Both Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini started their careers when they were really young. Christina shot her first commercial before she could walk and talk. And Linda’s first big role was in college, on “Freaks and Geeks.” They’ve been everywhere since then. But if you’ve logged into Netflix in the last week, you might know that they’re now co-starring on Dead to Me. It’s a new series that’s part comedy. Part tragedy. And allll binge-worthy. On the Couch, Christina and Linda talk to us a...
May 08, 2019•34 min
Joi Gordon is the CEO of Dress for Success. That’s the nonprofit that provides low-income women clothing and career counseling to help them succeed in their careers. But she didn’t start there. Joi got her start as a lawyer and volunteered at Dress for Success on the side. Not long after that, she switched over full time. And she’s spent the last 20 years growing the nonprofit from one storefront in NYC … to a global entity. On the Couch, she talks to us about why she gave up her law career (6:0...
May 01, 2019•29 min
Shilpa Shah and Karla Gallardo are the co-founders of Cuyana, the fashion brand that’s all about “fewer, better things.” Aka high-quality clothes and bags at a price that doesn’t hurt your wallet. Shilpa spent the first part of her career building web and mobile apps for Fortune 500 companies. Karla grew up in Ecuador and had a quick career in finance before she and Shilpa met at business school. And decided to start Cuyana together. It paid off. Earlier this year, they closed their Series C rou...
Apr 24, 2019•38 min
It’s Stress Awareness Month. Chelsea Handler has been working on managing hers. You know Chelsea as the comedian … turned late-night host … turned Netflix documentarian … turned activist and advocate. And she just became a 5-time best-selling author with her new book “Life Will Be the Death of Me … And You, Too!” – which came out the day we recorded this episode. Chelsea is a long-time friend of theSkimm and one of our earliest investors. On the Couch, she talks to us about what led to her lates...
Apr 17, 2019•34 min
Tracy Sun is an expert at making big changes in her career. She started off as a neuroscience researcher. Casual. But then she decided to follow her passion for fashion and business. Throughout her career, she’s helped start – and grow – several companies. Today, she’s the founder and Senior VP of New Markets at Poshmark, the platform that helps 40 million people buy and sell their clothes and accessories online. One of us is a superfan. On the couch, Tracy talks to us about finding a cofounder,...
Apr 10, 2019•35 min
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 Ro...
Apr 03, 2019•36 min
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 ...
Mar 27, 2019•37 min
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 inve...
Mar 20, 2019•41 min
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 ...
Mar 13, 2019•40 min
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 ha...
Mar 06, 2019•31 min
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
Mar 01, 2019•2 min
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 u...
Feb 27, 2019•32 min
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...
Feb 20, 2019•32 min
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 be...
Feb 13, 2019•31 min
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 Co...
Feb 06, 2019•39 min
Arielle Charnas is the super influencer behind the style blog-turned-brand Something Navy. Arielle started the blog in 2009, when she was just 22 years old. And since then, she’s gained a following of more than a million people. Last year, she launched her brand with Nordstrom… which was so popular that it crashed the site. Now, she’s rolling out more and more collections with the retailer. On the couch, she talks to us about being her own boss, choosing the right opportunities, and building a t...
Jan 30, 2019•32 min
New Year...new Skimm’d from the Couch. We’re starting off the year with the queen of motivation, Jillian Michaels. You might remember Jillian from her role as a trainer on the hit NBC show, “The Biggest Loser,” or from her fitness DVDs. But you might not know that she also built a wellness empire, including an exercise streaming platform, and her award-winning fitness app. Jillian’s also a best-selling author, with a brand-new book out: “The 6 Keys: Unlock Your Genetic Potential for Ageless Stre...
Jan 23, 2019•34 min
When Alexa von Tobel graduated college, she still had a lot of q’s about how to manage her cash. So she did what anyone would: wrote a 75-page business plan. And took it to Harvard Business School. Casual. But within a semester, she decided to drop out and start her business for real. Enter: LearnVest, the company that makes financial resources more accessible for everyone. In 2015, LearnVest was acquired by Northwestern Mutual. And now, Alexa has responsibilities at both companies. On the couch...
Dec 19, 2018•37 min
Samantha Barry grew up in Ireland. And she always knew news was the path for her. Sam started out her career as a researcher, and then became an international reporter. Her reporting took her around the world, where she started to see the power of social media. She took that realization and went on to help major news organizations build out their social media presences. We’re talking huge names like BBC and CNN. Now, she’s the editor in chief of Glamour. Anna Wintour has called her Glamour’s fir...
Dec 12, 2018•36 min
Our guest this week is the one and only Martha Stewart. Growing up, she had a knack for all things lifestyle: cooking, gardening and sewing. But after college, she decided to follow a different path. To Wall Street. Martha eventually took the business skills she learned there...and used them to build an empire of her own. There have been bumps along the way. But now, she’s the Chief Creative Officer of Sequential Brands Group, where she oversees everything from the Martha Stewart Living Magazine...
Dec 05, 2018•34 min
Beth Comstock is the first female vice chair of GE. But before that, she built a career in communications at companies like CBS, CNN, and NBCUniversal. At NBC, Beth helped launch one of your favorite binge-ing sites: Hulu. And she kept working her way up the ranks. All the way to becoming the first female Vice Chair of GE. Most recently -- Beth wrote a book about courage, creativity, and making change. It’s called “Imagine it Forward.” On the couch, she talks to us about what a vice chair actual...
Nov 28, 2018•33 min
Lauren Bush Lauren has diplomacy in her blood. Former President George HW Bush is her grandfather, and President George W Bush is her uncle. But Lauren has built a legacy all her own. She’s the CEO and co-founder of FEED Projects, the company that sells products like bags and accessories...and uses the sales to help distribute food all around the world. Lauren came up with the idea in college while working with the UN. Flash forward a few years, and FEED has donated more than 100 million meals t...
Nov 21, 2018•33 min
We're baaaack. With vino. And Barbara Corcoran. You know Barbara as one of the sharks on “Shark Tank.” But the show is just one part of her story. After college, Barbara took a job as a teacher. She quit after a year and moved on to waitressing. A little while after that, she started her own real estate business...and turned it into a multi-million dollar empire. She sold it in the early 2000s. Since then, she’s been using her money to help other entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground at "...
Nov 14, 2018•35 min
Midterm elections are in T minus 6 days. Politicians are trying to convince you to hire them. And behind every politician...is a communications director helping them get the word out. So we brought in two of them to talk to us about how they do their jobs -- and how they made it to the top of the political game. Episode 2: Jennifer Palmieri. Jennifer has a long history in politics, starting when she interned for then-Senator Leon Panetta (D-CA) in college (Panetta was later President Bill Clinto...
Oct 31, 2018•31 min
Midterm elections are in T minus 6 days. Politicians are trying to convince you to hire them. And behind every politician...is a communications director helping them get the word out. So we brought in two of them to talk to us about how they do their jobs -- and how they made it to the top of the political game. Episode 1: AshLee Strong. AshLee has worked in communications roles all over Washington, from the House of Representatives, to the Senate, to the White House. She was even the senior com...
Oct 31, 2018•33 min
When Sylvia Acevedo was 7 years old, she was a Girl Scout. One night, her troop leader caught her looking up at the stars...and encouraged her to pursue that interest. Sylvia took that advice. And became a rocket scientist at NASA right out of college. Eventually, she switched tracks and went down the business-leadership path. She’s been a leader at companies like Dell, Apple, and IBM, and she even worked for the White House. But since 2016, Sylvia has been the CEO of Girl Scouts, where she’s he...
Oct 24, 2018•27 min
Katie Couric is one of the most recognized faces in journalism today. You’re probably one of the millions of people who have tuned in to one of Katie’s shows over the years, whether that was “Getting There” with us at theSkimm, the TODAY Show, or the CBS Evening News. Which -- by the way -- made her the first solo female anchor of a major nightly news broadcast. But that’s not where her story starts: Katie started out by interning at local news stations in high school. And after college, she wor...
Oct 19, 2018•37 min
Tory Burch is the founder, chairman, and CEO of … Tory Burch. You know her as the woman (and the name) behind so many of your favorite clothes. But way before she created those iconic Reva flats, she built a career in fashion PR, working for designers like Ralph Lauren and Vera Wang. Tory eventually made the switch from PR… to designing her own clothes, and running her own business. That was 2004. These days, her clothes are sold in more than 250 Tory Burch stores and over 3,000 department and s...
Oct 17, 2018•31 min
You might know Taraji P Henson as Cookie on “Empire,” or from her roles in movies like “Hustle and Flow” and “Hidden Figures.” But you might not know the rest of Taraji’s story. She’s always wanted to be an actor. But she didn’t take her passion seriously until she flunked out of precalculus in college. After school, she moved to Los Angeles to chase her dreams -- with just $700 in her pocket. And she made it happen. Now, Taraji’s using her voice to create change in a new way. She started the Bo...
Oct 10, 2018•33 min
Nancy Brinker started the Susan G Komen Foundation in 1982 after her sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. Back then, she had just $200 and a list of potential donors. Now, it’s one of the largest cancer charities in the world. In the 40 years since the organization got started, Nancy and the foundation have raised $3 billion to help fund cancer research. On the couch, she talks to us about starting the Susan G Komen Foundation, motivating a team, and taking breast cancer from a taboo subject...
Oct 03, 2018•33 min
