How She Does It
How She Does It

How She Does It

Karen Finerman

Overview
Episodes

Details

On every episode of HOW SHE DOES IT you’ll be listening in to a conversation with a female leader — leaders in all industries — who make their own space and build their careers in unique ways. How She Does It is about a woman’s place in the world and in the economy, but it’s also about our power, our emotions, careers, families, and so much more. Host Karen Finerman is the co-founder and CEO of Metropolitan Capital Advisors and a longtime panelist on CNBC's Fast Money. Every guest is the mentor you wish you had — and access to their insight on what it means to live and work as a woman with power is now yours.  New episodes are released every Tuesday. Watch episodes on the HOW SHE DOES IT YouTube Channel. Follow along On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hsdipodcast/ Join the HerMoney community! For the latest episode drops and financial news-you-can-use, subscribe to our newsletter at HerMoney.com/subscribe.

Recent Episodes

EP 85: Brooke Shields: Taking Charge! The Actress & Model on Being an Executive Producer, Union President, and CEO of a Beauty Company
MAY 19, 2026
EP 85: Brooke Shields: Taking Charge! The Actress & Model on Being an Executive Producer, Union President, and CEO of a Beauty Company
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
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42 MIN
EP 84: When Your Job Is On Front Lines Of A Political Battle: Alexis McGill Johnson, CEO of Planned Parenthood
MAY 12, 2026
EP 84: When Your Job Is On Front Lines Of A Political Battle: Alexis McGill Johnson, CEO of Planned Parenthood
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
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45 MIN
BONUS: Moms Make Incredible Leaders: Experience, Wisdom & Advice from Women Who Have Done It
MAY 5, 2026
BONUS: Moms Make Incredible Leaders: Experience, Wisdom & Advice from Women Who Have Done It
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
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31 MIN
EP 83: PEOPLE’s World’s Most Beautiful: Editor-In-Chief & GM Charlotte Triggs On Running The Iconic Brand
APR 21, 2026
EP 83: PEOPLE’s World’s Most Beautiful: Editor-In-Chief & GM Charlotte Triggs On Running The Iconic Brand
PEOPLE is one of the most recognizable names in the entertainment news and lifestyle space, and at the helm of the print & digital enterprise is Editor-In-Chief and General Manager Charlotte Triggs. And if you’re familiar with PEOPLE, then you know the two big, annual tentpole issues of the 52-year-old publication are PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive and PEOPLE’s World’s Most Beautiful.  Charlotte Triggs gives listeners an inside look at putting those issues together, including her most recent effort:  Anne Hathaway’s cover and interview for PEOPLE’s World’s Most Beautiful. Triggs spoke with the “Devil Wears Prada 2” star and shares her takeaways from their conversation. Triggs also opens up about her climb to the top of PEOPLE, where she started as an intern . She's been serving as Editor-In-Chief and General Manager since early 2025.   During her career, the media landscape has changed dramatically, and Triggs has had a front row seat.  Despite diminishing print sales across the industry, she is focused on keeping the brand moving forward.  Among those efforts: finding ways to keep their core audience engaged, including the introduction of The PEOPLE App last year.       💬 In this episode, we explore: What it’s like booking celebrities for these special issues (including what’s happening with this year’s PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive) How the staffing at PEOPLE has transformed over the years as the media business has changed Why journalism and getting the story right are still paramount  The reason the Kennedy Family, and most recently the series “Love Story,” continues to capture the attention of PEOPLE readers  How Charlotte Triggs views what brands are - are not - PEOPLE’s competition What it is like for her going to awards shows like The Grammys  The career strategy she used to continually advance at the brand Her leadership style, including her “direct” approach in dealing with her team  The celebrity who is her dream cover, which she has yet to land Advice for journalists who want to work at PEOPLE  Resources: 💻  Visit People.com 📲Download the PEOPLE App 📸  Follow Charlotte Triggs on Instagram 📸  Follow Charlotte Triggs On LinkedIn 📸  Follow PEOPLE on Instagram 🎧 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
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40 MIN
EP 82: Thasunda Brown Duckett: Rewriting the Rules of Being a CEO
APR 14, 2026
EP 82: Thasunda Brown Duckett: Rewriting the Rules of Being a CEO
Thasunda Brown Duckett has a seemingly endless list of honors to her name: TIME 100, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, and, most recently, Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in Finance.  She’s marking five years as President and CEO of TIAA, overseeing $1.6 trillion in assets.   She is also one of just two Black women leading a Fortune 500 company. With women holding just 11% of CEO seats, she is passionate about seeing both numbers grow. “ I just think there is an opportunity to add another chapter of what it means to be a CEO,” remarked Thasunda Brown Duckett in her conversation with Karen Finerman.   That means not only being an exceptional leader, but also showing the world more of her complete self.   She is a married mother who says she needs a village to make it all work.  She is also a deeply faithful person who doesn't shy away from sharing the difficult parts of her life.  Whether it’s her childhood, which was “long on love” but often short on money, or the grief she felt when she lost her brother a few years ago, she understands that showing her three-dimensional self, while still being an extraordinary leader, helps others see their own potential.      💬 In this episode, we explore: Thasunda Brown Duckett’s theory of living her life like a “diversified portfolio” (and why she believes the idea of work-life balance is a lie)  Why she and her husband Richard made the decision to have him stay at home with the kids  The skills and attitudes she possesses that she believes helped her climb the corporate ladder at Fannie Mae, Chase & J.P. Morgan How she feels her leadership style has evolved, and why she enjoys “giving power away What she learned working for Jamie Dimon at JP Morgan Chase How her father, Otis Brown, ultimately inspired her passion for amplifying the message about the importance of saving for retirement  Why she enjoys expressing herself through fashion Resources: 💻  Learn more about TIAA 📸  Follow Thasunda Brown Duckett On LinkedIn 📸  Follow Thasunda Brown Duckett on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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49 MIN