Sara Blakely is the founder of Spanx and Sneex and opens up about believing in her products and trusting her gut. She created her revolutionary brand after identifying a problem in her wardrobe: what undergarments could she wear with white pants? Blakely's answer to that question started a shapewear revolution. She used the money she earned selling fax machines to launch her products, which soon started flying off the shelves of department stores and became a wardrobe staple for millions. She sold her majority stake in Spanx in 2021 after more than twenty years at the helm. Blakely opened up to Hoda on her journey to success, embracing failure, and trusting her intuition.

Dr. Judith Joseph is a New York-based psychiatrist, studying happiness. Throughout her life, she's been a high-achiever, graduating from medical school at Columbia and opening her own clinical research institute. She now says she was "pathologically productive" to try to mask feelings of inadequacy. Through her research, and her own experience, Dr. Joseph identified what she refers to as "high-functioning depression". On the outside, she had it all, but she was wrestling with fatigue, poor concentration, and restlessness. In her new book “High Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy”, she shares what she's learned with Hoda.

Businesswoman and entrepreneur Emma Grede has launched some of the biggest brands in fashion. Known as the powerhouse behind companies like Skims and Good American, Grede says she takes issue with the phrase "self-made". Raised by a single mom in East London, Grede worked her way up through the fashion world, but she says her partners and mentors helped get her to where she is today. She opened up to Hoda about her childhood, and balancing motherhood with her career.

Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas is an acclaimed Hollywood agent and film producer. She's worked with iconic stars like Julia Roberts and Jennifer Lopez, even producing JLO's smash hit movie Maid In Manhattan. Goldsmith-Thomas rose through the ranks at multiple talent agencies, when the was dominated by men. In her debut novel, Climbing In Heels, her female characters navigate "the wild West" of 1980s Hollywood. Goldsmith-Thomas opened up to Hoda about surviving in the old boys club and rediscovering her motivation after her mother died.

Suzy Welch is an award-winning professor, best-selling author, and entrepreneur. She teaches “Becoming You: Crafting the Authentic Life You Want and Need" at NYU Stern School of Business, and helps people discover their purpose by understanding their values. Welch also believes that happiness is not an end goal, but an outcome of a meaningful and productive life.  She talked to Hoda about how to understand your values, and what she's learned from the death of her late husband, Jack Welch. Her latest book, Becoming You, comes out May 6th.

Dwyane Wade is one of the greatest NBA players of all time. The thirteen-time all-star player won three championships during his time in the league. In the six years since his retirement, he's focused on his family and philanthropy, working with the Wade Family Foundation to support communities in need. Wade opened up to Hoda on how he fell in love with basketball, his decision to retire, and his battle with cancer.

Big Sean has been topping the charts for nearly fifteen years. The Detroit-born rapper says he knew from an early age that he would make it, even when his peers said his dream was impossible. In addition to his award-winning music career, he released a book this year called Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace. He opened up to Hoda on his struggle with fame, and why he's not afraid of losing it.

Actresses Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler have spent decades in the spotlight, with iconic roles on "Married With Children" and "The Sopranos". They've taken on a different role in recent years as the public faces of multiple sclerosis. Sigler was diagnosed when she was just 20 years old, but didn't publicly share her diagnosis until 2016. Applegate received her diagnosis less than four years ago. The two opened up to Hoda about the pain and triumph that has bonded them. 

Vicky Nguyen is the NBC News chief consumer investigative correspondent. In her new memoir, "Boat Baby", she shares her family's harrowing story of fleeing Vietnam in 1980, five years after the fall of Saigon.  Along the way, Nguyen's family relied on smugglers, encountered pirates, and eventually lived in a refugee camp on a beach in Malaysia, all while she was less than a year old.  Her family ultimately immigrated to the U.S., and she says her parents embraced the opportunity to give her a "great American childhood".  Nguyen opened up to Hoda about her decision to share her story. Through all the ups and downs of assimilation,  Nguyen says her book is "a love letter to America" - and to her parents.

Maria Shriver joins Hoda Kotb to share how she has learned to live a meaningful life, as the most authentic version of herself ahead of the release of her new book of poetry, I Am Maria. In this special episode of Making Space from October 2024, she joins Hoda live at the Making Space Wellness Weekend in Austin, Texas and reflects on her continuing journey of self-discovery, sharing her wisdom, insight and messages of inspiration with an open heart. She opens up about the lessons she’s learned along the way, including the importance of getting quiet, why a bumpy path may just mean you’re headed in the right direction and what encompasses a meaningful life.

(Event sponsored by Miraval Resorts & Spas, furniture and florals provided by our sponsors CORT and Bouqs)