EP 57: Bonnie Hammer: One of Entertainment’s “Most Powerful” Women Moves onto a “Bonkars” New Chapter

In an engaging and revealing conversation, Bonnie Hammer opens up to Karen Finerman about her decades-long career in media: from “surviving” Barry Diller, to greenlighting “Suits” and overseeing a hugely successful portfolio of networks that prompted The New York Times to proclaim her the ”Queen of Cable TV.”   She recently wrapped up her time as vice chair at NBCUniversal and is set to take on a completely different adventure in her next role.    

On this episode of How She Does It, Bonnie shares stories, strategies, and secrets behind her hard-won success, including the key skill she credits with her ability to navigate multiple mergers and leadership changes.  She’s the author of the best-selling book "15 Lies Women Are Told at Work: ...And the Truth We Need to Succeed," and is a sought-after mentor for women in the media industry.

💬 In this episode, we explore:

• The types of projects Bonnie’s new endeavor, Bonkars, will take on (hint: it may mean great news for your designer shoes!)
• Bonnie’s perspective on Versant, the future home to most of NBCUniversal’s cable networks
• Why she thinks “fake it ‘til you make it” is always the wrong move
• What Bonnie misses most (and what she does *not* miss) now that she is not attached to a big media company
• The story behind “Suits” and how Bonnie’s guidance impacted the hit show
• Why she believes it is critical to understand the difference between “professional value” and “personal value.” 

Resources:

• Find out more about Bonnie Hammer, including her book 15 Lies Women Are Told at Work: ...And the Truth We Need to Succeed at www.Bonnie-Hammer.com
• Follow How She Does It on Instagram: @HSDIpodcast

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