9 to 5ish with theSkimm

Working for Fawn Weaver isn’t your typical 9 to 5. The founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey operates her business like a family. Think: not just one-on-ones or status meetings, but 24/7 support for employees. So how did she build a company like that? She sought out people who had similar values and fit with her leadership style. And she spent a lot of time on the hiring process. In this episode, Fawn shares.  How she found her leadership style – and learned to stop people-pleasing Her go-to interview question to determine if someone’s a fit for Uncle Nearest  Why she won’t hire anyone based off a Zoom interview anymore  How she tells an employee they aren’t the best fit for her team  Why a “family” environment doesn’t work for all employees Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Laurie Segall first started at CNN as a journalist, she was basically working in the equivalent of “Scriberia” from “Inventing Anna.” But instead of getting discouraged, Laurie used that opportunity to build out CNN’s tech coverage, and created a new role at the company in the process. And she ultimately became CNN’s senior technology correspondent. This week, Laurie shares how she used her different jobs - good and bad - as stepping stones to work towards the career she wanted. Now, Laurie’s her own boss, as the founder and CEO of Dot Dot Dot, a media venture exploring technology through the human lens.In this episode, Laurie shares:  How she turned disappointment into motivation  How she networked her way into major interviews with tech CEOs  Why every job (even the bad ones) can get you closer to your career goals Why she decided to leave CNN and start her own company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever worn a really uncomfortable bra and thought “Who even invented this?” Michelle Cordeiro Grant was one of those people. She worked for major lingerie and underwear brands before starting her own, Lively, after she saw how other brands didn’t put their customer - or comfort - first. And it turns out: flipping the script worked. Lively sold out of inventory in its first two weeks. And in 2019, Lively was acquired for a casual $105 million dollars. This week, we talked to Michelle about how to listen to your customers. In this episode, Michelle shares:  Her philosophy on marketing How to connect with customers How to make yourself be more extroverted in business How to learn on the fly  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anne Wojcicki always followed her interests. From sneaking into figure skating rinks as a kid, to taking her interest in genetics to the next level and co-founding the genetics company 23andMe, Anne told us how she’s built her career off curiosity. And as 23andMe has faced challenges from regulators and privacy advocates over the years, Anne had to dig into her passion even more to boost morale. In this episode, Anne shares:  The 23andMe origin story What boosted morale on her team Why she actively seeks out feedback from naysayers  How she’s played the long game with building her company How the tech world has changed for women Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Victoria Beckham has switched industries three times so far during her career: trading in the Spice Girls for a solo career, then launching her own fashion label. Now, she’s in the midst of her third big pivot: a foray into beauty, via a sustainable luxury brand. And she brought in Sarah Creal, a lifelong product developer who’s worked with everyone from Bobbi Brown to Estée Lauder.In this episode, Victoria and Sarah talk about: Building credibility by putting product first Refining long-term business plans Choosing a co-founder Standing out in a crowded field PS: 9 to 5ish listeners can get 10% off Victoria Beckham Beauty products by using code Skimm10 at checkout. Some restrictions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nancy started her career at Goldman Sachs — but she always knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur. She had grown up helping her grandmother and her mother make natural home-remedies for hair and skin, and realized there was a gaping hole in the beauty market. But she didn’t quit her day job right away: instead, she stayed on the trading room floor for another four years and worked evenings and weekends to run her own business, Briogeo, on the side. Talk about time management skills. In this episode, Nancy talks about: What she learned on Wall Street during the 2008 financial crash Figuring out when to quit your day job Putting product development before branding Making choices during a company’s early stages When to think about outside funding for a business Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we’re throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes from last year.What does it actually mean to know your worth at work? This week, we asked the queen of confidence (and of morning TV), Gayle King, how she found hers. She told us her self worth came from years of salary negotiations, building strong support systems, navigating setbacks, and dealing with tough bosses. In this episode, Gayle shares:  Her mindset going into negotiations How she gained a sense of self worth as a junior reporter Why tough moments and failure can add to self worth  How she leans on her support system  Why celebrating other people’s success adds to your self worth (hi, Oprah)  How she dealt with being underestimated  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lindsey Vonn isn’t just physically tough – she’s also known as one of the most mentally strong athletes. She started competing in international skiing competitions when she was just nine years old, and went on to become the most decorated female skier in history, including winning three Olympic Winter Games medals. And along the way, Lindsey dealt with a number of terrifying injuries, which challenged her mental and physical strength. After retiring from professional skiing, Lindsey’s switched arenas, starting her own production company, writing a memoir and leading her own foundation.In this episode, Lindsey talks about: How competition has served her - and hurt her  Career setbacks and how injuries actually helped her Learning to trust people she was competing with Building a risk-tolerant mindset Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg went from working in nightclubs and modeling to becoming one of the first people to start streaming workouts online. That turned into her own health and fitness app, which now has thousands of paying subscribers. Today, Melissa has almost one million Instagram followers and her app, Melissa Wood Health, is a case study at Harvard Business School — despite the fact Melissa never went to college herself.In this episode, Melissa talks about: How meditation changed her life Experimenting as a way to figure out your career path Learning to listen to your gut How she stopped comparing herself to other people Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fran Lebowitz found fame as a writer in the 1970’s, when she started out writing movie reviews and magazine columns. She went on to publish two essay collections containing her observations of New York City and the people around her — cementing her as a definitive voice of a generation. In this episode, Fran talks about: Finding her writing process Networking without the internet Improvising when she got writer’s block Refusing to follow the crowd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices