Podcast·3 min read

9 to 5ish: Carly and Danielle on 10 Years of theSkimm with Hoda Kotb

July 20, 2022

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Hoda Kotb is a pro at a lot of things. And speaking with other incredible women is at the top of that list. In this special episode, Hoda flips the script and interviews our co-founders and co-CEOs, Danielle Weisberg & Carly Zakin, about the past ten years of theSkimm. This week, they discuss how they — as leaders — have evolved in the last decade, why being told no was important to their growth, and how theSkimm will continue to meet women where they are in the years to come.

On the benefit of hearing "no"

Danielle: Sitting here 10 years later, I am so thankful for the amount of nos that we got, because that was just the tip of the iceberg. When I look back now, that was the easiest no that we've gotten. Today what we're pitching, people laugh at. And you have to get to the point where you have such thick skin where it's like, okay, I'm asking you for advice and I'm trying to play things off of you to see what resonates. But at the end of the day, I've developed my own barometer and own confidence to be able to take from people what I think is helpful feedback and what I think is their own vantage.

On the future ahead

Carly: We are going through it with her. And I think that is what has always made theSkimm really special and unique. Our generation, our team, us — we are going through it together. And I think what we all need and we're all looking for [is] community. We're all looking for a little bit of joy, a little bit of humor when you can. And we're looking for support and guidance around how to deal with such unprecedented things. And so when I look at what we've created — we have done unprecedented engagement and activations, and civic engagement. And getting her to vote. And we are going to continue to do that now more than ever…and are starting to build out more.

P.S. For more from Hoda and the TODAY team, check out TODAY's first-ever digital cover, starring Issa Rae.

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