LEAVE YOUR MARK: Freshly Brewed Career Advice with Aliza Licht

Growing up, Laurie Segall felt like she didn’t fit perfectly anywhere. As her high school newspaper editor, she always found herself writing about the odd and outcasted. But it’s probably her keen sense of what’s weird, interesting, and emerging that has made her an award-winning investigative reporter and the founder of Dot Dot Dot, a media company focused on onboarding the mainstream into a new era of the internet, Web3. Beginning in 2008 at 23 as a newly minted assistant at CNN and as Wall Street was crashing down, she began discovering a group of scrappy misfits rising from the ashes of the recession to change the world: the tech entrepreneurs. Seeing this space as an area no one at CNN was covering, she wrote a job description and pitched it. Over a decade, Laurie became one of the first reporters to give airtime to many of these founders—from Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey to Kevin Systrom and Travis Kalanick —while tracking their evolution and society’s cultural shift in the CNN startup beat she created. By the end of her tenure at CNN, she had become its on-air senior technology correspondent. She had witnessed the rise of second-wave tech, from the boom to the “complicated years” to the backlash, as her misfits emerged as some of the world’s most influential leaders. Her book, Special Characters: My Adventures with Tech’s Titans and Misfits is a memoir detailing her career journey with early access to some of the most influential people in the world during a time when they still answered their own phones. In this episode, Laurie shares her rise in investigative journalism, her struggles with the silent death of a thousand cuts of sexism in her industry, and how she learned to fight for what she knew was rightly hers. She shares that to be successful at something, you must immerse yourself in it, have the guts to ask for what you want when an opportunity presents itself, say yes, and learn how to tackle it as you go along.

Amy Odell always knew she wanted to work in journalism. As a fashion and culture reporter, she has left her mark on countless publications, most notably New York Magazine's The Cut. But she got called to interview for a role at Vogue magazine during her time there. After an unsuccessful interview with the formidable Anna Wintour, she did not get the job. The truth was she probably wasn't right for it as fashion was still an industry she was trying to understand. But if someone would have told her then that she would end up writing ANNA: The Biography, the most comprehensive account of the life and reign of Anna Wintour years later, she would not have believed them. Because of my fashion background and experience with Anna, this episode turned into a very candid discussion covering the complexities of what it is like to work with Anna, who benefits from her loyalty, and who gets left in the dust when she decides that you're radioactive. Amy and I go deep into Anna's complicated and often controversial decisions, including the defense of the antisemitic John Galliano and Georgina Chapman during the height of the Harvey Weinstein #MeToo movement. Whatever you think you know about Anna Wintour, this book and episode will shed a different light on someone who has seized and held power for over 34 years and shows no signs of being dethroned any time soon.

When will I ever get this opportunity again? A question Nicole Jeter West asked herself when a new job opportunity arose out of the blue. Would she give up her dream of working in advertising to join the New York Knicks? The answer would set her on the journey of her career. Nicole has always followed her gut and curiosity, which has led her down a path she never anticipated. She is now the CEO of the Underdog Venture Team, an organization on a mission to change the game of sports business with a new "pay it forward" model that invests in unique, social-impact-driven business opportunities led by passionate passions and diverse leaders. As CEO, Nicole is responsible for the organization's leadership, strategic vision, and growth initiatives with a focus on empowering the next generation of women and BIPOC leaders to up-level the entire industry. With more than 20 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industry, Nicole joined the underdog venture team from the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, where she was the head of brand marketing and engagement. Before joining LA28, Nicole was the chief marketing officer for Legends, and Nicole spent five years as the managing director of ticket and digital for the United States Tennis Association (USTA). She started her career in marketing at Madison Square Garden and the New York Knicks. She has earned Sports Business Journal's "40 Under 40" and "Power Players" honors while also being named one of Sports Illustrated's "100 Influential Black Women in Sports". In this episode, Nicole shares the secrets to her success which stem from what her husband calls her secret sauce: infinite tenacity and being indispensable. Nicole's journey is a lesson in taking chances and seeing the opportunity in everything, even if at the time it doesn't fit the exact mold of what you expected. We talk about the importance of shifting your perspective on what is best for the team instead of personal gain and why she believes in harmony over balance. Nicole got comfortable feeling uncomfortable years ago, and she shares why you should too.

Can you imagine what it would be like to be crazy rich? Liz Lange can. In her new podcast, The Just Enough Family, she shares her story of growing up in the Steinberg family, a name as famous as Bezos back in the day. After graduating from Brown, Liz didn’t need to work but started a career at Conde Nast in the features department. She dreamed of becoming a writer, but that’s not what happened. Instead, Liz became an accidental entrepreneur as the “first maternity wear designer”, catering to pregnant A-list celebrities. In the early 2000s, Liz gained recognition as a retail pioneer and a global trendsetter by forging multiple major licensing deals with Nike, Target, and HSN that catapulted her into a household name. But Liz wasn’t enjoying work-life balance and recognized that while we love to say women can have it all, the truth is, something always gives. In this case, one of her life areas that needed attention was her kids. She decided to sell her business to focus on her family. Entrepreneurship always runs under the surface, though. In December 2020, Liz acquired Figure, a New York-based luxury resort-wear brand, most notable for their kaftans, dresses, and soft separates, that she is a fan and customer of. Today, she is the CEO and Creative Director, intending to continue the brand’s legacy of dressing fashionable women around the world while also expanding its categories and reach. In this episode, Liz delightfully shares her truth- the good, the bad, and the scandalous. She transparently explains her rise from building her incredible brand with no design or business background to recognizing where she was falling short. We dive into her leadership style and expectations and how her childhood has shaped her perspective. She takes us on her new journey with Figure and why she believes her second act will be just as exciting as the first.

Deborah Lippmann, leading authority in the nail category, discusses balancing passions and pursuing a career in manicuring, expanding her product line, naming nail polish colors after song titles, blending singing and fashion, and launching a product while staying true to oneself.

After experiencing the utter bleakness of 2020’s ‘Work From Home’ life, Natalie Marshall couldn’t help but take to TikTok to poke fun at the current state of Corporate America. With 400K Followers on Instagram and over 375K on TikTok with 15.4 Million likes, she has made people around the world laugh and bond over the shared hilarity of ‘New Normal’ nuances. But while Natalie has experienced a growing social footprint, she has continued to balance her full-time corporate job. Natalie retains her anonymity to do just that! In this episode, Natalie shares her rise to social media stardom and how she balances her side hustle with her real corporate job. We also dive into the creator economy and what brands can learn from the creators who are native to these platforms. Says Natalie, “You have to speak the language if you want to be successful on Tik Tok.” We discuss the mental health aspects of being a public person and how she handles the haters and protects herself. She also shares the hard work of being a creator and the importance of outsourcing what isn’t your core competencies. Plus so much more!

Gabby Bernstein, bestselling author and spiritual leader, discusses her new book on healing trauma and finding inner peace. Topics include the importance of re-parenting oneself, understanding the difference between big and small traumas, creating a safe and supportive workspace, and maintaining a consistent path towards transformation.

You never know where your path will lead but when it shows itself, follow it. Thank you to my amazing guests and my season eight partner, Ever/Body! Catch up on episodes you’ve missed and stay tuned for season nine which kicks off 4/24!

Adam Rose has lived the acting life in Hollywood since he was 9-years old, making his debut opposite Robin Williams and Julie Kavner in Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry. With over 55 tinsel-town projects to date he's played roles on the sets of luminary directors and actors with credits that include The Sopranos, Veronica Mars, Netflix's Santa Clarita Diet, Supernatural, Merry Happy Whatever, and so many more. He's worked with Matthew Broderick, Matt Damon, Mark Ruffalo, and Anna Paquin, to name a few. As a writer, Adam sold his first pilot, PISSED, to Warner Bros. His short film, QUEEN, which he wrote and directed, screened at over 50 film festivals and won several awards. But back in 2009, he intuitively knew that social media would change how the world consumes content forever. At a time when most of his celebrity peers turned their noses up to anything "online," Adam began cultivating fans outside of his Hollywood projects. Today, Adam has amassed an enormous social media following, with over 3.7 million followers on TikTok and nearly half a million on Instagram, not to mention his growing YouTube. He's one of the most beloved creators with A-list brand deals, known for his viral comedy sketches, dances, and "lovely" wife, a character he plays opposite himself. In this episode, Adam and I unpack the question, "What drives the other: Does the traditional career drive a social following, or does a social following drive your traditional career?" It's an interesting debate. We dive into the story of digital identity and the famous blue cardigan that his fans are obsessed with, and how his community reacts to his content. Adam shares his content strategy, secrets to creativity, production schedule, and a typical day in his life. The whole episode is like a hug in your ear, full of warmth, comedy, and advice.

"Did I want to be there for a moment, or did I want to be there forever"? That's the question Mandy Teefey asked herself when she contemplated whether she should prioritize her mental health or be there for her daughter, Selena Gomez's, first day of Kindergarten. Fast forward to today, and Mandy Teefey is a co-founder and co-CEO of Wondermind and the founder and CEO of Kicked to the Curb Productions, where she has developed award-winning and nominated content. Mandy is best known for her work on Netflix's 13 Reasons Why. Mandy's personal journey struggling with mental health has fueled her passion and drive. Wondermind will satisfy the hunger for inclusive content and the need to change the narrative on how mental health is portrayed. It also gives people the tools to practice "mental health fitness," both online and offline. Mandy was misdiagnosed as bipolar and later diagnosed with ADHD with Trauma, which has fueled her passion for offering accessible mental health resources for anyone and everyone. Co-founded with Selena Gomez and Daniella Pierson, Wondermind is a multimedia company that destigmatizes and democratizes mental health in a way that has never been done before. In this episode, Mandy shares her incredible and heartfelt journey. From her mental health struggles to being a teenage mom, she authentically shares how her career came to be despite her misdiagnosis as being bipolar. With a dream of storytelling in entertainment, Mandy has made some of the biggest contributions to normalizing the mental health discussion in Hollywood.