How She Does 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
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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

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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
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Creating a company with beloved products from scratch is no easy task, and Nicole Bernard Dawes has pulled it off twice. At 29, she launched Late July Snacks, which are famous for their flavored organic, non-GMO tortilla chips. When the $100+ million company was acquired by Campbell's in 2018, Bernard Dawes decided to do it all again.  This time, she set her eyes on the competitive beverage business. In 20219, she launched Nixie, a line of organically flavored sparkling water and organic zero-sugar sodas. 

Nicole Bernard Dawes had a unique entrée into the world of entrepreneurship, which led to her two gigs as a CEO. Her father was Steve Bernard, co-founder of the Cape Cod Potato Chip Company. She grew up visiting the company’s factory in Hyannis and learning the business from him. After college, she worked for her dad and launched the brand's most popular product, their reduced-fat chips. The mother of two shares how those early business experiences shaped her, why she loves brand building, and her commitment to creating healthy food and drinks that are also tasty.

 💬 In this episode, we explore:

Why Nicole Bernard Dawes is obsessed with grocery stores, and what she’s looking at that the average customer may miss

How Nicole Bernard Dawes’ mom, who ran a health food store in the 1970’s, influenced her tastes 

The reason she believes a store selling out of your product is not a good thing, especially in the food & beverage business 

Why she considers herself always on the clock, but has a very different set of expectations from her team 

The reaction she has when she sees her products out in the wild - including spotting her favorite Peloton instructor enjoying one of her beverages 

Resources:

💻  Learn more about Nixie 

📸  Follow Nicole Bernard Dawes On LinkedIn

📸  Follow Nixie  on Instagram

📸  Follow Nixie on TikTok

📸  Follow Nixie on LinkedIn
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If you’re on TikTok, Instagram, Substack, or YouTube, you’ve likely come across content creator Vivian Tu.  She’s taken her expertise learned from her time as a trader at J.P. Morgan and a sales exec at Buzzfeed to create the platform “Your Rich BFF,” which now boasts 10 million combined followers. Vivian is the CEO of Your Rich BFF and has a team of approximately 20 people working for her.  Together, they channel her social-media savvy and pithy communication style to teach her followers how to make smart money moves and grow their wealth. 

Her message is a departure from her own upbringing, during which her hardworking, Chinese immigrant parents mostly stressed about the family’s finances, with a focus on “scrimping and saving.”  Vivian’s goal with all of her work, including her podcast “Networth & Chill” and her latest  New York Times bestselling book “Well Endowed: The Secrets to Strategic Spending, Building a Financial Foundation for You and Your Family, and Creating Lasting Generational Wealth,”  is to empower her readers financially across all areas of their lives.  

 💬 In this episode, we explore:

How Vivian has learned from her mistakes when it comes to hiring people for her team 

What Vivian sees is the difference between hustle and grit, and why she thinks only one can be taught 

Her thoughts about the future of Your Rich BFF and what role she might play in it

Why owning her business influenced Vivian’s choice to undergo IVF at age 30 and freeze her embryos 

The lasting impact her female mentor at J.P. Morgan had on her life and career, including the very generous gift she gave Vivian 

The critical importance of discussing money with your partner, and what led to  Vivian and her now-husband having that conversation very early on in their relationship

What her mom’s advice to Vivian was when she started making more money than her husband 

Resources:

📕 Learn more about “Well Endowed” by Vivian Tu 

📸  Follow Vivian Tu on Instagram 

📸  Follow Vivian Tu on TikTok

📸  Follow Vivian Tu on YouTube

🎧 Listen to Vivian Tu on Networth and Chill 

🎧 New episodes of How She Does It drop every Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode
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