When Alexandra Fine co-founded Dame, a women-founded sex toy company looking to close the pleasure gap, not everyone was on board with her vision. She got a lot of pushback - from traditional investors to advertisers - as she sought to change how the world looked at sex toys and pleasure. So this week: we spoke to Alexandra about how she navigated those obstacles and came up with creative solutions to get Dame off the ground.

In this episode, Alexandra shares: 

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We spend a lot of time - if not most of our time - at work. And that means: the relationships we have with our colleagues matter, and can impact how satisfied we are with our jobs. So this week, we talked to world-famous psychotherapist Esther Perel about how to create meaningful relationships with our coworkers. And why our interpersonal skills are just as important as any of the skills we list on our resume. 

In this episode, Esther shares: 

PS: Want to hear more from Esther? Check out her podcasts, and her new card game, here.

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Mentors at work. We know they’re good to have, but there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to finding one. They can be someone on your team, someone in your company, or someone in a totally different line of work. But no matter who it is, there are some best practices when it comes to starting - and maintaining - those relationships. This week, we talked to Rashida Jones, president of MSNBC, to learn how she found mentors - and how she sustained those relationships throughout her career. 

In this episode, Rashida shares: 

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We heard from a lot of you that you have questions about whether to pursue your MBA or another business degree. So we asked an expert. Erika James is the dean of the Wharton School at UPenn, the oldest business school in the country. So she’s got tips on how to know if you’re ready to get that degree - and how to know if an MBA isn’t the right path for you. Plus: she tells us the do’s and dont’s of the application process. 

In this episode, Dean James shares: 

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Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or working at a big company, everyone has a personal brand at work. And everything from your LinkedIn profile to your resume to your interview style adds to that brand. So this week, we sat down with the master of creating a personal brand, Paris Hilton, to talk about how she built hers. She’s not only the OG social media influencer, but she also created a persona that took the world by storm. And spoiler: investing in her brand paid off. Now, she’s got dozens of businesses, not to mention a new hit TV show on Netflix, "Cooking with Paris."

In this episode, Paris shares: 

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What does it actually mean to know your worth at work? This week, we asked the queen of confidence (and of morning TV), Gayle King, how she found hers. She told us her self worth came from years of salary negotiations, building strong support systems, navigating setbacks, and dealing with tough bosses. 

In this episode, Gayle shares: 

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The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are underway. And as we all started cheering for the athletes on our TV screens, it got us thinking about winning - and losing - at work. Maybe you got the promotion. Or maybe your long-time project wasn’t a success. How should we navigate the ups and downs? To find out, we called up an expert: 2008 Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin. She’s had some high highs (hello, gold medal)...and also some low lows (injuries, falls, and haters). 

In this episode, Nastia shares: 

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Whitney Wolfe Herd is one of the biggest women in business. She founded Bumble in 2014, and became the youngest ever female CEO to take a company public when it IPO'd this year. So we decided to ask the best of the best for her tips on how to think about getting started. 

In this episode, Whitney shares: 

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Meet our revamped career podcast, 9 to 5ish with theSkimm. We're bringing you 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. New episodes drop every Wednesdays, starting July 21st. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a single ep.

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Jenna Lyons was the Executive Creative Director and President of J.Crew Group. And she also became the face of the brand and a brand herself. But then...she left J.Crew after 26 years at the company. This week, Jenna sat down with us to talk about how to build an authentic personal brand and leadership style. And how to maintain that sense of identity (and hold onto your confidence) even when you leave your job. 

In this episode, Jenna shares how she stopped micromanaging, why she was surprised no one called her after she left J.Crew, and how to build a personal brand.

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