Noteworthy with Nan

How Michelle Pham, of Inner Child, built a business from one-woman show out of her apartment to regularly receiving wholesale orders from Anthropologie.

Find links to everything mentioned on our Substack: nanphilip.substack.com/t/noteworthy-with-nan-podcast

Shop the Inner Child brand: go.shopmy.us/p-61400251 

use the promo code: NAN15 for 15% off one order (code expires on June 18th.) 

Nan sits down with Michelle Pham, the founder of Inner Child, a New York based home decor brand known for its colorful block print textiles, paper goods and lampshades, all handmade in India. 

Michelle walks Nan through building Inner Child from a small textile line into a company with more than 400 SKUs, sold both direct to consumer and through retailers like Anthropologie. She is refreshingly honest about the unglamorous side of running a small business: the early days when she shipped every order out of her New York apartment, recruiting her retired parents as holiday elves, and determining when it was time to move into a real warehouse. The two discuss their love of color and pattern and how Inner Child stands out in what feels like a ‘beige’ world. 

Michelle opens up about the realities of making things by hand in India, where the weather impacts the production schedule and monsoon season can stall an entire order. She and Nan talk about tariffs, quality control, and the hard call of when to hire. Michelle shares more details on her story, from a childhood in Vancouver with Vietnamese refugee parents, to a tech career at Google and TikTok, and launching her own brand. 

The conversation turns to luxury shopping, where the two bond over the gamified, slightly ridiculous world of Hermès. Michelle recounts hunting down the Savana Dance scarf across auctions in France and Japan, and how Hermes influenced and inspired her to create Inner Child and offer beautiful handmade items at approachable prices. The episode closes with Michelle's three noteworthy tips: the Libby app for free library books, a body scrub at a Korean spa, and bringing a little more greenery into your home.

Stay tuned for more Noteworthy with Nan episodes every Thursday!!

Follow Michelle:

Michelle’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iammichellepham/

Inner Child’s Instagram: instagram.com/innerchildshop

Shop Inner Child: go.shopmy.us/p-61400251

Follow Nan: 

Instagram: instagram.com/nan.philip

TikTok: tiktok.com/@nan_philip

Follow the podcast:

Instagram: instagram.com/noteworthywithnan

TikTok: tiktok.com/@noteworthywithnan

YouTube: youtube.com/@NoteworthyWithNan

Timestamps:

00:00 Meet Michelle, the founder of Inner Child

01:16 Inner Child: handmade, colorful items for the home 

05:59 From Google and TikTok to Textiles

25:20 The Operations of Small Businesses and an Unpredictable Supply Chain 

37:19  Shopping at Hermes: Is the game worth it? 

38:58  How Hermes Inspired Michelle to launch her home decor brand

48:16  Noteworthy Tips: The Libby App, Korean Body Scrub & House Plants

Credits:

Host: Nan Philip

Executive Producer: Julia Aubuchon

Technical Director: Drew Downing

Guest: Michelle Pham

Nan sits down with Madeleine Fawcett, a beauty publicist, co-founder of Project MM, and mother of four. The two first connected online over their shared eye of great shopping finds, only to discover their families were already connected back home on Boston’s North Shore.

Madeleine walks Nan through her wild path from an unpaid PR internship in New York to launching her own boutique beauty agency with her best friend Meredith fifteen years ago. They get into how she landed her first big client (Linda Rodin of Rodin Olio Lusso) thanks to a chance airport bar moment, why she has intentionally kept the agency small, and how the PR landscape has shifted from print magazines to Substack and creator gifting.

Then, Madeleine opens up about life as a working mom and raising four children on Boston’s North Shore while building a career primarily in New York City. She reflects on her years at Andover, the lifelong friendships that began there, and how a move back home to Massachusetts during COVID became a permanent change. They also discuss why Madeleine’s mom (a.k.a. Grandmere) living with the family is the secret to making it all work, and the honest answer to whether the mom guilt ever fully goes away.

The conversation turns to shopping with stops in Paris (Rubirosas and Charvet), plus favorite boutiques across New York, Massachusetts, and Palm Beach. The episode closes with Madeleine’s three noteworthy tips for managing a busy life: the Meta Ray-Ban Wayfarer glasses she swears by, the Google Calendar ritual that keeps her family on track, and her honest case for outsourcing and automating wherever she can.

Find links to everything mentioned on our Substack: https://nanphilip.substack.com/t/noteworthy-with-nan-podcast 

Stay tuned for more Noteworthy with Nan episodes every Thursday!!

Follow Madeleine: 

Madeleine’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeleinefawcett/ 

Madeleine’s Substack: https://madeleinefawcett.substack.com/

Project MM (Madeleine’s business): https://www.instagram.com/projectmmnyc/ 

Follow Nan:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nan.philip/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nan_philip 

Follow the podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noteworthywithnan/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@noteworthywithnan 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NoteworthyWithNan 

Timestamps: 

02:30 Highs & Lows of the Week

04:00 Boarding School at Andover 

09:30 Raising Four Kids 

15:30 Beauty PR Agency 

22:00 How PR Has Changed

30:00 Paris Shopping: Rubirosas and Charvet

36:30 Madeline’s Three Noteworthy Tips

43:00 Quick-Fire: NY, MA and Palm Beach Favorites 

Credits:

Host: Nan Philip

Executive Producer: Julia Aubuchon

Technical Director: Drew Downing

Guest: Madeleine Fawcett

For the fourth episode of the podcast, Nan sits down with Priyanka Aribindi, a writer, podcast host, and content consultant whose Substack “Shit I Bought And Liked” is a can’t miss shopping newsletter. Both women have newsletters on Substack and love to shop, so they have lots to talk about. 

Priyanka recounts her path from working at Time magazine to getting a DM from Crooked Media’s Jon Lovett that led her to move to LA, launch one of their first daily newsletters, and eventually host her own podcast. 

Then, both women get honest about the realities of freelance life; the pros, cons, healthcare nightmares, how to scope out projects and what to charge. Next they dive into all things Substack: Priyanka discusses how she built her audience over seven years, when to launch a paid tier, and how she goes about working with brands for partnerships. Plus, Priyanka shares her number-one tip for anyone starting out on substack. 

Later the girls switch over to discussing shopping and their shared love of the The Row N/S Park Tote and more details on everything they think about as they shop. The episode closes with Priyanka’s three noteworthy tips for surviving real life: Last Call as a post-drinking supplement, a “dinner list” in her notes app, and leaving her phone in the kitchen overnight for a better night's sleep. 

Find links to everything mentioned on our Substack: https://nanphilip.substack.com/t/noteworthy-with-nan-podcast

Stay tuned for more Noteworthy with Nan episodes every Thursday!!

Follow Priyanka Aribindi:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priaribi/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@priaribi 

Substack: https://www.shitiboughtandliked.com/

Follow Nan:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nan.philip/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nan_philip 

Follow the podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noteworthywithnan/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@noteworthywithnan 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NoteworthyWithNan 

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome Priyanka Aribindi

02:20 Highs & Lows of the Week 

07:32 From Time Inc. to Crooked Media

15:12 ‘Shit I Bought And Liked’

19:36 Substack tips

27:28 Freelance Life

32:41 Shopping: The Row Park Tote

37:25 Noteworthy Tips

45:34 Priyanka’s Favorite NYC Spots

Credits:

Host: Nan Philip

Executive Producer: Julia Aubuchon

Technical Director: Drew Downing

Guest: Priyanka Aribindi

For the third episode of the podcast, Nan sits down with her friend (and former PR client!) Sarah Lederman, a New York-based interior designer and the founder of Three Fates Textiles, a brand new textile and wallpaper line that is an extension of Sarah's signature layered, collected aesthetic.

They talk about the year-long journey of bringing Three Fates to market, the Greco-Roman influences behind her first collection, and why launching through trade showrooms like Temple Studio, Design Social Studio and Harbinger felt like the right first step.

Then Nan asks some practical questions about interior design – when and how to hire an interior designer, what makes a good client, and Sarah's high-low approach to deciding when to spend and when to save.

We also get Sarah’s perspective on raising two daughters in New York City without iPads or cell phones, the "Wait Until 8th" pledge, Sarah's recent travels to Bhutan and Morocco, and the family tennis ritual at Randall's Island that has become her favorite weekend hobby.

The episode closes with Sarah sharing three noteworthy tips for small tools and systems that help her stay grounded at work and at home.

Find links to everything Sarah mentions on our Substack: https://nanphilip.substack.com/p/noteworthy-sarah-lederman 

Stay tuned for more Noteworthy with Nan episodes every Thursday!!

Follow Sarah: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahledermaninteriors/ 

Follow Three Fates Textiles: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/threefatestextiles/ 

Follow Nan:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nan.philip/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nan_philip 

Follow the podcast:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noteworthywithnan/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@noteworthywithnan 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NoteworthyWithNan 

Timestamps: 

02:08 Launching Three Fates Textiles

05:08 How to Hire an Interior Designer 

10:40 Fashion, Jewelry & Resetting Her Engagement Ring 

16:23 Raising Kids in NYC Without Phones 

21:46 Travels to Bhutan, Morocco & Beyond 

24:06 Family Tennis & Other Hobbies 

29:45 Noteworthy Tips: Granola, Skylight & Hulken 

40:09 Life Motto: "Everything Is Figureoutable"

Credits:

Host: Nan Philip

Executive Producer: Julia Aubuchon

Technical Director: Drew Downing

Guest: Sarah Lederman 

Nan sits down with her college friend, Caroline Keogh, who works in luxury and fashion communications. 

Together they chat about everything from starting new hobbies, exploring New York City, getting great restaurant reservations and Tracy Anderson workouts. Caroline takes us through her morning routine and advocates for going into the office vs working from home.

We then dive into Caroline’s Noteworthy Tips: the Indyx App (to catalog your clothing and outfits), using her Daily Overview Notepad from Ramona & Ruth and playing card games/buying a card shuffler.

We wrap up the episode with Caroline’s advice on managing anxiety and moments of overwhelm plus her motto of ‘Life Happens on a Tuesday.’

Find links to everything Caroline mentions on our substack: https://nanphilip.substack.com/p/noteworthy-caroline-keogh

Stay tuned for more Noteworthy with Nan episodes every Thursday!!

Follow Caroline:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caroline_keogh/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caroline_keogh?lang=en

Follow Nan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nan.philip/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nan_philip

Follow the podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noteworthywithnan/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@noteworthywithnan?lang=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NoteworthyWithNan

Key Takeaway from the Episode:
Caroline suggests having five or six go-to outfits each season. 
Caroline and Nan rave about The Indyx phone app for cataloging and tracking their wardrobe.
Write out your day the night before to reduce stress and sleep better.
Reframing how you think about jealousy.
Caroline’s inside perspective of Tracy Anderson workouts and how to get started.
The pro’s of going into the office for work vs. working from home.
Overwhelm and anxiety are different things and can be managed differently.
Caroline’s personal motto: Life happens on a Tuesday.

Credits:
Host: Nan Philip
Executive Producer: Julia Aubuchon
Technical Director: Drew Downing
Guest: Caroline Keogh

In our very first episode, Nan sits down with Diana Pearl, senior editor at Business of Fashion, lifelong fashion journalism insider, proud cat mom, royal family enthusiast, and just an all around positive and thoughtful friend.

Diana has been covering the influencer industry since before "influencer" was even a word, and in this conversation she and Nan get into the real state of luxury retail, where the department store is headed, and why Diana believes creators and influencers have become the new curators of fashion. They also talk about the future of AI in the content space, the ShopMy Noir launch, and why authenticity is so important for influencers.

The women then dive into navigating life in their 30s in New York City; dating while your friends get married and have babies, building and keeping friendships as an adult, and how Diana manages to stay as optimistic as possible.

The episode concludes with Diana sharing three noteworthy tips for small life hacks that help simplify and improve her days.

Find links to everything Diana mentions on our Substack: https://nanphilip.substack.com/p/noteworthy-diana-pearl

Stay tuned for more Noteworthy with Nan episodes every Thursday!!

Follow Diana:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianaspearl/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dianaspearl?lang=en
Subscribe and read her work at Business of Fashion

Follow Nan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nan.philip/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nan_philip

Follow the podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noteworthywithnan/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@noteworthywithnan?lang=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NoteworthyWithNan

Key Takeaways from The Episode:
Diana's take on the future of department stores and why influencers and creators have become the new curators of fashion.
The importance of authenticity as AI grows in the content and influencer space.
Diana's "rising tide lifts all boats" mindset for navigating friends in different life stages.
How to make new friends as an adult and why Instagram is an underrated tool for finding your people.
The case for eliminating small, needless decisions to reduce mental load throughout the day.
Why sleeping without your phone in the room is one of Diana's most impactful habits.
Diana's tip to live near your friends, especially if you don't live near family.
Finding a therapist through Alma, a platform that matches you with therapists who take your insurance.

Credits:
Host: Nan Philip
Executive Producer: Julia Aubuchon
Technical Director: Drew Downing
Guest: Diana Pearl

Noteworthy with Nan is a weekly interview podcast about life in the current moment.

Have you ever wondered how women who seem to have it all together are truly getting through their days? We ask those questions and get real, honest answers.

Each week, Nan Philip sits down with friends and women she admires for candid, in-person conversations about real life; no polished business origin stories or publicist-prepped answers. But just the reality of life; the highs and the lows. We talk about work, relationships, friendships, hobbies, and the moments that never make it onto a perfectly curated Instagram grid. Guests share the tips, tricks and systems they use to navigate and simplify their hectic days. 

No one has it all figured out. But by listening to how our peers are navigating the messy world of day-to-day life, we hope to spark new ideas, offer fresh perspectives, and remind ourselves that we are not alone in the chaos.

New episodes every Thursday on YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts.

Follow along on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube and subscribe to our email newsletter.