Carly Zakin Podcasts

9 to 5ish will be back in your feed on December 6th! Anna Wesche is the brains behind a new podcast from Flamingo, an award-winning body hair and care brand whose mission is to champion women, their bodies, and their choices. In this After 5ish conversation, Anna shares her experience making some major career pivots, creating the opportunities you …

Author, businesswoman, designer, and chef Joanna Gaines used to let guilt and anxiety consume her. As a mom of five children, and as one half of one of the most successful lifestyle brands in the country, Joanna is now battling her burnout by letting go of those feelings. This week, we spoke to Joanna about that shift to free herself from the press…

Annie Jean-Baptiste is Google’s first-ever Head of Product Inclusion. TLDR: she’s a tech executive responsible for making all of Google’s products inclusive for every user. Annie is also the author of the critically-acclaimed book, Building for Everyone, the first book about building inclusive products across the intersections of 12 dimensions of d…

Actress-turned-entrepreneur Cameron Diaz and consumer brand builder Katherine Power (WhoWhatWear, Merit Beauty, Versed) had been friends for years before they decided to launch Avaline, their transparently produced organic wine brand. After realizing the wines they loved were full of additives and hidden ingredients, they saw an opportunity to crea…

When Jen Psaki became President Obama’s White House Communications Director, she was pregnant. Later, she became President Biden’s Press Secretary, and she had to navigate her role as a mom and as the White House’s chief spokesperson. And considering when you work for the president, you’re expected to be on call 24/7, that's a big challenge. Today,…

Jada Pinkett Smith’s memoir, Worthy, has made a big splash for its bombshell revelations … and it hasn’t even been out for a week. But the book from the award-winning actress and talk show host is not just tabloid fodder – it’s also a critical part of Jada’s “reclamation journey”. In this episode, Jada tells her career story – how she’s navigated H…

Michelle Crossan-Matos, the CMO of Ulta Beauty, is one of the most prominent marketing executives in the country. And she told us she didn’t just get to her position by crunching the numbers and digging into data. She used her intuition and gut instinct to launch new campaigns, solve problems, and grow brands. Today, we spoke to Michelle about how …

Joey Wölffer didn’t ever think she’d take over her family’s business, the Wölffer Estate winery. But over a decade after surprising herself and becoming the co-owner and chief brand officer of the beloved vineyard, Joey has transformed the brand and the business. You’ve probably seen their famous Summer in a Bottle rose or their sparkling ciders on…

Colleen Cutcliffe, co-founder and CEO of the groundbreaking probiotics company Pendulum Therapeutics, started the company with a big goal in mind: changing the way people think about their gut health. And on her journey, she’s had to challenge traditional – and sometimes outdated – thinking from the medical community and investors. In this episode,…

Alicia Menendez, MSNBC anchor, award-winning journalist, and host of the Latina to Latina podcast, was so concerned about being likable at work that she wrote a whole book about it. She even created a name for that pressure women feel to be amenable in the office – "the likability trap." And as an on-camera journalist, she’s fallen into that trap t…

For over a decade, Emily Tisch Sussman was one of the top political strategists in the country, advising Democratic candidates and campaigns. Then, after having three children in four years, and faced with no childcare during a global pandemic, Emily realized she couldn’t get back to the top of her game… or back in the game at all. So, she stepped …

When Hill House Home first started, founder and CEO Nell Diamond wasn’t focused on selling the now-famous “Nap Dress”, or cultivating her Instagram presence. Rather, the brand started as a bedding company, and Nell’s Instagram was a space for her creativity. Seven years later, the Nap Dress is a cult-favorite, selling out in minutes, Nell’s created…

Elizabeth Chambers has been through… a lot in the past few years. But the founder and CEO of BIRD Bakery isn’t letting her ex-husband or the headlines define her. She’s focused on expanding her business (which now has four locations) and helping her family heal. This week, we spoke to Elizabeth about how she’s found professional and personal stabil…

Ashley Merrill, founder and chairwoman of the restwear brand Lunya, started the company when she was pregnant. As she built her brand, she was also growing her family, and her big career moments and her big parenting moments always seemed to align. On this episode, we spoke with Ashley about the misconceptions that being a parent is just a part tim…

For most of her career, Isa Watson felt like she was living somebody else’s life. She started out as a chemist working her way up the academic ranks, and then she became a world-traveling VP at JP Morgan. And a lot of people online started to take notice of her impressive career. Isa felt she was always chasing the validation of a ‘30 under 30’ or …

Lauren Wesley Wilson worked for politicians and crisis comms firms for years before she decided to start her own organization, ColorComm. ColorComm started as a luncheon series over ten years ago, and now has grown to become the nation’s leading women’s platform addressing diversity & inclusion across the communications, marketing, advertising, and…

You know Erin and Sara Foster as the sister-act behind the VH1 hit show “Barely Famous”, the co-founders of the fashion brand Favorite Daughter, and as the creative minds who’ve helped brands such as Bumble and the Mirror. After growing up in the entertainment world, the sisters not only decided to take on that industry, but also to take on fashion…

Nyakio Grieco has been paving the way for inclusive beauty and supporting Black entrepreneurs for her whole career. She launched her first beauty brand, Nyakio Beauty, in 2002. Then in 2020, she launched Thirteen Lune, the e-commerce platform dedicated to elevating Black and Brown beauty founders. While Nyakio is one of the most celebrated entrepre…

To wrap up this season of 9 to 5ish, we’ve got a bonus episode with author Avery Carpenter Forrey. She was one of the first employees at theSkimm, who pivoted her career to become a writer. Her highly-anticipated debut novel, Social Engagement, drops on May 23rd, and explores millennial wedding culture, class, and relationships. This week, we spoke…

Today, we’re going back into the 9 to 5ish archives, to bring you one of our favorite episodes from last year - with Glow Recipe co-CEO and co-founder Christine Chang. We hope you enjoy Christine’s advice on how to make the jump from a corporate job to a startup, and we’ll be back with fresh episodes next week. Until then, please enjoy our conversa…

When Anastasia Soare started her brand Anastasia Beverly Hills from one room salon back in the 1990s, eyebrows were pencil-thin and an afterthought. 25 years (and one legendary appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show) later, she’s become synonymous with eyebrows, created a multi-billion dollar brand and revolutionized the beauty industry. Today, we sp…

Mary Celeste Beall’s life drastically changed in 2016, when she lost her husband Sam in a tragic ski accident. Just weeks later, her professional life also changed, when she was asked to step into the role of proprietor of the legendary Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain resorts, a role Sam had occupied for years. We spoke to Mary Celeste abou…

Kristin Cavallari created the archetype for the reality-TV star-turned-mogul. She was on the OG reality show, Laguna Beach, when she was in high school. And she turned that fame (and notoriety) into a business empire. She’s now the owner of a jewelry and skincare brand and a New York Times bestselling author. And she made the jump from TV to the bo…

Two-time entrepreneur Jessica Rolph is embracing what she calls “micro failures” at work. You know, when you say the wrong thing to a team member, make a mistake on a project, or you don’t communicate about something. These moments can feel small, but they can take a big toll on us. But Jessica believes it doesn’t have to be that way. As the co-fou…

Thasunda Brown Duckett, the President and CEO of TIAA, had a “meteoric rise” in the world of finance. As the former head of Chase Consumer Banking, and now as one of two Black women who currently leads a Fortune 500 company, she realized early on that “work-life balance” was a myth. Instead, Thasunda lives her life like it’s a diversified portfolio…

Kaitlan Collins, co-anchor and chief correspondent for CNN This Morning, is no stranger to sleeping four hours a night, or packing up to travel at a moment’s notice. Which is great if you love the news…but it’s not so great if you love your boundaries. This week, we spoke to Kaitlan about how she’s learned to set boundaries – from the anchor desk t…

Debra Lee was the chairman and CEO of BET, where she worked for over three decades. But even though she was a leader in the entertainment world, Debra said her biggest career weakness was being “too nice”. This week, we sat down to talk about Debra’s new memoir, I Am Debra Lee, and how she stepped into her power as a leader – from taking back contr…

Bozoma Saint John is one of the most celebrated marketing execs out there. She’s worked for Apple, Uber, Endeavor, Pepsi, and Netflix…just to name a few. But while those big names are on her resume, Boz told us about the other titles that have influenced her and her career. Like ‘single mom.’ And ‘widow.’ This week, Boz explains how her story of lo…

Chantel George had a plan to go to law school. Then, she found out she was good at sales. Really good. In fact, she became one of the best sellers in the tech world. Chantel’s experience learning how to turn a ‘no’ into a ‘yes’, asking tough questions, and challenging the status quo convinced her she needed to start her own sales community. So in 2…

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 sh…

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…

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, a…

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 – …

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 p…

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…

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 t…

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, L…

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 pare…

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.…

Deepica Mutyala dyed her hair blonde and wore blue contacts trying to be like the cool kids in her Houston suburb. But soon she realized: being herself was in. Fitting into western beauty standards was out. Enter: Live Tinted, Deepica’s brainchild. Today, she shares how she turned her online community into a beauty brand that celebrates every shade…

Constance Wu waitressed her way through her 30s in Hollywood while trying to book acting gigs. After multiple rejections, she felt crushed. Then – she decided to shift her mindset by detaching her self-worth from her jobs. That shift unlocked a lot for her – and it helped her find her voice, even as she navigated through trauma, shame, and the pitf…

Eve Rodsky was on a business trip when her husband texted saying someone left a beer bottle and jacket on their front lawn. She figured he’d take care of it. When she returned a day later, they were still there. That was when Eve realized unless she figured out why women take on so much invisible labor at home, she’d spend the rest of her life pick…

As CEO, Indra Nooyi led PepsiCo through its most important strategic pivots and navigated the company through two financial crises. But during her time there, her male colleagues continued to disrespect her. To the point where she threatened to walk out. Today, Indra tells us how she demanded respect in the workplace and how it impacted her career.…

Before she went to college, Kristen Bell’s mom sat her down for a candid convo. It wasn’t about navigating the quad or the importance of office hours. It was about the mental health struggles that ran in her family. Despite having those struggles too, Kristen never talked about it publicly. Until she decided: she owed it to her fans – and her famil…

Born to immigrant parents on Long Island, Jen Wong says she was an introverted latch-key kid. Fast forward to today, and Jen leads people and business growth as Reddit COO. Talk about a turn of events. And as an LGBTQ+ woman, mother, Asian American and more, Jen says: holding these identities has given her the empathy she needed to lead effectively…

Back when low-rise jeans and shoulder bags reigned supreme, Rachel Bilson played the iconic Summer Roberts on The OC. She later starred in TV shows and movies like Hart of Dixie and Jumper. And then…the pandemic happened. And she learned the importance of taking a pause to focus on what matters most. This week, we’re talking about reassessing your …

Kerry Washington blessed our TV screens on movies + shows like Django Unchained, Little Fires Everywhere, and Scandal. But before she popped off as Olivia Pope, Kerry says she was choosy about roles offered to her. Even if saying “no” meant having less financial freedom. In this episode, Kerry shares: How J-Lo subbed for her dance teacher in the Br…

As a kid growing up in Islamabad, Shiza Shahid volunteered in grassroots initiatives to help Pakistani women get an education. And that early interest in service pushed her to always advocate for important issues through her career. From the founding Malala Fund to her current biz, Our Place, Shiza says: a lot of good can be achieved through a comb…

Hoda Kotb is a pro at a lot of things. And speaking with other incredible women is at the top of that list. In this special episode, Hoda flips the script and interviews our co-founders and co-CEOs, Danielle Weisberg & Carly Zakin, about the past ten years of theSkimm. This week, they discuss how they — as leaders — have evolved in the last decade,…

Lindsay Kaplan and Carolyn Childers were killing it as startup VPs. But as they put it: it gets lonely at the top. Especially for women. Enter: their company, Chief, a women’s exec network that takes networking beyond sticky name tags and awkward icebreakers. This week, we sat down with the Chief co-founders who tell us that everyone – even those w…