9 to 5ish with theSkimm

When Alexandra Fine co-founded Dame, a women-founded sex toy company looking to close the pleasure gap, not everyone was on board with her vision. She got a lot of pushback - from traditional investors to advertisers - as she sought to change how the world looked at sex toys and pleasure. So this week: we spoke to Alexandra about how she navigated those obstacles and came up with creative solutions to get Dame off the ground.In this episode, Alexandra shares:  How they funded the businesses when investors said ‘no’  How she’s built her team  Why Dame has to get creative with how they advertise their products  How she overcame people who doubted her mission  Why Dame is suing the MTA  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We spend a lot of time - if not most of our time - at work. And that means: the relationships we have with our colleagues matter, and can impact how satisfied we are with our jobs. So this week, we talked to world-famous psychotherapist Esther Perel about how to create meaningful relationships with our coworkers. And why our interpersonal skills are just as important as any of the skills we list on our resume. In this episode, Esther shares:  How to have difficult conversations in the office  How managers can create trust on teams  How to build relationships with colleagues virtually  Why she does “couples therapy” for bosses and direct reports  What a “relationship resume” is  PS: Want to hear more from Esther? Check out her podcasts, and her new card game, here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentors at work. We know they’re good to have, but there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to finding one. They can be someone on your team, someone in your company, or someone in a totally different line of work. But no matter who it is, there are some best practices when it comes to starting - and maintaining - those relationships. This week, we talked to Rashida Jones, president of MSNBC, to learn how she found mentors - and how she sustained those relationships throughout her career. In this episode, Rashida shares:  What she goes to her mentors for How to start looking for a mentor  How to push past the awkwardness of those first few convos   Why mentees have to drive the relationship  Why it’s good to have more than one mentor  How to be direct with mentors about what you want to get out of the relationship  How to transition from mentee to mentor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We heard from a lot of you that you have questions about whether to pursue your MBA or another business degree. So we asked an expert. Erika James is the dean of the Wharton School at UPenn, the oldest business school in the country. So she’s got tips on how to know if you’re ready to get that degree - and how to know if an MBA isn’t the right path for you. Plus: she tells us the do’s and dont’s of the application process. In this episode, Dean James shares:  How to evaluate if you’re ready for an MBA How to know if an MBA isn’t the degree for you  How to make your application stand out (and what not to include)  Whether you should get an MBA if you think you don't have “quantitative skills”  What you learn from an MBA program  Her perspective on how business leadership has changed  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or working at a big company, everyone has a personal brand at work. And everything from your LinkedIn profile to your resume to your interview style adds to that brand. So this week, we sat down with the master of creating a personal brand, Paris Hilton, to talk about how she built hers. She’s not only the OG social media influencer, but she also created a persona that took the world by storm. And spoiler: investing in her brand paid off. Now, she’s got dozens of businesses, not to mention a new hit TV show on Netflix, "Cooking with Paris."In this episode, Paris shares:  Why (and how) she built the persona of Paris Hilton  What she’s like as a businesswoman  Her advice for leveraging social media to reach your career goals Who she goes to for advice when she’s looking to take the next step  How she evaluates who to work with  How to prioritize between personal and professional life Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are underway. And as we all started cheering for the athletes on our TV screens, it got us thinking about winning - and losing - at work. Maybe you got the promotion. Or maybe your long-time project wasn’t a success. How should we navigate the ups and downs? To find out, we called up an expert: 2008 Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin. She’s had some high highs (hello, gold medal)...and also some low lows (injuries, falls, and haters). In this episode, Nastia shares:  How to block out external noise  How to keep going when you want to quit  How to move on from failure  How she dealt with a 1:1 rivalry  How to hype yourself up  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whitney Wolfe Herd is one of the biggest women in business. She founded Bumble in 2014, and became the youngest ever female CEO to take a company public when it IPO'd this year. So we decided to ask the best of the best for her tips on how to think about getting started. In this episode, Whitney shares:  Why founders need to communicate (read: over-communicate) their vision for the company  How she used “no’s” she got early on as motivation  Her advice on how to hire (and potentially fire) friends and family  How to market your company when you have no money How to think about your personal finances when you’re starting your business Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meet our revamped career podcast, 9 to 5ish with theSkimm. We're bringing you the work advice you need, from women who’ve been there. Every week, join the co-founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm, Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg, as they help you get what you want out of your career by talking to the smartest leaders they know. New episodes drop every Wednesdays, starting July 21st. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a single ep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jenna Lyons was the Executive Creative Director and President of J.Crew Group. And she also became the face of the brand and a brand herself. But then...she left J.Crew after 26 years at the company. This week, Jenna sat down with us to talk about how to build an authentic personal brand and leadership style. And how to maintain that sense of identity (and hold onto your confidence) even when you leave your job. In this episode, Jenna shares how she stopped micromanaging, why she was surprised no one called her after she left J.Crew, and how to build a personal brand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices