QUESTION EVERYTHING (PRETTYSMART)

• Making history as a ‘first’
  
• How basketball changed the trajectory of her life.
  
• Why she left the WNBA in 2020
  
• What Kobe Bryant meant to the WNBA
  
• Why she thinks there is still such a discrepancy between equal pay in the WNBA & NBA and what needs to be done to close the gap.
  
• What people are missing by not watching the WNBA
  
• What it was like to become one of the youngest owners of a sports team
  
• Why it’s important to her to be ‘the YES’ for others
  
• Working with family 
  
• How sports prepared her for business in more ways than she could have imagined
  

Cleo Wade is the New York Times bestselling author of “Heart Talk.” Cleo knows we are living in a tender time. Her new book “Remember Love” offers words that she hopes will help people find light in periods of lostness and love after heartbreak. Cleo joins Danielle today for a heartfelt conversation. She shares: 

• What it was like growing up in New Orleans and how she carried the city’s sense of mysticism into her work 
• How her experience with postpartum depression led her to write “Remember Love”
• Why she thinks “soul contracts” are a great way to rethink the relationships in our lives 
• The power of studying your own life and defining love on your own terms
• Why loneliness is a uniquely human experience 
• What she’s learned from her biggest heartbreaks 
• Why she thinks an apology is the “blessing of all blessings” 
• How you can find out what your traumas are by exploring your belief system 
• What does it mean to love sacredly? 

Follow Cleo on Instagram @CleoWade and check out her new book “Remember Love: Words for Tender Times” out now!

Heidi Clements is a 63 year old writer, clothing enthusiast, storyteller. She’s also the incredible and inspiring @WelcometoHeidi on Instagram where she doles out no nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is life advice to her half a million followers who are mostly in their 20s and 30s. Today she joins PRETTYSMART to share her story + some of the lessons she’s learned in each decade. We discuss: 

• The impact she’s made on younger women and especially when it comes to views on aging 
• How she was able to live without shame and always stay true to herself
• How she got over caring what others think of her 
• Working with toxic women in the workplace and what that taught her
• Why she feels her 60s are a filled with joy (and what lessons we can learn from her to embrace that feeling)
• What the breaking point was for her to get sober in her 30s
• Why she doesn’t care about dating
• What she learned from losing her mother
• How she discovered her style in her 40s
• How she landed her dream job as a scripted writer in her 50s
• What she still struggles with today

Follow Heidi on Instagram

Jessica Hoppe is a Honduran-Ecuadorian writer and creator of @NuevaYorka. She recently released her first memoir “First in the Family: A Story of Survival, Recovery and the American Dream” Today she joins PRETTYSMART and shares:

• Her  battle with alcohol addiction—and why she took her story public.
• How society’s view of addiction differs for white people vs. people of color.
• The systems failing those struggling with addiction—and the changes we desperately need.
• The 7 words a stranger said that saved her life.
• How shame fuels addiction, and why we need to ask better questions.
• The weight of American Exceptionalism—and her own personal reckoning with it.
• Why your core beliefs might not be yours at all—and how to uncover what you truly stand for.
• Why she believes her story still makes some people uncomfortable.

Follow Jessica Here

Buy First in the Family Here

Book Recommendation: Magical Realism by Vanessa Angelica Villarreal and Heavy by Kiese Laymon

Grab the QUESTION EVERYTHING card game here!

Download Danielle’s 2025 Goals + Manifestation Map here for FREE

Dr. Mondo is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Mental Stregth Coach, and founder and CEO of Cheatcode (a nonprofit determined to end stigma and increase access to mental health services in underserved communities). He works with high performing people– athletes, celebrities and executives—  to unlock their peak mental performance. He shares:

• Why it’s so important to strengthen your gut and intuition.
  
• The difference between following your heart and your gut.
  
• Techniques he uses to help his clients visualize and achieve success in every area of their lives.
  
• Why we shouldn’t fear adversity and the biggest lessons we can learn from it. 
  
• The biggest misconceptions about success and successful people.
  
• How to find faith in yourself if you’ve lost it. 
  
• Why it’s hard to achieve happiness if you’re not in service to others. 
  
• The impact our traumas have on our success and on shaping who are are.
  

Natasha Scott and Justine Kay, the dynamic duo behind the podcast Two Black Girls, One Rose, join us for a deep, hilarious, and thought-provoking conversation about reality TV and its impact on culture. What started as a love for shows like Laguna Beach and The Bachelor has evolved into a platform for dissecting race, relationships, and representation in pop culture. Natasha and Justine share personal stories, insights on building their brand, and why their podcast has become more than just commentary—it's a community. Whether you’re a reality TV junkie or a casual fan, this episode will leave you laughing, reflecting, and rethinking how we consume pop culture.

In this episode, we dive into:

• Why Laguna Beach gave them their first glimpse into a world of wild teenage freedom.
• How Rachel Lindsay’s groundbreaking season of The Bachelorette exposed blind spots in traditional reality TV recaps.
• The nuances of race in reality TV: what producers get wrong and what needs to change.
• Why Couples Therapy is a must-watch for empathy lovers everywhere.
• The cultural phenomenon of Love Is Blind and how reality TV sparks real-life connections.
• The not-so-guilty lessons they’ve learned from reality TV—on love, friendship, and human nature.

Follow Natasha + Justine. 

Book Recommendations: 

Natasha: Thick: And Other Essays" by Tressie McMillan Cottom

Justine: The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

Grab the QUESTION EVERYTHING card game here!

Do you have imposter syndrome? You’re not alone—70% of people will experience imposter syndrome at some point, and today, Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin is here to help us break free. As a psychologist, imposter syndrome expert, and bestselling author of Own Your Greatness and Your Unstoppable Greatness, Dr. Orbé-Austin dives deep into how imposter syndrome shows up in our lives—and, most importantly, how we can overcome it. In this episode of PRETTYSMART, she reveals:

• The subtle signs that imposter syndrome is creeping in
• The powerful link between self-worth and imposter syndrome
• Is there a link between imposter syndrome and perfectionism?
• How your upbringing shapes those feelings of self-doubt
• Are women especially vulnerable to imposter syndrome?
• Her personal experience battling imposter syndrome—even on the Today Show
• The two main cycles of imposter syndrome: overwork and self-sabotage
• How it impacts our personal lives and relationships
• Why marginalized groups are hit the hardest
• Simple steps to start loving yourself through it all

Follow Dr. Lisa Orbé-Austin here

Check out her latest book here

Book Rec: The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins

Angela Yee holds her own as a radio DJ, and the only female co-host on the syndicated radio morning show “The Breakfast Club.” She had an unexpected launch into radio, but she’s proven with her work ethic and hustle that she’s a force - and voice - worth listening to.

When you were a teenager, who was advocating for you? Meet Chelsey Goodan, the advocate for teenage girls. With over a decade of experience, she's empowering girls to unlock their potential in her new book, "Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls." Whether you're healing the teenager inside of you, or caring for a teenage girl, Chelsey's insights will help you connect with this crucial stage of life, fostering healing and empowerment for all. 

Today she shares:

• What is the secret power of teenage girls?
• Communication tools effective for healing your inner tennager, a teenager, or any friend asking for advice!
• The importance of embracing authenticity– for real, and in an applicable way.
• The need for society to rethink its approach towards young women
• How to help teens develop a healthy relationship with social media
• The damaging effects of perfectionism
• Why genuine conversation is the powerful tool
• How to redefine compliments 
• How to handle big feelings

Follow Chelsey on Instagram @chelseygoodan and grab her book here!

As we watch a war in Ukraine unfold before our eyes, there is one woman who believes that while humans are responsible for all war we are also the only ones with the power to stop it. Dr. Samantha Nutt is the founder of Warchild USA, an organization that aims to help children in war torn communities taking a long term approach to breaking the cycle of poverty and violence. Dr. Nutt has worked in dozens of conflict zones and is a leading voice on current affairs, international aid and foreign policy. Dr. Nutt has worked with children and their families at the frontline of many of the world’s major crises – from Iraq to Afghanistan, Somalia to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sierra Leone to Darfur, Sudan. Today she is here to share her experiences and help educate us on what we must know about when it comes to war and ways we can help stop the cycle of war around the world. 

For over two decades, Emmy & Peabody Award winning Journalist, Sarah Spain has made her mark as a sports reporter. She’s spent over a dozen of those years at ESPN, working as a host, producer and writer. She’s also a radio host and hosts her own podcast “Good Game with Sarah Spain” on iHeart. Today she’s joining PRETTYSMART to share her journey from young athlete to award winning sports journalist. She shares: 

• Why it never occurred to her growing up that she could have a career in sports. 
• Why we need to do a better job talking to young girls about sports. 
• Her thoughts on the controversies surrounding sports and Trans athletes.
• What she’s had to put up with as a female sports reporter and how it has shaped her opinion of men. 
• Why she chooses empathy over anger when it comes to trolls on the internet. 
• How the skills she developed growing up playing sports helped her in her career.
• Why she’s not surprised that 94% of C Suite women at Fortune 500 companies were college athletes. . 
• Why she believes women playing sports is like giving the middle finger to the idea of women having one lane/only being allowed in certain spaces.
• Her thoughts on women’s professional sports  and why it’s taken so long for people to care more about them.

Follow Sarah on Instagram 

Listen to Sarah’s Podcast 

The Kardashians are in the business of “getting us talking”— also known as the business of being famous. How have they impacted our society + culture? Has it been a net positive or net negative? And is that ‘power’ waning? Writer and cultural critic, Kimberly Nicole Foster joins the podcast to break it all down with me. We discuss many aspects— race, gender, greed, parenting, business, hair + makeup + fashion trends.

We discuss:

• Why she believes the cultural power of the Kardashians is waning 
  
• The impact the Kardashian’s have had on the beauty industry
  
• Why she thinks Kim and Khloe are now trying to slim down after years of embracing their curves.
  
• Why she thinks the Kardashians tried to appeal to Black men - and why that’s changing now. 
  
• How white Americans and Black Americans view the idea of the Kardashians getting us to embrace our curves differently
  
• Why the Kardashians are a representation of American culture and where it is going. 
  
• Her thoughts on how Kim is using her children to expand her brand and keep herself in the culture zeitgeist.
  
• The problem with the mentality of always needing more, more, more. 
  

Danielle sits down with the powerhouse women behind 21 Seeds Tequila—Kat Hantas, Sarika Singh, and Nicole Emanuel—to reveal how they built a $160+ million brand from their kitchen. This is also happens to be Danielle’s FAVORITE (infused) tequila! 

• The journey from infusing tequila at home to becoming the No. 1 flavored tequila in the U.S.
• Why traditional tequila marketing missed the mark for women—and how they flipped the script
• The moment they knew 21 Seeds was bigger than just a fun side hustle
• Behind-the-scenes of their first disastrous production run and how they turned failure into momentum
• How they caught the attention of  Oprah, and the entire spirits industry.
• What it was like to have celebrities like Jessica Alba and Katie Couric organically fall in love with their brand
• How being outsiders in the spirits industry gave them an advantage over legacy brands
• The strategy that helped them land on the shelves of Whole Foods, Target, Trader Joe’s, and major liquor stores nationwide
• The lessons they learned from selling their brand to Diageo, the parent company of Casamigos and Don Julio
• Why moms make the best entrepreneurs and how motherhood prepared them for building a business
• The future of 21 Seeds and their advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to break into competitive industries

If you love entrepreneurship, tequila, brand-building, and female founders shaking up male-populated spaces, this episode is a must-listen. Find out how these women called the shots—and changed the industry.

Grab your limited edition Shot Callers card game here.

Follow 21SEEDS here

Do you ever feel like the pursuit of "self care" is never ending, and even at times, unachievable? What is self care? Leigh Stein, author of the novel “Self Care” and I, dive into the commercialization of self care and wellness and the rebrand of the diet industry.  We also discuss the lingering effects of the once-idealized Girl Boss ideology, the concept of “Lean In” and the gap that exists between male and female entrepreneurs. 

Produced by Dear Media.

Bestselling author Tia Williams (Seven Days in June, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde) sits down with Danielle Robay for a juicy, unfiltered conversation about love, dating, and why modern romance is more complicated than ever. From her days as the first Black beauty editor at Glamour to writing the books she wishes existed, Tia shares how her own experiences—including how dating a “charismatic psycho”—shaped her novels.

• What modern women are craving in love stories and why “friends to lovers” isn’t enough
• The end of ‘Build-a-Bear Boyfriends’ – why she refuses to write women who raise men
• Soft girl era vs. emotional labor: Why women still want to be “saved” (but in a new way)
• How romance novels went from ‘milky-thighed virgins’ to complex, powerful heroines
• Tia’s real-life whirlwind love story (spoiler: she knew instantly!)
• Her go-to beauty tip from her magazine days that actually works
• The biggest mistake writers make when trying to capture romance

Follow Tia on Instagram

Grab a copy of Tia’s latest book Audre & Bash Are Just Friends here.

Book Reccomendation: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Through the story of VIVA, an erotic magazine for women created by Bob Guccione (founder of the men’s magazine Penthouse), we are getting a history lesson today on FEMINISM! First wave, second wave, third wave, fourth wave? What does it all mean and where are we now?

A little background: While VIVA was created by one of the most prominent figures in adult entertainment, it was staffed by female writers and editors and featured groundbreaking full-frontal male nudes, writing by feminist icons like Betty Friedan and profiles of literary legends like Maya Angelou. Its cover stars include Bianca Jagger and Shelley Duvall. Anna Wintour was even VIVA’s fashion editor at one point. But what is originally conceived as a high-end, progressive, sexual utopia for women… doesn't quite turn out that way.

Jennifer Romolini is an award-winning writer, editor, and author of "Weird in a World That's Not: A Career Guide for Misfits" and the upcoming memoir, “Ambition Monster” (Atria Books, 2024). A longtime media executive, Romolini is the host of Crooked Media’s latest series “STIFFED”, which tells the true story of VIVA, one the first erotic magazines for women, and co-host of the “Everything is Fine” podcast with former Lucky Magazine editor-in-chief, Kim France. She started her career as a magazine fact checker working at Talk, Lucky, Glamour, Cosmo, and Allure. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, ELLE, Vogue, Fast Company, and many magazines that no longer exist.

Follow Jennifer

Listen to STIFFED (iHeartPodcasts + Crooked Media production)

THANK YOU to our fantastic sponsor Green Chef: Use code prettysmart50 to get 50% off plus free shipping!! https://www.greenchef.com/

Julie Rice and Elizabeth Cutler founded SoulCycle in 2006 along and sold it in 2011 (for approximately 90 million dollars each). Now they have launched what they are calling a workout for your relationships- Peoplehood. 60 minute guided groups where you learn to speak freely and listen deeply. Julie joins PRETTYSMART today so share both about her entrepreneurial journey and why becoming a better listener as changed the trajectory of her life. She shares:

• How working in Hollywood really helped her when it came to creating SoulCycle.
• Why SoulCycle resonated and how it changed the game in creating exercise as a lifestyle.
• Why she chose to go back to work right after selling SoulCycle for 90 Million dollars. 
• Her new company Peoplehood - and why you need this “workout” for your relationships.
• Why she thinks we are all over our phones and coming to the end of the scroll.
• The one thing she does every week to “slow time”  that has changed every relationship in her life. 
• What higher listening is and how it helps you go from ego to empathy.
• Why you aren’t as good of a listener as you think you are - and some red flags to help you spot it.
• Why listening is a practice and how you can (and should!) strengthen it.
• The practices that changed her marriage and her business relationship with her co-founder.

Follow Julie here

Sign up for Peoplehood (in person or virtually) here

Professor Cassie Mogilner Holmes is a professor of marketing and behavioral decision making at UCLA Anderson School of Management and author of Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters. Today she joins the pod to share ways that we can all become more time rich and lead happier, more fulfilling lives. She shares:

• What it means to be time rich and how we can make our time more meaningful.
  
• 3 specific habits you can start today to increase happiness.
  
• Why it’s important to take inventory of you spend your time.
  
• How much money you need to be happy.
  
• Why you have more time than you think you do (and how to discover where and when you have that time).
  
• Surface relationships vs deep connections and how they impact our happiness. 
  
• Why the arts are so important when it comes to happiness.
  
• Gender inequality when it comes to free time.
  
• Why learning to say no and protecting your time is paramount to happiness.
  
• Why we need to treat our time like diamonds.
  

With 1.6 Million followers, TikTok star Tefi Pessoa has built a community where she has become famous for her thoughtful and heartfelt advice on love, mental health, heartbreak and more. There’s a reason she’s been called the internet’s BFF.  Today she joins PRETTYSMART to delve deep into all things love, dating and heartbreak. She shares:

• Why men are who they are at 35.
• What she’s learned from heartbreak.
• Why even after heartbreak love is still magical.
• How to not let heartbreak or bad relationships break your spirit. 
• How she is able to never compromise who she is in relationships. 
• Why it’s helpful for her to enlist her tribe before she breaks it off with someone.
• What she finds she is really mourning when a relationship ends.
• Why some traits are not going to change in the person you're dating (and how to figure that out). 
• When to listen if people tell you “you can do better”.
• Navigating a breakup in the public eye.
• Why there’s courage in normalcy. 
• How men and women handle heartbreak differently. 

World Renowned Psychic Medium and Best-Selling Author Rebecca Rosen joins PRETTYSMART to talk about her new book, “What’s Your Heaven: 7 Lessons to Heal the Past and Live Fully Now.” She shares:

• 3 tangible ways to raise your vibe + frequency.
  
• The one major thing that might be blocking you from manifesting the things you want.
  
• How to tell the difference between intuition + anxious mind thoughts. 
  
• Who is Team Spirit?  And how we can all utilize them to help us + guide us?
  
• A new way to reframe when hard things show up for us in life.
  
• What spirits want us to know while we are still living. 
  
• Why meditation is key to help us tap into our higher self (and her advice if meditation is hard for you!) 
  
• The one question to ask yourself before you make any decision.
  
• Reincarnation, soul contracts and soul groups: What they are and how they can help us better understand our life experiences. 
  
• Why we don’t have to wait to die to experience heaven.
  

Follow Rebecca Rosen on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mediumrebeccarosen

Buy Rebecca’s book What’s Your Heaven: https://tinyurl.com/45w42fyu

She’s a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum rapper, singer-songwriter, Emmy-nominated actor, mother, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. You know her for the iconic hit Who’s That Girl? Now, Eve is here on PRETTYSMART, ready to finally answer that question. In her new memoir, she opens up like never before, giving us an intimate glimpse into her life and journey as she shares:

• How she knew she didn’t want a regular life and was destined for something big.
• How she never imagined her music career would go beyond just her debut album.
• Her experience with Ruff Ryders and how it differed from her experience with men in rap in general. 
• How she deals with fear and why it’s a constant companion in her life. 
• Working as a stripper for two months (and why she sort of regrets opening up about it in her memoir). 
• Her focus and “do or die” mentality. 
• When she realized her life had really changed.
• Her struggle with alcohol and how the realizations she had about that whie writing her memoir. 
• Her struggles with loneliness and depression even though she didn’t realize that was what it was at the time.
• Why she love the lyrical beefing between Kendrick Lamar and Drake.
• Her two favorite songs to perform.
• Her thoughts on women in rap now.
• Why Nicki Minaj being cast in Barbershop 2 sent her back to therapy. 
• How Jay z was an “Invisible Bully” and why she thinks those types of bullies are actually valuable. 
• Her Ectopic pregnancy, IVF, struggles to conceive and why becoming a mom at 43 has been so wonderful for her. 
• What has set her apart from others in the industry. 
• Why you should always be open to the pivot.
• Healing from her baggage from past toxic relationships when she started dating her now husband, Max
• When we will get new music (and if Fetish by Eve will ever return!)

Grab a copy of Eve’s Memoir “Who’s That Girl?” Here!

Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

• Megan’s personal story of grief with sudden loss of her husband and how it changed her view of grief and her work.
• How best to show up for someone who is grieving.
• The number one thing we need to remember when trying to support someone in grief.
• What grief hijacking is and why you should avoid it at all costs.
• Why we need to change the narrative surrounding grief and the expectations we place on those who are experiencing it.
• Things that happen while in grief that are totally normal even if you might feel like you’re going crazy. 
• How grief changes you and if you will ever feel “normal” again.

Produced by Dear Media.

Marcy Blum and Jess Conroy have each revolutionized the wedding industry in their own exceptional ways. Marcy is an internationally sought-after event planner and entertaining expert with 30 years of experience throwing innovative and ground-breaking events. Jess is the founder and CEO of Carats & Cake, a financial operating system created for the events industry. These women each have tackled a different piece of the $60 billion-a-year wedding industry pie, but their creativity and uniqueness have earned them both respect in their field. Today we cover: 

• Wedding/Party/Event Do’s + Don’ts 
• The biggest waste of money when it comes to weddings 
• Why you shouldn’t be a chill host 
• How to create meaning at events and parties (weddings)
• Setting the right tone for a party 
• Over 2 million couples get married a year. A wedding can be one of the largest purchases a couple makes in their life…how can we make it more meaningful? 
• How Marcy + Jess transformed the events industry 
• Building a brand and noticing the white space in your industry 
• Advice for seeking investors 
• Raising money as an entrepreneur and the power of storytelling 

Activist, writer, author and founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks, Marley Dias, is here! She shares:

• What she credits the success of #1000BlackGirlBooks to.
• What parents and caregivers can do to help support the big ideas of kids.
• Why giving back is a practice. 
• The long term problem she sees with book banning and why she’s so vocal about it.
• The books that changed her life and why reading is so important to staying hopeful.
• The impacts of being in Gen Z and how that affects her mental health.
• The biggest takeaways from her interviews with Misty Copeland, Ava DuVernay and Hillary Clinton 
• Why her mom has instilled the importance of having fun and how that’s been helpful.

• What lifestyle choices could be directly impacting your anxiety (and changes you can make easily.)
• Foods that could be contributing to your anxiety. 
• The difference between “True Anxiety and False Anxiety”
• Why conventional medicine tends to view anxiety as a “neck up” problem (and why that is a problem).
• Why anxiety is a whole-body condition and not just a brain condition.
• How to do a “False Mood Inventory” as a way to check in on your mental health. 
• External factors contributing to our anxiety 
• Two simple tips to reduce the impacts our phone has on your mental health.
• The power nature has to help our mental health and how you can tap into it even if you live in a big city.

POP STARS x FEMINISM: Today we will explore the stories of pop stars who have left an indelible mark on women and feminism. We are diving into their groundbreaking songs, their personal journeys, and the cultural shifts they've inspired. We are going through the eras. How did their music, their life experiences, their clothing/makeup, the way they dance and the way they talk about sex impact culture at the time? And did feminism become commodified? Is it a requirement to be a feminist if you’re a pop star? We are going through the eras: Diana Ross, Cher, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray, Katie Perry, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Lizzo, Due Lipa, Billie Eilish.

Breaking it all down is Audra Heinrich, a writer + reporter who who specializes in feature writing about politics, entertainment, and cultural moments and movements. Her work has been published in: Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, Teen Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, Bustle, Them., Cosmopolitan, Glamour. She holds an M.A. in American Journalism from New York University and a B.A. in English Literature and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies from The Ohio State University. In addition to her writing career, she has also amassed years of experience as a part-time political organizer. After co-founding the New York City chapter of Women’s March in 2017. 

And you all know writers are MY pop stars, so Audra is a pop star in my eyes. Follow here here:

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

Website: https://www.audraheinrichs.com/

Nora McInerny is an author, speaker and host of “Terrible, Thanks for Asking” - a podcast that lets people be honest about the hard things in life. Nora lost her husband, Aaron when she was just 32 years old and is currently remarried and raising a blended family. Today she shares: 

• What it was like finding out her boyfriend had a brain tumor after about a year of dating - and why deciding to marry him was the best decision she ever made. 
• How she coped with grief and what she wishes she would have done differently.
• Why it’s so important to be honest with those close to you about how you’re doing.
• How she and her window’s family have maintained such a close bond and why that is sadly not always the case.
• How her current husband and kids make space for her husband who passed.
• How she continues to celebrate her husband Aaaron and keep his memory alive.
• How she has been able to use humor to deal with all of the painful things she’s experienced. 
• Why time is almost meaningless to her now.
• Dealing with extreme burnout and how she’s navigating it.
• Why she wishes she had more compassion for herself.
• Why Parenthood is the biggest examination of your own ego.

Follow Nora here

Grab a copy of Nora’s books here 

Recommended books from Nora: 

1. On Our Best Behavior -  Elise Loehnen
2. The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
3. Man’s Search for Meaning - Victor Frankl  

Writer, Editor, Podcast Host, and most importantly, Sarah Michelle Gellar Historian, Evan Ross Katz has an unfiltered conversation about pop culture, internet culture, and of course celebrities! Today he dishes all about:

• What drew him to Hollywood

• The jobs not listed on his resume

• Standom and who he thinks has the most emphatic fandom

• How to write a great cold email

• Why he believes in protecting celebrities

• Why celebrity news culture is shifting

• His thoughts on internet culture

• What’s going down in his DMs

• He gives his candid thoughts on the etiquette of gossip, AI and its impact on culture, the performance of celebrity and Nepo babies

• He also reveals the surprising celebrity that loves to gossip, the celeb who blocked and unblocked him(!) and the person who influenced both of our careers

Follow Evan on Instagram @evanrosskatz and check out his podcast Shut Up Evan!

Drag is an art form that has existed since ancient times and has recently rocketed to mainstream popularity. Drag is a gender-bending art form in which a person dresses in clothing and makeup meant to exaggerate a specific gender identity, usually of the opposite sex. In many ways, it’s is about confidence and self expression; it’s about unleashing the magic that makes you, you. What can EVERYONE learn from mapping into that? Bob the Drag Queen is here today opening all about life both in drag and out of it. Bob won the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” on season 8 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” has had multiple acting roles for HBO, Netflix, Sony Tristar, MTV, and VH1 and now hosts HBO’s first unscripted show, “We’re Here.”

• How we all can channel the authenticity and magic of drag in our own lives
  
• Bob’s tips for being more confident and finding out how the rest of the world really sees you.
  
• How Drag celebrates all the things the world tells us is “bad”
  
• The difference between the real life and online drag communities
  
• Why it’s always better to succeed out of inspiration vs. out of spite.
  
• How stopping the habit of being a people pleaser changed Bob’s life.
  
• What Bob learned from RuPaul 
  
• Bob’s #1 make-up tip and go-to lip colors
  

Connect with Bob The Drag Queen: https://www.instagram.com/bobthedragqueen/

Transform your life in 2025! Danielle unveils her 5-step action plan to help you make this your most extraordinary year yet. Recorded with love and intention, this episode goes beyond goal-setting—it’s about designing a life that truly lights you up. Highlights include:

• The Annual Reflection: Why writing down your highlights and lowlights from 2024 can set the stage for clarity and momentum in the new year.
• The 5-Step Action Plan: Danielle’s meticulously designed, free resource to help you set meaningful goals and create a blueprint for success.
• Joy Over Discipline: Why joy is the secret ingredient to achieving your goals and how to align your aspirations with what truly excites you.
• Dream Without Limits: How to let go of limiting beliefs and give yourself permission to want what you really want.
• The Power of Questions: Key questions to ask yourself, including, What would you do this year if you knew you could not fail?

This episode is packed with personal stories, research-backed insights, and practical tools to help you dream bigger, reflect deeper, and set yourself up for a transformative year. Plus, Danielle reveals her own goals, her word of the year, and the mantra guiding her into 2025.

Download your FREE 2025 Action Plan at DanielleRobay.com and let’s make this the year you go all in on YOU.

Grab the QUESTION EVERYTHING card game here!

Catt Sadler, journalist, tastemaker, host of It Sure Is A Beautiful Day shares it all- the joyful, the difficult, and honest feelings about about love, divorce, therapy, family, relationships, career, equal pay, and the lessons she’s learned along the way. She talks about growing up in Indiana, what she’s learned from her failed relationships and the importance of sitting with yourself. She shares about her decision to leave E! And who she consulted with (including Jennifer Lawrence and Gwyneth Paltrow!) and reflects on that choice four years later. She talks about getting matching tattoos with her mother, raising her two sons, and her incredibly close relationship with her ex and his new wife. We also discuss her new project, Mid-Life and what she’s learning about this stage of life. Of course we talk fashion and her must-haves (and what style she wishes would disappear!), why Johnny Depp was her most memorable interview and the best Hollywood party she’s ever attended. If you want more Catt, check out her podcast It Sure Is A Beautiful Day right here with Dear Media.

Produced by Dear Media.

What does it mean to be deeply—actively kind?  Houston Kraft spent his career studying kindness, wrote a book about it, and is sharing all of the answers. We talk about the importance of going beyond practicing “confetti kindness” (random acts of kindness), how to really show up for people in need, kindness in leadership + business, how to be a more actively and deeply kind person, and his thoughts on if “nice guys finish last”. You might think you are practicing kindness, but Houston shares some tips and tools to help us look inward to see if we are practicing kindness in the ways that make the greatest impact and change. 

Produced by Dear Media.

How did Hip Hop become a men’s sport? And what do we miss as consumers + audience members when we don’t include women in the story of Hip Hop? Danielle chats with Hip Hop historian and author of The Motherlode: The 100+ Women Who Made Hip Hop Clover Hope to discuss the stories, contributions, and difficulties for stars who pioneered the genre like Da Brat, Lil Kim, Queen Latifah, Eve, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B. We talk about sexual liberation versus exploitation, and the evolution of the movement into a business. Rapper Kierra Luv joins the conversation to talk about what it’s like to be a woman in Hip Hop currently, who she looked up to, how Cardi B helped put her on the map, and the book that changed her life. 

Produced by Dear Media.

Clarke Peoples didn’t set out to become a content creator—but life had other plans. The Columbia University graduate found herself gaining a massive TikTok following by vlogging her life as an Ivy League student navigating the hustle, heart, and chaos of New York City. Now, as a full-time creator, she’s sharing everything from daily routines to life-changing advice, inspiring young women to embrace confidence, curiosity, and self-empowerment, especially in their dating lives! In this candid conversation, Clarke fearlessly dives into:

• Manifesting her dreams: How a vision board at 12 years old shaped her future.
• Lessons from her mom: The unforgettable ways her mom instilled wisdom.
• Academics and self-love: Finding confidence in her love of learning.
• Challenging assumptions: Why people assume she’s either wealthy or a sugar baby—and how she handles it.
• Her accidental rise: The unexpected journey to becoming a creator.
• Boundaries on social media: What she refuses to share online.
• Speaking up, no matter the cost: Why she’s committed to addressing social justice issues, even if it means losing followers.
• Redefining confidence: The importance of finding self-worth outside the internet.
• Dating unfiltered: App red flags, her love-hate relationship with kissing, texting etiquette, the most romantic gesture she’s experienced, and more.
• Reclaiming her power: Why she believes men don’t hold more value than she does—and how that shapes her approach to love and heartbreak.
• Race and the internet: The systemic issues she’s calling out and what needs to change.

Follow Clarke on IG and TikTok

Book Recs: The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore & A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beya.

Grab the QUESTION EVERYTHING card game here!

R&B Singer/songwriter Sinéad Harnett opens up about her journey to become a superstar— her new album Ready Is Always Too Late just dropped and was lauded by Elton John. We talk about the biggest lessons and hardships she faced along the way, how she dealt with imposter syndrome when she was starting out, the best advice she ever got from singer Khaled, and why she never planned on “making it” when she was a young girl growing up in the UK. We also talk about who she would take as her date to the Grammy’s, why you might not want to go on vacation with her and the hidden blessing that’s come from the pandemic.

Produced by Dear Media.

Whether you are in a relationship, married, or single, more and more women are finding agency with their fertility by freezing their eggs (and embryos). I recently shared my personal journey with egg freezing on Instagram and am doing a much deeper dive in this episode. I learned SO MUCH (and I learned alot from the women who had been through it and DM’ed me tips– all of which i’m sharing on this episode. Today I’m diving into the facts, myths and most important questions you need to know about the process and the results of egg freezing!

Colleen and Cassidy Coughlin are the mother-daughter duo behind OVA Egg Freezing Specialty Center. Colleen is the Founder & CEO, who for over 30 years, has been a prominent leader in the field of IVF and Reproduction, helping thousands of patients become parents. Cassidy is her IVF-born daughter (born in her own lab!) and the center’s Program Manager. 

Today they share a wealth of knowledge, including:

• Understanding peak fertility and the ideal timing for egg freezing
• Debunking common myths surrounding egg and embryo freezing
• How to optimize your chances of getting pregnant later in life
• Tips for improving the quality and health of eggs
• The age they recommend for effective egg freezing
• How to prepare for the egg freezing process and what you need to know
• Examining whether egg freezing serves as a true insurance policy
• Exploring the goal for most women who freeze their eggs
• The key questions every woman should ask her provider for a successful retrieval process

Follow OVA Egg Freezing Specialty Center on Instagram @ovaeggfreezing

• 3 things you need to start doing today to build wealth and get out of debt.
• What wealthy people do right (and what we can learn from them).
• Why time is more important than money when it comes to investing.
• Why you can’t only focus on a savings and a budget. 
• Why you should demand an annual review
• Specific tips on how to negotiate at work. 
• What you need to know about the wage gap, the investment gap and the wealth gap.
• Why it’s so important to get more money into women’s hands and the barriers to entry women face in investing. 
• What to watch out for when it comes to Cryptocurrency.

Comedian, Writer and star of Saturday Night Live, Ego Nwodim, joins PRETTYSMART! She shares:

• What it means to live a “Yes, And” life
• Auditioning for SNL even though she wasn’t sure she wanted the role (and the key reason she thinks she got the job)
• Life at SNL ( the most anxiety inducing days of the week)
• How Keenan Thompson helped her believe in her own intuition 
• How she balances her schedule and dating
• How she never even wanted to take improv in the first place
• How improv has helped make her a better person

Follow Ego here

Alexandra’s Consulting Website: https://www.alexandramandersonconsulting.com/

Before she was producing, starring in major films, and building her media empire, Tika Sumpter was a girl from Queens with a dream but no roadmap. In this raw and inspiring conversation, she shares how grit, hustle, and self-belief took her from waiting tables in New York to making it in Hollywood. From a chance encounter that led to her first agent to the game-changing roles that finally put her on the map, Tika gets real about the double standards in the industry, creating her own opportunities, and why betting on yourself is everything.

• Growing up in Queens and why the borough breeds some of the hardest-working people in the world
• The hustle of breaking into acting, from cold auditions to booking One Life to Live
• The Hollywood realities no one talks about race, casting biases, and what it really takes to “make it”
• Why Tyler Perry saw something in her that others didn’t and how he’s changed the industry
• Learning to bet on herself and take control of her career through producing, writing, and launching her own projects
• Motherhood and personal growth, how raising her daughter, Ella, helped her reparent herself
• Her latest creative ventures, including her children’s podcast and new book, I Got It from My Mama
• The biggest risk she’s ever taken, and why every woman should experience love and adventure in another country at least once

This conversation is about trusting your instincts, pushing past rejection, and never waiting for permission.

Follow Tika on Instagram here.

Grab a copy of he new book I Got It From My Mama here.

Chelsea Devantez is an Emmy-nominated writer, comedian, director, and host of the podcast Glamorous Trash. She was Jon Stewart’s Head Writer for Apple TV+'s The Problem with Jon Stewart and has also written for Not Dead Yet, Girls5Eva, and Bless this Mess, among others. Chelsea’s memoir “I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This (But I’m Going to Anyway) is out now and today she returns to PRETTYSMART to talk all about it! She shares: 

• Why courage for her to tell her story publicly was the last resort (but why she’s so glad she decided to do so!)
• Why it’s important to share real and relatable stories of domestic violence, and why there is so much red tape around survivors being able to tell their truth. 
• How her relationship with her mom was impacted by writing her own memoir. 
• What she learned not to do from all the other memories she’s talked about on her podcast.
• What it was like finding out she was conceived via a sperm donor when she was 14 years old. 
• Why it’s so important to tell young girls they are special and what that did for her as a kid. 
• The duality of resilience and why she’s learning to tell people when she’s not alright.
• Why the best people to help you in your career and life are right beside you.
• Her best tips for getting ahead in your career. 
• What makes the best kind of wedding and her relationship with her husband. 

Links:

• Follow Chelsea here
• Grab a copy of her book here

The Workout Witch, Liz Tenuto, joins PRETTYSMART to teach us how to release trauma and get rid of chronic pain through somatic exercises and therapy.  With a Degree in Psychology from UCSB, somatic certifications in Feldenkrais and Pilates with a specialization in injuries & pathologies, and 15 years of teaching experience, she's been changing the conversation around how trauma and anxiety affect the body for 15 years. She shares: 

• What it means if you scroll on your phone for an hour at night

• Her personal journey with chronic pain and how she discovered somatic exercises.

• Why any pain longer that does not heal after 3 months is trauma stored in the body.

• Signs you have stress stored in your body.

• How to differentiate stored trauma from muscle injury

• What a functional freeze is and signs that you are in one (and why it often mimics depression)  

• What parts of the body different emotions are stored in. 

• Why there’s an overlap between signs of ADHD and nervous system dysregulation from trauma. 

• Revenge Sleep Procrastination: What it is and what it means for your nervous system. 

• Why you should stop doing cold plunges. 

Follow Liz on Instagram

Explor Liz’s Online Courses

Dr. Ellen Langer, known as the “mother of mindfulness,” and the first woman ever tenured in psychology at Harvard University and joins PRETTYSMART for an unforgettable conversation that will challenge everything you think you know about health, aging, and control over your life. With decades of groundbreaking research, Dr. Langer has reshaped our understanding of the mind’s power to transform the body and revolutionized how we approach healing, decision-making, and resilience. In this eye-opening episode, we explore:

• The one phrase she lives by (it changed Danielle’s life). 

• Why the traditional “mind-body connection” is outdated—and how embracing mind-body unity can unlock extraordinary healing potential.
• The startling study that showed reversing aging isn’t science fiction—it’s science.
• How simple shifts in perception, like seeing daily work as exercise, can dramatically improve your health.
• What her groundbreaking research reveals about the illusion of control—and how to reclaim it in your own life.
• Why language, like the term “in remission,” shapes how we experience illness and healing.

• Her personal stories, from her mother’s miraculous recovery from terminal cancer to the fire that destroyed nearly everything she owned—and how she found meaning and growth in both experiences.

Book Reccomendation: The Mindful Body: Thinking Our Way to Chronic Health by Dr. Ellen Langer 

Follow Ellen here

Other than your parents, who has most impacted your life? For me, Steve Carlston is that person. He didn’t just change my career, but he changed my life. Steve is the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Los Angeles Fox Owned Stations. HIs incredible broadcasting career spans four decades. He is a media veteran, an impactful leader, and lives a life rooted in connections. I’m excited to share a conversation with you, with someone who has shared so much with me. 

Today we cover:

• Living a connected life

• How being of service provides the most connection to others

• How diversity is an opportunity to learn and celebrate others

• What makes us each unique

• The most important decision we make in our lives

• Why Steve prays and his relationship to God

• Why it’s important to be firmly rooted when you are young

• Understanding your parents as you get older

• How Steve has impacted Danielle’s life

To connect with Steve on LinkedIn, check him out here!

If you’re someone who doesn’t cook or doesn’t know how, you might think that the kitchen is the most intimidating place in the world. But today’s guest, food personality, former chef, former food editor at Bon Appétit, and NYT bestselling author Molly Baz says it doesn’t have to be. Her entire goal is to inspire a new generation to find joy in the kitchen and take pride in putting a home-cooked meal on the table. In her new cookbook “More is More,” Molly is helping us learn the foundational tools to become a better cook. Danielle + Molly discuss:

• The one ingredient that will change your food!
• Why Molly dropped the “Chef” title
• The unique way Molly hustled + trained to be a chef in fine dining establishments 
• Why she chose trial by fire over a traditional education when preparing to be a chef 
• Her pivot into the word of food media, working for Bon Appetit and Epicurious 
• Her views on how someone can refine their palette through their mindset (and what it means to be a curious eater!)
• Why she worries about modern conveniences like UberEats or Postmates making the art of cooking obsolete 
• How she learned to say “YES” versus “NO” by identifying her purpose in life
• The ability that sets an amateur cook from a professional one
• What she sees as her biggest failure
• Her journey to becoming a bestselling cookbook author with her 2021 book “Cook This Book” and her new release “More is More”
• How to build the perfect sandwich 
• Her favorite restaurant in the world

Follow Molly on Instagram @MollyBaz and grab her book here!

Comedian + actress Amanda Seales (Insecure) is coming out with a new comedy special–one she wrote, produced, starred in and financed!! Do you know hard that is?! She joins Danielle today for an unfiltered conversation about her long career in Hollywood (the great + the challenging), Hollywood hierarchy, why people forget the entertainment business is a business, and her new unapologetically political comedy doc “In Amanda We Trust.” Today she shares:

• What staying the course + resilience in your career really looks + feels like. 

• Her unfiltered thoughts on the Screen Actor’s Guild and Writers Guild Association strikes impacting Hollywood

• Why co-hosting The Real was her last effort to be a part of “the system”

• She reveals the co-star she dated on the set of Insecure 

• Her opinion on friendships with the cast of Insecure + coworkers in general

• The story of financing her new standup special “In Amanda We Trust: An Unapologetically Political Comedy Doc” and why it was a game changing 

• Being brutally honest with herself about what she can handle, and what she can’t 

• Why the U.S is at a critical time in our political history 

• She reflects on her miscarriage shortly after her departure from The Real and how it reframed her thinking about what to do next 

• Her unfiltered thoughts about her social media following and what people project onto her

Follow Amanda on Instagram @amandaseales and check out her comedy special “In Amanda We Trust” on August 18 exclusively at InAmandaWeTrust.com

Caroline Stanbury is a Bravo TV Star (Real Housewives of Dubai), podcast host of Divorced Not Dead”, entrepreneur, wife, mother of 3 and philanthropist. She is known for her quick wit, zest for life, and British candor. We came to know her as the breakout star of Ladies of London in 2014. Fans loved Caroline for the same reason they love her podcast and romantic + business advice: she lives unapologetically.  

In this episode she shares how she has manifested the life she is living. She even gives me some dating advice. This episode is really fun— I can’t wait for you to hear from Caroline on how she is determined to live life to its fullest potential! 

Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestanbury/?hl=en

Ashlyn Harris—World Cup champion, activist, mother, and the goalkeeper with the most saves in U.S. Women’s National Team history—opens up about the reality of high-performance culture, the addiction that almost consumed her, and why she walked away from everything she built to start over. Now, she’s in a new chapter—one that includes radical self-work, protecting her peace, and an unexpected love story. In this episode, Ashlyn shares:

• The moment she realized she was living a life that wasn’t hers & what she did about it
• How Adderall addiction almost derailed her career—and what pulled her out
• The moment she realized she was living a life that wasn’t truly hers
• What it really took to leave her marriage and start over
• The price of protecting your peace—and why it’s always worth it
• The shocking truth about women’s soccer’s pay gap (and why she was done fighting)
• How her friendship with Sophia Bush turned into something more
• What the media gets wrong about their relationship—and why she doesn’t care
• The hardest lesson she learned in therapy—and the question that changed everything
• Why she refuses to settle for an “average” life (and how it shapes her relationships)
• What elite athletes and Hollywood actors really have in common
• How she’s rebuilding her life—on her own terms
• The problem with hustle culture, and why true success is about more than just winning
• Her new podcast “Wide Open” – how she named it and the one episode she thinks everyone should start with!

This is a conversation about reinvention and the radical act of choosing yourself—even when the whole world is watching.

Follow Ashlyn Harris here

Listen to her podcast “Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris” produced by iHeart Women’s Sports. New episodes drop weekly on Mondays, on the iHeartRadio app and anywhere you get your podcasts. 

Friendship coach and author of “Fighting for Our Friendships,” Danielle Bayard Jackson, joins the pod to share practical strategies and thoughtful insights to help us in every area of our friendships. We discuss:

• The two questions every friend wants answered
• How to handle conflict in friendships as adults
• How to make friends as an adult
• Why friendships change depending on our life stages
• Why desire is important even in platonic relationship
• Friendship burnout and how to handle it
• How to know when it’s time to let a friendship go (and how to handle it)
• Gossip! Why it’s not ALL bad (and how to differentiate the two) 
• How to reframe what it means to be a good friend
• The direct line between female friendships and our physical, mental, and emotional health

Follow Danielle here.

Grab her book here. 

• How it was who she least expected who helped convince her to go for her Olympic dream. 
• Why you should embrace satellite mentors.
• The unsuspecting mental health battle she faced after her Olympic High
• How we need to reframe chasing our dreams and “enjoying the journey.” 
• How we all need to learn to expect and prepare for “a dip” after reaching our goals.
• What she’s learned about herself through running and through going for all of her big dreams.
• Good Pain Vs. Bad Pain and how to know the difference.
• What she wants her legacy to be.
• Losing her mother to suicide at a very young age + how her relationship with her mother fluctuates even though she’s passed away. 

Produced by Dear Media.

Sheria Irving is an actress and founder of the non-profit mentorship organization Shaping Her Earth. She simply...radiates. Before she took a step out on faith to live her dreams as an actor, she was a New York public school teacher! She shares how we can redefine fear and go after our dreams when there is no blueprint. She also reveals the unexpected person who inspired her to leave her job to pursue acting. We also discuss her pinch me moments in her acting career, the life changing lesson she learned from Billy Porter, the importance of mentorship in our lives, especially for women of color. And she leaves us with some tools--affirmations she uses daily to believe in herself and inspire her mentees. 

Produced by Dear Media.

Today we are speaking with of the most successful porn actresses of all time. With over a decade of experience in an industry that generates $12 billion dollars annually, Candice Horbacz. (whose film name is Eva Lovia) is here to answer any question you have ever had about porn or the adult film industry. We also have an in depth conversation about sex + relationships that I found mind and heart expanding.  

• How she first started in the porn industry and what her first day on set was like.
  
• The biggest lessons she’s learned from working in adult entertainment..
  
• How her family and friends reacted when they first discovered she was doing porn (and how she’s learned to let go of the stigma).
  
• The positive influence adult film has had on her life and her confidence.
  
• Navigating a relationship with her boyfriend (now husband) who did not work in the industry.
  
• How being a porn star has affected her sex life IRL.
  
• Sex on set (and if those orgasms are actually real!)
  
• Her thoughts on if porn is too male centered. 
  
• Why you shouldn’t feel pressured to perform at the expense of your own pleasure. 
  
• How she’s learned to let go of fear and what others think of her.
  

Did you know that almost all athletic shoes on the market have been designed, researched and tested on men? When Lindsay Housman discovered this, she and her husband, founded Hettas, a company creating running shoes optimized for women.  Today, Lindsay joins the podcast to share why becoming a disruptor in this space is so important to her. We discuss: 

• Why women are left out of research for shoes (and so many other things)
• Why women’s feet are fundamentally different than men
• How wearing shoes designed for men impacts women's health. 
•  How Hettas came to be and why she started this company much earlier than she thought. 
• Why it’s important to her to never settle for the status quo
• Founding, self-funding and running this company while currently working another full time job
• What she hopes to accomplish with Hettas and exactly how their shoes are different
• Why she believes women would be in sports longer if they had proper athletic shoes. 
• How women are treated so differently when it comes to raising venture capital. 

Follow Hettas on Instagram here!

Book Rec:  Strong is the New Pretty by Kate T Parker

Taryn Delanie is a content creator, comedian and beauty pageant winner! She holds titles! She was crowned Miss New York 2022 and was the first runner-up in the 2022 Miss America competition. Her viral TikTok sketches as heaven’s receptionist caught the attention of millions. Today she’s sharing: 

• How delusional confidence has served her well in life
• Why your dreams should only matter to you
• The importance of listening to your gut
• Her favorite and unexpected dream realized
• When she experienced the most joy in her life
• The hardest day she had in New York
• Where the inspo from her hilarious skits came from
• What she has learned about grief 
• The biggest change in her life since becoming Miss New York
• Insights into beauty pageants
• The myth of soulmates

Follow @taryndelaniesmith on Instagram and @taryntino21 on TikTok!

Aurora James, founder of the luxury brand Brother Vellies + the 15 Percent Pledge joins PRETTYSMART to share stories, lessons from her new memoir “Wildflower.” She shares: 

• Her memoir “Wildflower” and the story behind the title.
• Why fashion was a unifier in her house growing up. 
• The crucial life lesson her mom taught her at a very young age. 
• Why identity is complicated for her and why it inspired her to write her book. 
• The impact her modeling career had on her mental health. 
• Why she wants to co-parent 5 kids with 5 different male friends.  
• Why she was arrested when she was in college and what spending time in a jail cell taught her about women. 
• The inspiration behind her company Brother Vellies and why she wanted to help get rid of unconscious bias in fashion. 
• Why she has never shied away from using her brand and platform to speak up for others. 
• The financial setback she faced even while her brand was being worn by Beyonce and Rihanna. 
• How her non-profit, 15% Pledge,  started with an Instagram post in 2020 and the motivation behind it. 
• Her top tips to incorporate activism in your own life. 
• Why she believes defining success on your own terms is the key to happiness. 

How would you live your life if you knew you would keep getting better with age? Iconic American fashion designer Norma Kamali shares the lessons she’s learned through each decade. Now 75 years old, Norma is teaching us how we can all age with power, and why the concept of anti-aging and aging gracefully is offensive. She shares the unexpected way she began her career as a designer in the 1960’s- when it was a man’s game - and where she found the courage to live unconventionally at a time that was just not done (she wore mini dresses!). She shares how we can find gratitude in everything, especially the hardships. She shares the importance of making decisions that are in line with your purpose. We discuss how she came to her decision to not have kids and what it means to not hit the traditional benchmarks society puts on women. We talk about how a psychic told her she would meet her soulmate at 65-- and it turned out to be true-- but you won't see her wearing a wedding dress to her wedding this summer!

Produced by Dear Media.

Actor, dancer, choreographer and star of the hit Starz drama P-Valley, Nicco Annan is bringing his magic to PRETTYSMART today. The Detroit-born actor refused to conform to a Hollywood template and instead has made a name for himself by embracing his individuality and following his intuition.  His portrayal of Uncle Clifford (the revolutionary + beloved character) has earned him critical acclaim as well as nominations from the NAACP and independent spirit awards. Danielle + Nicco discuss:

• The meaningful lesson he learned in high school + how that has carried him in life. 
  
• How being told he was too big to be a dancer helped him in the long run. 
  
• Why it’s important to use all of your gifts when trying to achieve your dreams. 
  
• How he was held at gunpoint at 14 years old. 
  
• How P-Valley is helping change how we view sex workers and strippers.  
  
• The role of intimacy in playing Uncle Clifford and how Nicco approaches the masculine/feminine qualities of the character.
  
• What he’s learned from playing Uncle Clifford and how he knows this role is bigger than him. (and why his character is so beloved + impactful)
  
• Why it’s important that P-Valley has all female directors and the male gaze.
  

What happens WHEN WOMEN LEAD? What are the key commonalities of female leaders who thrived in spite of the challenges? Can some of your weaknesses actually trun into your greatest strengths? CNBC’s Senior Media & Tech Correspondent Julia Boorstin wrote a book about it. She spoke with more than 120 female leaders, from Goop’s Gwyneth Paltrow, Bumble’s Whitney Wolfe Herd, Jenn Hyman (Rent The Runway), Lena Waithe and more to determine their strategies for success. 

Julia’s had her finger on the pulse of tech and business as a correspondent for more than two decades. She launched and oversees the CNBC Disruptor 50. Currently CNBC’s Senior Media & Tech Correspondent, she’s also been a fixture at CNN Headline News. She’s even worked for the State Department and Vice President Al Gore’s domestic policy office. Needless to say, Julia understands leadership. She shares:

• What the 120 female leaders she interviewed all had in common
• Why do stock prices increase when a company has a female CEO?
• How to turn your weaknesses into strengths (example: CEO Jennifer Holmgren on negotiation)
• Why women are more likely than men to make swift decisions.
• How gratitude can make you money.
• Mentors vs. Peer to Peer mentorship.
• How the Mark Zuckerbergs and Elon Musks contribute to a myth of the “Male Visionary” or “Boy Wonder”
• How to ask tough questions.
• Julia’s thoughts on New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s decision to step down.

Buy Julia’s Book: When Women Lead: https://amzn.to/3ekjT4Y

In the past 20 years, the Internet has developed a culture of its own. And one woman who has been at the forefront is Taylor Lorenz, a Tech Journalist, Content Creator, and the Author of the new book “Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet.” With the distinction of being recognized as one of Fortune’s 40 Under 40 leaders in Media and Entertainment, Taylor possesses a deep understanding of how digital culture has shaped our lives. Today, she shares:

• Starting out as a female tech reporter (one of the ONLY ones)
• Online Harassment + navigating a male-dominated landscape
• The most impactful influencers (and how they changed culture)
• Predicting digital trends + platforms 
• TikTok and her vision for the app's future evolution
• Addressing and dispelling a popular TikTok conspiracy theory
• The pivotal moment when the unique culture of the internet became evident
• How Tumblr (an OG social media platform) exposed her to a new community of people
• Dissecting the power and misconceptions surrounding influencers
• Unpacking the profound impact of AI-driven algorithms
• Her predictions about the trajectory of AI technology and what users want
• Her thoughts on Threads - is it here to stay?
• Reclaiming autonomy from the grip of social media platforms
• Her thoughts on the idea of content creators uniting in a collective effort

Follow Taylor on Instagram @taylorlorenz and preorder her book Extremely Online, here!

April Showers is the first female, Black-owned business to own a licensed character brand in a major retailer. She is the creator of Afro Unicorn, a brand designed to represent the uniqueness of women and children of color in a truly diverse and inclusive fashion, selling apparel and accessories to toys, puzzles, books and more. Today she shares:

• How karma played a huge role in her success.
  
• What it’s like having Disney and Star Wars as her main competitors.
  
• How she launched the brand amidst some of the hardest personal moments in her life. 
  
• How she got into her first big box retailer.
  
• Why her approach is “All gas, no breaks.”
  
• The surprising way she learned all about licensing her brand. 
  
• Her visualization and journaling practices that helped her as she’s built her empire.
  
• The most pivotal decision she’s made in her business.
  
• Why she says you can go after exactly what you want. 
  
• How she thought her life was going to end when she got pregnant because she hadn’t seen a positive image of a single mother + how she feels about it now. 
  
• The surprising lesson she has learned from her two sons.
  

What are red flags that you aren’t financially compatible with your partner? What is the most productive + thoughtful way to have money conversations? What questions should you be asking? And then here’s my biggest question: Are you supposed to merge money? What are the benefits of that versus keeping your money separate? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS!

Farnoosh Torabi is here to answer them all! Farnoosh is one of America’s leading personal finance authorities — she’s hooked on helping you live your richest, happiest life. 

Her award winning podcast So Money has over 30 million downloads, where she has had deep conversations about money with accomplished people like Arianna Huffington, Queen Latifah and Tony Robbins. She has written multiple books, her latest just dropped: A Healthy State of Panic: Follow Your Fears to Build Wealth, Crush Your Career and Win at Life. The New York Times calls her advice, “perfectly practical. 

I was excited to be on her podcast this week talking about money– the good, the bad and the…oops! Check out the episode here.

Connect Farnoosh on Instagram

Grab a copy of her new book!

“If you give people your time and your spirit, you make an impact.” Katie Lowes is an actor, theatre director, and key member of the Shondaland crew, with significant roles on Scandal (Quinn Perkins) and Inventing Anna. Katie and her husband, Adam Shapiro, are founders and directors of Los Angeles’s IAMA Theater Company. But her rise to TV fame didn’t happen overnight. She’s been at it for years, on a path filled with setbacks, odd jobs and the inevitable imposter syndrome. So how did she spin her struggles into a flourishing career in Hollywood?  Katie brings an honest, vulnerable and hilarious voice to the podcast, sharing:

• Her navigation of severe postpartum depression
  
• What her 40th birthday means to her as a time of transition
  
• How she just took a solo 5-day vacation solely for herself
  
• Her extraordinary grandmother’s recent death and what it means to live a full life
  
• How starting therapy at 24 led to her booking work as an actor
  
• Her audition journey for Shonda Rhimes and finally landing Scandal
  
• How Kerry Washington and other women of Scandal created a safe, supportive environment for each other
  
• Why it’s important, as an actor, to stay focused on your work rather than fame
  

LANGUAGE + POWER, GENDER, RACE: Linguist and writer Amanda Montell is here to discuss reclaiming gendered insults, cursing, women's linguistic innovation, sexism in our language and owning your own voice. She is the author of two critically acclaimed books, Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language and Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism She is also a creator and host of the hit podcast, Sounds Like A Cult. Today she joins PRETTYSMART to expand on her book Wordslut. She wants you to feel empowered by language instead of silenced by it. 

 She shares: 

• Why young women are the language innovators. 
  
• Slurs and how so many of them were once ordinary words used to reflect femininity. 
  
• How culture and language go hand in hand. 
  
• Why marginalized communities use language as a form of power in culture (and why it is almost always co-opted by mainstream society).
  
• Why we need to stop calling out typos and grammar mistakes online.
  
• What it really means when we have to put a qualifier on a word. 
  
• What term we can use instead of “hey guys” and why it’s important to read the room when it comes to language. 
  
• The power of reclaiming words vs. abolishing them. 
  

Follow Amanda here: https://www.instagram.com/amanda_montell/

1. With a degree in psychology and a masters in counseling, Jo Davenport was working at a private practice for mental health before she quit her job and dived head first into creating the body-inclusive swimwear company LaPorte. She generously shares her knowledge, the challenges of starting a company and the lessons she learned. Today Jo opens up about: 
   

• How her terrible experience trying on a bathing suit led to launching a company
  
• What to consider when starting a business
  
• Why it was important to create an inclusive brand for every body
  
• How she would have spent money differently
  
• The TWO people EVERY entrepreneur should have in her corner 
  
• Why she’s obsessed with feedback
  
• What challenges her company faced during COVID and how she pivoted
  
• Why she felt validated when named Forbes Next 1000 honoree
  
• Positivity and how to become more optimistic
  

• How to successfully express our needs, say "no," and be assertive without offending others.
• Signs to look for that you aren’t holding boundaries.  Simple-yet-powerful ways to establish healthy boundaries with family, friends and coworkers.
• Why people may push back when you set a boundary and how you can respond.
• The power of learning how to say no to things you just don’t want to do. 
• Why it’s actually mean to say yes when what you really want to say is no.  
• How to avoid burnout at work by setting boundaries with your co-workers.
• The importance of listening to + trusting ourselves in order to set better boundaries with the people in our lives.
• How to set boundaries on social media so you won’t be so miserable every time you scroll. 
• How to set boundaries with family members.
• 3 questions you can ask yourself when setting boundaries.

Produced by Dear Media.

• How she learned to get help from Elmo to deal with social media haters
• How Anglea Davis convinced her to drop out of law school.
•  Her experience at the intersectionality of identifying as Black, Queer & Muslim.
• Why she hopes her Instagram and Smarter in 60 Seconds Series help us all learn to ask more questions.
• The problems she sees with capitalism.
• What period of history we should all spend time learning about.
• What it was like to accidentally come out Live on Tucker Carlson 
• Why she believes we will all change somebody’s life even if we aren’t changing legislation.

“Think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.”

Tembi Locke is the New York Times bestselling author of her memoir From Scratch, and an actor, producer, and screenwriter. From Scratch is a Reese’s Book Club pick, an Audie Awards Best Audiobook Finalist, and a Goodreads Best Books Finalist. Along with Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine, Tembi serves as an executive producer and co-writer for the Netflix limited series inspired by her book. Tembi shares:

• How to put one foot in front fo the other when your life changes forever
• How she met her late husband Saro in Italy + the story of their romance
• How do you parent and caregiver while living with grief?
• How can you help and support someone who is grieving?
• One piece of advice for cross cultural relationships 
• What it’s like to see Zoe Saldana play her on screen!

Love Wellness founder + former star of Laguna Beach and The Hills Lo Bosworth is here to share her wellness journey and how it inspired her to help others do the same. She shares:

-Where do our 'happy hormones" come from?

-The chronic health problems she faced + how it took 18 months for her to get a proper diagnosis.

-How healing her gut healed her anxiety, depression and many other health issues (vitamin deficiencies can result in anxiety + depression)

-How our gut health is connected to our vaginal and brain health. 

-Supplements 101 - where to start if you want to heal your gut. 

-How being on MTV turned out to be a blessing (even if it made her cry).

-The struggles she faced being a reality TV star. 

-Why she was inspired to start her company Love Wellness

Purchase Love Yourself Well: https://tinyurl.com/4vu2492d

Shop Love Wellness: https://likeshop.me/lovewellness

Follow Lo: https://www.instagram.com/lobosworth/

Jenni Kayne is the founder + designer of her namesake brand Jenni Kayne: a California lifestyle brand that inspires women to live well every day. Her clothing, home decor, accessories (her candles are amongst my favorite) and overall aesthetic has become known amongst celebrities as one that never goes out of style. Today she shares:

• Launching her business as an ambitious and naive 19-year-old
• How making decisions quickly (discernment) is her superpower
• How to create your own aesthetic
• The first thing you should do when you move to a new place + her design principles that can make your space more beautiful
• The one piece of furniture you should invest in
• Why hiring a CEO allowed her to take the brand to the next level
• Why small details are important
• Her first meeting with Anna Wintour - and what she really thinks about her!
• The challenges of being a working mom
• Why she created her new skincare line Oak Essentials

Follow her on Instagram @JenniKayne and @JenniKayneHome

• Red flags when it comes to dating.
• Question Everything: Nick & Natalie answer questions from the brand new PRETTYSMART question deck. 
• Nick’s thoughts on The Bachelor franchise and how it’s changed. 
• The best way to approach a stranger you think is cute.
• Why you should really consider giving someone a second and third date. 
• Love languages and why they are so important to understand in a relationship.
• The unconventional way Nick and Natalie met (and how she found out he was a former Bachelor).

EXCLUSIVE purchase link for the QUESTION EVERYTHING Card Deck :https://tinyurl.com/QUESTIONEVERTHING

Ginger Zee is the first ever female chief meteorologist at a major network. She reports the nation’s weather for “Good Morning America” and is also the managing editor of the climate unit at ABC News (you’ve also seen her on Dancing with the Stars). She’s chased her fair share of weather events through the years- hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and wildfires. But it was weathering a more personal storm that took her on a journey of self discovery. Ginger wrote openly about her mental health struggles in her first memoir ‘Natural Disaster’ revealing that after getting her dream job at ABC she checked herself into a mental health hospital. But Ginger says ‘Natural Disaster’ barely scratched the surface.  In her follow up memoir - ‘A Little Closer to Home’ Ginger is digging even deeper and telling us all about finding ‘the calm after the storm.’ We discuss:

• Why landing her dream job at Good Morning America pushed her to check into a mental health hospital.
  
• With all of the mental health struggles catalyzed by the pandemic- where does the mental health conversation need to go? How technology can help!
  
• How she thinks about the word ‘NO’ and people pleasing
  
• Processing trauma: “you can't delete trauma, you have to process it so that it does not cause stress for the rest of your life.”
  
• Her simple reframe to really grasp the lifetime care for your mental health 
  
• Advice on looking for a therapist that feels like a good fit. 
  
• Getting rid of limiting beliefs, being multifaceted, and thinking outside of the box in your career
  
• How she decides where to put her energy + her tip on how you can examine where to put your energy
  
• Ginger’s #1 Green swap for your home
  

Minnesota native Brianna Brown Keen is an award-winning actress who has worked for over two decades in Hollywood with projects ranging from top grossing feature films, to Emmy-winning television shows, to indie projects she has produced. She is often recognized for her roles on Dynasty, Devious Maids, General Hospital & Homeland, Netflix’s hit series Outer Banks. 

Brianna is the founder and CEO of the 501c3 non-profit organization The New Hollywood— dedicated to supporting socially conscious storytellers and changemakers thru grants, goals, and mentorship.  Brianna is the Chair Ambassador for the National Women’s History Museum. She is also a public speaker on the topic, “Manifesting Your Mission”, and she offers in-person and online workshops, retreats as well as small group accountability coaching using the method within her book, Manifesting Your Mission. 

Brianna has her own podcast, Manifesting Your Mission. Check it out here! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/manifesting-your-mission-with-brianna-brown-keen/id1680967142

If you don’t know know what to do—just ask Chinae Alexander. Host of the advice podcast, “Press Send” and social entrepreneur Chinae Alexander is here to dish advice on all of your questions! She’s answering YOUR relationship, friendship, and career questions. We talk all about how to set boundaries with negative friends, deal with difficult sisters, negotiate a raise, work through with body image questions, cheating (or what to do if your significant other is constantly liking other girls pics on IG!) and discuss if its okay to have platonic friendships with the opposite sex while in relationship.  We also dish on the best things to watch when we are feeling lonely, the books Chinae thinks everyone should read, and of course, the smartest decision she ever made! Press Play on this one, you won't be disappointed!

Produced by Dear Media.

At just 14, Taylor Hill became a full-time model, and by 18, she had booked the career-defining role of walking in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, becoming one of the youngest models to do so. Since then, Taylor has graced the covers of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar and walked for fashion powerhouses like Versace, Chanel, and Dolce & Gabbana during Fashion Weeks in New York, Milan, and Paris. Now 28, Taylor is stepping into a new chapter as an entrepreneur, launching Tate & Taylor, a brand offering a holistic shopping experience for pet owners. On PRETTYSMART, Taylor reflects on her 14-year fashion career as a supermodel and the unconditional love driving her latest venture. She shares:

• How modeling helped her with her self confidence as a teenager.
• The difference between a good model and a great model.
• How showing off her personality helped her land a top modeling job as a Victoria’s Secret Angel.
• How the VS Angels became like big sisters to her.
• Why she respects Gisele Bündchen so much
• Learning how her self-image and self-worth needed to come from her and not her job.
• How her company, Tate & Taylor, was inspired by her late labradoodle, Tate, and his battle with cancer.
• How her late pet Tate was there for her when she needed him the most.
• The moment she knew she had a connection with her new dog, Salem.
• Her journey from fashion model to business founder in the pet industry.

Follow Taylor here

Check out Tate & Taylor here

Book Rec: Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. Weiss, M.D.

Are you a ‘moody' person? If you’ve ever found yourself thinking “why can't I just be happy?” Or if you’ve ever felt frustrated and can’t pinpoint why, this episode is for you. Instead of judging or criticizing our moods, Lauren Martin, founder of the successful Instagram account Words of Women and author of The Book of Moods, teaches us how we can harness our moods and use them to our benefit.  Lauren has this very unique ability to unpack emotions, and moods that can feel hard or even embarrassing to talk about. She takes us through her own journey and self-awareness, which in turn allows us to reflect on our own as she speaks on navigating friendships, relationships, family, career as a moody woman. We also discuss the ups and downs of Instagram, the key to having a successful career  and the unique challenges we face when it comes to our female friendships. 

Produced by Dear Media.

We often frame modern relationships through a transactional lens, but what if instead of concerning ourselves with what we can get from somebody we ask ourselves what we can give? Rachel Rischall believes generosity for generosity’s sake is ultimately the best way to form strong, valuable relationships. A 20-year vet in public relations, Rachel is the founder of Three PR (she's an EXPERT). She says her superpower is she can and will talk to anybody. She’s an expert on finding ways to connect and help others. In the end, everybody comes out ahead. Rachel shares:

• Why she feels called to helping others as often as she can
  
• When to start being generous every day (it’s first thing in the morning)
  
• Why introducing people to each other is an incredible gift
  
• How to overcome the cold e-mailing jitters (and the best way to follow-up when they don’t email back)
  
• Navigating generosity in a world comfortable placing women in positions of service
  
• How to evolve professional connections into professional relationships
  

Dr. Aliza Pressman is a Developmental Psychologist, child behaviorist, parent educator and mom of two herself. She also hosts the Raising Good Humans Podcast and has a large celebrity following who look to her for parenting guidance - Jennifer Garner, Julianna Margulies, Drew Barrymore, Jesse Williams, Cleo Wade to name a few, .Today she’s here to share tips that will make you a better parent and a better communicator in all of your relationships. We discuss: 

• How to cultivate resilience and confidence (in children and in yourself) 
  
• What the difference in between REAL confidence and pseudo confidence. 
  
• Why your actions will be more important than any words of wisdom or lessons you try to teach to your child.
  
• The two questions you need to ask yourself when you’re having a tough moment with your child (or in any relationship).
  
• Why you don’t want to be a perfect parent. 
  
• What to say to a toddler when meeting them for the first time. 
  
• How to set healthy boundaries with social media. 
  
• Why the term “mom brain” is being used wrong! 
  
• Mom shaming and why it all stems from the patriarchy.
  

Rainesford Stauffer is an accomplished author and journalist, contributing to renowned publications such as the New York Times, The Cut by New York magazine, WSJ Magazine, Teen Vogue, Vox, and The Atlantic, to name a few. In her latest book, “All the Gold Stars,” she explores how the cultural, personal, and societal expectations around ambition are driving the global burnout epidemic. 

Speaking to Rainesford inspired me to share my own experience with burnout. I hope this conversation sparks your reflection on your own ambitions.Today we chat about:

• Where the attachment to ambition comes from

• How ambition manifests and why ambition is deeply personal

• The connection between burnout and exhaustion

• Why ambition is a privilege

• Why you can do less work and still be ambitious

• The ebbs and flows of ambition

• The link between loneliness and ambition

• Why the term “self-made” is a fallacy

• When ambition can become harmful

• Why it’s difficult to have unconditional self-worth and self-esteem 

Follow Rainesford on Instagram @rainesford_stauffer and grab her book here!

What does it really take to build an urgent, bold, uncompromising life? In this unfiltered conversation, Bozoma Saint John—former marketing executive at Apple, Pepsi, Uber, Netflix, and Endeavor, and now founder of Eve—shares the hard-earned lessons in life, love, and career. From working with Spike Lee to making the career-defining call that helped launch Beyoncé’s solo superstardom, Bozoma opens up about the tough decisions, defining moments, and the mindset shifts that changed everything. In this personal episode, Boz shares:

• The cost of ambition—and why some sacrifices are unavoidable.
• Why chutzpah and naivete might be the secret formula for success.
• How to balance urgency and patience when building a meaningful career.
• The power of saying no and setting boundaries that protect your vision.
• Navigating grief, reinvention, and major life pivots—from marriage and loss to career shifts.
• The moment that changed Beyoncé’s career—and how it applies to you.
• Why being an outsider can be your biggest advantage.
• What it was like working alongside Spike Lee, Jimmy Iovine, Ari Emanuel, and Reed Hastings.
• Why she built her company, Eve, in Ghana instead of following the traditional playbook.
• Her unfiltered take on mentorship, money, and living without regrets.

This episode is about making bold choices, owning your power, and refusing to play by anyone else’s rules. If you’ve ever questioned whether success is worth the sacrifice—or wondered how to build a career and life that’s fully yours—this conversation will change the way you think.Press play. You won’t forget it.

Follow Bozoma here.

Sign up for the Badass Workshop in your city here.

Buy Eve by Boz hair here.

Kaylin Marcotte reinvented the jigsaw puzzle when she launched her company ‘Jiggy’ on 2019. The direct-to-consumer puzzle company features art by emerging female artists, and specially formulated puzzle glue, allowing you to frame your puzzles after you make them; JIGGY puzzles are art - in pieces. At just two years old, JIGGY is already a cultural phenomenon, loved by Kacey Musgraves, Chrissy Teigen, Allison Williams, Sophia Bush, Demi Lovato, and more. 

• How she decided to launch her own company (she was formerly the first employee at theSkimm)
• How she modernized the jigsaw puzzle
• When to make your hobby your full time job 
• How she launched with $25,000 of her own savings, from her NY apartment 
• How she pivoted during covid and built a multi million dollar business in just a few years
• What her experience on Shark tank was like (Marc Cuban now invests)
• The mission driven aspect of her business— supporting emerging female artists
• An untapped resource she advises other entrepreneurs to take advantage of when trying to get something off the ground
• Lessons she’s learned along the way.

Co-Founder of Betches, the hugely popular female-founded and led media and entertainment brand, Sami Sage is here to share her story from how Betches went from an idea one night in college to a full blown media company. She shares:

• How to start a company with friends
  
• Where the idea for Betches came from and what it was like in the early days of the brand. 
  
• Why they have never taken money from investors.
  
• Why trial + error is important when you are building a business. 
  
• Why she is so passionate about politics and the decision to create the Betcher Sup vertical to help inform others. 
  
• Sami’s pop-culture predictions on Kanye, Pete Davidson, Harry & Megan and more.

Rachel Simmons is a bestselling author, educator and executive coach who has been studying girls for more than two decades. Today she’s sharing:

• The lie she says girls have been sold when it comes to success.
  
• Why it’s important to learn the skill of failure.
  
• How girls and boys approach failure differently
  
• Why we need to start talking to our daughters/girls about gender bias and how they may encounter it in the world.
  
• Why we see so few women at the top in the corporate world. 
  
• The relationship between failure and leadership 
  
• The curse of being a “good girl” and how that impacts us. 
  
• Why you should try and make peace with yourself before having kids.
  

Actress, model, founder and editor in chief of The Cool Mom Co, Lizzy Mathis joins PRETTYSMART. She shares candidly about: 

• How grief over the loss of her mother has shaped her.
• How Tyra Banks became her mentor and what she’s learned from her.
• Why it’s so important to her to pour into other women. 
• Why she views both happiness and rejection as a choice. 
• The two things in life that changed her the most. 
• The inspiration behind The Cool Mom Co - and how she wasn’t always sure she wanted kids!
• Why it’s important to remember the possibility of fun as we get older. 
• The biggest lesson we should learn from kids (it’s not what you think!) (*The answer to this is the possibility of fun so if you like this better- delete the line above) 

Follow Lizzy here!

Listen to The Cool Mom Code Podcast:

TIKTOK SHOP (QUESTION EVERYTHING CARD GAME)

When you trust in the universe, the universe rewards you. Dellara Gorjian is a prime example of the beauty that can unfold when you are living a truly authentic life. The law school alum and immigration law advocate turned content creator (aka, our TikTok “legal baddie”) has cultivated a community of over 1.4 million. She keeps it real, raw and spiritual.

Today she shares:

• What being a loner in school gave her
  
• Her struggle with feeling both confident and insecure 
  
• Her incredible journey from lawyer to content creator
  
• Her concerns about DACA
  
• The toxicity of the content creator industry
  
• Why influencers shouldn’t niche down on social
  
• How the TikTok algorithm helped grow her audience
  
• Where the term “legal baddie” came from
  
• Pivoting from law to content creation
  
• How the universe rewards you for acts of courage
  
• Why she considers the universe her sugar daddy
  
• How gratitude can lead to breakthrough and opportunity
  
• Why disagreements are beautiful and have the power to connect people
  

Follow Dellara on Instagram @dellara

Check out PRETTY SMART, hosted by Danielle Robay - coming to Dear Media on February 25th! 

Produced by Dear Media. 

Fashion designer, influencer, podcaster and star of ‘The Hills’ and ‘The City’ Whitney Port is here today.

She shares:

• The biggest misconceptions about her from her time on ‘The City’.
  
• What she would change about her reality show days if she could go back in time.
  
• Why shutting down her clothing line, Whitney Eve, was the hardest decision she’s ever made.
  
• Why she feels like she always trying to prove that she is more than a girl who was on reality TV. 
  
• Why she almost wanted to give up on her podcast, With Whit, despite it being incredibly successful.
  
• How she is self-admittedly a quitter and how she is working to change that quality in herself. 
  
• The best business advice she got from her dad. 
  
• Her new clothing line and how she’s dreamt of working in fashion since she was a kid. 
  

Produced by Dear Media.

54% of women say they would rather be hit by a car than considered fat. How can we strike the balance of realistically caring how we look, and not having to care about how we look? Danielle + Dr. Renee Engeln, award winning psychology professor at Northwestern University and the author of Beauty Sick break down society’s fixation with PRETTY.  Engeln reveals how the cultural obsession with women's appearance is an epidemic that harms women's ability to get ahead and to live happy, meaningful lives. She offers the possibility of practical solutions that help girls and women overcome negative attitudes and embrace their whole selves, transform their lives, claim the futures they deserve, and, ultimately, change their world. This is the author and book that inspired the PRETTYSMART podcast! 

Produced by Dear Media.

Stacy London is one of America’s foremost style experts known for the TLC Show ‘What Not To Wear.’ She’s also a 2x best selling author. She spent the last five years creating and pitching TV shows about women in their 40s - only to be told that her ideas weren’t sexy. She was told nobody would watch them. Her lightbulb moment came as she started feeling the impact of perimenopause. She realized she wasn’t prepared for it… because NOBODY talks about it. Now - Stacy is a CEO of a company called State of Menopause and is ready to talk aging, transitions, menopause and more. 

She shares:

• She’s “not here to normalize the conversation” around aging and menopause - she’s here to “optimize it.”
  
• Getting fired at 30 and why she thinks everyone should get fired at one point in their career. 
  
• Why What Not To Wear resonated with people and how it became so much more than the physical makeover.
  
• How she healed her own insecurities by helping others work through theirs + why she never dyed her signature gray streak.
  
• Why it’s so important to see people be transparent with their struggles.
  
• Why women age 40-65 are invisible in the media and why that needs to change. 
  
• Why she chose to stop dating men.
  
• The shame and stigma surrounding menopause.
  
• Why it’s so important for her to change that stigma for the next generation.

Ken Cook is the President and co-founder of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and has spent his life fighting for safer food, cleaner water, and tougher regulations to protect us—and our kids—from toxic chemicals. He’s reshaped U.S. food and farm policy and pushed back against the industries putting profits over people.

In this episode, he shares:

• What the EWG really does—and how their site can help you make safer, smarter choices for yourself and your family.
• Why EWG chose to make science “buzzy”—and how it changed everything.
• The wild difference between U.S. and European product regulations (and why so many harmful ingredients are still legal here).
  The Dirty Dozen & Clean 15: the simplest way to know what produce to buy organic.
• How to find out what’s actually in your tap water—and what to do about it.
  What you need to know about PFAS (aka “forever chemicals”).
• Why “legal” doesn’t always mean “safe”—especially when it comes to beauty, cleaning, furniture, and home goods.
• How toxic chemicals are impacting kids—and why you should care.
  His go-to tips to make safer swaps without feeling overwhelmed.
• Why cracking a window might be one of the healthiest things you do today.
• How EWG is fighting to make organic food and safer products more accessible and affordable for everyone.
  The real reason companies are finally making cleaner, healthier options—and what role you play.

Book Rec: The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes

Check out the EWG here and their consumer guides (safer beauty, tap water, sunscreen etc) here.

Check out Ken’s Podcast “Ken Cook is Having Another Episode” here!  

Sami Miró went from a tech startup to founding her own vintage brand, Sami Miro Vintage - a black female-owned clothing company whose ethos was founded on eco-consciousness. SMV has been featured as the “it” sustainable brand in numerous publications such as Vogue, CFDA, Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and more. In 2021, Miró was one of five designers recognized and awarded a grant by the CFDA and Fashion Trust US. Today’s she’s sharing:

• Her journey from tech startup to launching her own fashion brand.
  
• Why it was so important for her to take the leap to launch her own fashion line.
  
• What it really means to be sustainable in fashion.
  
• Tips to help make your own closet more sustainable. 
  
• How to make better choices for the environment when shopping for clothes. 
  
• How she handles self doubt.
  
• How she allows the doubts of others to fuel her success. 
  
• What it was like having 48 hours to design for Selena Gomez’s world tour (and what it taught her about herself). 
  
• How she learned to empower herself to make her dreams come true.

Internationally acclaimed artist, poet, author, comedian, and speaker, Alok Vaid Menon joins PRETTYSMART! They share: 

• What it was like being bullied as a child and how it impacted them.
  
• Their daily relationship with self acceptance and self hatred.
  
• How transitioning is not about gender for them.
  
• Why they feel the most beautiful when they are telling the truth.
  
• How we are politicizing just being and the impact of that.
  
• Why they think so many people are triggered by the concept of transgender rights.
  
• Their thoughts on color!
  
• Why we all need to be more curious and have more fun.
  
• What dopamine dressing is and how it’s beneficial for all of us!
  
• Gendering in fashion and why we should degender it.
  
• How we are all just souls playing dress up.
  
• Questions to ask yourself every day to lead to a happier and more fun filled life.
  
• Why we have to announce progress and look at small changes as big triumphs. 
  
• Why self forgiveness has been the hardest lesson for them.
  
• Why they say their earnestness is their most controversial identity.
  

Follow Alok on Instagram here! 

• How to use Instagram + influencer marketing to get noticed
• Noticing a gap in the wellness industry
• Wanting to create a supplement that makes women feel their best
• Building trust with the consumer
• Great advice for entrepreneurs
• Using her own money to launch the company
• Being methodical about money
• On spending money on branding
• Her best negotiating tip
• The smartest decision she ever made

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