When the world feels like it’s burning, some people retreat. Mandana Dayani builds. In this episode, Danielle sits down with the powerhouse behind I Am A Voter and Archewell, attorney, entrepreneur, and activist Mandana Dayani—a woman whose story spans war zones, boardrooms, and the front lines of cultural change. From escaping post-revolution Iran to advising the White House, launching viral civic movements, and leading Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s media and philanthropic company Archwell, Mandana shares the moments that shaped her and the values that keep her grounded, outspoken, and unshakably hopeful. Mandana shares:

• The childhood escape from Iran that shaped everything

• The guilt that became her fuel

• Why she left a “perfect” persona behind to tell the truth

• What it really took to launch I Am A Voter + why she’ll never stop

• The heartbreak of October 7th and what it revealed about her community

• How she built Our Campus United and The OCU Chronicle in response to rising antisemitism

• Why integrity is her personal compass and the question she asks herself every night

• Her experience working with Meghan & Harry—and what storytelling means at scale

• The power of reinvention, especially when you're already at the top

• And why she believes optimism isn’t naive—it’s necessary

Follow Mandana on Instagram @mandanadayaniBook Recommendation:  The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck. 

Learn more about her work at www.mandanadayani.com 

What happens after you build the life you always wanted? In Part 2 of this intimate conversation, Valeria Lipovetsky returns to open up about the messy, beautiful middle—marriage, motherhood, sex, ambition, and what it really takes to grow with your partner over time.

She shares the honest truth behind her 12-year relationship, how becoming a mother in her early 20s shaped (and tested) her identity, and the quiet decisions that helped her rediscover herself—without blowing up her life.

Valeria reveals:

• Why her marriage nearly broke under the weight of early parenting
• The new season she’s entering with her husband—and what changed
• Her personal “renaissance” and what it means to prioritize connection again
• Why she believes motherhood is the ultimate mirror
• The surprising (and hilarious) truth about sex after kids
• What she’s learned about boundaries, ambition, and giving yourself the big piece of chicken
• How she protects her peace while living a public life
• Plus, Danielle opens up about freezing her eggs, feeling like time is running out, and how a list of 1,000 questions (and a stranger's offhand comment) changed her life.

This is part two of a two-part series. If you missed Part 1, go back and listen!

Follow Valeria on Instagram @valerialipovetsky

Book rec: A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

Grab the QUESTION EVERYTHING card game (updated edition)

What does it take to build a life and career that’s fully, unapologetically yours? In this episode (part 1 of 2), Danielle sits down with entrepreneur and creator Valeria Lipovetsky for a conversation that’s less of an interview, and more of a mirror. They toss out the question cards, ditch the formal intros, and dive straight into the good stuff: ambition, motherhood, marriage, sex, social media, fertility, and the surprising superpower of asking better questions. Valeria shares:

• Why she never went to therapy—and what finally changed her mind
• The single moment that cracked open her authenticity
• Her unexpected (and poetic) obsession with secondhand shoes
• The timeline pressures no one tells women about—and what helped her reclaim her own
• The hardest season in her marriage—and how they’re finding their renaissance now
• Why her son taught her more about self-confidence than any book ever could
• Her honest take on growing a massive following while still feeling like she’s figuring it out
• The rules she broke to build a multi-million dollar business—and the one phrase that still haunts her from childhood

This is part one of a two-part conversation—come back next week for even more.

Follow Valeria on Instagram @valerialipovetsky

Book rec: A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

Grab the QUESTION EVERYTHING card game (updated edition)

What does it take to lead the first American women’s Everest expedition, survive a near-fatal heart condition, and keep climbing into your 50s? For mountaineer, author, and speaker Alison Levine it all comes down to one thing: putting one foot in front of the other, even when you’re terrified.

Alison joins Danielle to talk about the summit attempt that made her the butt of a late-night punchline—and the second attempt that helped her rewrite what success really means. In this episode, she shares how a childhood marked by isolation, medical setbacks, and grit shaped her into one of the most inspiring leaders on and off the mountain. Alison shares:

• How being born with a hole in her heart shaped her risk tolerance
• The story behind the first American Women’s Everest Expedition—and why they had to turn around 270 feet from the top
• What it felt like to fail so publicly—and what she learned when she finally reached the summit 8 years later
• The mantra that replaced “go big or go home”
• Why fear can be your best asset
• Her surprising leadership advice (hint: ego isn't the enemy)
• The unspoken voice every woman battles—and how to train it to speak differently
• Why the strongest teams honor each other’s limits
• What she learned dragging a 150-pound sled across Antarctica
• Why she just left her successful speaking career to write a one-woman show—and what’s at stake
• How being “the smallest one on the team” became her greatest asset
• The quote from Pitbull that reframed how she views failure

Book rec: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Follow Alison on Instagram here.

Scooter Braun (entrepreneur, investor, former music manager) spent 23 years at the top of the music industry, guiding the careers of Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, J Balvin, and more. Then, he walked away. For the first time, he shares the real reason why—and the dream that pushed him to make the final decision.

In this intimate conversation, Scooter reveals what success couldn’t fix, why he finally stopped running, and the reckoning that followed. In this episode Scooter shares: 

• Why he walked away after 23 years at the top of the music industry
• The vivid dream that told him to stay silent—and why he listened
• The real story behind Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, and Kanye West
• Are Taylor Swift’s “Vigilante Shit” lyrics really about him?
• The mask he wore as “Scooter” and his journey back to Scott
• Why he’s long felt misunderstood
• The insecurity that fueled his rise and what finally quieted it
• What he thinks people get wrong about power, fame, and winning
• The darkest moment of his life and the healing that followed
• How his divorce broke him + transformed him
• What it really takes to spot talent (and why it feels like falling in love)
• Why he believes karma isn’t punishment—it’s a teacher
• The one thing he wishes he’d done differently in his music career
• The one artist he says is wildly underrated
• What he really thinks about the TikTok-iszation of music and the future of the industry
• His vision for his future + the legacy he hopes to leave for his kids

Follow Scooter Braun here.

Book Recommendation: Many Lives, Many Masters

What does it take to design for billionaire homeowners, celebrities like David Goggins, and NFL owners—while staying grounded in soul and intention? For interior designer Nour El Nasrani, it's about more than pretty spaces. It’s about feeling. The Lebanese-born, Vegas-based founder of By Nour Design joins Danielle to share how she built a luxury design business from scratch, the spiritual side of design, and what our homes secretly say about us. 

Nour shares:

• How she landed her first client.

• The unlikely moment that changed her career—and made her fire her own boss

• What it was really like designing for Navy SEAL David Goggins

• The unexpected trait she uses to win over high-powered clients (hint: it's not her design degree)

• Why she never starts with a Pinterest or style board—and the questions she asks instead

• He 5 rules for making any room look expensive (without spending a fortune)

• The #1 mistake people make when designing a room (you’re probably doing it)

• How to create a home that actually helps you de-stress

• Why mood matters more than trend

• Thee rule she breaks in every room she designs

• How she transformed Danielle’s apartment + what the inspiration was behind it!

• Plus, a hilarious round of “Smash or Pass: Beige Edition,” and the quote that guides her work: “If a place has a soul, it remains alive forever.”

If you’ve ever wanted a home that feels more like you, this episode is your blueprint.

Follow Nour on Instagram here.

Skye P. Marshall is an Air Force veteran, Hollywood actress, caregiver, and relentless dreamer. With no agent, no connections, and no backup plan, Skye left the military and a corporate cubicle behind to pursue acting + built a thriving career from scratch. This episode is about the radical belief that you don’t need permission to begin– just vision, discipline, and the courage to build it brick by brick. Skye shares:

• Why fear is a biological superpower + how to channel it

• How the Air Force trained her for acting more than any drama school

• What she learned doing 7 years of background work

• How she booked Matlock with no agent

• The reason she refuses to set a timeline for success

• The “red towel red carpets” that sparked her childhood dreams

• How she bought her mom a house while caregiving through dementia

• Why imagination is the key to reinvention

• The mindset shift that changed everything: from “acting” to being

• Why every job—even catering—can be a strategic career move

• And the mantra that carries her through it all: “Survive until you thrive.”

Follow Skye P. Marshall here.

Book rec: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.

Check out her film Daft State on Youtube, Amazon Prime, Apple TV!

Jackie Jesko is a war correspondent turned filmmaker joins Danielle to unpack her new Hulu documentary on the life and legacy of Barbara Walters. But this isn’t just a conversation about one iconic journalist, it’s about the entire media ecosystem she helped create.

Danielle has always wanted to be the millennial Barbara Walters, the kind of interviewer who could sit with heads of state, celebrities, and everyday people alike so it was incredibly fun to hear Jackie and Danielle explore:

• Why Barbara Walters was the original media gatekeeper
• How she reinvented herself after public “failure”
• Her strategy for booking presidents, dictators, and celebrities
• The underappreciated role of female ambition in shaping broadcast journalism
• How gossip, grit, and research became Barbara’s secret weapons
• Why Diane Sawyer sparked Barbara’s deepest insecurities
• The unseen emotional cost of being “the first”
• Why The View changed daytime TV forever
• The power of interviews as cultural time capsules
• And how Jackie unearthed never-before-seen footage that reintroduces Barbara in her own words

If you care about storytelling, media, power, or pop culture…this episode isn’t just about Barbara Walters. It’s about the evolution of journalism, the complexity of legacy, and what it means to lead with questions.

Watch Jackie’s film Tell Me Everything on Hulu.Book reccomendation: Audition by Barbara WaltersFollow Jackie Jesko on Instagram.

Maria Marlowe—acne nutritionist, author, and founder of GLO Biome—joins Question Everything to unpack the gut-skin connection, the skincare lies we’ve been sold, and how she reversed five years of breakouts with food (and even her gray hair). In a beauty culture obsessed with products, Botox, and quick fixes, Maria’s work is a radical return to root cause healing. In this episode, she shares:

• Why she believes acne is a blessing in disguise

• How she healed five years of breakouts in three months without meds

• The real reason your gut health might be causing anxiety, melasma, and eczema

• Why she’s skipping Botox and what she does instead (hint: face taping)

• What Sephora teens are getting dangerously wrong about skincare

• The common myths about oily, dry, and “combination” skin debunked

• Her thoughts on popular trends like snail mucin, collagen powders, and ice rolling

• What your poop, blood sugar, and cravings say about your skin

• How to spot supplement BS + what ingredients actually work

• Why “girl dinner” might be wrecking your gut

• The one food she says clears skin fast and how to eat for hormonal balance

• What to do during a breakout (including her 3-day Clear Skin Plan)

• The link between toxins, inflammation, and premature aging

• Why she believes skincare should be gentle and aging is not a flaw to fix

This is a conversation about trusting your body, unlearning beauty industry noise, and healing from the inside out.

Follow Maria here

Glow Biome Probiotic

Celeste Headlee: journalist, bestselling author, NPR host, and one of TED’s most-watched speakers (31 million views+) has spent decades studying the art (and science) of conversation. But she didn’t always get it right. In fact, she says she used to be “the worst.” In this episode, Celeste shares how she rewired her communication style, what most people get wrong about connection, and the powerful tools anyone can use to become a better conversationalist. Celeste shares:

• How to start a conversation when you don’t know what to say
• Why the common advice about conversation (like “maintain eye contact”) doesn’t actually work
• The real difference between debate and discussion + why we’re confusing the two
• The surprising neuroscience behind great conversation (and why voice matters more than words)
• The truth about curiosity + how to practice it (even if it doesn’t come naturally)
• How neural coupling creates the feeling of being seen and understood
• What small talk really does for your brain + why it’s not so “small” after all
• The simple trick she uses to diffuse conflict and build connection in just 3 questions
• How to stop trying to “win” arguments and start learning from disagreement
• Why younger generations are craving connection more than ever (and what’s getting in the way)
• The power of follow-up questions + how they make people feel heard
• What we’re getting wrong about inclusion and how tiny micro-interactions create belonging
• Why performative listening is worse than not listening at all
• How to say “I don’t know” in a way that builds trust and authority
• Why smart people often struggle in conversation and what to do about it

Book Rec:  Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Follow Celeste Headlee here.

Grab a copy of her book We Need To Talk here