9 to 5ish with theSkimm

In the 1990s, Christy Turlington posed alongside icons like Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Linda Evangelista as one of the world’s first supermodels. She retired by 25 before going to college, earning her degree, and getting married. Then came her first baby – and a life-changing birthing experience that would inform her future work and advocacy.  In this episode of 9 to 5ish, Christy shares:  The benefits of her sister marrying her brother-in-law (hint: holidays are a breeze) Why she has “survivors’ guilt” about getting out of the modeling industry unscathed  Her thoughts on building a career out of being a supermodel  Her traumatic birthing story and how it led to the founding Every Mother Counts Advice on how to advocate for yourself in medical settings  Psst…this episode of 9 to 5ish is brought to you by New York Life. Their financial professionals can help you navigate life’s decisions, big and small. PS: A new episode of 9 to 5ish will be back in your feed next month. 

At 59, Edith Cooper never thought she’d make a career pivot. She spent nearly 30 years working her way up at Goldman Sachs, but then, she was approached to co-found a company called Medley. Who was the other co-founder? Jordan Taylor, AKA her daughter. The mom and daughter duo launched Medley, a coaching platform equipping Millennial-aged workers with the skills they need to be dynamic, inclusive, and authentic leaders.  In this episode, Jordan and Edith share:  Whether Jordan calls Edith “mom” or “Edith” in the workplace The parts of her Wall Street HR career that Edith misses  Why we forget to support middle-level managers – and how Medley solves for it The moments Jordan relies on Edith as “mom” vs. “co-founder”  Why boundary setting is crucial to success as co-founders who are friends or family Psst…this episode of “9 to 5ish” is brought to you by New York Life. Their financial professionals can help you navigate life’s decisions, big and small. 

Kentucky-born model Molly Sims never met a biscuit she didn’t like. Her southern charm brought her to college at Vanderbilt University, where she made the boldest move of her career: quitting her pre-law studies to become a full time model. Molly was in her early 20s, alone, and homesick halfway across the world. But with placements on the cover of Sports Illustrated, French Vogue and more, it’s safe to say she made a name for herself.   In this episode of 9 to 5ish, Molly shares:  Why southern sorority culture wasn’t for her  How her mother encouraged her to think beyond the US for her career + life experience Why she’d never want her daughter to become a model  The secret to building resilience and the “thick skin” that helped her survive the modeling industry How confronting her mental health challenges helped her be OK with work curveballs Check out Molly's beauty brand, YSE Beauty.

Alli Webb was a stay-at-home mom for five years when she realized she needed to get out of the house more. So she started a mobile hair business. She’d go house-to-house and offer $40 blowouts to moms in LA, something that pretty much no one was doing at the time. She soon opened her first brick and mortar and called it Drybar. 100+ locations later, Alli sold the company for more than $200 million. All without a college degree or formal business training.  In this episode of 9 to 5ish, Alli shares:  The sunshine and beach-haired days of her childhood growing up in Boca Raton  How having parents who operated a small biz gave her life lessons in entrepreneurship Why it felt intoxicating building and scaling Drybar, plus the mental cost that came with it How her divorce, son’s visit to rehab, and burnout led to her book, “The Messy Truth”  Why she felt intimidated when fundraising + curating the Drybar board – and how she got through it 

Before September 2018, the public didn’t know Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. She was a busy mom and professor at Palo Alto University and Stanford. Then, she leveled a sexual assault accusation against Judge Brett Kavanaugh, a SCOTUS nominee. She testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee and 5 million people tuned in. From then on, any concept of a private life went out the window. Christine needed security to go…well, anywhere. Strangers sent her and her family death threats. Five years later, Christine shares how she navigates her new normal, plus the story behind the headlines and soundbites.  In this episode, Christine shares:  The behind-the-scenes leading up to her testimony against Judge Kavanaugh What she makes of her unique connection to Anita Hill Suggestions on what to say to sexual assault survivors instead of “I believe you” What parts of working on her memoir, “One Way Back”, were therapeutic – and which were re-traumatizing  Content warning: this topic deals with sexual assault. Please take care when listening.