Welcome to a new episode of Built to Win. In this episode, we’re joined by Debbie Matenopolous. She’s one of the youngest hosts of a major daytime talk show. Discover the journey from a small town in Virginia to the buzzing streets of New York, where dreams of working at MTV became a reality. Filled with heart, hustle, and a touch of humor, Debbie shares insights into making it in the media world against all odds. 

Highlights: 

"I had one goal in mind, and my goal was I was going to stay here. And I was either going to work at MTV or something in the entertainment business. I just didn't know what yet."

"The bigger the problem you solve, the more money will follow. So don't worry about money, just worry about where the problem is and how can I fix it."

"What we go through today is not nearly an iota of what they had to go through. It's almost laughable when people say, 'Well, how did you do it?' It's like, I got up every day, I worked really hard. I did not accept no for an answer."

Timestamps:

00:21 - Dreaming Big from a Young Age

01:00 - A Happy Accident in Virginia

09:31 - The Unexpected Call from MTV

17:41 - Breaking into Daytime TV

19:44 - A Decade at E!

22:15 - A Behind-the-Scenes Look

26:37 - Drawing Strength from Immigrant Roots

30:17 - Solving Problems and Adding Value

34:25 - From MTV to Hosting on Hallmark

39:10 - Promoting Positivity and Self-Care on TV