Social Currency with Sammi Cohen

Women in corporate America aren’t burned out because of how much they’re working—they’re burned out by how much the system isn’t working for them. Today, Sammi breaks down the latest Women in the Workplace report from Lean In and McKinsey, and the findings are more alarming than the headlines suggest. For the first time in over a decade, women are less interested in climbing the corporate ladder—not because they don’t want success, but because the ladder itself is broken. Sammi unpacks the data behind the growing “ambition gap,” the consequence of rolling back DEI efforts, and why women are still being penalized for flexibility and remote work—while men aren’t.  Sammi connects the dots between structural corporate failures and the rise of an entirely new career model—one that could define the next decade of work in America. If companies don’t adapt, Sammi says, they may be staring down a long-term talent crisis. Follow Sammi on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  00:00 The Breaking Point 01:10 Inside the Women in the Workplace report 02:15 The Truth About the “Ambition Gap” 3:13 The Broken Rung Problem 5:58 Corporate America’s Retreat from DEI 7:03 The Rise of Portfolio Careers 8:45 The Future of Work Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Sammi sits down with Andrew Chau, co-founder of Boba Guys—the brand that helped turn boba from a niche drink into a mainstream American obsession. Andrew takes us back to the very first 2011 pop-up and the early decisions that shaped Boba Guys’ identity: choosing authenticity over gimmicks, educating customers on Asian culture without westernizing it, and designing drinks that were as aesthetic as they were meaningful. He reveals how Boba Guys became the blueprint for modern café trends—and why so many brands copy their drinks without understanding the deeper consumer psychology behind them. Follow Sammi on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Find a Boba Guys Location near you Here’s what Sammi covers with Andrew: 00:00 Andrew Chau’s Social Currency 02:05 Sammi’s Personal Tie-In 03:37 The First Pop-Up 08:01 Early Branding Decisions and Being Your Favorite Marketer’s Favorite Marketer 13:51 Educating Customers on a Product vs. Educating  Customers on a Culture 22:24 The Future of Cafés  31:14 Vertical Integration 35:53 Matcha, Aesthetics, and Social Signaling 45:14 Consumer Behavior and Hot Takes 52:37 Social Currency Corner 01:03:17 How to Show Social Currency Some Love Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A blockbuster lawsuit just exposed the biggest fear in retail—but it could backfire spectacularly. Today, Sammi does a deep dive into Williams Sonoma vs. Quince, a case that’s revealing a seismic consumer shift: shoppers no longer believe legacy brands deserve legacy prices. Sammi breaks down why Quince’s billion-dollar rise is shaking old-guard retailers and how comparative advertising became the new frontline of the dupe economy. If you want to understand the next chapter of retail—pricing, branding, influence, and the power of “good enough”—this episode is your blueprint. Follow Sammi on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 Williams Sonoma vs. Quince 01:26 Quince's Disruptive Business Model  06:28 Consumer Reactions and Feedback  07:56 Quince's Foray into Food  09:01 Implications of the Lawsuit  10:18 Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Luana Lopes Lara didn’t just build a unicorn— she overturned a 100-year old ban, sued the regulators and became the youngest self-made female billionaire in the process. Luana co-founded Kalshi, the CFTC-regulated prediction market that lets you trade on the outcome of real-world events. Kalshi is one of the fastest-growing tech companies in the country; in fact, since Sammi spoke with Luana, Kalshi’s valuation has gone from $5 billion to $11 billion. Luana shares the ripple effects of the 2024 election on the business, the decision framework around which events are “tradeable,” the psychology of Kalshi users, and why she thinks prediction markets might rival stock exchanges sooner than anyone expects.  Follow Sammi on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Learn more about Kalshi Today Luana and Sammi discuss: 00:00 Luana Lopes Lara’s Social Currency 02:14 The Early Days of  Kalshi 02:41 The Role of Ballet in Business 04:20 Understanding Prediction Markets 07:09 The Brutal Regulation Process 14:31 Marketing and Growth Strategies 16:18 The Impact of the 2024 Election 27:23 Sports and Other Popular Trading Categories 29:37 Ethics of Prediction Markets 33:33 User Behavior  37:55 Hot Takes and Future Trends 39:24 Social Currency Corner 46:24 How to Show Social Currency Some Love Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Sammi breaks down all things Meadow Lane—the Tribeca grocery store that launched like a luxury fashion drop and spiraled into one of the most chaotic openings New York has seen in years. Founded by Sammy Nussdorf, the heir to a billion-dollar distribution empire, Meadow Lane was positioned as a bespoke, Manhattan-made answer to Erewhon. The result? A fandom of over 140,000 followers before the store even opened. But that hype came with consequences. During opening week, Meadow Lane faced a perfect storm of PR disasters—raw chicken nuggets, mislabeled chili that triggered an allergic reaction, viral snark about $750 caviar, and one very viral mouse. Sammi unpacks what Meadow Lane tells us about status-ification of food, TikTok consumerism, and whether grocery bags belong next to designer handbags.  Follow Sammi on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Here’s what Sammi covers in today’s episode: 00:00 The Grocery Store That Became a Cultural Event 01:58 Who Is Sammy Nussdorf? 03:20 Building in Public: TikTok, Fandom, and Hype 06:17 Opening Week Chaos: Raw Nuggets, Allergies & The Mouse Video 07:53 Meadow Lane vs Erewhon 08:55 Food as a Modern Status Symbol 10:49 Sammi’s Predictions and Takeaway 12:01 How to Show Social Currency Some Love Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices