How She Does It

By Karen FinermanBusiness Entrepreneurship

How She Does It episodes

November 11, 2025EP 65: Dr. Kavita Patel: The Promise Of GLP-1s
Dr. Kavita Patel is the definition of a high achiever. She holds multiple demanding jobs: a primary care physician, a venture partner at New Enterprise Associates, a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and a medical contributor for NBC News.
And those are just the roles she has right now. Previously, she served as a director of policy in the Obama White House and a deputy staff director on health for Sen Ted Kennedy.
So what drives her to pursue new challenges? Dr. Patel shares with Karen Finerman how her upbringing as one of three daughters of Indian parents who owned and operated a motel in Texas shaped her approach to earning a living. Plus, Dr. Patel explains how a friend from across the political aisle “RSVP’d” her into a new opportunity that allowed her to build generational wealth for her family, and how that experience shaped her approach to helping others.

💬 In this episode, we explore:
The game-changing nature of GLP-1s and what Dr. Patel sees as the potential additional efficacies for this class of drugs

In a time when conversations around certain medical and scientific issues have become more politicized, Dr. Patel explains how her approach has evolved, in a way she hopes helps understanding in both directions.

The unique way Dr. Patel uses her “failures” to learn and become a better leader

Dr. Patel shares her strategy for entering new spaces and why she loves learning difficult things
📸 Follow Dr. Kavita Patel on LinkedIn
🔗 Visit New Enterprise Associates Website

Books Mentioned In This Podcast:
The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life by Sahil Bloom
Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy
The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami
Let Them by Mel Robbins

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49 min
November 04, 2025EP 64: Kendra Scott: Back as CEO and Finding Love With Zac Brown
How does one go from being a college dropout to the CEO of a billion-dollar company with a role on “Shark Tank?” If you ask Kendra Scott, the answer would be a determination to understand her customer, a hunger to keep learning, and a grateful attitude.
It’s been nearly a quarter century since Scott, then a new mom, started a small jewelry business in her spare bedroom. The focus was quality, stylish pieces that were also affordable. For 10 years, she “bootstrapped” the fashion accessories business on loans and debt until she landed her first investor. By 2016, the company was valued at one billion dollars. Scott, who had a failed retail hat business prior to launching her namesake business, grew her business by making smart hires, reinvesting wisely, and learning as much as she could along the way.
Kendra Scott has retained majority control of her business and has placed “family, fashion, and philanthropy” as the company's pillars. In terms of her own family, she has raised three sons and is newly engaged to country superstar Zac Brown. She describes their relationship—and the whole lives they lead, along with their blended family of eight kids—as “two comets, headed in the same direction.”
💬 In this episode, we explore:
Kendra Scott’s perspective on the future of her business, now that she’s back as interim CEO after serving as executive chairwoman since 2021
Kendra Scott’s reaction to seeing Pete Davidson walk into “Shark Tank”
How the Great Recession gave Kendra Scott the impetus to innovate her business
Why Kendra Scott wants to create a corporate culture where her employees can give her bad news.
The way Kendra Scott is raising her three sons to understand the importance of making their own money and creating their own success.
🔗 Visit Kendra Scott - Lifestyle & Jewelry Company
📸 Follow Kendra Scott - LIfestyle & Jewelry Company on Instagram
📸 Follow Kendra Scott on Instagram
📸 Follow Kendra Scott on TikTok

📸 Follow the show on Instagram: @hsdipodcast🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode

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49 min
October 28, 2025EP 63: The Unlikely Rabbi: Angela Buchdahl on her Journey From South Korea To Senior Rabbi
Anglea Buchdahl has been leading one of NYC’s most influential Reform Judaism congregations since 2014. Not only is she the first female leader of Central Synagogue in its more than 185-year history, but she is also changing the expectations around what it can look like to be a senior rabbi.
In this episode, Rabbi Buchdahl joins Karen Finerman to discuss her memoir “Heart Of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging.” In it, she shares how her Buddhist Korean mother and Jewish American father shaped her outlook on life, faith, and God. She went on to become the first Asian American to be ordained as a rabbi. Building her career presented its own challenges: from navigating the realities of being a working mother to deciding when and how to pursue bigger opportunities. Along the way, she even faced doubters who said she lacked the “gravitas.” She persevered and has established herself as a leading voice in the Reform Jewish community.
💬 In this episode, we explore:
How Rabbi Buchdahl resists putting too much stock in external criticism - or validation

One of the craziest days in Rabbi Buchdahl’s career, which proved to be a perfect representation of the challenges of being a working mother

How a coin toss helped Rabbi Buchdahl take one of the biggest leaps of her career

The role Rabbi Buchdahl says humility plays in being a good leader (and helped convince her to accept an invite to the White House).

The meaningful moment Rabbi Buchdhl was able to publicly thank her mother for her support and guidance
🔗 Visit Central Synagogue’s Website
🔗 Learn More about “Heart Of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging”
📸 Follow Rabbi Angela Buchdahl On Instagram
📸 Watch Rabbi Angela Buchdahl’s sermons on YouTube

📸 Follow the show on Instagram: @hsdipodcast
🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode

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43 min
October 21, 2025EP 62: BBC's Nicki Sheard on Building Up Bluey, The Most-Streamed Show in the U.S.
BLUEY is a bona fide global phenomenon. In 2024, the animated show about a delightful Australian dog and her family saw more than 55+ billion minutes streamed in the U.S. When you add in the first six months of 2025, it’s more than 80+ billion minutes total streamed. That kind of success is rare, and it’s Nicki Sheard’s job to shepherd the brand and its beloved characters beyond the screen: from inside popular games like Just Dance, to appearing on the sides of Converse sneakers, and being one of the very few non-Disney brands to be brought into the Disney parks (coming in 2026.)
It’s a career Nicki Sheard may not have had if she didn’t trust her gut. Midway through pursuing a PhD at Harvard, she realized science (and dissecting fruit flies) wasn’t the path for her. Her determination and curiosity has helped her shape a unique professional journey that’s taken her to P&G, McKinsey Consulting, Charlotte Tilbury and the BBC. As CEO of BBC Studios Brands & Licensing, Nicki oversees the growth of Bluey (for which the BBC is co-commissioner, distributor and licensor of the multi-award-winning animated series produced by Ludo Studio) as well as brands like Dr. Who, Strictly Come Dancing (Dancing With The Stars) and BBC Earth.
💬 In this episode, we explore:
Why Nicki chose to trust her gut and leave Harvard before completing her Phd

The professionals lessons Nicki learned working as a consultant

How BCC Studios is embracing Artificial Intelligence to create new products

The two guiding principles Nicki uses to prioritize work and family

What Nicki sees as the unique appeal behind Bluey and the safeguards she uses to protect the brand
🔗 Visit Bluey’s website
🔗 Visit The Booker Prize website
📸 Follow Bluey on TikTok
📸 Follow BBC Studios on Instagram
📸 Follow the show on Instagram: @hsdipodcast🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode

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45 min
October 14, 2025EP 61: Renée Elise Goldsberry: Everything, All At Once
It was the role of a lifetime: Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway phenomenon “Hamilton.” But Renée Elise Goldsberry turned down the audition. Not just once, but multiple times.
As she explains to Karen Finerman in this episode and in her new documentary “Satisfied,” it was at that same moment that the family Renée had fought so hard to create was finally coming together. She and husband Alexis had just brought home their daughter Brielle, adopted from Ethiopia. She joined big brother Benjamin to make their family of four. After years of infertility struggles, Renée was ready to spend her energy being a mom to her very young children.
That was her plan, until her manager implored her to at least listen to the music from what was then called “The Hamilton Mixtape.” In the moment that she first heard Lin-Manuel Miranda singing the demo for “Satisfied,” she knew she wanted the part. She got it, and the rest is Broadway history.
Renée’s versatility as a singer and actress has served her well since then: she starred in the musical comedy series “Girls5Eva” and can now be seen in Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow’s new film “A House of Dynamite” on Netflix. In it, she plays the first lady as the president, played by Idris Elba, is facing a nuclear crisis.
💬 In this episode, we explore:
Renée’s memories of “Hamilton” from its workshop days to its recent 10th anniversary celebration

How Renée managed the demands of a mega-hit Broadway musical while raising young children

Behind the scenes of her new documentary "Satisfied,' and how fellow actresses Kelli O’Hara and Audra McDonald supported her

Why her new album “Who I Really Am” is her most personal work yet

How Renée knew her husband Alexis Johnson was the right one for her

The role faith has played in both Renée’s personal and professional life

The good advice her “Girls5Eva” co-star Paula Pell gave her about managing anxiety

The coveted birthday present Renée gives to her friends and family

And the exciting text John Mulaney sent Renée and her fellow castmates of “Documentary Now! Original Cast Album: Co-Op”
🔗 Visit Renée Elise Goldsberry’s website
🔗 For Information on the SATISFIED Documentary
🔗 For information on Netflix’s A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE
🎧 Listen To Renee’s New Album, Who I Really Am
📸 Follow Renée Elise Goldsberry on Instagram
📸 Follow Renée Elise Goldsberry on TikTok
📸 Follow the show on Instagram: @hsdipodcast

🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode

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45 min
October 07, 2025EP 60: Comedian Zarna Garg & Daughter Zoya Garg On Building A Funny Family Business
“My whole life, people have been saying you're funny,” recalled Zarna Garg. “But if you are an Indian person, what do you do with that? That means nothing to us. Like if you are good at math, you become an accountant. What do you do with funny?”
Lucky for audiences, Zarna figured it out and has become one of comedy’s hottest acts. She’s mined her upbringing in India and a say-exactly-what-she’s-thinking attitude into comedy success. On this episode, both Zarna and her daughter Zoya, a Stanford graduate who is now working closely with her mom, chat with Karen Finerman about their approach to building the business of Zarna Garg. That includes tours, a New York Times best-selling memoir, a robust social presence, a family podcast, and more. But they’re not resting on their laurels.
“I am really focused on the mission,” Zoya shared. “I really believe [Zarna’s business] is going to be a really big thing one day. And I find so much purpose in that.”
💬 In this episode, we explore:
Zarna’s upbringing in Mumbai, and how she left for the United States to avoid an arranged marriage during her teen years

How Zoya convinced Zarna, a stay-at-home mom and serial entrepreneur, to give comedy a try

Zarna’s unapologetic expectations for her kids, and how they’ve been able to meet them

How Zoya handles having her mother as a boss

Zarna & Zoya’s relentless drive to grow their business.
Resources:
🔗 For Tour Info & More, Visit Zarna Garg’s Website
🔗 Play Grades With Gargs
📸 Follow Zarna Garg on Instagram
📸 Follow Zoya Garg on Instagram
📸 Follow the show on Instagram: @hsdipodcast
💬 Enjoying the show? Follow How She Does It and leave us a review. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

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49 min
September 30, 2025EP 59: Ironman Champion Chelsea Sodaro On Saying “Yes” To Pushing Through Discomfort & Achieving Greatness
Being an elite athlete like Chelsea Sodaro requires a unique level of commitment. It’s about training full-time, year-round, for a handful of marquee races. None is bigger than the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaiʻi, a grueling 140-mile triathlon (a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race, plus a full 26.2-mile marathon). In 2022, her rookie year, Chelsea not only outperformed her professional competitors, crossing the finish line in just under 8 hours and 34 minutes, but she did so just 18 months after giving birth to her daughter Skylar. In the process, Chelsea became only the second mother to win at Kona.
On this episode, Chelsea joins Karen Finerman to share how she rose to the top of her sport while overcoming postpartum anxiety and depression, struggles that were compounded by her difficulty with breastfeeding and finding reliable childcare. Now, as Chelsea prepares for the 2025 Ironman World Championship, she is using her platform to make her sport a more welcoming and equitable place for new mothers.
💬 In this episode, we explore:
How Chelsa is approaching her 4th Ironman World Championship

Chelsea’s strategies and mantra for pushing through discomfort and pain

Why Chelsea views the triathlon’s swim as the toughest leg of the race, and how she trains for it

How Chelsea has embraced the role of boss of her team, which includes coaches, dieticians, equipment specialists, and more

The sacrifices Chelsea’s family has made for her to compete at this level

Chelsea’s perspective on how professional athletes are changing the conversation about sport and mental health

Why Chelsea views her marriage as a key component of her professional success
Resources: Visit Chelsea Sodaro’s website
🔗 For Information on the “Unlocking Yes” Weekend
🔗 For information on the 2025 Iroman World Championship
📸 Follow Chelsea Sodaro on Instagram
📸 Follow the show on Instagram: @hsdipodcast
🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode.

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43 min
September 23, 2025Best Of: Misty Copeland On Becoming America’s Most Beloved Ballerina
Ballet’s biggest superstar, Misty Copeland, will be stepping off the stage as the Principal Dancer for the American Ballet Theater this fall after 25 years with the company. So we thought this was a good time to revisit the conversation Misty and Karen Finerman shared during season 1 of the podcast.
To be a ballet dancer, you must be a dancer, an athlete, and a performer all at the same time. It is a competitive and complex hierarchy, with thousands of dancers funneling to just a small handful at the very top. There used to be an overwhelming lack of diversity in the professional ballet world, and Misty broke that barrier at ABT with her dedication and undeniable talent. Since then, she has worked to increase the diversity of dancers on stage and widened the audience for this beautiful art form. After retirement, she plans to continue using her voice as an author, producer, director of documentary films, and entrepreneur.
💬 In this episode:
Misty shares the challenging circumstances she faced growing up

How she was first introduced to ballet at the Boys & Girls Club at age 13 (which is late for those who turn professional)

Why she decided to stay with ABT after not being promoted as quickly as other dancers

Her experience collaborating with Prince

The unique public scrutiny she faced as she advanced in the company, and how she handled it

How being a dancer informed her role as a mom to her young son

What she does if she forgets a move on stage (yes, it’s even happened to Misty Copeland!)
🔗 Resources & Links:
📲 Follow How She Does It on Instagram: @hsdipodcast👩‍💼 Learn more about Misty Copeland at mistycopeland.com
📸 Follow Misty on Instagram: @mistyonpointe
🎧 New episodes drop every Tuesday. Hit “Follow” so you never miss a moment.
💌 Join the HerMoney community: https://hermoney.com/subscribe/https://hermoney.com/subscribe/

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34 min
September 16, 2025EP 58: CNBC’s Julia Boorstin On The Future Of Media & Tech
Julia Boorstin thought she might take a year after graduating from Princeton and have some fun working at a magazine in New York City before going to grad school. As she shares with Karen Finerman on this episode of HOW SHE DOES IT, she was hired as a reporter at Fortune magazine (despite never having taken an economics class), fell in love with the world of business news, and never looked back.
Julia is now CNBC’s Senior Media & Tech Correspondent working out of the network’s Los Angeles bureau. Beyond reporting on tech mergers and interviewing titans of the media landscape, she has developed signature franchises for the network. Among those are the CNBC Disruptor 50, which highlights “private companies transforming the economy and challenging companies in established industries.”
She is also the author of When Women Lead: What They Achieve, Why They Succeed, and How We Can Learn from Them. In it, she interviewed several female executives and combed academic research to identify the qualities and characteristics that women bring to the table and why businesses benefit from their leadership.
💬 In this episode, we explore:
Why having a grateful attitude can be beneficial for leaders

The future of Artificial Intelligence / AI in business and everyday life, and why Julia believes people should engage with it, rather than fear it

The strategies Julia employed in her first job in order to be taken seriously as a young woman, plus her advice for young job-seekers today

How Julia and her film producer husband manage their household with two busy careers and two young sons

The ways Julia found to grow her career, even though working out of Los Angeles, may have taken Julia off an obvious “anchor track” at CNBC.
Resources:
Web: https://juliaboorstin.com/
Instagram: @juliaboorstin
Threads: @juliaboorstin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliaboorstin/
Julia Boorstin's Book: When Women Lead
CNBC Changemakers
CNBC Disruptor 50
Coming Soon: CNBC Changemakers & Power Players Podcast with Julia Boorston
Follow How She Does It on Instagram: @HSDIpodcast
💬 Enjoying the show? Follow How She Does It and leave us a review. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

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48 min
September 09, 2025EP 57: Bonnie Hammer: One of Entertainment’s “Most Powerful” Women Moves onto a “Bonkars” New Chapter
In an engaging and revealing conversation, Bonnie Hammer opens up to Karen Finerman about her decades-long career in media: from “surviving” Barry Diller, to greenlighting “Suits” and overseeing a hugely successful portfolio of networks that prompted The New York Times to proclaim her the ”Queen of Cable TV.” She recently wrapped up her time as vice chair at NBCUniversal and is set to take on a completely different adventure in her next role.
On this episode of How She Does It, Bonnie shares stories, strategies, and secrets behind her hard-won success, including the key skill she credits with her ability to navigate multiple mergers and leadership changes. She’s the author of the best-selling book "15 Lies Women Are Told at Work: ...And the Truth We Need to Succeed," and is a sought-after mentor for women in the media industry.
💬 In this episode, we explore:
The types of projects Bonnie’s new endeavor, Bonkars, will take on (hint: it may mean great news for your designer shoes!)

Bonnie’s perspective on Versant, the future home to most of NBCUniversal’s cable networks

Why she thinks “fake it ‘til you make it” is always the wrong move

What Bonnie misses most (and what she does *not* miss) now that she is not attached to a big media company

The story behind “Suits” and how Bonnie’s guidance impacted the hit show

Why she believes it is critical to understand the difference between “professional value” and “personal value.”
Resources:
Find out more about Bonnie Hammer, including her book 15 Lies Women Are Told at Work: ...And the Truth We Need to Succeed at www.Bonnie-Hammer.com

Follow How She Does It on Instagram: @HSDIpodcast
💬 Enjoying the show? Follow How She Does It and leave us a review. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

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52 min

About How She Does It

From the publisher's feed

On every episode of HOW SHE DOES IT you’ll be listening in to a conversation with a female leader — leaders in all industries — who make their own space and build their careers in unique ways. How She Does It is about a woman’s place in the world and in the economy, but it’s also about our power, our emotions, careers, families, and so much more.