The Hidden Forces Shaping What We Buy, Wear, and Talk About: with Culture Strategist Linda Ong (Cultique)
What is culture—and who gets to shape it? Danielle sits down with cultural strategist and Cultique cofounder Linda Ong for a conversation that will change the way you see the world around you. From brand identity to the rise of private clubs, from “trad wives” to TikTok aesthetics, and the future of luxury. Whether you're a brand builder, pop culture lover, or just want to understand the world a little better—this episode will give you the tools to read between the lines of what’s NEXT. In this episode, we explore: How to identify emergent cultural signals before they hit the mainstream What culture really means in 2024—and why it’s changing faster than ever Are we living through the decline of American society? Linda weighs in The "Cultural Curve" and how to know if something is emerging, dominant, or done Why AI can’t replicate culture—and what makes human creativity irreplaceable Why Gen Z is full of contradictions—and what that tells us about the future How Linda turned her personal pain into cultural intuition (and career superpower) The future of luxury and why it’s shifting from exclusivity to experience Why your personal and professional lives are not separate—and never were The difference between analyzing culture and predicting trends—and why the former matters more Why understanding your brand’s cultural DNA is more important than ever The real reason “collabs” went from cool to cliché—and what’s replacing themThe science of why horror movies are trending (hint: it’s emotional regulation) Follow Linda Ong here. Follow Sarah Jane Dhall here. Check out Cultique here.
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54:57
Karrueche Tran's Proof That Grace Is A Power Move: Fame, Healing & Building Her Empire (and really good skin)
Karrueche Tran became a household name almost overnight—but for reasons that never told the full story. In this episode, she opens up about what it took to go from tabloid target to Emmy-winning actress and beauty founder, and the quiet resilience that helped her build a career and identity on her own terms. In this conversation, Karrueche shares: Why she almost quit acting—and the moment that changed everything How she handles rejection, auditions, and comparison even after winning an Emmy The power of staying graceful in a world that rewards drama Why she passed on reality TV—and how it protected her long-term career How she built Ruechi Beauty from personal pain points and self-care rituals The difference between money grabs and meaningful partnerships Her surprising take on dating, relationships, and love after heartbreak How therapy helped her identify old patterns—and choose better ones The pressure of the biological clock—and how she’s defining womanhood on her own terms Her beauty secrets, morning rituals, and the best skincare advice she’s learned on set Follow Karrueche here. Check out Ruechi Beauty here.
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1:10:31
Forever Chemicals Are Everywhere—How Do We Stay Safe? with EWG President Ken Cook
Ken Cook is the President and co-founder of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and has spent his life fighting for safer food, cleaner water, and tougher regulations to protect us—and our kids—from toxic chemicals. He’s reshaped U.S. food and farm policy and pushed back against the industries putting profits over people. In this episode, he shares: What the EWG really does—and how their site can help you make safer, smarter choices for yourself and your family. Why EWG chose to make science “buzzy”—and how it changed everything. The wild difference between U.S. and European product regulations (and why so many harmful ingredients are still legal here).The Dirty Dozen & Clean 15: the simplest way to know what produce to buy organic. How to find out what’s actually in your tap water—and what to do about it.What you need to know about PFAS (aka “forever chemicals”). Why “legal” doesn’t always mean “safe”—especially when it comes to beauty, cleaning, furniture, and home goods. How toxic chemicals are impacting kids—and why you should care.His go-to tips to make safer swaps without feeling overwhelmed. Why cracking a window might be one of the healthiest things you do today. How EWG is fighting to make organic food and safer products more accessible and affordable for everyone.The real reason companies are finally making cleaner, healthier options—and what role you play. Book Rec: The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes Check out the EWG here and their consumer guides (safer beauty, tap water, sunscreen etc) here. Check out Ken’s Podcast “Ken Cook is Having Another Episode” here!
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53:50
How 21Seeds Became the It-Girl Tequila—And Changed An Entire Industry: The 21Seeds Story (Kat Hantas + Sarika Singh)
Danielle sits down with the powerhouse women behind 21 Seeds Tequila—Kat Hantas, Sarika Singh, and Nicole Emanuel—to reveal how they built a $160+ million brand from their kitchen. This is also happens to be Danielle’s FAVORITE (infused) tequila! The journey from infusing tequila at home to becoming the No. 1 flavored tequila in the U.S. Why traditional tequila marketing missed the mark for women—and how they flipped the script The moment they knew 21 Seeds was bigger than just a fun side hustle Behind-the-scenes of their first disastrous production run and how they turned failure into momentum How they caught the attention of Oprah, and the entire spirits industry. What it was like to have celebrities like Jessica Alba and Katie Couric organically fall in love with their brand How being outsiders in the spirits industry gave them an advantage over legacy brands The strategy that helped them land on the shelves of Whole Foods, Target, Trader Joe’s, and major liquor stores nationwide The lessons they learned from selling their brand to Diageo, the parent company of Casamigos and Don Julio Why moms make the best entrepreneurs and how motherhood prepared them for building a business The future of 21 Seeds and their advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to break into competitive industries If you love entrepreneurship, tequila, brand-building, and female founders shaking up male-populated spaces, this episode is a must-listen. Find out how these women called the shots—and changed the industry. Grab your limited edition Shot Callers card game here. Follow 21SEEDS here
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51:26
The Art of Walking Away (Before You Lose Yourself) with Ashlyn Harris
Ashlyn Harris—World Cup champion, activist, mother, and the goalkeeper with the most saves in U.S. Women’s National Team history—opens up about the reality of high-performance culture, the addiction that almost consumed her, and why she walked away from everything she built to start over. Now, she’s in a new chapter—one that includes radical self-work, protecting her peace, and an unexpected love story. In this episode, Ashlyn shares: The moment she realized she was living a life that wasn’t hers & what she did about it How Adderall addiction almost derailed her career—and what pulled her out The moment she realized she was living a life that wasn’t truly hers What it really took to leave her marriage and start over The price of protecting your peace—and why it’s always worth it The shocking truth about women’s soccer’s pay gap (and why she was done fighting) How her friendship with Sophia Bush turned into something more What the media gets wrong about their relationship—and why she doesn’t care The hardest lesson she learned in therapy—and the question that changed everything Why she refuses to settle for an “average” life (and how it shapes her relationships) What elite athletes and Hollywood actors really have in common How she’s rebuilding her life—on her own terms The problem with hustle culture, and why true success is about more than just winning Her new podcast “Wide Open” – how she named it and the one episode she thinks everyone should start with! This is a conversation about reinvention and the radical act of choosing yourself—even when the whole world is watching. Follow Ashlyn Harris here Listen to her podcast “Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris” produced by iHeart Women’s Sports. New episodes drop weekly on Mondays, on the iHeartRadio app and anywhere you get your podcasts.
Question Everything is an invitation to dig deeper, think smarter, and rewrite the rules. In thought-provoking conversations with some of today’s most dynamic voices– from entrepreneurs and authors to politicians and celebrities – journalist Danielle Robay challenges the way we think (and what we thought we knew). Each week, she and her guests hold a mirror up to our culture, asking what works for us and what we can work to change. No topic is off limits – come curious and join Danielle every Thursday as she tackles big ideas with six little words: Can I ask you a question?
Ireland