Mutha Life

On this episode, we sit down with Paige Port, the president of Dear Media and a mother of two. Paige shares her journey from various internships (shout out Red Sox and fellow intern alum, @AlexEdelman), working for her sister Whitney Port, to her current role at Dear Media. The conversation covers what I like to think of as an 'intuitive trajectory,' one where you go from job to job because you're...

Today we have Dan Cooley in the closet and it's so annoyingly cliche that he happens to be extremely cool. Dan is a seasoned locations manager in the film industry and he shares his career journey, spanning over 60 films and TV projects, including 'Spider-Man 3', 'Milk', and 'New Girl'. Dan discusses the unexpected path to his unique role, the dynamic challenges, and the magic behind some iconic s...

Let's hang with Jeannie Roshar. In this episode, this director and accidental MOMager walks us through her career - from improv and a breakout music video (featuring heavily pregnant, lingerie clad, ladies) to a multi-faceted directing career with Blippi, Life Hacks for Kids and so much more. We cover so much in this episode, having your kids in 'SHOWBIZ', division of labor, expectations around wo...

Marketing guru Lisa Licht says hello from the other side...of parenting. While never taking her foot off the pedal of her career, Lisa's three kids are now all grown up and...still seem to like her! Lisa has been climbing the corporate ladder since college and has worked at so many of your favorite places, guiding marketing strategy and toeing the line of the marketing frontier in fast-changing ti...

TW: Cancer This week, we hang out in the closet with Elissa Kalver. She's a force of nature: a dynamic Mutha who has had many careers, ultimately focusing her high octane energy on the nonprofit she founded, WeGotThis.org , the first-ever nonprofit gift registry for cancer patients. Elissa's drive to squeeze everything out of life is palpable, and while I am certain her metastatic breast cancer di...

In this episode, we talk to director Katie Locke O'Brien. Katie talks about her love of theater, entertaining and creating, and how in many ways that passion through-line has led her to so many key inflection points in her life story to date: ending up at Harvard, meeting her husband, processing the bewildering state of becoming a mutha, and ultimately becoming a director. Every week on the pod, I...

In this episode, we talk to documentary producer, Tracy Aftergood. Tracy talks candidly about her career trajectory, the tragic loss of her best friend, her mom, at an early age, and the work she does to show up for herself, so she can show up for her kids and her relationship. Tracy's latest doc on Diane Von Furstenberg, is now streaming on Hulu (link in show notes) . Every week on the pod, I bak...

In this episode we talk to TV and film writer Kit Steinkellner. She shares her journey through Hollywood, from growing up on the set of some of our favorite shows, attending school on a studio lot, to balancing a creative career with parenting, and the intricacies of personal and professional life. From Kit's childhood on nostalgic TV sets, to her breakthrough TV show 'Sorry for Your Loss', Kit of...

Dubbed a 'cool person' by New York Magazine, Chris discusses his accidental journey to a successful writing career, his move from California to New York, and balancing his professional and personal life. He shares insights about working with major publications like GQ, his love for Muay Thai and the health scare that precipitated a deep dive into the world of wellness, and his commitment to showin...

Polythreat SOSUPERSAM's life is a practice in contrasts. She is mother at the club. She is also mother at home.  Sam shares how her upbringing in a Filipino household that valued both being a (talented) good time at parties AND valued hard work and business acumen came together in an unexpected way in her career. She talks about her commitment to routine, her appreciation for the need, sometimes,...

Costume Designer Queensylvia Akuchie always knew she wanted to work in entertainment AND be a mother. The picture of how those things were going to look, however, she could have never predicted.  Queen shares her career journey as a costume designer for Tyler Perry and others AND her journey as a single mother, finding beauty in the pain of hard life transitions and putting her daughter at the cen...

The Mutha Life podcast is the IRL group chat. Every week we sit down with a different badass parent, in my closet, to talk about parenting and career, relationships, hopes and dreams...and how the combination makes for a heady cocktail. From chefs, DJs, costume designers, actors and more, we all have something in common - we are out on these mean streets trying to raise kids. This is not the place...

Actress Brittany Ishibashi is exactly what you'd expect from a first-born child who grew up in a creative household.  Brittany shares everything from her childhood and career journey to what keeps her up at night as a parent to three kids...and how she and her husband should probably go on a few more dates.  Every week on the pod, I bake for our guests if they come to the closet IRL. For Brittany,...