9 to 5ish with theSkimm

For Amy Griffin, being one of the most successful venture capitalists actually has a lot in common with being a college athlete. Amy played volleyball at the University of Virginia, and now as the founder and managing partner of G9 Ventures, she helps early-stage startups perform their best in a different kind of arena. And some of the companies she’s coached include Goop, Athletic Greens, and Bumble. This week, we ask Amy about the secret to her coaching magic. Which, spoiler, is all about relationships. In this episode, Amy shares:  How her mentality as a college athlete stayed with her throughout her career Her experience stepping out of, and stepping back into, the workforce  How she supports founders through the good times – and the bad  Her approach to relationship-building  How founders can prepare for an uncertain economic environment  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From navigating war zones to negotiating with affiliates of terrorist organizations, Emily Hikade lived for the thrill of working as a CIA officer. But a near death experience at work made her realize: it was time to try a different kind of adventure. While in East Africa, Emily worked nights to start her luxury sleepwear brand, Petite Plume. Today, Emily shares how working in diplomacy prepared her for the challenges of being a founder and CEO.In this episode, Emily Hikade shares: Why she knew she’d have an international career from an early age The moment she started feeling vulnerable in her CIA career  What a near-death experience put into perspective for her How she started her business while working full-time and being a mom of three  Advice on how to know which investors are worth working with  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pinky Cole came up with her business, Slutty Vegan, in her apartment in Atlanta. She started by taking orders through Instagram DMs and eventually expanded to multiple locations outside of ATL. Now, her company’s worth $100 million. But she says: she wouldn’t have gotten there without hitting rock bottom first. Today, how Pinky found her success, and why she wants to help people in the Black community find theirs too. In this episode, Pinky shares:  Her favorite recipe from her new book, Eat Plants B*tch How a grease fire that destroyed her restaurant was actually a blessing Her philosophy on success – and why it’s not about being the only one winning Why giving up entrepreneurship and returning to a 9-5 job was the hardest thing she’s done in her career Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Kimberly Brown wrote a high school paper about her dream of becoming a social worker, she knew helping people would be central to her work. She ended up in higher ed as a career counselor. And after she helped her first student get a job, she was hooked. Since then, Kimberly founded her own company to help people – especially women of color – find meaningful work and level up in their careers. In this episode, Kimberly shares: How celebrating her wins has helped her mental health Her advice to mid-career women on how to find that next step Who might be missing from your professional development network  Why the transition from higher ed to a corporation was the hardest career challenge she’s overcome Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this special episode of 9 to 5ish, Carly and Danielle take listeners through their favorite stories and moments from 2022. In this episode, Carly and Danielle share: Their favorite moments from guest lightning round answers How prioritizing mental and physical health came up in nearly every episode Why many of their guests had to rethink their professional identities The people who got our guests through the year – and why they’re so important 9 to 5ish will be back in your feed next Thursday. See you in the new year.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carey Mulligan was rejected from several drama schools when she was a teenager. But instead of giving up, she sent a letter to a famous actor she’d met once. That letter led to a networking dinner, then to an audition for “Pride and Prejudice", and ultimately, her first role. Today, Carey shares how being bold in the face of rejection landed her in films on the big screen. In this episode, Carey shares:  Why she reached out to Julian Fellowes for advice on pursuing acting How she navigated the industry without formal training or experience The hardest play she’s ever done – and why her director almost canceled it Why doing a press tour 3.5 weeks after having her kid helped her postpartum depression Her favorite episode of her new Amazon-exclusive podcast, “I Hear Fear” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ashley Mills started in the mailroom at the talent agency CAA and worked her way up to becoming a talent agent. But after a decade there, she took a leap of faith and became the founder of obé Fitness, an on-demand exercise company. And Ashley says that on her journey as a founder, she had to listen to a lot of feedback – and grow from it – to be the leader she is today.   In this episode, Ashley Mills shares: How she uses exercise to gear up for new challenges The list of things you should think about before becoming an entrepreneur How the pandemic allowed Obé Fitness to shine Why getting feedback from her team was the hardest thing she’s endured in her career Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Ling started working as a professional journalist when she was only a teenager. Her job flew her across the world as she covered the drug wars in South America to democracy movements in China. She’s grown to be a pro at telling other people’s stories. But she says: advocating for herself is the hardest thing she’s ever done. In this episode, Lisa shares: The reporting experiences she had as a teen (alongside Anderson Cooper) Why her two male agents told her to leave negotiating to them  The one lesson she wishes her young self learned  How having kids reframed her boundaries around how far she’d go for her job Why it’s key for women of color to learn to advocate for each other in the workplace Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in 2015 Jill Koziol and Liz Tenety realized: there wasn’t any empowering content for millennial moms. Instead, there were outdated tropes about what moms should be – and what they shouldn’t. That sparked the idea for their company, Motherly, a digital platform centering moms through non-judgmental content about parenthood, being a working parent, and everything in between. And today, Jill and Liz share how motherhood expanded and nourished their sense of self.In this episode, Jill and Liz share: One of the most shocking learnings from their State of Motherhood survey Why reclaiming your power by setting time for yourself is key The wake up call that told Jill she needed to prioritize her health  Why Liz reduced her duties as co-founder  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers were writing and producing movies when they realized: it was time to switch to TV. After meeting 1:1, they decided to enter that world together. Because when you know, you know. Since then, they’ve cultivated a partnership spanning nearly two decades. And they say that trust and honesty were key in creating Shondaland. AKA: the company behind our binge worthy faves like Bridgerton, Scandal, and Grey’s Anatomy. In this episode, Shonda and Betsy share:  How ABC execs reacted to the Grey’s Anatomy pilot (spoiler: not good) Why skills you’ve learned at old jobs are always useful What their panic button is + why it’s key to supporting each other  How they set up an environment for their employees to thrive – and why they love it A Skimm of their book “Inside Bridgerton”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices