In this compelling podcast episode, host Amy Jo engages in an on stage conversation with Nadya Okamoto, a force to be reckoned with in the entrepreneurial world. Nadya, Founder & CEO of August, a sustainable tampon and pad company, has not only pioneered eco-friendly menstruation products but also led the charge against period poverty through her non-profit organization, PERIOD, all at the age of 25. They explore Nadya's remarkable journey, beginning with her entrepreneurial spirit kindled i...
Nov 27, 2023•39 min•Season 6Ep. 309
Sophia Amoruso is a serial entrepreneur, a New York Times Bestselling Author, and the original #GirlBoss. In this episode, she shares how she started a company from the back of her ‘87 Volvo, scaled it to a $100 million, and how she has reinvented and rebuilt herself in the process. In this candid conversation, Sophia shares the unvarnished truths of her journey, shedding light on the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in the world of venture capital. She opens up about her experiences in ...
Nov 20, 2023•56 min•Season 6Ep. 308
Matt Lombardi, former professional athlete and Co-Founder of Beam, joins Amy Jo for a heartfelt conversation covering inspiration, heartbreak, mental health and everything in between. Beam crafts functional wellness products designed to enhance sleep, calm, energy, recovery, and hydration, reshaping the landscape of health and wellness. Amy Jo and Matt dive deep into the essence of Matt's remarkable journey. They explore the inseparable relationship between risk and reward, shedding light on the...
Nov 06, 2023•49 min•Season 6Ep. 307
Join Amy Jo as she delves deep with Jodi Shelton, the remarkable co-founder and president of the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA). Jodi's story is one of relentless determination and unwavering dedication, she will outwork most anyone in a room evident from the fact she’s held a job since 6th grade). Throughout the conversation, Amy Jo and Jodi explore topics that have shaped Jodi's extraordinary journey. They discuss her insatiable passion for travel and exploring different cultures, highlig...
Oct 30, 2023•47 min•Season 6Ep. 306
Get to know the REAL person behind the personality. Matthew McConaughey has depth and shares things in this episode that we’ve never heard before. We all know him from the big screen, but this wide-ranging conversation takes unexpected turns and give us a glimpse into his life behind the scenes. You’ll hear the Matthew behind the @officiallymcconaughey. Matthew is an Academy Award winning Actor, Producer and College Professor. In this episode he shares amazing stories, tactical insights and less...
Sep 25, 2023•41 min•Season 6Ep. 305
Marcus Buckingham is the author of two of the best selling business books of all time. He studies psychometrics for a living and brings research into everything he does to unlock strengths, increase performance and help pioneer the future of how people work. Both his insight, and storytelling, are unrivaled. In the episode, Marcus reveals what he perceives as the fundamental key to life. He uses research to underscore how being in love serves as a prescription that enhances our intelligence. Con...
Sep 18, 2023•58 min•Season 6Ep. 304
Scott O’Neil stands as one of the most accomplished and multifaceted executives, excelling across both the professional sports and corporate domains. Currently serving as the CEO of Merlin Entertainment and acclaimed author of “Be Where Your Feet Are,” his prowess transcends industries. His legacy is underscored by former leadership roles as CEO of the NHL’s NJ Devils, NBA’s Philadelphia 76’ers, and the Prudential Center. Scott has been through extreme ups and downs in his life, but finds joy in...
Sep 11, 2023•52 min•Season 6Ep. 303
Brittany Hiller is the COO of Renegade and the complementary Yin to Amy Jo's Yang. Britt embodies a fusion of razor-sharp legal acumen with entrepreneurial artistry. Discover how Britt’s journey took an unexpected turn from attorney to CMO, and how her remarkable results led to her taking the reins as CEO, leading the organization in 200+% topline growth in 2.5 years and a nine-figure exit, all before the age of 32. In this episode, Amy Jo delves into the synergy between her distinct skill set a...
Sep 04, 2023•51 min•Season 6Ep. 302
Brad Slater, Senior Talent Partner at William Morris Endeavor, wears the badge of most untraditional agent in Hollywood with pride.He has represented some of the most prominent names in entertainment, professional sports, and business, including The Rock, Lebron James and Megan Markle. He continues to push the boundaries and reinvent his role in a traditional industry - again and again. In this episode, Brad unveils his tips for maintaining success in the world of sales, along with the advice th...
Aug 28, 2023•59 min•Season 6Ep. 301
Alexis Jones lives at an intersection few entrepreneurs journey to - the crossroads of entertainment and activism. As a three time founder, executive producer, author, activist, and former Survivor contestant, Alexis’ journey to discovering alignment and joy has been anything but boring - or linear. In the candid interview, Alexis recounts her bold journey of upending the status quo and navigating through the initial panic of reinvention. Discover the pivotal catalyst that guided her to prioriti...
Aug 21, 2023•55 min•Season 6Ep. 300
Alli Webb is the Co-Founder of Drybar, a New York Times Bestselling Author, Canopy President, and the Co-Founder of Squeeze and Becket + Quill. Alli is the kind of person who skips the small talk and dives right into the deep end. There is nothing off limits for her. In this episode, recorded live at the 2022 Renegade Summit, Alli discusses how she turned her simple business idea into a brick and mortar reality, then a national sensation, during a recession and in a location where all previous b...
Aug 12, 2023•56 min•Season 6Ep. 299
Join us on this episode of Why Not Now? as we delve into Melanie Strong's extraordinary journey from a 17-year tenure as a top executive at Nike to co-founding Next Ventures, a venture capital firm, with Lance Armstrong. Melanie shared her pivotal Why Not Now moment that ignited her career reinvention, propelling her into the realm of angel investing and funding. Despite her initial lack of venture capital experience, Melanie's intuitive approach, coupled with her background as a teacher and jou...
Aug 05, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 6Ep. 298
Welcome to a special episode of Why Not Now? where we are lifting the veil on the investing spectrum.. Recorded live at 2023 SXSW, Amy Jo is joined by two remarkable Renegades: Noramay Cadena, Managing Partner at Supply Chain Capital, a venture capital firm investing at the intersection of food and technology, and Britt Hiller, Renegade Global’s COO, attorney, founder, and executive lead on multiple private equity and strategic transactions.. Together, the dynamic trio open source information on...
Jul 22, 2023•29 min•Season 6Ep. 297
Constance Schwartz-Morini is the co-founder and CEO of SMAC Entertainment, a talent management firm, business incubator, and Emmy-nominated production company she has created in partnership with Michael Strahan. Constance has developed the modern playbook for how athletes and entertainers navigate their multifaceted careers while developing businesses and strategic partnerships that expand reputation and onboard audiences.In this week's episode, Constance reveals her strategic negotiation tactic...
Jul 08, 2023•51 min•Season 6Ep. 296
Jesse Draper is one of the 50 most connected women in America, and a true trailblazer. Jesse is not only a highly successful venture capitalist, but is also a dedicated mother of three. As the founder of Halogen Ventures, a female focused venture fund, she has built an impressive portfolio of over 70 companies, focusing on accelerating access to capital and deal flow while championing the empowerment of female investors and female entrepreneurs. In this week’s episode, Jesse shares her inspiring...
May 20, 2023•48 min•Season 6Ep. 295
Jason Mraz is a Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter. But what you may not know is that he's also a passionate farmer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. In this episode, Jason talks to Amy Jo about music's power to harmonize humanity in a time where many of us feel divided. Jason and Amy Jo also discuss his Why Not Now? moment that took him from Farmville, Virginia to sunny California. After visiting the west coast for the first time, he knew he had to go back. So unsure of the road ahead, Jas...
Feb 27, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 6Ep. 294
Kerry Michaels is the Co-Founder & CEO of William Murray Golf. Yes…as in the actor, Bill Murray. Kerry oversees millions of dollars in annual revenue. Hers is a true story of asking for forgiveness instead of permission. This conversation is all about taking control of your own career, taking action and getting sh*t done. Kerry, and her Why Not Now? moment which you’ll hear, are hard proof of this. In this episode, Kerry shares the story of how she got into business with Bill and his brother...
Feb 13, 2023•42 min•Season 6Ep. 293
This episode is the final in our “Best Of 2022” series. Regan Walsh, Chief Renegade Officer at Renegade Global, is an incredible people leader who has coached some of the top executives at Nike, Wall Street and everything in-between. She navigates her own life with constant curiosity and guides others around healthy boundaries by shifting the way people lead. In this episode, Amy Jo and Regan discuss their point of view on perfection and provide tactical steps you can take to optimize your day, ...
Jan 16, 2023•40 min•Season 5Ep. 292
This episode was another of our most popular, and most listened to, episodes in 2022. Phyllis Newhouse has quite the resume. She is the first African American woman to lead a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC), the first woman ever to win the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of the Year award in the technology category, she’s on the board of the Women’s Presidents Organization and is a pioneer in business. She is a retired senior military officer, a CEO, an investor and serial entrepreneur...
Jan 09, 2023•53 min•Season 6Ep. 291
This episode was our most popular, and most listened to, show in 2022! Vanessa Van Edwards is the Lead Behavioral Investigator at Science of People - a company she founded over 15 years ago. She is an internationally acclaimed speaker and author of two books, Captivate and Cues. Vanessa guides people on mastering the secret language of charismatic communication, and in this episode, Vanessa dives into the specifics of charisma. We ask the question “Are you born with it or can you learn?” and Van...
Dec 26, 2022•56 min•Season 5Ep. 290
Kristen Bell and Monica Padman joined Amy Jo on the Why Not Now? show for our 250th Episode. Don’t miss this incredibly honest conversation about gender equality, mentorship, confidence, and asking for support. Kristen Bell and Monica Padman share some insight into their podcast, We Are Supported By... They interviewed inspirational women like Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem, and Malala Yousafzai about how they have put cracks in the glass ceiling. The women share their Why Not Now? moments. Monic...
Dec 19, 2022•32 min•Season 5Ep. 289
Marcus Buckingham is the author of two of the best selling business books of all time. He studies psychometrics for a living and brings research into everything he does. Both his insight, and storytelling, are unrivaled. In the episode, Marcus exposes the key to life as he sees it. He dives into the fact that as humans, when we are in love, we are smarter. On the flip side, he also explains how there are consequences when love is repressed. The bio-chemical make up of our brain is unimaginable. ...
Dec 05, 2022•59 min•Season 5Ep. 288
Mike Evans, the founder of Grubhub, author of “Hangry” and founder of Fixer, is one of the most grounded and passionate workers around. He knows how to start from nothing and build success. Mike took Grubhub public. The company had a multibillion dollar IPO. Even though that might sound “successful” to everyone else, Mike defines success for himself. He says success is all about alignment. In this week’s episode, Mike challenges the question of “why stay?” and flips it to “why leave?”. He discus...
Nov 28, 2022•38 min•Season 5Ep. 287
Alli Webb is the Co-Founder of the wildly successful Drybar, a New York Times Bestselling Author and Canopy President. She is also a Co-Founder of Squeeze and Becket + Quill. Alli is the kind of person who skips the small talk and dives right into the deep end. There is nothing off limits for her. In this episode, recorded live at the 2022 Renegade Summit, Alli discusses how she turned her simple business idea into a brick and mortar reality, then a national sensation, during a recession and in ...
Nov 07, 2022•56 min•Season 5Ep. 286
Brad Slater is one of the top talent agents in the world and a Senior Talent Partner at William Morris Endeavor. He represents some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Professional Sports and Business. Amy Jo and Brad have been friends for over a decade and she has learned so much from him, both personally and professionally, during that time. This conversation was recorded live at the 2022 Renegade Summit. Brad starts by discussing his Why Not Now? moment - in which he took the most untraditiona...
Oct 26, 2022•59 min•Season 5Ep. 285
Renegade graduate Syrita Steib is running for US Senate in the state of Louisiana. If elected, she will be the first black women to ever hold that position. Her story is remarkable. She grew up in a small rural town surrounded by sugar cane, spent 10 years in prison and has successfully created, and passed, legislation that is changing the narrative for many people. In this discussion with Amy Jo, Syrita talks about her trauma that led her to prison and the moments since that have motivated her ...
Oct 10, 2022•44 min•Season 5Ep. 384
Nadya Okamoto is the Founder & CEO of August, a company that makes sustainable tampons and pads. She is also an influencer with 3 million TikTok followers. Entrepreneurship is in her bones. She started her first non profit, at the age of 16, to find a solution to a problem that she faced growing up. She is now 24 and has started multiple companies. The non-profit is still growing. Nadya has grown from a place of understanding and processing who she is. She is incredibly self aware, unapologe...
Aug 22, 2022•54 min•Season 5Ep. 283
Renegade Grad, Chanel Dokun, helps women step into a calling greater than their career. She is a master at guiding others to find their life purpose and build a plan around it. Her new, and first, book “Life Starts Now: How to Create the Life You’ve Been Waiting For”, was released this week. Chanel used to work in magazine publishing. She thought it was her dream job, but found herself with the growing feeling that it was not enough. None of her strategies were working. As a result, she left to ...
Aug 16, 2022•39 min•Season 5Ep. 282
Marisa Thalberg is one of the most iconic CMO’s out there. She is the Executive Vice President and Chief Brand & Marketing Officer at Lowe’s Companies, Inc. Marisa has previously worked for Estee Lauder Companies, Revlon, J. Walter Thompson, as well as built Taco Bell into the lifestyle brand we know it to be today. In this episode, recorded live at the Cannes Lions Festival in France; the advertising Super Bowl, Amy Jo and Marisa discuss weaving in and out of business and life. You’ll dive ...
Aug 01, 2022•41 min•Season 5Ep. 281
Liz Matthews is the Senior Vice President of Global Brand, Creative and Experiential Marketing at Dell Technologies. She oversee’s all brand at Dell, which is a 100 billion dollar company. Liz has around 700 people who report up to her. Her leadership style is unmatched. It has to be. In this episode, recorded live at the 2022 Cannes Lions Festival in France, Amy Jo and Liz discuss what it means to be a leader today. They explore what teams need now versus what they may have needed in a leader a...
Jul 27, 2022•41 min•Season 5Ep. 280
