How She Does It

In our first-ever pop-up podcast in front of a live audience, Karen Finerman sits down with Karen Firestone at the CNBC Pro Event: Wealth For Women at the Nasdaq MarketSite. Karen Firestone, who goes by Kari, began building her impressive career as an investor in the early ‘80s. There were far fewer women working in finance at that time, and things were far more challenging for women in that space than they are today.   Still, Kari couldn’t have imagined taking a different path. She was drawn to investing at a young age and for 22 years, worked her way up at Fidelity.  Kari spent a good portion of that time working as an assistant fund manager to the legendary Peter Lynch on the Magellan fund.  According to CNBC, the fund “earned an annualized return of 29.2%” under his leadership - an incredibly impressive feat.   In 2005, at age 47, she took a big risk and launched her own company, Aureus Asset Management.  She is now Chair Emerita of the firm, which manages over $8 billion in assets for families, individuals, and non-profits. She is a contributor for CNBC and the author of “Even the Odds: Sensible Risk Taking in Business, Investing, and Life.”  💬 In this episode, we explore: What Firestone took away from working alongside Peter Lynch and learning his  approach to investing  How a pregnancy surprise, a plane ride, and an unexpected run-in with a celebrity changed her life  What it was like being one of the few women at Fidelity in the 1980’s and the choices she had to make that are thankfully no longer necessary today The importance of avoiding arrogance and embracing humility in investing  Why prioritizing exercise helped her manage a demanding job while raising four children  How her repeated battles with cancer have shifted her outlook on life Resources: 📸  Follow Kari Firestone on LinkedIn   💻  Check Out Aureus Asset Management  💻  Check Out “Even the Odds: Sensible Risk Taking in Business, Investing, and Life.”  🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode Ready to stop worrying about outliving your money? Pre-order Jean's new book, The Forever Paycheck, and get the roadmap to a retirement that actually pays you back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to create culture-defining entertainment that not only attracts loyal viewers but wins accolades as well? We’ve asked Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Programming for HBO Max. The streaming service behind shows like “The Pitt,” “Hacks,” “And Just Like That,” and the forthcoming “Harry Potter” series is once again evolving what audiences expect from premium television: high-quality entertainment delivered on a consistent basis.   Aubrey, a Texas native, began her career as a lawyer before making the jump into film producing. Her first foray, the Billy Bob Thornton comedy “Bad Santa,” was a hit. From there, she worked with Peter Berg for many years, producing both the movie and television series “Friday Night Lights.” Now an executive, she balances managing the big picture of series and movie development with the occasional need to go deep into the details (case in point: she shared the conversation around how a particular actor’s hair should be worn in an upcoming project).    💬 In this episode, we explore: Why she thinks “The Pitt” has been such a hit, and the thoughtful way the creators put that show together  On keeping the end of “Hacks” a secret, and why all the details in a show are so important  How Aubrey is viewing the upcoming acquisition of Warner Bros, the parent company of HBO Max, by Paramount, and why she values embracing uncertainty  How she sees women evolving in the workplace, and what she’s learning from the next generation  Why uber-producer Brain Grazer once commented that Aubrey never gets “panicked.” How she prioritizes her three kids, and the advice from one of the most famous divorce attorneys who has helped her thrive in her big, blended family  Resources: 📸  Follow HBO Max on Instagram 💻  Watch HBO Max 🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode Ready to stop worrying about outliving your money? Pre-order Jean's new book, The Forever Paycheck, and get the roadmap to a retirement that actually pays you back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brooke Shields has been famous her entire life. Now, in her early 60’s, the actress and model is using her passion to take charge and create impact. She is an executive producer on her new ACORN TV series YOU’RE KILLING ME, she was elected president of Actors’ Equity, and she is founder and CEO of her hair care line, COMMENCE.    It’s a portfolio she’s immensely proud of. In her new series, which she developed, she plays a crime novelist who solves murders in a sleepy town in Maine; As executive producer, she insisted on including more physical comedy, which is her strong suit.   With Actors’ Equity, she admits she doesn’t love some of the politics of union work.  However, she is deeply committed to using her influence to improve conditions for performers.    And Shields didn’t expect to become the CEO of a hair care line at this point in her life, but she saw a gap in the market. “Everywhere I looked, I was being told by marketing, by advertising, by the beauty industry… ‘Once your ovaries don't work, you've got one foot in the grave. You had a good run. If you're not the hot girl at the bar, you're in Depends. And it pissed me off, because I feel great now,” she shared.  💬 In this episode, we explore: How Brooke Shields is parenting her two grown daughters, Rowan and Grier - and what it's like hanging out with the two of them and their boyfriends  How she is still feeling the influence of her 2005 book “Down Came The Rain,” about her post-partum depression, and whether her grown daughters have read the book Why she paid a surprise visit to Casa Bonita, the restaurant and entertainment venue owned by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, on behalf of the performers she represents  Her favorite - and least favorite -  parts of being a CEO and her plans for COMMENCE moving forward  How she handles being recognized nearly everywhere she goes  What she loves about writing, including in her most recent book, “Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed To Get Old.” Resources: 📸  Follow Brooke Shields on Instagram 📸  Follow Brooke Shields on TikTok  💻  Watch YOU’RE KILLING ME on ACORN TV 💻  Check Out Brooke’s Hair Care Line COMMENCE   🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode Ready to stop worrying about outliving your money? Pre-order Jean's new book, The Forever Paycheck, and get the roadmap to a retirement that actually pays you back Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Alexis McGill Johnson was asked in 2019 to become interim CEO of Planned Parenthood, she thought it would be a short assignment.   “ I remember my famous last words to the board when I stepped in were, “‘I'll get you through 2020’,” she recalls.  Almost immediately, she found herself in the unenviable position of steering a healthcare organization through a pandemic.   She embraced the challenge and eventually raised her hand to stay on full-time. She officially landed the job in 2020 and serves as CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the healthcare arm, and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the advocacy organization. Since then, there have been significant challenges, most notably the Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court in 2022, which reversed Roe V. Wade. In this episode, Alexis McGill Johnson shares what drives her dedication to Planned Parenthood’s mission and its almost daily battle on the front lines of the fight over legalized abortion.  That includes, as this conversation was recorded, the challenge by Louisiana designed to halt sales of Mifepristone, an FDA-approved abortion drug.  She also opens up about what the group’s “2040 plan” entails, and what she sees as the “mission hope” of the organization and the patients it serves.        💬 In this episode, we explore: The piece of leadership advice Alexis McGill Johnson received that unlocked a different approach in her towards her job as CEO.  What her background as a political organizer and later, founder of the Perception Institute, has taught her about spearheading this movement.  Why Condoleezza Rice was such an influential figure for her, and what she said when they first met How and why she chose to embrace her middle name, Alexis, in lieu of her given first name Why she feels it’s critically important to be thoughtful about how she speaks about those who disagree with her  How her work has impacted the way she and her husband parent their two daughters  Resources: 📸  Follow Alexis McGill Johnson on Instagram 📸  Follow Aleixs McGill Johnson On LinkedIn 💻  For more information on The Planned Parenthood Action Fund 🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode Ready to stop worrying about outliving your money? Pre-order Jean's new book, The Forever Paycheck, and get the roadmap to a retirement that actually pays you back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s something we’re intensely curious about: “How She Does It.”  Not only do we want to hear about our guests’ climb to the top of their professions, but also how they’ve built meaningful personal lives outside of work.   And for many of the women who join Karen Finerman on her podcast, that includes motherhood.    So, in honor of Mother’s Day, we’re revisiting some of those conversations, along with our favorite anecdotes, advice, moments of joy, and unexpected challenges of pursuing one’s passion while also raising kids. We know it will almost always be a little messy, but it’s also incredibly worthwhile.  The women we have met on this podcast are at different stages of their journey: from welcoming an infant to watching their daughter get married.   But the throughline is evident: when children see their mom using her talents, making an impact on the world, and finding satisfaction, it is a positive and powerful life lesson they carry into their own adulthood.  💬 In this episode, we hear from: Journalist & Communications Executive Leigh Gallagher on becoming a single mom and how she talks with her young daughter about their family.  Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona, shares how she decided to go after her dream job and launch a political campaign after having an infant and getting a divorce. Actress Renée Elise Goldsberry opens up about the challenges of building her family and the role her faith played.  She also shares what it was like to be part of the smash hit “Hamilton” while also raising the young family she worked so hard to create.  Comedian Leanne Morgan on pursuing comedy as a working mom, and why she’s now thankful for some of the disappointments she experienced early in her career.  Plus, what Reese Witherspoon shared with her about being a mom in show business.  New York Times Bestselling Author Jennifer Weiner shares how her daughters are different from her and how she managed a work-from-home job while raising her kids.  JPMorgan Chase Wealth Management CEO Kristin Lemkau describes how her family adjusted after she suddenly became a single mother, and what her kids had to say about her decision to eventually return to work. Deborah Roberts, co-anchor of ABC News 20/20, on what it’s like preparing for her daughter Leila’s wedding, how her children support her, and what they’ve learned from watching their mom pursue her career.  🎧Listen To Leigh Gallagher on HOW SHE DOES IT Episode 45  🎧Listen To Kate Gallego on HOW SHE DOES IT Episode 55 🎧Listen To Renée Elise Goldsberry on HOW SHE DOES IT Episode 61 🎧Listen To Leanne Morgan on HOW SHE DOES IT Episode 28 🎧Listen To Jennifer Weiner on HOW SHE DOES IT Episode 56 🎧Listen To Kristin Lemkau on HOW SHE DOES IT Episode 74  🎧Listen To Deborah Roberts on HOW SHE DOES IT Episode 66 💻Watch episodes on HOW SHE DOES IT on our YouTube Page  📸 Follow the show on Instagram: @hsdipodcast🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices