9 to 5ish with theSkimm

Sarah Goldberg has been passionate about acting since she was a little kid. She got her first big break at the Young Vic Theatre in London, but eventually made the switch from the stage to the screen. Now you know her as Sally on HBO’s “Barry,” the show about an ex-marine-turned-hitman who decides to make a career transition. To acting. On the show, Sarah stars alongside some of the greats: Bill Hader and Henry Winkler. On this episode of “Skimm’d from the Couch” – live from HBO’s Inspiration Room – she talks to us about being 45 minutes late to her audition for “Barry”, what it’s like to work with Stefon and the Fonz every day, and dealing with imposter syndrome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Kate Ellis started her career in the magazine industry, where she helped launch and revitalize major media brands at outlets like InStyle, Vogue, and New York Magazine. Now, she’s the President and CEO of GLAAD. Translation: she’s an expert at using storytelling to shape coverage of the LGBTQ community in media and entertainment. On this episode, recorded live in HBO’s Inspiration Room in NYC, Sarah Kate talks to us about the challenges of leading an activist organization, the GLAAD Media Awards, and writing a book about the time she and her wife were pregnant at the same time.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arlan Hamilton started her career in the music industry, working with artists like Jason Derulo, Toni Braxton, and CeeLo Green. But in 2015, she took a look at Silicon Valley and saw a major lack of diversity there. So she decided to change it. Casual. Arlan started her venture firm Backstage Capital to invest in startups led by underrepresented founders. It wasn’t always easy (think: sleeping at the San Francisco airport while she built her business). But it paid off. Backstage Capital has invested nearly 5 million dollars into startups led by women, minorities, and members of the LGBTQ community. On this LIVE episode, Arlan talks to us about speaking up, taking risks, and getting inside the door… as an outsider.PS: After we recorded our interview with Arlan, Axios reported that Backstage Capital has run into trouble raising money for their most recent fund, and that the firm is shifting focus to its accelerator program. Arlan told us in an email Tuesday that Backstage is still working on the fund, and “will continue to until it's raised.”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katia Beauchamp started her career in finance. But after a few years, she decided that she didn’t feel challenged. So Katia switched gears … and went to Harvard Business School. Casual. That’s where she met her cofounder, Hayley Barna. And together, they launched Birchbox, the subscription company that helps people discover new beauty products. Since Katia and Hayley launched it in 2010, the company has grown and changed a lot: they’ve earned two and a half million active subscribers. They were acquired by one of their investors. And Hayley decided to leave in 2015. Katia has stayed on board as CEO. On the couch, she talks to us about learning to lead on her own, working through a complicated pregnancy, and the time she cold-emailed Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. And got a response.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebecca Jarvis grew up with two passions: journalism and econ. As a teenager, she was even a reporter for a local kids’ program in Minnesota. But after college, Rebecca decided to go into finance. Years later, she got back to journalism. Today, she’s the Chief Business, Tech, and Economics Correspondent at ABC News. On the couch, she talks to us about the time she was on “The Apprentice”, how she made the switch from finance to journalism, and what she looks for in candidates now.PS: Rebecca has her own podcast, No Limits with Rebecca Jarvis, where she interviews female entrepreneurs about what it takes to build their business empires. After this episode, check it out -- because Rebecca’s interviewing US this week.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you like hearing from us once a week, how about audio from theSkimm every day? Our daily news podcast, ‘Skimm This,’ launches on Monday. Every weekday, we’re breaking down the most important stories of the day and explaining why they matter. Search ‘Skimm This’ and subscribe. You won’t want to miss it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You might’ve noticed that we’ve been talking about money lately at theSkimm. A big part of money 101: knowing how to negotiate. Peggy Johnson’s an expert. She’s the EVP of business development at Microsoft. Translation: she drives strategic partnerships for the company … and negotiates. A lot. Peggy’s been running the show since 2014. She’s an avid runner, and she’s been known to carry out negotiations with sneakers on. While running. Before Microsoft, she spent almost 25 years working her way up the ladder at Qualcomm. On the couch, she talks to us about maintaining business relationships, standing out as an introvert, and playing to her strengths at the negotiation table. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anu Duggal and Sutian Dong are the partners of Female Founders Fund, where they invest in tech companies started by women. Anu began her career as an entrepreneur -- including starting India’s first wine bar, and an e-commerce company. Sutian came from the investing side of things. In 2014, Anu decided to launch Female Founders Fund. A couple years later, she brought Sutian on as a partner. Together, they’ve invested in companies like Thrive Global and Rent the Runway. On the Couch, they talk to us about what makes a great cold email, the companies in their shadow portfolios, and why they’re so focused on building communities for female founders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Valentine’s Day is coming up. And Amber Venz Box knows a thing or two about making relationships work … at work. She’s the president of RewardStyle -- the company she founded with her then-boyfriend, now-husband Baxter. Amber started out as a personal shopper. But she realized that people were buying the products she recommended on her blog on their own … and cutting her out of a commission. So in 2011, Amber and Baxter started RewardStyle. It connects brands and influencers so both sides can benefit. In 2017, they drove over a billion dollars in sales. And launched their app, which attracted a million users in just 9 months. But building her company hasn’t been easy. On the Couch, she talks to us about being an introverted leader, how to network, and what it’s like to build a business with your SO.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Fashion Week kicks off this week. So we sat down with Rebecca Minkoff -- the co-founder and creative director of, you guessed it, Rebecca Minkoff, LLC. That’s the fashion brand she started in 2005 with her brother. Since then, their company has been a leader in shaping the future of fashion: Rebecca Minkoff was one of the first fashion brands to engage with their customers through social media and influencers. But she hasn’t stopped there. In 2018, Rebecca launched the Female Founder Collective to support and invest in women-led businesses. At this LIVE power breakfast, she talks to us about taking risks, going to couples therapy with her brother-slash-cofounder, and supporting other women in the workplace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices