In this conversation, Lauren hosts Dr. Akilah Cadet for a heartwarming chat about the importance of embracing one's intersectionality and finding confidence in yourself. They go all in on talking through topics such as codeswitching, imposter syndrome, and the challenges faced by marginalized individuals in corporate environments. Dr. Cadet pulls from her personal experiences as a Black, disabled woman and offers advice on how to overcome self-doubt -- and seek validation from within. Lauren and...
Sep 18, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 4
In this conversation, Lauren Alvarez interviews Chris Grdovic, Chief Partnerships Officer at Goldbelly. They discuss Chris's career journey, including her time at Food and Wine and her experience on the very first season of reality TV show, Top Chef. They also talk about the importance of collaboration, trust, and caring in building successful teams. Chris shares her insights on creating a fun and approachable environment in the food industry and highlights the significance of assuming the best ...
Sep 04, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 3
In this episode, Lauren hosts fashion’s favorite spiritual stylist and the founder of AuraWear, Susanna Merrick. Susanna discusses her work as an aura reader and stylist, and how color can influence our energy and style choices. She shares her personal journey of discovering her gift of seeing auras and explains their connection to our energy and emotions, the power of color, and how it can be used as a tool for intentional dressing and self-expression. With an emphasis on the importance of self...
Aug 21, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 2
It's time for season 2, and on this all-new episode of DFTU, Lauren welcomes Lisa Conn, CEO and Co-Founder of Gatheround, to share her insights on leadership, virtual spaces, and work-life balance. Lisa discusses the natural roles people play in challenging situations, the impact of virtual environments on behavior, and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. She defines success, explores the motivation behind her ambition, and highlights the power of delegation in leadership. Lisa an...
Aug 07, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 1
On today’s episode of Don’t F*ck This Up, Lauren welcomes stand-up comic and writer, Tamara Shevon. Tamara opens up about her spontaneous post-graduation move to Beijing - and how living in China led to her trying her hand at stand up comedy. We talk about the importance of putting in the work, having respect for the craft, and why you can’t cut corners in comedy, as well as distinguishing between overly critical comments and constructive feedback. Ever considered giving stand up a try? Tamara w...
Apr 24, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 30
This week on Don’t F*ck This Up, Lauren hosts a conversation with the Founder and Star Baker of Totally Sweet Baking, Brooksie Edmondson. Brooksie shares what it took to go from retail store manager with a vegan baking side hustle to full-time vegan baking company owner with a burgeoning list of wholesale clients. We discuss taking risks and having the right support systems in place, why growing your company is not always linear, and what it actually takes to make your passion into your full-tim...
Apr 17, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 29
This week on Don’t F*ck This Up, Lauren hosts the CEO, Founder, and Inventor of Shhhowercap, Jacquelyn De Jesu Center. The multi-million dollar patent portfolio holder takes us through creating her wildly successful product and what it takes to build a brand that pulses and lives. We talk about some important things: being intuitive, rising above the imitators, and the tension between being a ball-buster and being vulnerable. Plus, Jacquelyn divulges the types of people she surrounds herself wit...
Apr 03, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 28
In this week’s episode, Lauren hosts Jazerai Allen-Lord, sneaker icon and Founder of True to Size. Jazerai opens up about turning her passion for community, culture, and sneakers into a career and we discuss finding community in the early internet days. Jaz shares how she gained confidence through other’s beliefs in her abilities, and the pivotal coaching she received when starting her own agency. We also get personal, and the ‘Comeback Kid’ talks about the value of keeping some things private, ...
Mar 20, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 27
This week, Lauren sits down with Karen Karch, the Founder, Creative Director, Designer, and Owner of Karen Karch Jewelry. Karen is all about defying convention: from being the subject of her own internship at Parsons and pioneering the “Dangerous Jewelry” movement, to her innovative approach to fine jewelry design and the evolution of her iconic bridal line. We discuss the importance of learning the hard way, the challenge of setting trends, and the need to create one’s own creative bubble. Kare...
Mar 13, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 26
This week, Lauren sits down with marketing executive, confidence coach, tarot practitioner, and the founder of The Girl Mob, Yari Blanco. Yari reflects on lessons learned during her year-long sabbatical, from navigating friend breakups and confronting her people-pleasing tendencies, to relinquishing the idea of control and changing her relationship with money. We discuss being the hero - or the victim - in your own story, how to avoid self-sabotage, and the importance of risk-taking and having a...
Mar 06, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 25
On this week’s episode of Don’t F*ck this Up, Lauren has the opportunity to catch up with hairstylist and educator, Kate Schlichter. She’s the owner of Lost Hills LA and the founder of forthcoming haircare line, TOSL. They discuss Kate’s roots as a PNW punk rocker, her huge move to London, and the realities of training at industry juggernauts, Vidal Sassoon and Bumble and Bumble. Though she never set out to own her own salon, Kate’s dedication to her craft and desire to build a community space w...
Feb 28, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 24
It’s Episode 23 of Don’t F*ck This Up, and this week, Lauren sits down with marketing and brand strategist and the founder of The Curious Bird, Anjali Lewis. Anjali shares her career journey filled with pivotal moments and invaluable lessons - from fashion, to publishing and editorial, to planting a stake in the ground with her own consultancy. We discuss what it means to build a career out of necessity, early bosses who saw our potential, and some memorable ‘cut-the-shit’ moments. Anjali reflec...
Feb 21, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 23
We’re back from the break, and this week’s episode of Don’t F*ck this Up is right on time for Valentine's Day, because it's all about pleasure. Lauren is joined by board-certified gynecologist, sex medicine and menopause expert, Dr. Karen Toubi. From vivid memories in 7th grade, where she declared her future as a gynecologist, to her unwavering commitment to revolutionizing women’s health, Dr. Toubi shares her heart-first decision to pursue a career dedicated to the most intimate parts of her pa...
Feb 14, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 22
On this week’s episode of Don’t F*ck this Up, Lauren sits down with the incredible Jess Rona, entrepreneurial powerhouse and founder behind the multidimensional brand that is Jess Rona Grooming. You might have always wondered, what happens when you’re both a top improv talent and an award-winning groomer? Well, in Jess Rona’s case, you make a web series, film a library of educational content, open a brick and mortar, attract some amazing A-list clients, make incredible content, write a screenpla...
Jan 31, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 21
On this week’s episode of Don’t F*ck this Up, Lauren is joined by negotiation coach and founder of The Finishing School, Alison Taffel-Rabinowitz. An unstoppable force on a mission to revolutionize your job hunt game, Alison is all in when it comes to empowering individuals to unleash their storytelling prowess, land their dream jobs, and secure the bag - $1M in raises and counting! Alison and Lauren spill the beans on standing out in a competitive job market, negotiation strategies that start l...
Jan 24, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 20
On this week’s episode of Don’t F*ck this Up, Lauren sits down with the trailblazing Cindy Gallop. Cindy is a brand and business innovator, the Founder of Make Love Not Porn, the Founder and CEO of If We Ran The World, and is globally considered the Godmother of Sextech. As a fearless advocate for change in every industry she encounters, Cindy takes us on her journey of spearheading the social sex revolution. She sheds light on the untapped potential of an industry often shrouded in stigma, disc...
Jan 17, 2024•46 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Episode 18 of Don’t F*ck This Up is here, and this week, Lauren hosts storyteller, creator and communications specialist, Mike Platco. We discuss his unexpected career path that took him from wrestling rings and calligraphy pens to Snapchat doodles, the TedX stage, and collaborating with Disney. Named one of the 50 most creative people in business by Fast Company, Mike shares why failure is always an option, the importance of enjoying your work, and the choices he made when burnout came knocking...
Jan 10, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Episode 17 of Don’t F*ck This Up is here, and this week, Lauren hosts an invigorating conversation with writer, creative director and cultural expert, Massaër Ndiaye. They hash out the realities of working cross-culturally - and across the globe, why chasing relevancy will never satisfy, and the importance of having diverse teams at all levels. Massaër also lets us in on what it’s like to move from Paris to Menlo Park, how he gained entry to the African Cup of Nations, and why courtroom fashion ...
Jan 03, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Episode 16 of Don’t F*ck This Up is here, and this week, Lauren sits down with director, writer and producer, Gavin Bellour. They discuss his incredibly dynamic career straddling the commercial, editorial, content and advertising worlds, the happy accident that led to his first gig, and the struggle to find balance between being over- and under-prepared. Gavin also offers a hearty helping of advice to aspiring directors and folks looking to grow their professional networks, and why coming in wit...
Dec 20, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Episode 15 of Don’t F*ck This Up is here, and this week it’s an incredible conversation centered around career, design, and choice with Abby Mills, Staff Product Designer at Faire, and the founder of Abby on the Internet. Abby and Lauren discuss how to go for things outside your comfort zone, the downsides of 100% remote work, and the important distinction between management and leadership. Plus, Abby shares how she leverages design thinking for everything from home renovations to sewing project...
Dec 13, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Episode 14 of Don’t F*ck This Up is here, and this week we’re sitting down with Scott Kaylin, CEO and Founder of Kaylin + Kaylin Pickle. That's right, it’s The PickleMan himself! A lifelong entrepreneur and get-up-and-do-the-damn-thing-er, Scott takes us on his journey into Pickleland and why it’s never too late to try something new. Along the way, we talk about career reinvention, what led to his company going completely viral and why he means it when he says, “Happiness in every crunch”. So c’...
Dec 06, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Episode 13 of Don’t F*ck This Up is here, and this week’s guest is none other than social media coach, educator, speaker and content creator, Jera Bean . She cracks open the tool kit - and the four types of secret sauce - on things she calls ‘messy action’, failing forward, and the vulnerability hangover. We talk about why social media isn’t fake, the importance of trial and error, and how to overcome people who are dedicated to misunderstanding you. Download, review, and follow the podcast so y...
Nov 29, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 13
In Episode 12 of Don’t F*ck This Up, it's a dynamic, refreshing and can’t-miss conversation with engineering leader turned employee experience executive and coach, Ash Coleman, aka: Ash Your Tech Bestie. We’re pulling up with a full plate, so help yourself to a heaping spoonful of discussion around how to know if big tech is right for you, the problem with the term professionalism, and what it means to choose a career where you’re putting business strategy to human emotions and identities. Downl...
Nov 15, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Episode 11 of Don’t F*ck This Up brings Lauren to a conversation with Dr. Desmond Wilson, MD, an internal medicine doctor and the founder of Silo Health, a concierge medical practice focusing on men’s health and longevity. Dr. Des shares what led him to starting his own practice, how telehealth can remove barriers for difficult conversations, and his experience of being the only Black male medical student in his class - and the resulting double-edged sword of tokenism. We also dive into the limi...
Nov 08, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 11
It’s Episode 10 of Don’t F*ck This Up, and this week, Lauren sits down with Executive Coach, Mary Connelly. They discuss the pivots and hallmarks of Mary’s can’t-make-this-up career path which took her from bartending in Chelsea, to American Fashion Director at Vogue, to launching her own consultancy as an executive coach. We get into diagnosing imposter syndrome, ways to build your confidence when interviewing, and what Mary calls the ‘cosmic shove’. We also talk about what happens when a kid f...
Nov 01, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 10
In Episode 9 of Don’t F*ck This Up, Lauren links up with Nike Global Trainer and the Founder of Made Of Protein, Kirsty Godso. Kirsty and Lauren talk toxic enlightenment, the downside of Erewhon smoothies, LA vs. NYC, and why it’s always a good idea to bet on yourself. Kirsty also shares why it's okay to work in private, how not having boundaries literally broke her body and the reason she considers herself a professional cheerleader. Download, review, and follow the podcast so you never miss an...
Oct 25, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In Episode 8 of Don’t F*ck This Up, Lauren sits down with Boston-based licensed therapist, Beth Niernberg. Beth and Lauren discuss being a pillar in your community, how the global pandemic forever changed the way therapists - and patients - approach therapy, and how there isn’t a diagnosis code for having shitty parents. Beth also shares what she would do differently if she was becoming a therapist today, what makes her weepy, and why TikTok therapists make her crawl out of her skin. Download, r...
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Episode 7 of Don’t F*ck This Up is here, and this week, Lauren hosts photographer, filmmaker and visual creative, Noémie Marguerite. The conversation goes deep on trademarking your intention (quite literally in her case!), the pressures and performance of being on Instagram and how to continue growing when you’re your own boss. Noémie also shares why self-portraiture has helped her gain a level of empathy towards studio sessions and the wisdom she uncovered from her younger self. Download, revie...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 7
On Episode 6 of Don’t F*ck This Up, Lauren meets up with Sports & Rehab Chiropractor and founder of Lagana Wellness Company, Dr. Jenna Lagana. The discussion goes deep on the massive jump from classroom to clinic, the importance of knowing your core values as a business owner, and how a chance meeting with a chiropractor at age 10 set the course for Jenna’s career path. Dr. Lagana also lets us in on what it’s actually like to be a team doctor for Team USA Fencing and who her perfect patient ...
Oct 04, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Happy Wednesday, and welcome to Episode 5 of Don’t F*ck This Up! This week, Lauren sits down with celebrity hair colorist, Aura Friedman (aka: Aura Colorist). They get right down to it, covering the importance of companies listening to what their hires actually want to do, why stepping back can help propel you forward, and the importance of creating a path for others to have a cool career. Rate, follow, review the show and email your career gripes and terrible boss stories to advice@dontfckthisu...
Sep 27, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 5
