9 to 5ish with theSkimm

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 professional identities The people who got our gue...

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 films on the big screen.  In this episode, Carey...

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 the leader she is today.    In this episode, Ashley...

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, Lisa shares: The reporting experiences she had as...

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 Instead, there were outdated tropes about what moms should be – and what they shouldn’t. That sparked the idea for their company, Motherly, a digital platform centering moms through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 parent, and everything in between. And today, Jill and...

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. AKA: the company behind our binge worthy faves li...

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 of skin and in between.  In this episode, Deepica...

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 pitfalls of Hollywood. In this episode, Constance shar...

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 picking up beer bottles and jackets. Today, Eve shares...

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.  In this episode, Indra shares: How her teachers...

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 family. Today, we talk about mental health and how bein...

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.  In this episode, Jen shares: Her fave sub-reddi...

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 career and taking a pause when you need to.  In th...

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 Bronx (shout out @ Jenny from the block) Why she’ll...

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 combo of non-profit advocacy work and for-profit busin...

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, why being told no was important to their growth,...

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 with unconventional skill sets – has a place in a b...

This week, we’re throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes from last year. Brooke Shields has been a household name ever since she did her first commercial, at just 11 months old. As a teenage model and actress being managed by her mother, Brooke found her own image sexualized — but refused to play along with the media’s expectations. Since then, she’s acted on Broadway, starred in sitcoms...

From freelancing as a college student to logging tape, Dana Bash worked her way up the ladder at CNN. Now, she comes to us live on TV as CNN’s chief political correspondent, covering elections and the biggest political news. Dana says she wouldn’t have gotten there without luck– and some good old fashioned patience. This week, she spills the secrets of her career marathon, and how to pace yourself...

Maria Shriver never felt the pressure to go into politics like the rest of her family. Instead, her parents asked her: what moves you? She took that question and ran with it. Fascinated by storytelling, Maria led a decades-long career in journalism. But then she became first lady of California. And NBC asked her to leave. Looking back, Maria says: it was a blessing in disguise. In this episode, Ma...

Before Audie Cornish made the jump to CNN, she was a longtime co-host of NPR’s All Things Considered. And while she made interviewing politicians and celebs look like NBD, she says she had to deal with a “professional identity crisis” after becoming a new mom. This week, we sat down with Audie to talk about how her professional life changed after she had kids, and how motherhood impacted her minds...

When you look at Beth Ford’s resume, you probably didn’t know the Land O’ Lakes CEO started out detasseling corn for $2 an hour and cleaning toilets as a janitor. And Beth told us she wouldn’t have ever become CEO without those jobs. Because being successful in business comes from learning about people – and celebrating wins at every level.  In this episode, Beth shares: The string of odd jobs she...

After a 30-year-career in law enforcement, Victoria Eady Butler did what most people do. She retired. But just days into relaxing and investing in new hobbies, she kicked retirement to the curb. And instead, opted for the chance to learn about what she says is in her blood: whiskey blending, at Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey.  In this episode, Victoria shares: Her favorite cocktail (hint: it includ...

As a kid, Eva Longoria dreamed of being a professional volunteer one day. Her mother’s response? That’s not a job, sweetie. Instead, she was a Texas pageant queen, became a headhunter, and moved to LA. And despite knowing no one in Hollywood when she first arrived, Eva became a household name for her role in “Desperate Housewives.” Now, Eva’s defied expectations again and expanded her resume to in...

When Fidji Simo was an exec at Facebook, she discovered she had a chronic health condition. That meant: taking meetings from her bed, fainting at work, and awkward conversations with her bosses. That experience taught Fidji how to be a leader while taking care of herself and putting her health first. A lesson she now brings to her team at Instacart, where she’s the CEO.  In this episode, Fidji sha...