, Pray, Love and more. During these events, the entire menu, attire, and of course, the conversation, revolves around a book's theme.
In today's show Heather shares her career path, details of her day-to-day life on the job, juggling professional life while raising three young children, and tips and trends for those interested in a similar career path.
Gillian Morris is the founder of Hitlist, an app that sends travel listings based on your time, destination and budget preferences. Have you always wanted to go somewhere but wanted to wait for the best time for your budget? The app will even alert you to travel deals on the destination of your dreams. The idea for Hitlist came to Gillian while she was living in Istanbul. Frustrated that her friends weren't visiting, she started sending them airline deals, and made the observation that if she sent them airline deals, they were more likely to travel more. Those same friends then started asking Gillian to provide discount fare alerts to other cities. After another travel-related search engine business idea didn't take off, Gillian taught herself to code through Code Academy. And then, with the help from the developer community, she wrote a first script for Hitlist. In today's episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Gillian shares how she iterated her idea, what her day-to-day life is like running Hitlist, and we also discuss why she considers travel one of the best "side hacks for peace building." We also talk about a meaningful way to drive social impact while gaining priceless perspective and learn more about her experience volunteering for Gaza Sky Geeks, the first tech hub in Gaza. If you enjoy this show, please share with a friend and leave us a review on itunes. If you have ideas for future shows, you can reach us at podcast@iwantherjob.com.
Lily Diamond is a successful food blogger, writer and photographer who recently released her first book, Kale and Caramel. In her book she shares recipes for fresh food and how to use ingredients from your home kitchen to create beauty products - like facial washes, scrubs and moisturizers - as well as personal stories from her life. Lily’s book also serves as a tribute to her late mom, and in it she shares memories and reveals how she coped with her massive loss. Listen to today’s episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast to hear more about how Lily runs her freelancing business, her brand and her following.
After "trying on" a variety of internships and roles, including time in the public sector, Sydney Thomas realized she wanted to be the one making the decisions about where to invest money for the most impact instead of the person asking for the investments. It was her curiosity, networking and yes, those internships, that led her into the venture capital industry. Currently she works as an investment associate and head of operations at Precursor Ventures. In today's episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast we talk to Sydney about her path into venture capital and the scope of her current role. We also discuss her journey through 52 cups of coffee through her LinkedIn profile, her tips for turning connections into coffee dates and hear about some of her favorite productivity tips and apps. If you enjoy this show, please share it with a friend, and subscribe to iwantherjob on itunes.
Imagine living in a winery with 50 acres of vineyards to stroll through during evening moonlit hours. Imagine a place where you can invite friends and family, host events and tastings, and where your kids can grow up with dozens of acres as their domain. This is a dream winemaker Lauren Belden and her husband, Nate, have brought to life with Belden Barns, a Sonoma winery, where they create a variety red and white wines. Lauren and Nate Belden have an ambitious and exciting vision of creating a different type of wine tasting experience that provides the opportunity for you to experience and learn about winemaking and agriculture with interactive, family-friendly experiences. In today's episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Lauren shares the glamorous and not-so-glamorous part of running a winery. Although it's easy to romanticize running a winery, Lauren sheds some light on the labor and difficulties involved in the industry. At different times of the day, Lauren and her husband are the only members of the distribution, marketing, account management, customer service or sales departments teams of Belden Barns. Luckily, this husband and wife team each bring a set of different strengths to their business, and that has allowed Belden Barns to flourish. Their founding story built on love also includes a wishing tree that is helping guests of Belden Barns wish for their own dreams.
Jay Newton-Small is co-founder and CEO of MemoryWell, a network of professional journalists who are using their writing talents to tell the stories of those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other dementias. These stories help caregivers preserve memories and care for people who have memory related health problems. With the number of people in the US with Alzheimer's and memory related illnesses at a staggering 11M, and expected to triple by 2030, this is one of the biggest health problems we are facing. Previously, Jay was the Washington correspondent for TIME Magazine and a journalist for Bloomberg News. Jay is also the author of Broad Influence: How Women Are Changing the Way America Works. In today's show, we discuss Jay's inspiration for founding Memorywell, Jay's start up journey, and we dive into the some of the powerful ideas from Jay's book. Broad Influence examines the concept of critical mass: when women are at least 20 percent of a group, they are more able to use their strengths on the job such as communication, compromising, collaborating across party lines and forming alliances. As you can probably imagine, these are all skills that can be tremendously useful within many types of organizations. We also discuss a fact many ladies are not aware of, public service roles across 40 states are actually ideal for flexibility and part time hours!
Grace Kraaijvanger is the founder of The Hivery, a women's co-working space located in Mill Valley, California. But, as good as she is at creating a delightful environment for her members, her goals go beyond simply offering a beautiful space. The Hivery, Grace says, aims to be a community and movement of women supporting one another. In today's episode, Grace shares how her career in professional dance and marketing roles merged with her desire to build community, and led to her idea for The Hivery. We also discuss how a powerful, personal loss changed Grace, and how we feel loss can transform our lives. She also shares her funding story, lessons learned along her path and the way that her previous career in dance taught her the power of resilience and showing up. "So much of what I learned in dance is [about] showing up when you don't feel like it," Grace says. "in life, all kinds of crazy things are going to go wrong. [For example,] kids are going to get sick and things are not always going to go according to plan, but we have to show up, and we have to keep showing up." If you've had an itch to make a change in your life, we hope Grace's story of launching The Hivery also will inspire you to make your bold move.
Oftentimes the answers we are searching for can be found within us. And this was certainly the case for Sadie Lincoln, the co-founder (along with her husband, Chris) and CEO of Barre3, a bar-based fitness program with more than 130 locations worldwide. Barre3, which is part of a robust $30B dollar fitness industry, is a business that is spiritually aligned with how Sadie desires women to treat their mind, soul and bodies. Barre3's classes encourage its participants to do what feels right for them. Instead of vigorously working to copy instructor-led moves, it's a place that encourages and fosters individuality.
In today's show, Sadie shares with us how her unconventional upbringing in Eugene, Oregon, by a group of four women who were best friends that she affectionately calls her "aunties" shaped her future. She details how this upbringing shaped her path and ultimately, influenced the way she now runs Barre3—tapping into the collective wisdom of her tribe of employees, members, franchisees and her own inner wisdom. In fact, it was this intuition that led her from a great managerial role at 24-Hour Fitness in San Francisco where she worked for a decade learning about the industry from different angles, to a bold move to Portland with the goal of starting a business and finding the community she craved. Other topics discussed include her franchising philosophy and selection of applicants, as well as her managerial practices that help her run such a grand and successful business.
If you enjoy today’s show with the brilliant Sadie, please share with a friend, and please leave a review us on iTunes. As always, if you have ideas for future shows, you can reach us at podcast at iwantherjob.com.
If you'd describe yourself as a foodie who loves restaurants, or if you're curious about what it takes to start a restaurant, then today's interview with Erin Wade is for you. Erin is the founder of Homeroom, a mac-n-cheese restaurant with a mission to serve the most delicious and comforting pasta dish in America. And they're well on their way. Homeroom quickly became a community destination in Oakland, Calif., with lines that stretch beyond the door. But, it wasn't always so in demand -- especially when it came to some family and friends who thought the restaurant was a terrible idea. Homeroom had a place in Erin's heart though, and after she met the "one person who didn't think Homeroom was nuts" that person became her partner. In episode 58 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Erin shares with Host Polina Selyutin some of the up's and down's of opening the restaurant -- including running through her entire life's savings and opening the restaurant with just two weeks of operations expenses left in her bank account. Finally, we discuss the reason Erin left her previous career -- as a lawyer -- behind. And, she shares why she felt staying in the legal industry was a bigger personal risk for her than putting her entire life savings on the line to passionately chase her idea.
Janet Janjigian has had a career that would be the envy of any journalism student. She covered the White House, the Capitol, the Pentagon and the State Department, along with other general assignments and investigative work, in the Washington, D.C. area for more than 25 years. Through her work she served as one of the top journalists for NBC Nightly News With Tom Brokaw and as a producer at ABC's Nightline with Ted Koppel. Now as executive managing director at Carmen Group, Washington's leading government affairs consulting firm, her work is focused on corporate communications, government relations, crisis management and litigation support. Janet has won numerous awards for her work, including two Emmy Awards. In today's episode of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Janet shares the continuation of her career path -- taking her to CNN in Los Angeles, then MGM Studios as senior vice president of corporate communications and also to her role as president of DC Media Group LA Inc. She also shares how she got her start in journalism, the moment that was her big career game changer, what it's like to transition from one industry to another, the power of internships and the secret method she uses to land every single job. It's one you'll want to hear, and it's also one we can all apply in our lives to inch closer to our own dream jobs.
If you love thoughtful conversation and inspiring other women, then today's podcast is for you.
Anne Devereux Mills is the founder of the Parlay House, a salon-style gathering of more than 500 women in the San Francisco Bay Area. Members of the group meet once a month to connect, learn and inspire. Each meeting features a discussion on an interesting topic. The goal of Parlay, Anne says, is to change the framework of reciprocity by putting women in a place to pull fellow women forward, rather than creating a setting where women have a more transaction-like "you help me, I help you" interaction.
Another goal of Anne's is to create a level playing field for all ages and professions saying, "If you talk [to another person] about what you do, you miss the commonalities." At a recent event, she shares that many women opened up about their eating disorders, depression and other big topics.
Anne also serves as chair of the board of a public company and serves as chief strategy officer of Lantern, a San Francisco-based startup that uses technology to create mental wellness programs that reduce stigma and improve access to lower cost for mental health treatment. She also is the executive producer of The Return, an Emmy-nominated film that focuses on our criminal justice system and the impact of the "Three Strikes" law. And as part of her passion for social justice issues, Anne worked as a key member of the team that helped pass California's Proposition 36, which was a part of California's "Three Strikes" reform.
While she was working toward these accomplishments, Anne built her career while raising two daughters as a single mom in the New York area. Before her current roles, Anne served in C-level positions at various advertising agencies, including BBDO, TBWA\Chiat Day and LLNS, focusing on health care. In episode 53 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor and Host Polina Selyutin talks to Anne about she of the practices that have led to her success, personal sacrifice, the life-changing events that led her from New York to San Francisco and the inspiration for Parlay House.
If you love design and user experience, this is a podcast for you. Today we speak with Wendy McKennon, head of user experience at Color Genomics -- a digital health startup with a mission to help people make the most of their health information.
Color Genomics is most known for its lower-cost $250 physician-ordered genetic test that is available to determine an individual's breast and ovarian cancer risk. The lower cost of this test is transformative in the way it changes how people can afford and access this information for their personal health. In addition, the company also has expanded to offer testing for the eight most-common hereditary cancers, as well as a test for high cholesterol risk. When Wendy joined the Color Genomics team as its first designer, she worked with only five others. Today, she leads product and design for a team double that size. In episode 54 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, we speak with Wendy about what it's like to work in user experience, the qualities Wendy looks for when hiring for her team, her biggest source of inspiration and learn about the incredible inspirations in her life that have shaped her interests.
As the popular writer of books including I Know How She Does It and What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast -- Laura Vanderkam could deliver a masterclass on productivity and time management. Intrigued by time management and the art of planning, Laura has collected and analyzed hundreds of daily schedules from women. Her research has found that the art of planning your days, weeks, months and years with both short-term and long-term vision, you can have a successful career, while also intentionally planning for ways to celebrate and enjoy life. Laura firmly believes that there are ways women can confidently pursue their careers, while also having a family life they love. In fact, her research has shown that women who have leadership roles can actually have more of a work/life balance. "Don't fear the big job," she advises. It turns out that many big jobs are actually more family-friendly than jobs that are, in theory, less demanding. "When you are high up in the ladder, you call the shots [and] the meeting happens at a time that is convenient for you." In episode 53 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast Laura shares other advice for going big. She also speaks with Host Polina Selyutin about the "myth" of the 85-hour workweek, the importance of planning out your weekend and more.
In a world where technology helps us be anywhere and do (almost) anything, Katie Linendoll is leading the way. A true multi-hyphenate in trade, Katie is an Emmy-winner, journalist, TV personality and tech insider. You can see her regularly on the TODAY Show, where she’s served as a tech contributor, wow-ing everyone from Matt Lauer to Willie Geist to, of course, the viewers, for the past six years. She’s also a regular on The Weather Channel, Fox News, HLN, CNN and CBS Sports Radio.
Katie also creates and hosts her own podcast Katie Show where she uncovers and breaks down the latest in technology trends in plain, “Oh, now I get this” speak for us non-techies. In her podcast – which BTW, has climbed to No. 4 on the iTunes tech charts – she’s covered virtual reality, the Hyperloop, gadgets known to boost your mood and much more. Katie’s also a “friend with connections” for her listeners. On her show she’s interviewed GM’s CEO and Chair Mary Barra, Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto (who happens to be the creator of Super Mario!) and music icon Dave Navarro. And that’s just scratching the surface.
She’s also written for some killer outlets, including Oprah.com, Popular Science and Shape magazine. And, as the founder of Katie Linendoll Productions, she and her team regularly produce content for big-name brands, like Amazon, Capital One and RetailMeNot. Phew!
We first interviewed Katie on I Want Her Job in 2011. She was an early supporter of the women supporting women movement, and she’s a big believer in giving back. Period. She serves on the board of the Batcole Foundation, which supports research and awareness of pediatric cancer.
In episode 52 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Founder Brianne Perleberg speaks with Katie about underwater reporting, the growing power of virtual reality and how she spe
Jean-Marie Shields is a brand builder and a brand lover. She’s led a powerhouse career taking her from Nike to Starbucks and then Lululemon, but most importantly, she’s also a mom. And, as a single mom, she believes kids are smart and they want to be a part of their parent’s job, too.
“When I helped reposition the Starbucks brand and we updated the identity and we enrolled 5,000-6,000 people across the company into the new brand and experience as it had evolved, I actually had a conversation with my son. I said, “Hey, during the next 7 weeks Mom is going to be really busy. That means we’re not going to see each other as much as we were before, but right around the corner is going to be really different. Here’s what Mom is working on.”
But, before she was a mom, Jean-Marie was born and raised in Sweden. She came to the United States as an exchange student, and then she married and had a family. Early on in her career she worked mostly in creative roles -- starting her path at Nike in a creative position. After a few years, she moved to oversight of product, before eventually moving into more brand-centered roles. She spent 13 years at Nike, including 8 years in the company’s European office and 5 in its global headquarters. After her tenure there, she spent 8 years at Starbucks helping to reposition its brand. She then went on to help Lululemon after the brand’s unfortunate see-through yoga pants incident.
Now, Jean-Marie is Seattle-based and is applying her 20+ years in building lifestyle brands to launch dusk, her company where she does mindful branding for companies and homes. Homes, you ask? Yes. Her approach to the energy of a space helps individuals focus more on the present. And with presence comes a life more fully lived, and that outcome is a more joyous life, she says.
In episode 51 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Host Polina Selyutin and Founder Brianne Perleberg talk to Jean-Marie about the important role curiosity plays in creativity, calming a creative mind and what it was like to work with some of the most influential business minds of our time at Nike and Starbucks.
Rachael Norman is the founder of a Better, a technology company that helps people get their out of network medical bills paid. If you send Better your claim, they will do the work that can require hours of back and forth phone calls, codes, procedure conversations and requests for documentation. if your bill is paid, Better takes a 10% fee, and you get your money back. For those of you have tried the process of getting a claim paid, this business model is likely to make you smile. Rachael and her team have structured their business to be centered and financially aligned around the needs of the patient. In this show, Rachael shares her thoughts on problems in our healthcare industry, and her hopes for how to build businesses and healthcare systems that put patients first. getbetter.co
Sabrina Mutukisna, is co-founder of Town Kitchen, an Oakland based, chef-crafted subscription food delivery service that employs low income youth between 15-25. Sabrina shares her story of growing up in her parents drycleaners in California and then working to support herself through UC Berkeley. Along the way, Sabrina became very motivated by what she saw and experienced, and spent 13 years doing jobs in workforce development. Sabrina worked to help foster children, formerly incarcerated youth and other young people figure out how to start a career, complete degrees and certificates, often helping with basic needs such as housing or childcare. While working for California Teacher Pathway, a program that helped lower income young adults complete a program of community college and then a 4 year degree, Sabrina learned the difficulty of using grant funding to employ youth for more than a year. Sabrina came up with a solution that would offer training and jobs that lasted several years. At Town Kitchen, most employees stay longer than 2 years, get training in the food industry and almost all are enrolled in college. Town kitchen also partners with other community organizations to help its employees with issues of housing and transportation. With one business, Sabrina is helping to create community and so many ripples of change - jobs with living wages, job training, passion for food, and education on our food systems.
Happy 4th of July! In honor of the holiday, we are speaking with Erin Loos Cutraro, the founder of She Should Run. Erin founded She Should in 2008, a bi-partisan organization dedicated to increasing the number of women running for political office. if you just decided to run or are just exploring, through an incubator, research, events and campaigns, She Should Run offers community support and many other resources. We learned so much from this show, and hope you will enjoy it and be inspired to run for an office or encourage someone you know to run for one of the 500,000 elected offices across the US. As you ll hear on this show, when women run for office, they actually win at the same rate as men!
Lucienne Ide started her career as a physicist working for a mobile company and then for a venture capital firm. When Lucienne kept receiving requests to help large corporations manage the cost of diabetes, she came up with the idea for Rimidi, a digital health start up focused on diabetes management. We discuss the alarming diabetes epidemic in America (research indicates half of Americans have diabetes or prediabetes!) We talk about the the need for more women to pursue career paths in digital health: although 80% of healthcare dollars are controlled by women, women are not represented in health IT as much as other healthcare fields within nursing and medicine. There is a tremendous opportunity to be a part of the growth in the digital health field in areas such as design, user experience, marketing, research, technology and more.
How do you define success? It’s a question Courtney Martin asked herself and others while writing her book, The New Better Off: Reinventing the American Dream, which attempts to help all of us think about redefining our measures of success. She encourages us to “reject the tired narratives about success” because our motives and lives will change when we shift our focus, instead, to community.
“The New Better Off most succinctly is realizing that our quality of life is more determined by the quality of our relationships than by our own individual achievements as we’ve historically thought about it,” Courtney says. “It’s more about meaning, relationships, community and fulfillment – as opposed to status and stuff.”
The book asks questions many of us have asked ourselves, and it challenges what many of us have come to accept as the status quo. One of our favorite lines in Courtney’s book is: “I don’t want to get a good job, a house with a white picket fence, 2.5 kids and then just go to sleep.” Host Polina Selyutin speaks with Courtney about this desire for meaning, purpose and community in our lives and a fear of where the traditional path can lead us in episode 46 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast.
Other topics of discussion include how the traditional 9-to-5 job structure created in the ‘50’s for those without caretaking responsibilities simply doesn’t work in the world we live in today. (For example, by the year 2020 it’s estimated that half the workforce will be freelance, she cites.)
We also discuss her decision to put community first by living in a co-housing community in Oakland, Calif., where individuals practice radical hospitality by dining together weekly, sharing homeownership activities and helping one another. And if you aren’t the co-housing type, Courtney shares ideas on how similar principals of community housing can be easily integrated into our lives – from hikes with family and friends to group dinners. After all, Courtney says, the relationships in our lives are the things that make us the happiest.
It’s often said there are two roads – a well-beaten path and one less traveled that provides obstacles that teach you as you go. While many get to choose which path they take, Hope Alcocer’s was decided for her. A rocky path, her life has thrown her many curveballs to endure – from a terrifying head injury, struggle with PTSD and two heart-shattering breakups – to highs including a self-started and internationally lauded magazine, KHLOE, and now a new book based on her life, Where Hope Lies.
In episode 45 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Host Polina Selyutin talks with Hope about dealing, ironically, with hopelessness, to founding a women’s magazine, creating her own boutique marketing agency and turning her painful life experiences into a just-released novel. We also discuss her Armenian culture and how her family has remained her source of strength and wisdom. And if you like what you hear, be sure to check out our online interview with Hope here.
We’re excited for you to see (and hear!) that Hope is a woman who is living up to her name by handling the surprises life sends her with courage, grace, and of course, hope.
Deb Nelson has a job at RSF Social Finance that is all about helping people align their values with their money, all while helping fund entrepreneurs for social impact businesses. As vice president of client and company engagement, Deb also works on strategic partnerships and client engagement. On top of that, she’s also the lead on a new initiative for the company – the Women’s Capital Collaborative.
Pioneered with an impact investor who wanted to do more to support women entrepreneurs, the Collaborative aims to do more to support women entrepreneurs – a group routinely overlooked and underfunded. In fact, Deb points out, women entrepreneurs received only 3% of venture capital funding from 2011 to 2013. Why is this? Unconscious bias, says the Harvard Business Review. Even when a presentation is given identical word-for-word by men and women, males are 60% more likely to get funded. This Collaborative is in place to do something about that.
“Our goal is to create an economy of generosity and connectedness,” Deb says.
And she’s at the right organization to make that kind of impact. Since 1984, RSF Social Finance has provided social impact loans, grants and investments. It focuses on creating direct, personal and transparent financial relationships for those who fund social enterprises, as well as those who leverage the funding to create long-term social and ecological benefits via organizations in food and agriculture, education and the arts, ecological stewardship and other related fields. It also provides “holistic integrated capital” – from financial capital, loans, loan guarantees and investments, to technical assistance grants, and human and social capital. “We know it takes all kinds of capital to help an entrepreneur thrive and grow their organizations,” she says.
In episode 38 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Host Polina Selyutin asks Deb about the story of her career path, the international travel that gave her the confidence to take on future challenges and the importance of intentionally creating “outsider experiences” for yourself.
As a book lover since childhood, Cherilyn Parsons longed to be a part of the literary community. So, she risked her security, job stability and comfort for her dream of starting a world-class book festival in Berkeley, California.
Although there had been a book festival in her home region, the San Francisco Bay Area, more than a decade prior, there wasn’t one when Cherilyn decided to take a chance and begin her efforts. And even though she had no prior experience in event planning or the literary world, she did have one very important skill on her resume – fundraising.
“I had no experience in event planning,” she says. “I did not know the literary world. I had no money to start with. But I thought, hey, let’s do the book festival.”
And so, with a background in nonprofit fundraising, most recently at the Center for Investigative Reporting – Cherilyn thought she could apply her experience to help launch a large-scale book fest. And although it wasn’t easy, she made it happen. Now in its third year, the 2-day Bay Area Book Festival draws more than 50,000 attendees and 300 authors for events and panels spanning 9 city blocks in Berkeley.
In episode 37 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Host Polina Selyutin discusses with Cheryl how she took her idea to launch, the ups and downs along her path and the personal sacrifices she made to make her dream come true. Read (and listen) on to learn why book festivals are such powerful forums for connecting authors and book lovers, as well as what it takes to create, fund and manage large-scale public events.
Eugenia Cheng has built a “portfolio career” combining her passions for math, piano and education. Eugenia has a PHD in Pure Mathematics and is a Scientist in Residence at School of the Art Institute in Chicago. As part of her portfolio career, Eugenia also performs as a concert pianist and is a published author of two books about math. Eugenia also works to develop math training materials and curriculum, she does research in math within higher dimensional category theory, and she writes about math for media publications. Eugenia has built her career by finding ways to use her talents and work to help others. Eugenia suggests we build our careers by finding what we are really good at and then finding how to use our talents in the best possible way to contribute to society.
Eugenia has a talent for showing how math relates to our world, and in describing the beautiful and mysterious intersections of math, science and art. We talk with Eugenia on how she got on her path and how playing the piano was her refuge when she was frustrated with the confinements of her school years. Eugenia offers suggestions for encouraging kids to enjoy math ( there is some great advice for those of us who have math phobias), we talk about Eugenia’s latest book, beyond infinity, and Eugenia’s thoughts on how math, science and art are spiritually related. Eugenia stepped away from a conventional tenured academic path to create a career where she could user her strengths and interests. Eugenia's thoughtful and analytical approach to creating a career that allowed her to contribute more to society, applies to those of us trying to find work where we can also use more of our strengths. We think you will love this conversation abut how to combine different interests, including Eugenia’s thoughts on the concept of infinity, how “drunk cooking” and math are similar and how you can stretch the possibilities within your career.
Marta Bralic is VP of Business Development at Flatiron, a digital health company selected by the The World Economic Forum as one of the 30 most promising Technology Pioneers of 2016. At I Want Her Job, we get excited by technology for social impact and flatiron’s technology is fighting cancer in such an exciting and transformative way. Flatiron’s cloud based software is bringing together cancer centers and hospitals to allow more sharing of cancer data with a goal of accelerating the ability to identify opportunities for cancer treatment and research. “The magic happens at Flatiron when you have an oncologist or nurse sitting side by side with an engineer and they are looking at a screen or at a whiteboard and they are trying to figure out how to solve a clinical problem or a data problem actually using some of the modern software applications that are used in other industries but haven’t so far been applied in a place like oncology” says Marta. For those of you motivated by working on health related problems and using technology to fight cancer, we think you will love learning about Flatiron and career opportunities in digital health.
Times are a-changing, and with it, comes new efforts to keep our planet healthy, which we are major supporters of at I Want Her Job. Today’s interview is with someone hustling to change the future of clean energy, Dawn Lippert. As the co-founder of Elemental Excelerator (formerly Energy Excelerator), a startup accelerator program based in Hawaii, Dawn and her team helps budding businesses change the world, one community at a time.
As co-founder of the organization, Dawn talks to I Want Her Job: The Podcast Host Polina Selyutin about the iteration she went through to refine and design the model Elemental Excelerator uses to fund and support startups. With many startups having different needs and time frames to scale, Dawn says, the nonprofit helped develop a model that works by partnering with corporations to test products and services, as well as non-competing companies that can support and complement one another.
Dawn also discusses her initial inspiration for the nonprofit, largely driven by the realization that the change the world needs to see, needed to be accelerated. “As I was working on these issues in Washington, D.C. on the policy side, it became really clear to me that the speed at which we needed to find solutions was astonishing,” she says. “Entrepreneurship to me is that tool … It’s our theory of change that by empowering entrepreneurs who are building quickly scalable business models that can really address these challenges at scale. That’s how we’re really going to change the world.”
As of press time, Elemental Excelerator has awarded $20 million to 53 portfolio companies (up to $1 million per company), co-funding 28 demonstration projects across areas affecting infrastructure, the environment and quality of life (including energy, water, agriculture and transportation systems). The nonprofit was created in collaboration with Emmerson Collective, an investment and philanthropic platform.
Hayley is General Manager for Media and Product Development at NewCo, a VC-backed startup that highlights innovative business practices around the globe through media and events. NewCo is an online publisher launched entirely on Medium. NewCo shares stories from companies who are trying to change the world and have missions beyond the bottom line. Hayley has worked in media for over 20 years, including roles for Wired.com and the New York Times.
Topics Discussed:
How NewCo started a their platform on Medium and the benefits of having a a plug and play platform agnostic publishing strategy.
Working as Director of Product for Wired: Hayley’s role being one of the first Product Managers for Wired.com. Hayley led two years of site improvements that translated to a record high number of pageviews in 2015 (breaking 1 Billion pageviews) for the 20 year old Wired.com.
Hayley’s favorite resources for staying in the know for her career.
Up and coming interesting career paths: Hayley's thought on interesting new roles and career paths.
Hayley’s suggestions for the top skills Product Managers should have: Hint, they are not technical.
Diana Klochkova is VP of Digital Strategy for Rebel Ventures, a leading sports digital strategy and tech venture firm, with a client list including Real Madrid, Golden State Warriors, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Bulls and San Francisco 49ers. We discuss Diana’s path to digital marketing strategy, her previous role as Global Social Marketing Lead for Levi Strauss, projects in Shanghai, Panama and what it is like to work in Sports digital strategy. In her free time, Diana also created a product called the The Bang Wrangler, a sport accessory line for women who love water sports.
Kimberly Cassady is VP of Talent for Cornerstone OnDemand, a company that provides businesses with software to recruit, train and manage their employees. Cortnerstone has made it on to many best places to work lists including Forbes and Glassdoor.
If you only remember one thing from this show, Kimberly suggests all of us just make the ask. If you hear about upcoming projects at your company, just ask for the opportunity.
Kimberly’s role leading a manufacturing floor scared her and forced her to adopt a fake it till you make it approach. Today, Kimberly’s operations experience has given her the confidence she uses every day in her role as VP of Talent. Looking back on her career, Kimberly says “If you were to look at the aggregate of my career I probably have more failures than I do successes, but I am willing to take the chance and I am ok with the failure. I am ok if it's a learning experience as a result of it.”
Kimberly attributes some of her success in her willingness to test ideas and take action, "I would rather take the incorrect action as opposed to no action", says Kimberly, as she shares the trial and error approach that has resulted in more chances to learn and succeed.
If you love writing, blogging, photography, creating content — and having control of your future while developing your own business — we think you will enjoy hearing how Lauryn Evarts created her blog and brand, The Skinny Confidential. When Lauryn started blogging 6 years ago, she was broke and miserable working in a bartending job. Today, With six employees, Lauryn is running her own business.
In today's episode of I Want Her Job: the Podcast, we talk to Lauryn about how she engages with her audience, her mindset for setting goals and dealing with criticism. She also shares how she chipped away every day at the goals she made for her blog. "Every day when I laid my head on the pillow I had built The Skinny Confidential in some small way,” she says.
Now as a professional blogger, Lauryn shares some practical advice for what it takes. “If you can’t deal with criticism probably being an influencer is not the way to go,” she says. But if you can? Well, we think the upside could be that it's your dream job.
Ida Tin is founder of Clue, the world’s fastest growing period tracking and fertility app. Ida shares why she is so committed to using technology to empower women with more knowledge and control of their bodies and for family planning. Ida is on a mission to help women become more aware and “friendlier with their bodies”. Hear how Ida founded Clue and and about Femtech, an emerging area of technology addressing women’s health. As Ida says “Within Femtech alone there is so much unmet potential. Everywhere we look we see needs that women have that are not being addressed where technology can play a role.” Prior to founding Clue, Ida had a business leading motorcycle tours around the world. Listen to hear how Ida’s background and early interests in women’s health evolved into her role as founder of Clue.
We strive to inspire women leading the future of business here at I Want Her Job. This is why we were so excited to speak with Cecilia Foxworthy, co-founder of
At I Want Her Job we love a good startup story, and we like one that involves two friends destined to meet and create a business even more. One day in early 2016, Annie Dean called her friends – asking them to direct her to the smartest women they knew. As fate would have it, a few friends directed Annie to Anna Auerbach, a woman described by mutual friends as a “force of intelligence” and full of energy. Over a phone conversation, Anna shared her thoughts on a business that would help create a marketplace for women seeking flexible job opportunities. Annie was instantly hooked on the idea, and this first phone call ignited a passion and partnership between the two dynamic women.
The idea became Werk, a business dedicated to helping women thrive in the workforce and find flexible job opportunities. Since launching earlier this year, Werk has received funding, created a marketplace for flexible jobs with over 60 companies – including Facebook, Uber and Samsung – and has hired a staff of four and developed a new product.
Anna’s Harvard MBA and McKinsey background, combined with Anna’s experience in practicing law, they say, has given them a distinct advantage during their research, analysis and business planning phases for Werk. As self-professed data geeks, Annie and Anna knew that data was showing them a business opportunity for a site like Werk was there. And as ambitious young mothers to toddlers with demanding professional careers, Anna and Annie understand firsthand the challenges women face when they don’t want – or cannot take a break – from working. In fact, research shows more than 30% of women end up leaving the workforce after having children. And, of those that left, 70% say they would have stayed in their jobs if they had been given more flexibility. Furthermore, a Bain research study has shown that women value flexibility more than titles, location and pay. The data, as well as common sense, shows the supply is there, and from a business perspective, flexibility lowers costs and helps companies recruit and retain top talent.
We’re thrilled to share episode 33 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast with you. We hope the story of Annie and Annie inspire you to shift your own thoughts on the work/life culture.
In episode 32 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, we speak with Lauren Collins, staff writer at The New Yorker, and author of When In French: Love In A Second Language. The book, which is a memoir of falling in love, learning a new language and adjusting to a new culture, was recently selected as a “Notable Book of 2016” by The New York Times. And it’s easy to see why.
With plenty of humor and fascinating details on linguistics and French culture, in the book Lauren recounts her journey of learning and adjusting to a life in France. In her interview, she shares the story of the one decision that changed her life. Weeks before her 30th birthday, Lauren decided to shake things up, requesting to work for The New Yorker from London. It was during this fateful trip that, in a decidedly American way, Lauren walked over and introduced herself … to her future husband!
Eventually moving with him to Paris, When In French chronicles the cultural adjustments and clashes of living in a new country. Listen in to hear more about Lauren’s journey, details on her sought-after job at The New Yorker and more.
Felena Hanson was just another woman working from home when she came up with a brilliant idea. While working at home for eight years, she missed having a sense of community and often time struggled to focus. The options in the market at the time, while uber-hip and high tech, were lacking an environment that felt beautiful and clean to her. She realized she was craving a coworking space designed by women, for women, so Felena embarked on creating what she couldn’t find.
And now, five years later, Hera Hub is the first international coworking and shared office space for women (though open to men as well) from Washington, D.C. to Stockholm, Sweden. And although the company specializes in providing inspired spaces for women to work from, the company also hosts training sessions on planning, accounting and other business services – providing continuous support and advice for its members. They also offer an endless supply of coffee and wine! After all, Felena says, in Hera Hub spaces women are truly trying to help one another.
“I wanted to create something that was bigger than myself, and bigger than the city that I’m in,” Felena says. “ … It’s an ecosystem of support, collaboration and community.”
In episode 31 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor and Host Polina Selyutin speaks with Felena about launching a business, making mistakes and building a community.
Judy Robinett’s story begins in Franklin, Idaho. As a young girl who was bullied during junior high, Judy felt uncomfortable at social events, which she would often arrive late to and leave early from. Until her 40s, she felt shy, awkward, not good enough, not cute enough and not educated enough.
Today, however, Judy’s life paints a different picture. As a well-known and highly respected investor and advisor, she is known as the woman with a titanium Rolodex. If you’re curious about how she made the leap from insecure young woman to confident businesswoman, then you will want to hear episode 30 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast.
In today’s show, Judy shares how an attitude of, “Keep your head down; work hard; and wait your turn,” turned into advice worth tossing. She read Dale Carnegie’s How To Win Friends And Influence People and immediately realized that it was actually those leaving early on Friday to socialize at the golf club were the ones getting ahead at work. After reading this book, she began to make intentional choices in how she interacted with others.
This fresh outlook aids Judy to this day. When she meets someone new, Judy immediately begins looking for ways she can help, which she explains further in her step-by-step approach in her book on networking – How To Be A Power Connector. In today’s episode, Editor and Host Polina Selyutin discusses the art of connection with Judy and tips that can help you develop your own titanium Rolodex.
According to Shopify’s Director of Talent Acquisition Anna Lambert, the recruiting industry is broken. And, we happen to agree. While most companies utilize a traditional process for filtering out candidates based on a list of experience and requirements, Shopify does things very differently. In fact, Shopify actually encourages candidates to apply if they don’t meet all the traditional requirements listed on a position.
“We don’t want to exclude people who can be incredible in a role because they don’t think they’re qualified,” Anna says. Shopify’s website goes further, saying, “Experience comes in many forms, many skills are transferable and passion goes a long way.” Don’t you wish more companies thought like that?
In episode 29 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor and Host Polina Selyutin speaks with Anna about how Shopify actively seeks to understand a job candidate historically and how the company factors in passion projects and career goals. If you’ve ever been discouraged by the traditional job application process, you won’t want to miss today’s show.
Martha Ruiz, a tax partner for PwC, specializes in helping clients in the entertainment industry with their tax and strategic planning. In addition, she also has a jaw-dropping role as the Oscars Balloting Co-leader. This means Martha is one of only two individuals in the world (along with balloting co-leader Brian Cullinan) who knows the Oscar winners a week before the event. And yes, she can be found during the ceremony hand delivering the envelopes with a winner's name! PwC, which has had a relationship with the Academy for 88 years, announced Martha’s position just last year. She’s the second woman and first Latina woman to have this role.
In episode 28 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor and Host Polina Selyutin speaks with Martha about the importance of education, work ethic and its influence on one's career path, her work as the balloting co-leader for the Oscars for an upcoming third year in a row and that tricky topic of work/life balance.
How does one make the transition from being interested in a job at a tech startup to becoming a sought-after technology investor, advisor and founder?
Sarah Kunst is the founder of Proday, a subscription-based workout app that allows you to: “Train alongside world-class athletes. Anytime. Anywhere.” In today’s show, this startup founder and former venture capitalist walks us through the steps she took on her path to attract some incredible opportunities. (Like backing from the Los Angeles Dodger’s accelerator program and funding from angel investors Arielle Zuckerberg and Sara Haider.) And she didn’t let statements like, “We really like you, but you don’t have the experience” get in her way. Not one little bit. In fact, Sarah became a female VC before she even turned 30, which is no easy feat.
Through hard work and a relentless drive to help startups, this 2015 Forbes 30 Under 30 list-maker and contributing editor to Marie Claire, understands what it takes to carve out a career path and bring others up with you. In episode 27 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Sarah walks Editor and Host Polina Selyutin through the road she traveled and the decisions she made that led her to become a highly respected investor and advisor.
Imagine you are two months pregnant and you are let go from your job. You begin to search for jobs with decent maternity leave policies, but you notice companies are not clear on this information.
What would you do knowing you have a baby on the way? Little did Georgene Huang know that this life-changing moment would allow her the opportunity to help make the workplace better for women. Partnering with Romy Newman, the two would soon found Fairygodboss, a community that provides women information about the ‘hard-to-ask’ questions when interviewing with a potential company. In episode 26 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor and Host Polina Selyutin speaks with Romy Newman about how they started Fairygodboss, their business model, insights from the reviews they are receiving and key career advice.
If you had been told which majors were fast-tracks to careers in the fastest-growing job markets, would you have approached your college education a little differently? Don’t worry, we’re right there with you.
The fact is, the job market is evolving quickly and even the most educated among us can find it hard to keep ahead of the what’s-hot-now curve. What are the best majors? What does it mean to be qualified? How can I find a job with a salary to afford me a solid 401k?
That’s where Tara Sinclair comes in. As a senior fellow economist at Indeed and an associate professor at George Washington University, Tara has the inside information on the industries that are growing and what it takes to be a part of them. In episode 25 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, be prepared for more than a few surprises in terms of markets you might want to explore.
Tara takes Editor Polina Selyutin behind the velvet rope of the job-hunting process to give you the keys to not only land a job, but also find a career with continual forward momentum from entry level to upper management. Additionally, they discuss some of the hottest markets, the gig economy and why labor literacy is so important.
Imagine wearing a beautiful gold choker with black onyx cabochons on the end. It’s on-trend, stunning … but wait, it’s only $200? And it’s real gold?
Yes. Thanks to a dream of two best friends – Bouchra Ezzahraoui and Sophie Kahn – over a Sunday brunch, exquisite gold jewelry brand AUrate came to life. AUrate, which is “AU” for gold (thanks, chemistry class!) and is pronounced “OR-ate” (because, like an “orator” the brand tells a story), was launched in December 2014. Inspired by Warby Parker, what sets the brand apart is its ability to offer high-quality gold jewelry direct-to-consumer. By cutting out the middleman, the brand can offer customers stunning jewelry at up to 50-to-75% off typical industry prices. As Morocco-raised Bouchra says, “Gold is extremely expensive in the United States.”
The duo, who met while attending graduate school at Princeton in 2009, built AUrate while holding full-time jobs, taking classes in design and hosting pop-up shops on the side. Beyond the hustle, what’s so impressive about Bouchra and Sophie is their deep passion for educating consumers about the differences in gold and other jewelry, saying stores carry, “Fine jewelry or fashion pieces you’d pay a lot for, but are not really made out of fine materials.” One example of that? Fashion jewelry that turns one’s fingers green! Facing this problem themselves, after some digging, research confirmed what they had already known: In retail there was either affordable fashion jewelry or expensive fine jewelry. There was nothing in the middle, and a gap needed to be filled.
Others caught on and quickly agreed. Once the demand took off, the two decided to dive into the company full-throttle. While Sophie focuses on the fashion and design side of the business, Bouchra is drawn to the business side. In episode 24 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor and Host Polina Selyutin speaks with Bouchra and Sophie about the strategies they used that resulted in 400% annual growth, advice to other entrepreneurs, and combining their individual background in math and finance with design, art and social purpose. Go to www.iwantherjob.com for more show notes and links to topics discussed in the show.
Maghan McDowell grew up in the South and found herself moving multiple times – to three different states and even the Czech Republic. It created a sense of independence, and ultimately, inspired this Women’s Wear Daily tech reporter’s personal style.
“The impact of how you look – and your style – really does effect the way you’re perceived and the way you’re treated in the world,” she says. “Anthropologically it’s interesting to see … And I really think that informed my respect and style for clothes. It’s not just something frivolous.”
At WWD, a.k.a. the “Fashion Bible” and go-to resource for fashion’s insiders, Maghan works as the trade publication’s first San Francisco-based reporter focusing exclusively on the intersection of technology and fashion. She covers the business of the fashion industry and the topics important to those working in it.
In episode 23 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor and Host Polina Selyutin speaks with Maghan about balancing speed versus accuracy in reporting, juggling up to 14 stories a week, future trends in fashion and technology, and so much more.
Winnie Sun is a different kind of financial adviser. While many of her industry colleagues would strive for the same goals she does in providing the best, most high-quality customer service, not as many would take that goal to the level of launching an in-house multimedia company designed to provide financial advice. But, Winnie did just that.
As the managing director and founding partner of Irvine, Calif.-based financial consulting firm Sun Group Wealth Partners, Winnie not only serves her corporate and individual clients, but she also serves as a thought leader in the financial realm. Through the firm’s multimedia company, Winnie works with her team to record daily video segments for YouTube that helps those of us a little less financially savvy to navigate the world of investing and our personal finances. This on-demand content (that also includes a podcast, heavy social media presence and increased emphasis on mobile-first) was created after many long discussions where the firm realized that the industry wasn’t adapting as fast as a customer’s needs. “We had a vision in mind to create a relevant, attractive and top-of-mind firm for the next generation,” Winnie says.
In addition to changing her firm’s approach, Winnie also pens financial advice for Forbes and Nerd Wallet (among many, many others) and appears frequently on CNBC and CBS, in addition to a handful of other top networks. Prior to Sun Group Wealth Partners, Winnie held positions at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, and before that she had a less traditional financial services career path, working as an entrepreneur as founder of CH Entertainment. The Los Angeles-based television audience production company had clients ranging from America’s Funniest Home Videos to Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.
In episode 21, meet Therese Huston, author of “How Women Decide: What’s True, What’s Not, and What Strategies Spark the Best Choices.” In her book, Therese shares research that shows women and men are, however, actually equally skilled when it comes to decision making. And, as an expert on the topic of changing the conversation surrounding female decision-makers, Therese points out during our conversation that women actually lead the way and have a strength when it comes to
In this episode, Podcast Editor Polina Selyutin and Therese discuss high-pressure decision making, the gender myth and also some tactical advice that may help you when you’re stuck trying to make your own decisions. And for further reading on the topic, we highly recommend Therese’s Harvard Business Review article that illustrates women don’t always get the fair shake they deserve when it comes to how their decisions are perceived.
In previous episodes of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, we’ve explored the world of impact investing, a field that combines financial returns with social impact. As conscious women, we’re excited by this industry that places emphasis on initiatives deeply valued and dear to our hearts, like the environment and health care. In 2016, impact investing was a $60 billion marketplace, and it’s only continuing to grow.
In episode 20, Podcast Editor Polina Selyutin speaks with Victoria Fram, managing director of impact investing firm Village Capital. The organization believes in creating opportunities at a local level for entrepreneurs in underserved markets. Their focus is twofold, with emphasis on economic inequality for startups – increasing access to affordable healthcare, education and financial services – as well as on sustainable agriculture and energy.
It’s Victoria’s job to work with investors who wish to align their investments along with their values. A particular emphasis is placed on early-stage companies. What sets Village Capital apart is their approach. Entrepreneurs in their portfolio constantly evaluate one another, giving each the opportunity to, “Hear candid viewpoints from [their] peers,” Victoria says.
Over the last 6 years, Village Capital has overseen more than 40 programs, investing in 70 companies with over 500 entrepreneurs, ranging in investments from $70,000 to $500,000. Investments in these programs totaling $3 million has resulted in a 15 to 1 return for investors. And while many investment firms chase the same markets, Village Capital is seeing great success in other areas, including ed tech startups in New Orleans and agriculture in Kentucky.
“The best entrepreneurs are not the ones in Silicon Valley who are creating an app that will make life a little easier – or fleetingly more fun … The best entrepreneurs are out there in cities and towns across the country, disrupting the world’s toughest problems, creating good paying jobs and strengthening their communities,” Victoria says. Read more at www.iwantherjob.com
As the passionate founder of Motivate Design – a user experience research, design and staffing firm – Mona works with large organizations to help them understand how users are using their brand, product or service. Overall, Mona and her team tackle a big question: How do you understand how people work and think, and then how does that apply to the design of products? Her team will heavily research, work intentionally across industries, apply different perspectives, and even shadow actual users, to find insights that can then help improve the experience a customer has with certain service or product.
When she’s not leading her team of 25 at Motivate Design, which also happens to be an Inc. 5000 company, Mona is an instructor at Parsons The New School for Design. Her passion for encouraging others to think about design problems creatively has expanded to writing a book, Reframe: Shift The Way You Work, Innovate and Think; hosting workshops, launching design camps for kids and even a children’s design book. Mona also is a though leader on user-centered design and innovation, experience strategies, usability, lean startups and business management who writes for Fast Company and TIME Business.
In episode 19 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Mona shares her technique for triggering design ideas, advice for those considering a startup life and her favorite resources for reading up and getting ahead. For detailed show notes and a detailed list of Mona's resources for learning about UX design go to www.iwantherjob.com
Jessica Jackson Sloan is the youngest-ever elected official in the charming city of Mill Valley, California, located just 14 miles north of San Francisco. In her role as vice mayor of the city where she grew up, Jessica works on local politics. That would be enough of an accomplishment for many to be satisfied, but not Jessica, who has deep life experiences that motivated her to spend her time helping those less fortunate.
As national director of #cut50, a truly bipartisan initiative to end mass incarceration, Jessica works with her colleagues and a team of notable influencers (like Alicia Keys and Richard Branson) to cut the prison population in the United States by half within the next 10 years. The organization works to raise the issue in media and inform others that the issue has become massive – and not only is a huge resource suck in our society, but also one that has the potential for alternative options that would keep our communities safer.
Prior to her dual jobs, Jessica worked on death penalty cases, saying that when serving those on death row, “You see the worst of the worst of the system … Unfortunately the client pays the ultimate price … their life.” It was this background that prompted Jessica to join politics in the first place, as she had a desire to move into policy work to broaden her impact.
In episode 18 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, we hear about how Jessica’s very personal story led her to law school and then her work on death penalty cases and eventually, at #cut50 and for the city of Mill Valley. Her story is one you’ll want to hear.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- On Campaign Fundraising: Despite her experience with nonprofit fundraising, Jessica says that raising money for her campaign felt harder. “You have to sell yourself. If it’s an issue you’re passionate [about] and you’ve already been sold on [it], then it’s kind of easier to sell than to sell yourself, and brag on yourself, and ask close friends and family for money,” she says.
- Taking Action: One issue Jessica felt passionate about that she took action on as an elected official dealt with smoking in multi-family housing. While living in multi-family housing herself, Jessica’s neighbor fell asleep – cigarette in mouth – and burned down the neighboring apartment, as well as half of Jessica’s apartment – including her daughter’s room. Fortunately, she and her daughter were gone at the time. In addition to her personal experience, Jessica pointed out that the complications of smoke for neighbors with conditions like asthma, and the fact that many of these units share central air made smoking a problem. The ordinance is now passed, and tenants of multi-family housing can no longer smoke.
- On Thinking Local: “It feels like sometimes when you’re working on bigger issues on a national or state scale, things take a really long time to get done. On the local level, there’s an immediate return on your investment of energy,” Jessica says.
- Day In The Life: While Jessica attends official meetings on the first and third Monday of each month, she’s called on throughout the week to attend additional meetings, including participation in additional boards she shits on and the democratic party. When not working on city politics, Jessica spends her time leading #cut50 and taking care of her family.
- By The Numbers: The United States has 5 percent of the world’s population, yet it comprises 25 percent of the world’s incarcerated population. The U.S. is jailing people at a rate higher than any country.
- Cost Versus Return: More than $80 billion is spent on the U.S. justice system in one year. “With that $80 billion a year, you would think that we’re taking individuals and turnin
Couture paper design artist Tanja Maduzia is a modern-day crafts(wo)man. As the owner of byTanja, a couture paper design studio based in Los Angeles, Tanja specializes in event invitations for special occasions from parties, to weddings and showers. Well known in Hollywood circles, Tanja has worked with big-name clients including Steven Spielberg, Bradley Cooper, Christina Aguilera, Jake Gyllenhaal and Jonah Hill. She’s also a frequent featured DIY-er on ABC’s The List.
When it comes to the creative process, Tanja believes we should all step away from the computer. “Part of my creativity is that I’m always moving around and physically making things,” she says. “I purposely am a bit disconnected.”
In episode 17 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor Polina Selyutin and Tanja discuss nurturing creativity, building a business from scratch and sources of inspiration. You might even be surprised, like we were, to learn that Tanja bucks the status quo when it comes to inspiration boards. Listen on to find out why, and hear Tanja’s thoughts on the importance of work ethic.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- Making A Connection: Despite her success, we love how Tanja stays grounded. She tells us how she always carries greeting cards on her, and admits that at times, she’ll even pitch people on her services in the card aisle of a grocery store! We love that hustle.
- Getting Started: Some clients have a proposal, and others have no idea what they want. “In the custom world there really is no ‘normal’ and you just have to go with the flow,” Tanja says.
- On The Creative Process: “I have binders that I’ve put together of fonts, or color schemes, or anything that inspires me,” Tanja says. Sometimes her creative process will start with a font. Other times it will begin with a photo. Either way, Tanja likes to get a few descriptive adjectives from her clients to kick-start the process.
- All Together Now: “I know a lot of people like inspiration boards … I don’t like to put them [photos] on the wall, because I think sometimes when you’re looking at something a little too long, it loses its charm. I put everything together in a binder,” Tanja says.
- On Inspiration Seeking: Tanja explains how she finds ideas in everyday life – like the font on a menu to storefronts and trees.
- Taking It Back: From redesigning lamps to styling window displays, Tanja shares how her family’s antique business developed her skills and love of design.
- On Cultural Influences: Tanja’s grandparents were born in a small cobblestone village in Croatia and left to avoid the conflicts there. But, before their dream to enter the United States came true, the two spent nearly 10 years in a refugee camp.
- In Her Blood: Tanja’s grandmother worked in Seattle filleting fish after moving to the States. “She was actually very famous. She taught other companies because she had the least amount of waste. Earlier on in my career my grandmother passed, and I was [talking] with one of her friends asking, ‘Why was she so good at her job?’” Tanja says. “And one of the women told me, ‘She was consistent in the way she worked and the speed at which she worked. She wasn’t the fastest, but she made a consistent pace throughout the entire day, so she never burned herself out. She did the same day of work at the beginning of the day as at the end.’ That really struck me, and I think about that every single time I make projects.”
- Ultimate Dinner Party: Tanja explains why, if she could get any other four women together for dinner, the guest list would include Martha Stewart, Vogue Australia’s Christine Centen
Many of us feel like we hit the lottery when we land our dream job. But today’s podcast guest has held a handful of dream jobs for some majorly crush-worthy companies.
The last time we featured Rachel Hofstetter on I Want Her Job, her book about foodie entrepreneurs, Cooking Up A Business, was fresh off the press and stirring up quite the media buzz. She also had just launched guesterly, a memorable approach to introducing all of the special people at your special events – from weddings to bar mitzvahs – with her husband Lorne. Then last fall, guesterly was acquired by Chatbooks, makers of “super easy $8 photo books” and Rachel became vice president of marketing for the brand.
This veteran food editor of O, The Oprah Magazine also found the time to share what she learned about crafting that perfect pitch while working at the publication and launched PR School, an online course, with former Leading Lady Angela Jia Kim.
In episode 16 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor Polina Selyutin speaks with Rachel about pitching a business idea, managing a startup and her work/life balance philosophy.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- On Testing A Business Idea: Rachel believes in starting as small as you can, because ideas shift and change so much.
- That Work/Life Balance: “You can do anything for a season of life,” Rachel says. By writing from 5:30 to 7:30 a.m. every day for eight months, this mindset was the secret that helped Rachel complete her book while still holding down a full-time job.
- #HashtagInspo: Rachel coined 2015 her #YearOfHustle, and used that mentality to push herself – fully knowing that she was going to work harder than she ever worked before. Her other motivation tip? This defined time period helped give her the motivation to keep going.
- Discover Utah: Her 2015 hashtag was so motivating that she decided to make 2016 the #YearOfUtah, which she says for her is all about loving the awesome thing about where you are. (Rachel is Utah-based these days.) She says she sees moving to another city as an opportunity to “game another world.”
- New York State Of Mind: Rachel’s move to New York City at age 21 had a life-changing impact. Being surrounded by the doers and creators striving to make something and find out who they wanted to be made her who she is today. She advises moving somewhere when you’re young and don’t know anyone. “It will make you dream bigger and do more things,” she says.
- Give, Give, Get: Those three words will alter your whole PR strategy, says Rachel. She advises those seeking more PR to think about how you can create a win-win situation when reaching out to the media. Outlets want a great story, so think about how you can stand out in a big way. After all, she says, only a handful out of the 400 pitches she’d see in a day made the inbox cut.
- On Landing Your Dream Job: Create the opportunity for yourself, and “chisel” into your dream job, Rachel says. Don’t wait on others to give it to you.
- Eat A Frog, Sail A Ship: Here’s Rachel’s secret to time management: Do the hardest thing first. (Eat t
What if you could find an employer that not only allowed – but embraced – flexible work options? Enter The Second Shift, a business launched in 2014 to serve as a digital matchmaker for businesses seeking on-demand talent with professional women looking for flexible employment opportunities, including consulting and freelancing, in the fields of marketing and finance. Founded by Jenny Galluzzo and Gina Hadley, The Second Shift has caught the attention of female creatives and the media alike. (Editor’s Note: “Helping Moms Lean In, But Not Too Far” on the duo in The New York Times is a must-read.) Membership for the service is free, with The Second Shift taking a small percentage from both employer and employee once an individual is contracted.
Even prior to founding The Second Shift, Jenny and Gina had vibrant careers. Jenny worked as a television producer, booker and on-air reporter for Good Morning America, News 12 The Bronx and Plum TV. She even started her own vintage caftan clothing line, Mayer Studio. Gina hailed from the world of advertising, and before having children worked as a creative coordinator at Ogilvy & Mather on the IBM account. After becoming a mom, however, Gina embraced the life of an entrepreneur – working at Ads.com, launching and selling Urban Monkeys and launching another company, Gina Hadley Consulting.
In episode 15 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor Polina Selyutin speaks with Jenny and Gina about testing a concept prior to launch, bucking the 9-to-5 status quo, secrets to startup success and more.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- On Building A Business: Since founding The Second Shift, Jenny and Gina have staffed more than 100 projects and currently work with more than 70 companies. This year, they’re on track to double, if not triple, those numbers.
- Secrets To Startup Success: Jenny and Gina started small – testing The Second Shift concept for a year before launching saying, “Every time we did something, we did it very thoughtfully and pragmatically … We wanted to prove this concept without spending an enormous amount of money on development.”
- The Way We See It: While many companies still have a ‘bed check’ mentality, The Second Shift feels confident that women placed on projects will find a way to deliver excellent results based on their preferred schedules. Change is difficult, the ladies say and, “For a lot of people, they have a lot invested in the status quo … We are trying to disrupt the way businesses look at this kind of talent. We are asking companies to change the way they look at hiring practices. We really are creating the supply and demand.”
- Why It Works: While larger companies are often fully invested in the status quo, the needs of smaller companies are changing quickly. Because of this, many of these companies are open to flexible, project-based roles.
- Dipping A Toe In: When you want to test a new job opportunity or industry, Jenny suggests, “Try it out for a little bit and build up your tolerance.”
- Advice For Fellow Working Women: Jenny and Gina encourage women to stay involved in their careers, regardless of the job size or role, because it’s vital to stay engaged with the job market.
- Parting Lessons: 1/ Just keep swimming! “The moment will pass and you don’t want to have made any decisions that are going to negatively impact that.” 2/ Pay it forward. “If you’re listening to this, and you have the opportunity to hire someone through our network, you can help create that opportunity for them and get the b
Caroline took a leap from a career in investment banking to one launching a high-end luxury retail line that sold in more than 400 stores worldwide from Neiman Marcus to Bloomingdales. But that was only the first chapter in this now-established entrepreneur’s startup career.
When this first company failed two years later, Carolyn wasn’t deterred. Instead, she launched a multi-million dollar interactive marketing agency, Cake Communications. And, she also used the failure as an opportunity to give a very real and very vulnerable TEDx talk.
Today Carolyn is running global women’s collaborative accelerator, Circular Board, a virtual, 12-week program. “[As] an entrepreneur myself, I’ve helped raise billions of dollars in capital through my work as an investment banker for JPMorgan and as founder of Cake Communications,” she says. In her role, Carolyn teaches others how to do the same, and she serves as an advocate for women in business, connecting female entrepreneurs to the capital, resources, mentors and partners to fuel their growth.
Additionally, Carolyn serves on the board of the Texas A&M Mays College of Business, as a member of the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network and as a United Nations Global Accelerator delegate. She is the recipient of the American Express Micro to Millions Award, a Sam Walton Emerging Entrepreneur and an Entrepreneur magazine 2016 “Woman to Watch.” She’s also been featured in The Huffington Post, Fortune, Time and on MSNBC, among others.
In episode 14 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Editor Polina Selyutin speaks with Carolyn about the lessons learned from launching two businesses; her goals for growing Circular Board; and the vital importance of connection, collaboration and curiosity.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- Who Run The World? Girls!: “All of us reap the rewards when women succeed. It’s job creation. It’s economic growth. It’s social impact. There are so many different benefits that we achieve when women succeed. It isn’t just about gender equality, but about quality of life for each and every person.”
- Breaking Barriers: Carolyn discusses the difficulty many female entrepreneurs face when they look to relocate for an accelerator program, and shares how Circular Board is the ultimate answer to that conundrum.
- Get There Quicker: For entrepreneurs, Carolyn advises not to compromise on the big vision and to seek funding earlier to achieve that vision. “What happens is [women] compromise that vision because they don’t have the resources on hand today, and they start to bootstrap in a way that changes that path.”
- Ladies Leading: “Women are incredible leaders. We are really empathetic. We understand our customers in a real unique way, which I think is a huge advantage,” Carolyn says.
- Give And Get: During Carolyn’s business experience, she noticed women didn’t ask for enough help often enough. She addresses that at Circular Board via a “Give and Get” exercise that encourages women to practice asking for help.
- On Diversity: “When you bring that to the table it creates this infusion of energy, and people start bouncing ideas off one another and bring a different lens to a problem,” Carolyn says.
- The Hardest Part Of Starting A Business: Carolyn believes the middle stage is the hardest part – when your company is g
Bea Arthur knows a thing or two about making a pivot.
And no, just to be clear we’re not talking about the same Bea Arthur who starred among the OG Girl Squad – the Golden Girls. This Bea Arthur, like the other, was a bad ass. But, unlike the Bea of nostalgia’s past, this Bea Arthur has an entrepreneurial bug that bit her hard and never left – seeing her through two startups since graduating college in 2008.
Now, as for that pivoting, as a licensed therapist and startup founder, Bea has learned the importance of making nimble, not-so-easy decisions and has mastered the art of picking herself back up again. Her company, In Your Corner (formerly Pretty Padded Room), is a leader in using telemedicine to offer counseling and coaching services online through video and text. Her idea was so standout that it landed her an appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank. Even without getting an investment from the sharks, Bea used their feedback to tweak her idea, and as Fast Company put it, she “turned her mistakes into assets.”
Now, Bea is about to make a pivot again, and has decided to close the virtual doors of In Your Corner to make room for her next business venture in the online therapy space. But this time she’s turning her attention to America’s warriors – service men and women – and is launching an online resource for them later this year called Inside the Wire.
“[When you’re in the military] you can’t stop to think about your circumstances,” Bea says. “You can’t wallow and eat a burrito and watch Netflix. You have to keep your mind sharp. I got really into the idea of emotional endurance.”
In addition to being a serial entrepreneur, Bea is a TEDx speaker who shared her ideas on the “Culture of Comparison” (which, we highly recommend you YouTube.) She also was the first African-American woman to be accepted into the prestigious Y Combinator accelerator program in Mountain View, Calif. She’s also the co-host and co-producer of You’re Not Crazy, a comedic show about mental health on YouTube. She is a first-generation American who was born and raised in Houston, Texas, by her parents who immigrated from Ghana in West Africa.
In episode 13 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Podcast Editor Polina Selyutin speaks with Bea about her college education at Columbia in New York City, her first startup fizzling out, her work helping domestic violence survivors and how the three have swirled together to give Bea business ideas that are helping to solve problems and assist others.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- Ambitious In The Big Apple: Why Bea made the leap from working in real estate to her current field of therapy. “You eventually find your path,” she says.
- One Thing Leads To Another: How Bea’s first company, Me Too, led her to start her second company, Pretty Padded Room.
- Making Ends Meet: Bea says many therapists start out “making peanuts” as many get their start doing charity work, social work and grant work.
- Brain Lifting: “Mental health should be as much of a priority as physical health,” Bea says.
- On Idea Sharing: Don’t keep it to yourself, Bea advises. Tell as many people as possible as it will get you, “a lot further, a lot faster.”
- Do The Hustle: Bea discusses her cultural influences, including her parents whose hard work led to success and inspired her to work hard and hustle.
It’s 7:30 a.m., and your four-year-old waddles up to you in his pj’s, as you’re frantically trying to finish your at-home blowout. You need to get out of the house. You’re already late for your job, only he’s sick and wants you to stay home. So, his wee hands reach out and he asks you for a hug, and that’s it. You don’t want to leave. Moreover, you don’t want to go through this part of your morning routine ever again.
And Inkwell’s Manon DeFelice would be right there with you. “It’s fine if you want to lean in to your career,” she says, “But what if you also want to lean in to being a mom?”
Frustrated with a lack of flexibility in traditional corporate jobs, Manon founded Inkwell as a recruiting service to help match capable professionals with startups and forward-thinking companies in need of top-tier talent on a flexible basis. It’s a win-win. The women recruited by Inkwell find flexible jobs that grow their resumes, and the startups that hire them get exceptional seasoned talent.
Prior to starting Inkwell, Manon led nonprofit AHA Foundation and served as its general counsel. At AHA Foundation, the first organization focused on ending honor violence, forced marriage, child marriage and female genital mutilation in the United States, she helped spearhead federal and state legislation. Previous to that role she served as assistant counsel in New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Office of Criminal Justice.
In episode 12 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Podcast Editor Polina Selyutin speaks with Manon about starting a company, how to get more women in the boardroom, and the importance of being an advocate for yourself and other women.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- On Getting Started: Manon is a big believer in outsourcing and hiring people better than her in a given area. How’d she find the team? It was right under her nose. The team Manon worked with to build her business ended up being her first talent pool for recruiters.
- Movin’ On Up: Inkwell’s talent pool has since grown into more than 3,000 – all individuals seeking flexible jobs.
- Her Nonprofit to For-Profit Switch: Starting her career as a women’s right’s attorney, Manon didn’t think she’d end up leading her own staffing company. “I come to this from the idea that, really, there has to be a staffing alternative to the work full-time or not work model … I still feel that I’m helping women and in turn helping their daughters by creating role models.”
- Having Cake, Eating It Too: “It’s fine to stay home if you want. It’s fine to work full time if you want. But if you want both, you have Inkwell.”
- The Secret Sauce: Manon believes offering flex time is a really great way to retain your female talent and attract new talent.
- On Her Resume: “It’s a long life. You can have several different versions of different careers during that time.”
- On Starting Inkwell: “ … I wanted to change the way companies hire women. I want not only the startups and the small business to use us, but to really get some big companies and organizations to realize that offering flex time is really a great way to retain your female talent and to attract new talent.”
- A Seat at the Table: “Historically, we have less women in power. I think the fact that we are the ones who carry the babies, and who deliver them, and breastfeed them, is part of that problem. So, if we can make work environments more flexible, we’ll have fewer people dropping out.”
- Convey + Convince: Everyone out there can be a mini inkwell, Manon says. She suggests women help one another find flexible roles for one another – a type of flexible job matchmaking.
- Learn More: Check out
If you love museums and art, chances are Maria Yoon has your dream job.
As a performance artist, filmmaker, senior museum educator and founder of the recently-launched Private Museum Tours. Maria is a multi-hyphenate trailblazing her own path. With more than 20 years of museum education on her resume, including 17 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in her new business Maria guides individuals, VIP’s and groups through various museums and galleries in the greater New York City area.
“The best part [of my job] is to be surrounded by beautiful things. It never gets old,” Maria says. “Why? Exhibitions change every three months. At a large museum like the Met, they have such a large scale of collections that every day I find something new, and I find beauty in that.”
The last time we interviewed Maria Yoon on I Want Her Job, she had just said her final “I do” as part of her documentary, Maria the Korean Bride, in which Maria had 50 different marriages to 50 different “spouses” (including men, women – and even the Liberty Bell!) in 50 states, to bring greater attention to the cultural pressures and ostracism individuals feel when pressured to tie the knot.
“When I was 30 years old, my dad, I think he panicked … He felt that he didn’t live up to his standard as a father because I was still single. I was alone in his eyes, me – living the life I do as an artist and museum educator was not good enough … ” Maria says. “We began to argue a lot … and then I said, ‘Let me see what I can do to meet you halfway.’ That conversation became a giant documentary film.”
The film received attention from various film festivals, PBS, NBC News, Yahoo!, The Huffington Post, Timemagazine and even led to an appearance on TLC’s Cake Boss. But, after such acclaim, what comes next?
In episode 11 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, Podcast Editor Polina Selyutin speaks with Maria about the deep and unexpected impact her film had on her own life, insight into how the film was made, as well as Maria’s future plans for a documentary about ghosting.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- On Her Work: “It gives me a reason to educate myself, to learn more and study. And to know at the end that I actually get paid to study and educate myself … I can’t find any greater joy than that.”
- Lady Luck: The role a winning lottery ticket (and generous friend) had in bringing Maria’s film to life.
- Vegas, Baby!: How Maria found her first “spouse” and then her second … during a trip to Sin City.
- Selecting Stories: Maria was the collector and mediator of stories across 50 states while working to change people’s views on marriage in different ways. She listened to stories of people she met, and learned about cultures and communities across the U.S.
- The Final Wedding: Hear Maria’s heartbreaking story about the last time she said, “I Do” on her 50-state adventure.
- On Early Influences: Maria’s mom, a “poet at heart,” encouraged Maria to follow her interests.
- Lessons Learned: Before launching her next documentary effort, Maria says she’s going to focus more on marketing and funding up front and will aim to get more local artists involved.
- On Fate: When Maria’s mother was pregnant with her, a fortune teller predicted that Maria would be an artist that would travel far.
- Ghost Weddings: Why this topic will be the focus of Maria’s next documentary – and find out what it means!
- Learn More About Nepal Bracelets On Facebook: Check out
Kerrin Mitchell is a woman who aligns herself with managers who are mavericks. And, we feel it takes one to know one. As the co-founder of Fluxx, a company by philanthropists for philanthropists, that makes software to manage the grants process for foundations, nonprofits and government agencies, Kerrin is a woman truly making a difference.
Fluxx strives to elevate grantmakers, empower grantseekers and help change the world one grant at a time. The company, which has experienced triple-digit annual growth for the past four years – has a client list that includes Citibank’s Citi Foundation, charity: water, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and even the government of New Zealand, which manages all of its grants through the company’s software. In fact, 7 of the 11 largest foundations globally use Fluxx for their grants process.
“I feel lucky. I think oftentimes the industries people get into don’t have that sense of community that my industry has innately … [we’re] people and service-oriented individuals,” Kerrin says. “I always liked the idea of social enterprise. Then we started getting into it and I realized, ‘Wow, this is a pretty unique and special environment.’ People are really trying to help each other and build something big.”
And Kerrin, who’s been named one of the top 13 female founders by Forbes on its America’s Most Promising Companies list, is one of those women who likes to go big or go home. In episode 10 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, we speak with Kerrin about co-founding Fluxx in 2010, her formula for building a successful career and the importance of being deliberate with time.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- On Making A Change: “If I was going to work as hard as I know I work, I wanted to at least do it for something where I felt like at the end of the day I could ground myself in social good.”
- Chapter By Chapter: Kerrin’s thoughts on scaling Fluxx from a handful of employees to more than 70 and how that growth changed the business
- On Personal Fulfillment: “It’s really fun as an entrepreneur to see an idea that was truly just an idea, come to life in front of you and be so enrolled in what it is. But then, being able to actually tell that story and find that the same value that you find that’s important, other people are finding to be [just] as exciting.”
- Maverick Mentorship: “I’ve always aligned myself with someone who I’ve thought is a bit of a maverick who was pushing the envelope.”
- Bucking The Status Quo: “I’ve always aligned myself with someone who’s influential, that I could learn from and I took a role that may not have been the sexiest role of my peers … but I realized if you can align yourself with someone who’s really interesting and challenging the status quo, you can learn a lot more in a very quick matter of time.”
- #ThatCorporateLife: A shout-out to those of us in corporate jobs, Kerrin credits her time at Cisco in giving her the experience to understand how to provide structure and get things done at her growing startup
- Time (For) Travel: How travel grounds Kerrin and affects how she sees the world
- On Women Entrepreneurs: Why empowering future female entrepreneurs might be next up on Kerrin’s career dossier
- Maintainng Motivation: Why – and how – Kerrin schedules “wins” through
The news cycle reminds us that the world has some serious figuring out to do when it comes to refugees – those individuals who have left their home country due to war, conflict or persecution. Thankfully, there are advocates out there working relentlessly to find solutions. One of these people is Jessica Therkelsen, global policy director for Asylum Access, a nonprofit devoted to refugee rights.
And, while we know there’s a problem and that refugees are homeless while building a new life, what many of us may not realize is the scale of this crisis. There are more than 20 million refugees today, and a refugee (including children) stay in a refugee camp in exile for an average of 20 years.
This isn’t okay with Asylum Access. The nonprofit believes refugees have a right to a fair chance at a new life – wherever they might be – and the group works tirelessly to help refugees in their new country obtain basic rights to live and work. Last year Asylum Access helped more than 20,000 refugees gain these basic rights through individualized legal services. And it doesn’t stop there. The nonprofit also advocates with the United Nations and government entities around the world to ensure the systems that help refugees obtain these basic human rights remain intact.
“There is a growing recognition in the international community that the status quo of how we deliver aid is not meeting long-term needs,” Jessica says, “… What somebody experiences to become a refugee is something you never ever want your family or friends to experience.” Listen to episode 9 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast to hear her advice on how you can get involved and make an impact.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- Understand and Access: How Asylum Access helps refugees understand their rights legally in the places where they are exiled.
- Tools of the Trade: While Jessica travels and can often be found in New York, Washington, D.C., and Geneva, Switzerland working on global policy, she swears by the power of Skype for connecting and working.
- On Perspective: “I try to be very cognizant of my own privilege and the luck that I’ve had to live a life that is very open and free. I have the right to live in the United States. I have the right to move freely in this country. I can choose where I live. I can choose where I work. I am able to go to school. That’s something that I am grateful for every day, and it’s also something that I fundamentally believe that everyone should have access to.”
- On Global Policy: “We’re not really talking about a special package of rights for a special package of people. We’re talking about families – parents, youths – people who want to live a normal life, who want to go to school and have opportunity. These are not crazy things to want. These are not crazy things to ask for.”
- I Got It From My Mama: The special woman who inspired Jessica’s career path.
- Food For Thought: “We don’t all have the same deck of cards that we’re playing with.”
- Dance Lessons: How Jessica’s days in ballet during law school gave her the ability to focus, the maturity to deal with rejection and the inspiration to shoot for really, really big goals.
- Resting + Recharging: How time outdoors and spent reading helps Jessica refuel.
- On Her Nightstand: The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine
- Creating Comfort: Find out how you can get involved and make a difference in the refugee rights movement.
- Learn More: AsylumAccess
We love to shop. We love to do good. And in episode 8 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, we meet the woman behind our latest go-to gift for baby shower shopping. Katie Marie Grinold Sigfusson is the founder of Chicago-based luxury social impact shopping brand Babies4Babies. The site, which sells high-quality swaddle blankets, helps your dollars go further. For every one blanket purchased, four blankets are donated to save newborns lives in the developing world.
Previous to Babies4Babies Kate held positions at the World Economic Forum, FAIR Girls (formerly FAIR Fund) and IT.com. She’s also – get this, a 2009 Miss America Top 10 Finalist. On today’s podcast, Kate shares how she built took her idea to product, her tricks for managing business and dealing with fear.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- On Facing Fear: “My biggest challenge was getting comfortable with the idea of failure, and that is what keeps most people from entrepreneurship.”
- On Getting the Guts: “I just believed in my idea so much I had to do it. I had to launch it. It wasn’t easy. It took a very long time. I had no idea what I was doing.”
- Making It Happen: Why Kate waited 3 months before pushing the launch button on her business
- Creating Comfort: Kate on getting familiar with the idea of failure, even when feeling afraid of it.
- That Solopreneur Life: Her techniques for surviving? “Tackling the things that give you anxiety first … always juggling priorities.”
- Perks of Being the Boss Lady: “As an entrepreneur, I have this unique opportunity to reimagine what work looks like. A type of integration that is flowing and changing constantly depending on your family’s or company’s needs … Here I am making my own path.”
- Perfect Partner: Babies4Babies NGO partner, Saving Mothers
- Idea, Meet Fruition: What is Kate’s advice to others with a business idea? “If you have an idea that grabs hold and won’t let go, you have to go for it.”
- Just Do It: Still hesitating? Just remember, Kate says, “You don’t have to be an expert to start.”
- Learn More: com
- On Twitter:Follow her @KMGrinold
- On Instagram: Follow her @Babies4Babies
Six years ago, Malia Cohen was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the legislative branch of the City’s local government. She represents the southeast corner of San Francisco, District 10, home to more than 70,000 constituents living in neighborhoods like Bayview Hunters Point, Potrero Hill, Dogpatch and Visitacion Valley. District 10 also served as home to Malia, who grew up in the area she now represents.
In her job Malia also serves as county supervisor (as San Francisco is both a city and a county). Her job is simple, yet complex: Solve problems. One of those problems? Along with her other 10 elected colleagues, determine who gets how much of San Francisco’s $9 billion budget.
Malia also serves as chair of the Board of Supervisors Land Use and Transportation Committee, as vice chair of the San Francisco Employee Retirement System, as a member of the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee and on the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board. During her tenure she’s spearheaded efforts to develop policies and legislation that provides improved transparency with limited services pregnancy centers, regulated background checks by employers and affordable housing providers, led homeownership investment for San Francisco’s middle class and also authored ordinances for firearm regulation.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- A Moment Like This: The moment (in third grade!) when Malia just knew she was meant to work in public service.
- What Running In A Political Campaign Feels Like: “You kind of have to be tough about it,” she says, “and I would encourage any woman that is interested in running for office to definitely not talk herself out of it.”
- Political Warm-Up: Malia discusses her involvement in Emerge California, an organization she discovered in 2003 while working on the first mayoral campaign for Gavin Newsom. She credits the organization, which helps women who identify as Democrat with a crash course in politics, for helping her get her start.
- Discipline And Delayed Gratification: Find out how this instilled philosophy applies to where Malia is now.
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Yes, You CAN Get Involved: “I don’t want people to get caught up in, ‘I don’t have the education. I don’t have the background, or the connections or the network. Or, I don’t have the pedigree.’ I mean I don’t come from any of that. I don’t come from a wealthy family. I don’t come from a well-connected political family in San Francisco. I am a woman of color that really worked hard developed a strategy early on and really implemented the strategy.”
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Kitchen Cabinet: Why you need a strong advisory board.
- Cross-Industry Career Advice: “You can’t be afraid to ask questions.”
- On Women In Politics: “We need to lift as we climb,” Malia says.
- On Legacy: Malia hopes to be remembered for her time serving as Supervisor as being fair, compassionate, approachable and extremely thoughtful – a person who did not shy away from conflict, fear or intimidation.
- On Twitter: Follow her @MaliaCohen.
Alisha Gaddis is the consummate I Want Her Job Leading Lady. She’s an actress, musician, author, comedienne, wife and mom. Not only does Alisha wear a plethora of hats, but she’s also damn good at what she does. She is an Emmy-winning actress, to be exact, and along with her husband, Lucky Diaz, the two are the first Americans ever to win a Latin Grammy in the children’s category for their music in Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band. In addition, the two lovable entertainers who are reminiscent of a modern-day, kiddo-friendly Lucy and Ricky, star in Lishy Lou and Lucky Too! on The Friday Zone on PBS. And with 26 episodes under their belt, Alisha and Lucky are set to film season two.
In addition, Alisha is an editor and author of multiple books, including Women’s Comedic Monologues That Are Actually Funny, and the just-released book in the same applause acting series, Teen Girls’ Comedic Monologues That Are Actually Funny. And Alisha knows a thing or two about being funny. She’s performed comedy in top venues and on multiple network TV channels and has even opened for Ray Romano, Drew Carey and Sarah Silverman. Alisha also has an innate eye for design, and her Silverlake home with Lucky was even featured on Apartment Therapy – twice!
At I Want Her Job we adore Alisha so much. Since our interview with her three years ago, we’ve watched her career in awe, and consider her the ultimate Leading Lady. She’s graceful, successful, kind, humorous and a champion of women. She even let us use her likeness for our “About” page. [Talk about nice!] Listen to our latest episode and you’ll walk away a fan girl, too.
TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW:
- Her Music: How Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band came to life and to living rooms everywhere!
- Success Sauce: Find out the secrets to Alisha’s wild success. A hint? Alisha always says “yes” when opportunities appear and does not stop at rejection. For reals. She got her first literary agent after 250 rejections!
- The Creative Process: Alisha discusses her self-study masterclass approach to teaching herself how to start new creative projects in music, theatre, TV shows and book publishing. “You have to know the structure of what comes before you in order to bust out and create your own work,” she says.
- Discovering Her Calling: “Be open to what the universe presents you,” Alisha says.
- The Art of a Deal: Despite an amazing opportunity with a big box store falling through, Alisha was determined a book was still in her future. Based on her inspiration by fellow female comedians, Alisha pitched her agent the idea for monologue series that’s now five books strong. Find them on Amazon here.
- In 5 Years: In an interview with our site five years ago, Alisha had just started out in her band. We asked her where she saw herself in five years. Her predictions, including winning a Grammy, game true! “Never let someone tell you your goals are too big or too silly,” she says.
- Family First: Alisha shares how her father, a successful football coach, and her mother, a kindergarten teacher, influenced her work ethic, ambition and joyful optimism.
- Pursuing Comedy As A Career: “You can make people see more truth if you are making them laugh than if you are preaching to them,” Alisha says.
- Never Give Up: Alisha believe
Jane Mitchell's idea started out with an idea on a sticky note. It has since grown into The Reset Foundation, an organization set to buck convention for those incarcerated. The idea is simple, says the Foundation's website, "Instead of serving time in a dehumanizing prison environment, a sentenced young adult lives at Reset Campus, focused entirely on academics, career and healthy living." The goal of The Reset Foundation is to keep these young adults out of an ongoing prison/poverty cycle through a two-year program focused on training, counseling, education and career support.
The United States has a higher incarceration rate than anywhere in the world -- with 2.8 million behind bars. Of these individuals, 68% are re-arrested within only three years. And while Jane has selected a career path that's far from glamorous, she loves her job, lives her faith and has an unmatched enthusiasm for keeping young people out of jail.
Katherine Brown, practice lead for investors industries, focuses on impact investing for the World Economic Forum. Known for its annual Davos conference, Katherine shares what it's like to work for the WEF, including her role influencing impact investing for communities around the world. She also shares her unpredictable path that led to her role at WEF, as well as why she loves her job -- and the impact it makes -- so much.
Topics Discussed In Today’s Show:
- Advice for joining a mission-aligned organization.
- Katherine's work for the World Economic Forum and the Forum for Young Global Leaders: Learn more here.
- Her participation in the SOCAP conference.
- The 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony: Why dancing in the Opening Ceremony was one of the best things Katherine has ever been involved with.
- Katherine's book recommendation for finding balance: Check out Essentialism -- The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.
- The future of impact investing: Check out this inspiring video from the WEF website.
- Why we need more women in finance: Check out this article here.
- Learn more: Get more information about impact investing here.
Margot Kane from the Calvert Foundation joins us to discuss impact investing. If you are want to know more about an entirely new way of investing that allows you to invest money while improving communities around the world, join us as we discuss the work Margot is doing. You may be surprise to learn if you have a tax ID and twenty dollars, you too can become an impact investor today! We discuss what impact investing is, projections for growth in this tremedously exciting sector, examples of impact investments, and the potential within impact investing to transform some of our biggest social issues around the world.
Topics discussed in today’s show:
- If you want to learn more about this field, don't be scared off by the Finance side. Margot Kane says “ Finance is not rocket science, it’s more fancy arithmetic”.**
- “Women are basically going to be running all of this, so don’t be shy about jumping in with both feet if this is what excites you”
- “Impact investing is a mismatch, a multi-disciplinary practice, it encompasses everything” says Margot.
- Margot’s projects for communities and women investing in women.
- Learn more about impact investing at GIIN and read here to for inspiration on why we need more women in finance.
With an abundant passion for technology, we're excited to introduce you to Jocelyn Goldfein, an angel investor and technology company adviser. With a resume that includes tenures as an engineering leader at VMware and engineering director at Facebook, Jocelyn is now using her experience and influence to help technology startups build teams and grow business. In our conversation with her, we discuss her career path, how to tackle the issue of a low percentage of women in tech jobs and her thoughts on how our world could change if that number doubles! We're sure that by the end of this episode you'll want to work for Jocelyn as much as we do!
Dona Sarkar is an Engineering Lead for Microsoft’s HoloLens, a fashion designer, blogger and author of several books. We talk to Dona about her career in technology and how following your interests on the side can enhance your career.
Dona compares learning to coding to learning a new language, it takes time. We discuss online resources to start learning new skills, and the massive opportunity to build products for the 5 billion people who are currently underserved in the markets. “We keep going after the same 2 billion people over and over again in tech, but why, lets go after 5 billion.”
Growing up in Detroit, Dona didn’t have a lot of money or resources, so she made up her own stories and characters. Dona talks about how writing and the benefits of growing up with a need to constantly use her own creativity to entertain herself. Dona says “when you don’t have very much, consider it your superpower”. Dona also explain how a lack of resources can help you understand the 5 billion undeserved people in the market today.
Dona's Blog
Topics discussed In this show:
- Tips for getting started in technology
- Coding is just building things for people and how not to be scared when trying to learn technical skills
- If you don’t succeed at something, Dona suggests “do it again!”
- Resources to learn new skills (skillfeed, udemy, youtube, Lynda, codeacademy)
- Dona’s time management secret
- Dona talks about her book on eating disorders in minority women
- We talk about the opportunity to make products for 5 billion people
- How growing up with less can be your superpower
- Dona’s philosophy on staying away from non believers and negativity
We also speak with Brianne Perleberg, the founder of I want her job, about how the website was founded, and a lot more!