Too Smart For This

Monique Rodriguez went from being a registered nurse to building Mielle Organics, an organic multicultural haircare brand that was acquired by Procter & Gamble in a 9-figure, non-controlling deal — making her the first Black woman to secure this type of investment. And she did it with no business background, no MBA, and years of bootstrapping.

If you're trying to figure out how to start something when you don't have a business degree, if you're bootstrapping and wondering when or if funding will come, or if you're afraid of what people will say when you make moves they don't understand, this conversation is for you. Monique shares about the grief that catalyzed her pivot to entrepreneurship, the unglamorous reality of building without resources, how she finally secured investment after constant rejection, and why the P&G acquisition wasn't selling out, it was selling up.

What You'll Learn:

• How Monique went from registered nurse to founder with no business background
• Why grief and loss became the catalyst for starting Mielle Organics
• How to bootstrap a business and the unglamorous reality of it all 
• How she raised investment after getting rejected by dozens of investors
• What the 9-figure P&G acquisition actually means for Black founders
• How to deal with criticism from your community when you "sell up"
• How she uses social listening to develop products her customers actually need
• Why setting boundaries with social media is essential for mental health

EPISODE CHAPTERS

[00:35] - From registered nurse to 9-figure founder with no business background

[04:30] - Why she chose nursing over her real passion

[08:15] - How grief became the catalyst for starting her business

[12:45] - How do you know when to quit your job and go full-time?

[16:20] - How to bootstrap a product business

[19:30] - What bootstrapping actually looks like 

[23:15] - How do you raise investment for your business?

[27:40] - What happens when investors keep saying no

[31:20] - How the 9-figure P&G acquisition happened (how to 

[35:50] - How do you deal with criticism from your community?

[39:15] - What's the difference between selling out and selling up?

[43:30] - How to use social listening for product development

[47:20] - How do you protect your mental health as a founder?

[50:45] - Why she limits social media and avoids doom scrolling

[53:30] - What's next: longevity science and health equity

WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE

Instagram:

@alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en

@toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en

Substack:

Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/

TikTok:

@alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_

YouTube:

Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber

Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549

Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here:

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937

Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/

Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected]

This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com

If you're tired of waiting for the right job, the right opportunity, or the right moment to finally feel powerful — this episode is your wake-up call.

The truth is, power isn't something you build from scratch. It's not waiting for you at the next job title, the next salary bump, or the next milestone. The power is already within you — you just need to stop giving it away to circumstances, external validation, and the need to be chosen.

In this episode, Alexis walks through 6 frameworks for standing in your power: taking inventory of resources you already have, using capability transfer to unlock new areas of your life, first principles thinking to find creative solutions, building alter egos to activate powerful energy, dressing like the woman you want to be, and metabolizing chaos instead of letting it derail you.

If you've been playing small, waiting for permission, or giving your power away without realizing it — this one's for you.

What You'll Learn:

• Why power isn't something you build from scratch
• How to take inventory of your actual resources instead of focusing on what you lack
• The capability transfer technique: how to apply your natural strengths to new areas
• What first principles thinking is and how it unlocks creative solutions
• How to use alter egos and music to activate powerful energy on demand
• Why metabolizing chaos – not avoiding it – is the key to staying grounded

EPISODE CHAPTERS

[00:00] - Why you're already powerful, you just don't realize it yet

[04:15] - How to stop waiting for external validation to feel worthy

[08:30] - The resource inventory: what you already have that you're not using

[12:45] - Capability transfer: how to apply your strengths to new areas of life

[16:20] - What is first principles thinking 

[20:10] - How to build an alter ego and use music to activate power

[23:40] - Why powerful women dress however they want (enclothed cognition)

[26:50] - How to metabolize chaos instead of reacting to it

[30:15] - Your bounce back rate matters more than never getting triggered

WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE

Instagram:

@alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en

@toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en

Substack:

Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/

TikTok:

@alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_

YouTube:

Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber

Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549

Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here:

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937

Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/

Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected]

ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS

You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success.

Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life.

Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less.

Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more.

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Hello, love!

I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan.

This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com

Ladies, grab your notebooks, this episode is an absolute masterclass. This week’s guest is Pauline Brown, the former Chairman of LVMH North America, a board member who's worked with companies like Estée Lauder, Carlyle Group, and Neiman Marcus, and now an author, professor, and entrepreneur building a life and career entirely on her own terms. She's also one of the most thoughtful people you'll hear talk about power, taste, and what it actually takes to build a life that's aligned with who you are.

If you're feeling stuck in a role that looks good on paper but doesn't feel right, if you're trying to figure out your non-negotiables, or if you're tired of optimizing for everyone else's definition of success, this episode is for you. Pauline shares the exact exercise that helped her identify what matters most, how to recognize when something is deeply misaligned and being brave enough to walk away, what aesthetic intelligence actually is and why it's your competitive advantage in the age of AI, and how to stop giving your power away to hierarchies, proving energy, and other people's expectations.

People pay thousands of dollars to learn from Pauline at Columbia and Harvard, and we're getting this wisdom for free. Let's dive in.

What You'll Learn:

• The 100 cards exercise that helped Pauline figure out her non-negotiables 30 years ago 
• What aesthetic intelligence actually is and why it's your superpower in the age of AI
• The 4 steps to developing taste 
• Why work-life balance is a myth
• How to redefine wealth when you're no longer optimizing for money
• Why being yourself is the only thing you do better than anyone else

EPISODE CHAPTERS

[06:30] - What it was like being an ambitious woman at Wharton in the 90s

[12:15] - How to find your career non-negotiables using the 100 cards exercise

[18:45] - Why she left consulting for products, creativity, and New York

[24:30] - Watching entrepreneurs get rich from her expertise while she stayed on salary

[31:20] - The decision to leave Carlyle Group

[38:15] - What happened when she stopped defending "what do you do?"

[44:50] - Aesthetic intelligence: the other AI

[52:30] - How to develop taste in 4 steps 

[58:40] - Why partnership as an ambitious woman requires the right plant

[65:20] - Why work-life balance is a myth and what actually works

[71:45] - Ambitious material girl rapid fire

WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE

Instagram:

@alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en

@toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en

Substack:

Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/

TikTok:

@alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_

YouTube:

Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber

Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549

Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here:

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937

Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/

Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected]

ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS

You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life.

Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more.

This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com

This episode is about power, and we're not apologizing for it. Ambitious women are taught to serve everyone else, be the good girl, and never admit they want to be powerful. But your power is already within you, and this episode is about how to stop accidentally giving it away and step into your full power as a woman.

Power isn't the money, the titles, or the degrees. It's not even the relationship or the job. Those things can amplify your power if you let them, but they can also mute it if you're not careful. Your power lives in your energy, and wherever your energy goes, that's where your power flows. So if you're constantly exhausted, resentful, or feeling like you're performing for everyone else, you're leaking power somewhere.

In this episode, Alexis walks through the 5 ways ambitious women give their power away, and the one question to ask yourself this week: where has my energy gone that I didn't consciously send it? That's where your power is — and it's time to go get it back.

What You'll Learn:

• What power actually is
• The 5 ways ambitious women accidentally give their power away
• Why you're giving your power to your circumstances and how to stop
• Locus of control: internal vs external validation
• Why smart girls have nothing to prove
• The one question to ask yourself this week to reclaim your power

EPISODE CHAPTERS

[01:30] - Welcome: Why we're talking about power this month

[03:15] - What power actually is and what it's not

[06:30] - Power leak #1: Following rules you've never questioned

[09:45] - Power leak #2: Proving energy and auditioning for approval

[13:00] - Power leak #3: Giving your power away to mirrors

[16:15] - Power leak #4: Your circumstances don't define your ceiling

[19:30] - Power leak #5: Keeping yourself small to avoid responsibility

[22:45] - Everything you want is on the other side of Cringe Mountain

[25:00] - The one question to ask yourself this week

WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE

Instagram:

@alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en

@toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en

Substack:

Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/

TikTok:

@alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_

YouTube:

Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber

Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549

Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here:

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937

Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/

Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected]

ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS

You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success.

Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life.

Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less.

Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more.

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Hello, love!

I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan.

This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com

If you want to build a powerful network without draining your social battery or working the room like a used car salesman, this episode is for you.

Phoebe Dodds is a global connector, ecosystem builder, co-founder of Social Capital, and the woman Harvard Business Review, Vogue, and Forbes turn to when they want to talk about the future of relationships and business. She's built connections across companies like Apple and Airbnb — not by hustling harder, but by understanding how human connection actually works.

This conversation is full of concrete tools you can use immediately. From what to actually say when you're meeting someone for coffee and why you should network at your level instead of only reaching for the C-suite to how one message a week can completely change your trajectory. Phoebe breaks down her approach to moving across continents and boardrooms while building a network that genuinely opens doors without feeling like a second job.

What You'll Learn:

• How Phoebe got hired from one cold message on LinkedIn
• The 100 new connections challenge and why it works
• Why you should network at your level, not just C-suite
• How to use jealousy as a tool for your vision board
• Network stacking: bringing people together strategically
• Low-lift conversation starters that actually work
• How to keep networking organic without tracking systems

Find Phoebe here:

Substack: Social Currency | @phoebedodds1

LinkedIn: Phoebe Dodds

EPISODE CHAPTERS

[01:39] - Welcome: Phoebe Dodds on networking without the sleaze

[06:15] - How every cool thing Phoebe's done came through her network

[12:30] - The cold LinkedIn message that led to a year-long contract

[18:45] - Why networking is your safety net in an uncertain economy

[24:20] - The 100 new connections challenge

[36:40] - Jealousy as a vision board tool

[42:15] - Moving across continents and building networks everywhere

[48:30] - Network stacking and making it easy on yourself

[54:20] - Low-lift conversation starters that work

[56:00] - Rapid fire Q&A

WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE

Instagram:

@alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en

@toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en

Substack:

Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/

TikTok:

@alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_

YouTube:

Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber

Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549

Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here:

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937

Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/

Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected]

ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS

You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success.

Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life.

Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less.

Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more.

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Hello, love!

I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan.

This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com

Happy Valentine's Day my beautiful friends! Jodie Taylor is back, and this episode couldn't have come at a better time.

Jodie is a Senior Director of DEI at Sony Music Group, Northwestern alum, and one of the most followed voices in the ambitious women space. She's been featured in the New York Times, Vogue, and The Cut — and she's one of the first people Alexis has seen put into actual words what it feels like to navigate dating and career as a successful woman.

This episode is full of the big sister advice we all need to hear — dating as an ambitious woman, the two types of men you attract, why physical capital matters more than most high-achieving women want to admit, and why a bias towards action is the only thing standing between you and the life you want.

Find Jodie: @jodyktayl (IG) | @jodyktay (TikTok) | glowupmasterclass.com

What You'll Learn:

• The two types of men ambitious women attract (and why both are exhausting)
• Jodie's dating framework: pacing, time boundaries, and filtering out love bombers
• How to find your non-negotiables (look at your childhood, not TikTok)
• Why physical capital is one of the most underrated investments you can make
• What "visible currency" means and why a stylist changes everything
• How to map your social network and create proximity with the women you want around you
• Why you need to be 70-80% of the way there before reaching out to a mentor
• Why alignment will always outperform effort
• Why having a bias towards action is everything

EPISODE CHAPTERS

[00:00] - Welcome back Jodie Taylor

[05:30] - Mindset shifts for becoming visible

[11:45] - Alignment vs effort: zone of genius

[17:20] - Dating as an ambitious woman

[23:40] - The dating framework: pacing, boundaries, vetting

[30:15] - Non-negotiables as an ambitious woman

[36:50] - Physical capital and why women undersell it

[49:10] - Networking: mapping your social circle and creating proximity

[55:30] - Bias towards action: the big sister advice you need to hear

WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE

Instagram:

@alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en

@toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en

Substack:

Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/

TikTok:

@alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_

YouTube:

Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber

Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549

Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here:

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937

Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/

Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected]

ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS

You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success.

Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life.

Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less.

Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more.

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Hello, love!

I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan.

This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com

Hiiii angels, surprise! I'm back with a bonus episode with the one and only Julia Cabral, Senior Director of Product Marketing at LinkedIn.

We chat about her career pivot from finance to marketing, why today's job market requires you to take agency over your own career path, and how building your personal brand on LinkedIn isn't optional anymore whether you're a creator, corporate girly, or entrepreneur. Julia breaks down the exact LinkedIn profile upgrades you need to make, how to start creating content even if you're not a "content person," and why the question "what energizes you vs what drains you" changed her entire career trajectory.

If you want to build your dream career and launch your personal brand in 2026, this episode is your guide for getting started and how to leverage LinkedIn to your advantage.

What You'll Learn:

• Why reflecting on what energizes vs drains you can change your career
• How Julia pivoted from finance to marketing and understanding transferable skills 
• Why the job market has shifted to skills-based hiring instead of title-based
• The importance of building your personal brand online even if you're not a creator
• Easy LinkedIn profile upgrades:
• 3 low-pressure post ideas to get started on LinkedIn today
• Why "personality over personal" is the rule for LinkedIn content

ABOUT THE GUEST

Julia Cabral is the Senior Director of Product Marketing at LinkedIn, where she leads marketing strategy for LinkedIn's feed and video products. She's also a content creator herself, sharing career advice and marketing insights on LinkedIn. Before pivoting to marketing, Julia spent years in finance at LinkedIn, and she's been a spin instructor on the side for nearly a decade. She's all about multifaceted careers, owning your narrative, and helping people put themselves out there authentically.

Follow Julia on LinkedIn: Julia Cabral Flavin

WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE

Follow along with Alexis:

Instagram:

@alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en

@toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en

Substack:

Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/

TikTok:

@alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_

YouTube:

Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber

Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549

Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here:

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937

Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/

Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate with Alexis or Too Collective? Email Alexis at [email protected]

ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS

You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success.

Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life.

Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less.

Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more.

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Hello, love!

I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan.

This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

We’re back for Week 5 of the Alignment Edit and this week is allll about your look. And before you think this is going to be some superficial beauty standards thing, it's not. Well, mostly. This is about the mental energy you're spending every single day either actively criticizing how you look or passively not showing up the way you want to because you haven't figured out what actually works for you.

When Alexis talks about "your look," she's not just talking about clothes. She's talking about the entire vibe you give off – your style, your beauty routine, your accessories, your hair, and the way you show up when you walk into a room. Two people can wear the exact same thing and have completely different looks.

This episode is about removing the friction between who you are right now and who you want to be, getting back the time and mental energy you lose when you spend three hours deciding what to wear, finding your signature pieces, your color palette, and your style words. Listen ladies, you’re allowed to care about how you look! And this is your permission slip to do just that. 

What You'll Learn:

• Why your appearance affects your confidence more than you think
• How to find your style words and color palette
• Getting rid of fantasy self clothes and the 20% rule
• Dressing for your proportions and body type
• High maintenance to be low maintenance beauty philosophy
• Skincare routines, laser hair removal, body care, and treatments that actually work
• Why caring about your appearance isn't vain and is actually about getting time and energy back

EPISODE CHAPTERS

[00:00] - Welcome to Week 5: your look 

[07:30] - Finding your style ethos

[13:45] - Style tips: style words, color palette, and signature pieces

[21:20] - Fantasy self clothes, proportions, and the things you actually wear

[26:50] - Beauty and appearance: laser hair removal, body care, skincare routines

[32:15] - Deciding your personal commitment to beauty 

WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE

Follow along with Alexis:

Instagram:

@alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en

@toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en

Substack:

Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/

TikTok:

@alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_

YouTube:

Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber

Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549

Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here:

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937

Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: 

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/

Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate with Alexis or Too Collective? Email Alexis at [email protected]

ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS

You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success.

Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life.

Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less.

Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more.

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Hello, love!



I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan.

This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com

ABOUT THIS EPISODE 

Hii angels! Welcome to Week 4 of the Alignment Edit, where Alexis is talking about your space and why the environment you live in matters more than you think.

Alexis has been obsessed with beautiful environments since she discovered a Pottery Barn catalog in her aunt's bathroom at age 6 (she’s obviously been an aesthetic icon ever since). Growing up in chaotic, difficult spaces made her hyper-aware of how much your environment affects everything. Your space isn't just about aesthetics. It's about signaling to yourself that you're worth taking care of, and creating an environment that supports your actual habits instead of the ones you think you should have.

In this episode, Alexis breaks down how to organize your space based on who you actually are, why small investments matter more than you think, and how to create flow instead of friction in your daily life. Plus: feng shui tips, the closing shift ritual, romanticizing winter with candlelight, and why folding your clothes is grown woman behavior.

This one's for the girls who know their space is affecting their mood but don't know where to start.

SEE YOU AT THE ALIGNMENT EDIT IRL: https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/6829649?c=.pi129.pkpartner_social_host_experiences_alexis_barber&utm_campaign=T2 

What You'll Learn:

• Why your space signals to yourself (and the universe) whether you deserve to be taken care of
• How to organize based on your actual habits, not the ones you think you should have
• Why everything needs a place and how to declutter without guilt
• Feng shui basics: money corners, mirrors, and why you should never live somewhere with a 5 in the address
• How to use scent to anchor different activities (work candles vs. relaxation candles)
• Small luxuries that make a huge difference 
• How to romanticize winter and make your space feel like a safe haven

EPISODE CHAPTERS 

[00:00] - Welcome to Week 4: Your space 

[06:15] - Why your space signals to yourself whether you deserve to be taken care of

[11:30] - Organizing based on your actual habits (the ADHD-friendly approach)

[18:45] - Taking inventory of what bothers you daily 

[24:20] - Feng shui, scent anchoring, and defining spaces for specific activities

[29:50] - Small luxuries that make a huge difference: bedding, bathroom, kitchen, and taper candles

[34:10] - Wrapping up

WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE

Follow along with Alexis:

Instagram:

@alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en

@toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en

Substack:

Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/

TikTok:

@alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_

YouTube:

Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber

Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549

Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here:

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937

Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: 

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/

Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate with Alexis or Too Collective? Email Alexis at [email protected]

ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS

You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success.

Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life.

Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less.

Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more.

This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Hello Angels! Alexis is calling in from Miami (at the EDITION hotel, living her best life, obviously) to talk about the hardest part of the Alignment Edit: money.

Money has been the biggest thing in her life since she was a kid — growing up on food stamps, being the scholarship kid at boarding school, then taking out six figures in student loans at Wharton. After graduating into a completely different financial reality than she expected, all the old scarcity patterns came rushing back: the anxiety, the shame, the feeling like a failure. So she had to take money off the pedestal, stop making it mean things about her worth or safety, and interrogate every belief she had, including why she was so afraid to say out loud that she wants to make a million dollars this year.

This episode breaks down the five shifts that completely transformed her relationship with money: separating worth from net worth, stopping the overwork cycle that made her think she had to earn safety, letting herself want a lot without apologizing for it, stopping the judgment of people who have money (because that judgment blocks you from making more), and getting strategic about actually making more money instead of just saving harder.

PLUS, the Alignment Edit is coming to you IRL!!!! Alexis is launching in-person workshops at Bon Studio in Williamsburg — first session is January 25th! Learn more and grab your tickets here: ALIGNMENT EDIT IRL https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/6829649?c=.pi129.pkpartner_social_host_experiences_alexis_barber&utm_campaign=T2 

What You'll Learn:

How to take money off the pedestal and stop making it mean things about your worth

The 5 shifts that transformed her relationship with money:

Shift #1: Your worth is not your net worth

Shift #2: Stop making money do emotional jobs (overworking doesn't equal safety)

Shift #3: Let yourself want a lot of money without apologizing

Shift #4: Stop judging people with money (it's blocking you from making more)

Shift #5: Get strategic about making more money instead of just saving harder

Why wanting material things doesn't make you greedy (and why women moralizing money keeps us small)

How to normalize wealth in your nervous system and reframe greed as generosity

EPISODE CHAPTERS

[00:28] - Hello from Miami

[01:44] - Announcement: The Alignment Edit IRL workshops at Bon Studio in Williamsburg

[04:36] - Week 3: Money (and why this was the hardest alignment edit to write)

[05:47] - How money became everything

[12:26] - Graduating Wharton with six-figure debt and falling back into scarcity

[10:04] - The core shift: taking money off the pedestal

[13:50] - Shift #1: Stop assigning your worth to your net worth

[16:28] - The graduation story

[18:12] - Shift #2: Separate money from men, work, and protection

[19:19] - Why overworking doesn't equal deservingness

[21:18] - Shift #3: Let yourself want a lot of money 

[22:59] - Why women are better with money and why wanting things isn't shallow

[25:03] - Shift #4: Stop judging people with money

[27:04] - The influencer overconsumption conversation and moralizing money

[28:11] - Shift #5: Make more money (get compensated, build visibility, take initiative)

[31:53] - Reframing greed and why not all rich people are bad

[34:41] - Wrapping up + journal prompts

WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE

Follow along with Alexis:

Instagram:

@alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en

@toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en

Substack:

Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/

TikTok:

@alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_

YouTube:

Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber

Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549

Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here:

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937

Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/

Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate with Alexis or Too Collective? Email Alexis at [email protected]

ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS

You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success.

Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life.

Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less.

Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more.

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Hello, love!

I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan.

My career TLDR:

Bounced from Google Marketing to YouTube creator strategy before getting my MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania.

Started and ran a premium bathrobe brand that collaborated with Rare Beauty & Bumble, and I'm the author of Too Smart for This: A Journal to Build Self-Trust and Stop Settling for Less Than You Deserve, published by Tarcher Books.

Been a lifestyle influencer for 5 years, collaborating with 75+ brands across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and was named by the American Influencer Council as a Trailblazer in the microinfluencer category.

This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com