Ever feel like everyone else has it figured out while you're drowning in chaos? Sarah Personette's journey through Facebook, Twitter, and now Puck as CEO reveals the messy reality behind big-name success. She shares brutal truths about workplace bullies who wanted her gone, the isolating loneliness of leadership, and making gut decisions that horrified her father. From losing student elections repeatedly to navigating public failures at major tech companies, Sarah exposes how kindness became her secret weapon—not weakness, but a "structural force" that brought her back to three different companies. This raw conversation proves messiness and compassion can lead to extraordinary breakthroughs.

Show Notes: 

Guest: Sarah Personette, CEO of Puck

Follow Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-personette-4b71125/  

Topics Covered: 

• The childhood challenges that shaped her resilience and risk tolerance
• Why losing multiple student elections didn’t stop her but from chasing leadership roles
• The career move her father called “the worst decision ever,” and why she took it anyway
• How trusting her instincts guided her from job to job 
• Navigating workplace hostility and choosing to lead for the many, not the few 
• Taking a “gap year” to explore, connect, and clarify her goals. 
• The importance of boundaries in balancing C-suite leadership with motherhood and marriage 
• The importance of having a strong value framework 

Mentioned: 

Puck: https://puck.news/ 

Writers at Puck: John Heilemann, Dylan Byers, Julia Ioffe, Matthew Belloni, Baratunde Thurston, and more

Starcom MediaVest Group: https://www.starcomww.com/ 

Facebook (Meta): https://www.meta.com/ 

Twitter (X): https://x.com/ 

Hidden Potential by Adam Grant: https://adamgrant.net/book/hidden-potential/ 

Rotary International: https://www.rotary.org/en 

Whispering Angel Rosé: https://www.esclans.com/ 

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What do Prince, The Secret, and Colleen Hoover have in common? They all worked with Judith Curr to publish their books. Judith's career has been quite a trip: from selling her brother's engine block to a junk dealer in a very small Australian town. to selling Dior to pharmacies door-to-door, to revolutionizing book publishing—founding Atria Books, discovering tomorrow's bestsellers today, and now steering HarperOne into uncharted territory.  From Sydney to New York, Judith has made a career of calculated risks and bold bets. Ready to peek behind the curtain of modern publishing? Judith spills on talent-spotting, industry shake-ups, and why the future of books is more exciting than ever.

Show Notes: Guest: Judith Curr, President and Publisher of HarperOne Follow Judith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judith-curr-a72b80/ Follow Judith on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judithcurr/?hl=en

What You'll Discover:

• The career pivot that changed everything—from selling Dior lipstick to selling million-copy bestsellers
• How a gutsy move from Australia to New York launched her American publishing empire
• Inside the creation of Atria Books—the Simon & Schuster imprint that became a cultural force
• Her secret sauce for spotting breakout authors (hello, Colleen Hoover!) before they explode
• Why she fights for underrepresented voices—and how it's reshaping the industry
• Her vision for HarperOne's future in our AI-powered, globally connected world

Mentioned: 

Christian Dior: https://www.dior.com/en_us/beauty 

Simon & Schuster: https://www.simonandschuster.com/ 

Atria Books: https://www.simonandschusterpublishing.com/atria/ 

HarperOne: https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/harperonegroup 

HarperCollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/ 

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: https://www.thesecret.tv/products/the-secret-book/

Countdown to Riches by Rhonda Byrne: https://www.thesecret.tv/countdown-to-riches/ 

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Irina Novoselsky landed her first CEO gig at just 32 years old. She’s now CEO of Hootsuite, a social media management platform with 16 million users in 175 countries. Even though her career has been a rocket ship, she’s had a lot of messy parts and pivots that’s shaped who she is and how she operates. That includes being out of work for months at a time and really questioning whether she was ever going to get a job again. If you’ve ever felt like you were on the wrong path entirely, this episode is a must-listen. 

Show Notes: 

Guest: Irina Novoselsky, CEO of Hootsuite

Follow Irina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-novoselsky/

Follow Irina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irinanovoselsky/ 

Topics Covered:

• Growing up as a refugee in NYC and embracing immigrant hustle
• Cold-emailing her way into investment banking at 19
• Leaving prestigious finance roles to find her passion
• Becoming a first-time CEO at 32—and the identity shift it required
• The power of relentlessness, self-belief, and learning out loud
• Why she leads with authenticity (and uses emojis unapologetically!)
• How social media became her leadership superpower
• Finding balance her way—and why she prioritizes sleep over everything

Mentioned:

Hootsuite: https://www.hootsuite.com/
Outlive by Peter Attia https://peterattiamd.com/outlive/

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Discover the real story behind Another Tomorrow with Vanessa Barboni Hallik, who left Wall Street for a mission in sustainable luxury fashion. In this candid interview with Maryam Banikarim on "The Messy Parts Podcast," Vanessa reflects on career pivots, making meaning from hardship, starting a business during COVID, and how purpose and authenticity drive her leadership. If you’re looking for a boost of inspiration, lessons for entrepreneurship, or an inside look at sustainable fashion, this conversation is unmissable.

Show Notes: Guest: 

• Vanessa Barboni Hallik, Co-CEO, Chair, Another Tomorrow
• Follow Vanessa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessabarbonihallik/
• Follow Vanessa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessaanabarboni/
• Follow Another Tomorrow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anothertomorrow/

Topics Covered: 

• Introduction & Vanessa’s early life: growing up in the Midwest
• Coping with family mental health & loss; the impact on resilience
• Shifting from architecture to economics & landing on Wall Street
• Facing imposter syndrome, self-editing at work, and defining success
• Quitting (three times): career pivots, asking for what you want, and lessons learned
• Discovering sustainability and building Another Tomorrow
• Launching a brand as the pandemic hit: how to survive a sudden crisis
• Meditation, slowing down, and evolving as a leader
• Redefining success, working with partners, and closing advice
• Rapid fire: favorite songs, reading list, surprising facts

Mentioned: 

• Another Tomorrow
• Morgan Stanley
• B Corp
• TM (Transcendental Meditation)
• Berkeley
• Cornell's program
• Farm to Closet model

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What happens after the dream job ends? In this deeply honest conversation, Maryam sits down with Fede García, who (in a matter of a few weeks) went from an award-winning Global Chief Creative Officer at one of the biggest agencies in the world to writing a vulnerable LinkedIn post about being fired. Together, they unpack the reality of ego, identity, burnout, and reinvention after “success.” Fede opens up about imposter syndrome, health battles, the creative grind, career pivots, and what it means to let go of titles and begin again—with joy, humility, and courage.

Guest: Fede Garcia

Follow Fede on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fedegarcia/ 

Topics Covered:

• Why he went public about getting fired
• LinkedIn’s performative culture vs. real storytelling
• Creativity and ego: navigating praise, loss, and self-worth
• Health, dialysis, and the impact of chronic illness on a creative career
• Global creative life: Buenos Aires → Tokyo → NYC
• Building vs. winning: What awards don’t tell you
• Starting over mid-career (and taking a ⅓ pay cut to do it)
• Beginner’s mindset: boxing, motorcycles, learning Japanese
• Leaving the agency world without bitterness
• Redefining success and finding joy beyond the title
• Advice for Gen Z creatives navigating a chaotic market
• The importance of taste, perspective, and patience in the age of AI
• The power of reflection, vulnerability, and owning your story

Mentioned:

Read Fede's original LinkedIn post (search under “Posts”)

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Saturday Night Live, Wicked, American Auto, Sugar & Booze, many lifelong friendships, and close family relationships are just a few of Ana's string of incredible accomplishments. It turns out none of it was easy.  As she says, "It's not for the faint of heart." Even though creating and preforming for a living is "intoxicating and beyond fun" it's also "miserable and challenging."

In this episode, Ana talks about how she gets over rejection in one night; how she's felt like an outsider her entire life (and used that to her advantage); why her best auditions were the ones where she was incredibly prepared and left everything on the table; how learning not to be afraid to talk about her own goals and aspirations seemed to make everything feel and work better; and the way the life balancing system she learned from none other than Martin Short helps to put everything in perspective for her.

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What happens when you try nine different schools and still don't know what you want to do? Vicki Freeman, co-founder of the Bowery Group, shares her winding journey from serial student to successful restaurateur. After searching for her purpose through child psychology, fashion photography, film school, and art history, she discovered her calling was right under her nose - in the restaurants where she'd been working to pay the bills. Her story is about the power of persistence, recognizing opportunities when they appear, and how sometimes the thing you're "just doing for now" becomes your life's work.

Show Notes: 

Guest: Vicki Freeman – Co-founder, Bowery Group (Five Points, Cookshop, Vic's, Shukette, Hundred Acres)
Follow Bowery Group on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-bowery-group/posts/
Follow Vicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vicki_freeman/?hl=en

Topics Covered:

• Going to nine schools while searching for her calling
• Working in restaurants as a "means to an end" while pursuing other dreams
• The Ralph Lauren breakthrough moment at age 19
• Her "looking up at the sky" epiphany in SoHo and the phone call that changed everything
• Opening Vic's: sudden success and devastating failure after one year
• Learning the business side at Columbus Bakery with ARC
• The innovative approach to raising money for Five Points (selling shares vs. big chunks)
• Building community through restaurants: being there for neighbors after 9/11 and during COVID
• The Shukette transformation: backing chefs and shared vision
• Working with your spouse in business: the challenges and magic
• Current challenges facing the restaurant industry post-COVID

Mentioned:

• Cookshop, Vic's, Shukette (Bowery Group)
• Missy Robbins (Lilia, Misi)
• Jonathan Waxman
• Russ & Daughters
• Ralph Lauren Restaurants

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What happens when you choose the "safe" path and it nearly kills your soul? Debra Martin Chase went from Harvard Law School to becoming the first Black woman producer with a major studio deal. In this episode of The Messy Parts, she shares her journey from corporate lawyer to Hollywood trailblazer, including the near-death experience that made her quit law, the weekend of initiative that launched her film career, and why Vernon Jordan told her she was "too old to start over." It's a masterclass in reinvention, taking risks, and betting on yourself.

Guest: Debra Martin Chase - Producer, Entertainment Executive, Broadway Producer 

Follow Debra on: 

• Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdhyj35x 
• LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/36zh39tz
• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0153846/ 

Notable Productions: The Princess Diaries, Cinderella, Cheetah Girls, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Equalizer, A Strange Loop (Broadway), The Outsiders (Broadway), Purpose (Broadway)

Topics Covered 

• Harvard Law School
• USC Film School
• Vernon Jordan
• Nina Shaw 
• Frank Price (Columbia Pictures)
• Doug McHenry (producer)
• Nina Jacobson (Disney executive)
• Pearlena Igbokwe (Universal Television)
• Denzel Washington
• Whitney Houston
• Marc Platt (Broadway producer)
• David Stone (Broadway producer)
• Michael Dukakis campaign
• Princess Diaries
• Cinderella (Rodgers & Hammerstein)
• Cheetah Girls
• Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
• The Equalizer

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Kass and Mike Lazerow sold their company for nearly $1 billion—and felt completely numb. In this episode of The Messy Parts, they share the brutal reality behind entrepreneurial success: kids struggling, health failing, friendships lost. Together with Maryam, they explore what radical transparency actually looks like when you strip away the corporate mask. It's a conversation about the hidden costs of achievement, the messiness of working with your spouse, and why showing your failures might be the most powerful leadership tool you have.

Guests: Kass and Mike Lazerow -- Entrepreneurs, Investors, Authors

https://kassandmike.com/

Follow Kass and Mike on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassandmike and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kassandmike/ 

Topics Covered:

• Personal stories of failure, discomfort, and growth
• The hidden cost of success
• Working with your life partner
• The parenting paradox
• What "radical transparency" actually looks like in practice
• The emotional and cultural risk of telling the full truth
• Creating a work culture where "messy" is normalized
• Why leaders are still afraid of vulnerability
• The power of being honest before the outcome is clear
• How storytelling can be a leadership tool—not just a communications tactic
• The difference between transparency and oversharing
• When to hold back (and how to do it without losing trust)

Mentioned:

• Kass & Mike’s book, Shoveling $h!t: A Love Story
• Mark Benioff (Salesforce CEO) 
• Gary Vaynerchuk 
• Phish (band) 
• eToro
• Northwestern University 
• Buddy Media 
• Golf.com

Further Reading:

• Radical Candor by Kim Scott
• The Power of Vulnerability – TED Talk by Brené Brown
• Psychological Safety in Teams – Google’s Project Aristotle – Research on why speaking up matters at work.
• The Tell by Amy Griffin
• Articles about Cambridge Analytica
• Dying for Sex documentary

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Cindi Leive has shaped the media world—from her tenure as Glamour's editor-in-chief to co-founding The Meteor. In this intimate conversation, she joins Maryam to talk about losing her mother young, surviving the “command and control” culture of Condé Nast, and building something new from the ground up. They explore the messy parts of starting over, raising kids in a digital age, the loneliness epidemic, feminism under fire, and why collaboration always wins. Cindi shares the lessons she’s learned (and is still learning) on how to stay hopeful, stay human, and rewrite the rules without losing your why.

Show Notes: 

Guest: Cindi Leive – Journalist, Editor, Co-founder of The Meteor

Follow Cindi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindi_leive/?hl=en

Topics Covered:

• Her lifelong passion for magazines (and what 17 Magazine meant as a kid)
• Growing up with a single mom scientist—and losing her at 19
• Compartmentalization, grief, and building self-sufficiency
• What Condé Nast taught her (and what she had to unlearn)
• Leaving Glamour at its peak for something riskier
• How The Meteor began in Gloria Steinem’s living room
• Feminist storytelling in a fraught media landscape
• Raising resilient kids in the age of AI and loneliness
• Lessons in entrepreneurship, imperfection, and asking for money
• Why joy and collaboration matter more than perfection
  
  

Mentioned:

The Meteor (feminist media collective)

Night of Solidarity, a Meteor special

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