9 to 5ish with theSkimm

Chelsea Hirschhorn is not a natural risk taker. But she had to change when she started building Frida from the ground up. Frida is now a go-to parenting brand that helps moms and caregivers navigate the realities of parenthood. And this week, Chelsea told us that the risks she took along the way, from leaving her steady job as a lawyer to running unconventional advertising campaigns, were all worth it. In this episode, Chelsea shares what skills she learned as a lawyer that she applies to her job as CEO (7:04), why Frida is a ‘people-first’ organization (16:09), and how she’s helping her employees at Frida navigate WFH with parenting (18:28). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramona Hood has been at the same company (FedEx) for nearly thirty years. She started as a receptionist…and now she’s a CEO. Ramona joined us this week to tell us how she stayed determined - and why creating her own personal “board of directors” (think: a network of mentors, coaches, and sponsors) helped her get to the top job. In this episode, Ramona shares how she was able to get noticed at the company (6:03), her advice for approaching potential mentors (12:53), and why she believes authenticity is the key to leadership (24:51). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to our election special of Skimm’d from The Couch, where we’re talking to women from both sides of the aisle about their careers in politics. Elise Jordan is a veteran of the George W. Bush White House, where she worked as speechwriter and an advisor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and as communications director for the National Security Council. So we knew she’d have some tips on how to be a strong communicator at work. Even in high stakes situations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to our election special of Skimm’d from The Couch, where we’re talking to women from both sides of the aisle about their careers in politics. Deesha Dyer was the social secretary to President Obama. Think: her job meant hosting everyone from Beyoncé to the Pope. But Deesha told us her path to the White House was nonlinear, and that she actually got her start at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as a 31 year old intern. Tune in to hear how she got her foot in the door. And how she learned to tackle her imposter syndrome as she rose through the ranks.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ashley Graham is the ultimate multihyphenate. Think: supermodel, entrepreneur, designer, author, advocate, and a new mom. On the road to success, she’s defied every label that people have tried to attach to her, and she’s become a trailblazer in the fashion industry and a voice for inclusivity and empowerment. Oh, and also: she’s a ton of fun.  In this episode, Ashley shares why she never fit into any mold throughout her career (12:50), how she’s built her personal brand (21:09), and why jealousy prevents you from making progress (22:41). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Yaba Blay is a scholar-activist and cultural consultant whose work centers on the lived experiences of Black women and girls. While she’s got all of the degrees and academic accolades, Dr. Blay sat down with us this week to talk about why she’s taken her work outside of the classroom. And how she’s creating impact through her creative campaigns and community on social media.  In this episode, Dr. Blay shares how she uses her personal connection to her work as fuel (6:26), why she believes it’s important to be able to change your mind (12:14), and when she decided to create her series “Professional Black Girl” (21:00).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s be real: some of us had big things planned for 2020, before the pandemic came along. But even with everything going on, a lot of Skimm’rs haven’t let that get in their way. And one thing we’ve heard from a lot of you is how routine and self-care have helped them stay grounded when everything else is in flux.This week, we wanted to do a reality check and turn the mic on you. We’ll hear from two Skimm’rs making big moves in spite of circumstance, from moving across the country (4:40) to changing careers (11:30).This is a special episode of Skimm’d From The Couch, sponsored by Estée Lauder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bethenny Frankel grew up learning how to hustle. And for her entire career, she’s consistently bet on herself and her ideas. She joined us this week to talk about where that hustle comes from. And how she grew her business from the ground up, using her platform on “The Real Housewives of New York” to chart a new course for entrepreneurs.  In this episode, Bethenny shares how she got her foot in the door in the early days (7:28), why she chose to join “The Real Housewives” (13:50), and how she uses her instincts to make business decisions (22:31).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Eva Chen is known for her loyal following on IG (us included), she’s also known for carving out a career path that’s totally her own. She started off in editorial, and now she straddles the tech and high fashion worlds as the director of fashion partnerships at Instagram. And in case she wasn’t busy enough… she’s also a children’s book author. This week she told us that one of the biggest secrets to her success has been: her network. Because she’s stayed in touch with everyone she worked with. In this episode, Eva shares how she went from being pre-med to being a magazine intern (5:03), her advice for growing your network (11:41), and why failing is okay (25:25). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Misty Copeland is the most famous ballet dancer in the world. Which means that throughout her career, she's had to consistently break down barriers. For background: Misty made history when she became the first Black female principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. And now, her reach extends beyond the dance world through her books, philanthropy, and advocacy. Her new children's book “Bunheads” comes out this September. In this episode, Misty shares how she gained confidence in herself (9:04), her advice for developing relationships with mentors (19:30), and her go-to dance song (34:41).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices