294 episodes

The work advice you need, from women who’ve been there. Every week, join the co-founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm, Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg, as they help you get what you want out of your career by talking to the smartest leaders they know.

9 to 5ish with theSkimm theSkimm

    • Business
    • 4.5 • 1.8K Ratings

The work advice you need, from women who’ve been there. Every week, join the co-founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm, Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg, as they help you get what you want out of your career by talking to the smartest leaders they know.

    Ancestry CEO Deb Liu on Taking Your Power Back at Work

    Ancestry CEO Deb Liu on Taking Your Power Back at Work

    Ancestry CEO Deb Liu grew up in one of the only Asian families in South Carolina. To avoid being teased, she mostly kept to herself. It wasn’t until Deb got to Stanford Business School when she realized: she had to learn to speak up. That realization spurred her long career in Silicon Valley. But Deb says, without some openness and vulnerability from herself and others, it never would’ve happened. 

    In this episode, Deb shares:

    Why she should’ve been fired from her first product management role

    How being open and vulnerable with her boss actually helped her career 

    Key moments from her tech-heavy product career at eBay + Facebook  

    Why being a “strategic introvert” allowed her to contribute more effectively at work

    Her most used tip from her new book, Take Your Power Back

    • 28 min
    Mandy Moore on Not Letting Competition Distract You

    Mandy Moore on Not Letting Competition Distract You

    The late-90s bubblegum pop music defined Mandy Moore’s career. She always knew she was her record label’s answer to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Mandy also knew she’d never be them – and that was okay with her. In this episode of 9 to 5ish, Mandy shares advice on how to know your competition without becoming distracted by it. 

    In this episode, Mandy shares: 

    The boy band she’d tour with again 

    Why having parents who didn’t want to manage her was the secret to her success

    How she managed to be unbothered by the pop industry’s comparison loop 

    Her go-to practices for easing her public speaking anxiety 

    A skimm of her latest project, The Boars’ Nest

    • 24 min
    Alex Wagner on Being Persistent to Get What You Want

    Alex Wagner on Being Persistent to Get What You Want

    Growing up with a politico father in Washington D.C., Alex Wagner initially swore off any career that dealt with politics. 25-ish years later, Alex is the primetime anchor of MSNBC's “Alex Wagner Tonight,” a show about the news and politics shaping our world. Talk about a 180. In this episode of 9 to 5ish, Alex tells us how doing everything she was not “supposed” to do jump-started her media career. 

    In this episode, Alex shares: 

    How a pair of vintage heels nearly ruined her job interview with George Clooney 

    The influence her father’s political work had on her own career

    How she wiggled her way into media with zero connections in the industry 

    Why writing her memoir was the hardest thing she’s done professionally 

    The lessons she learned from Rachel Maddow when she took over her primetime slot

    • 29 min
    Ava DuVernay on How Listening Will Help You Level Up Your Career

    Ava DuVernay on How Listening Will Help You Level Up Your Career

    Award-winning director and producer Ava DuVernay, known for her groundbreaking films like “Selma,” “A Wrinkle In Time,” and “Origin,” didn’t actually start her career behind the camera. She spent years working in public relations before taking the plunge and pivoting in her 30s. Spoiler: it paid off. And she’s got an Academy Award to show for it. To kick off our new season of "9 to 5ish," we spoke to Ava about how she embraced change and found joy in her career.

    PS: Ava’s film, “Origin,” will be streaming on demand starting March 12.

    In this episode, Ava shares: 

    Why she’s intentional about finding joy in her work 

    What “ear hustling” is – and why it’s helped her level up in her career 

    How she’s learned to embrace change in her industry 

    The secret to a good working partnership (plus, what she’s learned from Oprah)

    • 22 min
    Special Election Episode: Governor Nikki Haley

    Special Election Episode: Governor Nikki Haley

    Today, we’ve got a special bonus episode of “9 to 5ish” for you. Our guest is Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and former US Ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump Administration. She’s currently running for the Republican nomination for president. In this episode, we talk to Governor Haley about the job she wants, running against her former boss, and her positions on reproductive rights, the economy, and more. 

    At theSkimm, we’ve mobilized hundreds of thousands of women to vote. And it’s important that we hear directly from the candidates about the policy positions that impact women. We’ve also invited President Biden and former president Trump to sit down with us. 

    • 29 min
    "Fashion’s Godmother," Fern Mallis on Why Being Nice is Underrated

    "Fashion’s Godmother," Fern Mallis on Why Being Nice is Underrated

    Fern Mallis – aka “fashion’s godmother” – is a legend in the industry. She’s the founder of New York Fashion Week and the former executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Over decades working behind the scenes, Fern has seen it all – from disasters, to demanding personalities, to less-than-friendly behavior. So it makes sense that Fern told us her best piece of career advice is refreshingly simple: Just be nice. Your move, Miranda Priestly. 

    In this episode, Fern shares: 

    Her behind-the-scenes look into the fashion world 

    The origin story of Fashion Week 

    How she’s thought about reinventing herself and her career

    Why she’s never stuck to a career plan 

    How she got her biggest opportunities by raising her hand 


    Psst: Need a movie rec? Catch “Scrambled,” at a theater near you starting February 2nd. Rated R, under 17 not admitted without parent.

    • 33 min

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5
1.8K Ratings

1.8K Ratings

Jet Screamer0769 ,

Jen Psaki…

Amazing woman. Amazing interview. Loved her thoughts on men in mentorship for women, and not being a person (man or woman) that climbed the ladder and pulled it up behind them. 💯

Very grounded. Incredibly authentic. A home run here. Well done. And THANK YOU!

ThisWarofYours ,

Platforming an Anti-Abortion Politician

Gross.

RieslingM ,

Amazing podcast

I LOVE this podcast! I often find that my podcast feed is filled with male voices, stories and perspective, and it’s so refreshing to have 3 women each episode talk about business! I learn something new every time.

I often send friends and colleagues this podcast, and want to send them quotes from the episode to get them hooked. I wish you all provided a transcript so it was easy to quote and search in the episode to give better recommendations to friends!

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