Diana "DB" Barnes has been constantly evolving throughout her career. Having previously worked in the music, fashion, and tech industries, she is currently the Chief Brand Officer and Creative Director of WHY Brands–a portfolio of consumer lifestyle brands which houses the world's most loved baby lifestyle company Munchkin Inc. She is also the co-founder of Curio, a premium brand of finely crafted home goods designed to elevate the every day. Diana’s work overseeing the creation and execution...

In 2014, less than 2% of venture capital dollars went towards female-founded companies. So, Anu Duggal started Female Founders Fund–the first early-stage fund focused on investing exclusively in female founders–to help support the women who are building the companies of tomorrow. Over the last ten years, FFF has become the leading source of institutional capital for female founders with over $3B in enterprise value and Anu is now one of the few female solo GPs managing over $100 AUM in the ve...

While working as a licensed skin therapist and instructor in the ‘80s, Jane Wurwand saw the need for high-quality skincare products within the industry. So, she founded Dermalogica to fill that gap. Now, Dermalogica is one of the top professional skincare brands and continues to train thousands of skin therapists across the globe each year. Jane is also the author of Skin in the Game and the co-founder of the Found/LA, a nonprofit with a mission to connect underserved entrepreneurs and small ...

*Listeners of this episode can get 10% off any online purchase from PXG Apparel using the code ClaimYourConfidence.Renee Parsons is a leader in business, fashion, and philanthropy. Recently named the Chief Marketing Officer of PXG, Renee has helped usher in a new era of cutting-edge and versatile performance golf and lifestyle clothing designed to seamlessly marry comfort and style. Renee is also the co-founder of The Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation which aims to provide hope and life-changi...

Mastering any new skill can take years, and that was Paul Ollinger’s experience when he first started doing comedy. After working in sales leadership for fifteen years at companies like Yahoo and Facebook, Paul took the leap to pursue his passion for stand-up comedy and has since opened for top comics like Daniel Tosh and Chelsea Handler, and headlined the legendary Carolines on Broadway in 2019. Paul is also an author, podcast host, and keynote speaker, and his podcast, Reasonably Happy (for...

Even if you aren’t familiar with Gwen Whiting’s story, you will definitely know her as the founder of The Laundress who’s premium and eco-friendly cleaning products revolutionized how we do our laundry. Over the course of 17 years, Gwen built The Laundress into a household name before eventually selling the company to Unilever in 2019. After watching the brand she created become unrecognizable to her, Gwen created a new start for herself by founding The Fill–a private members cleaning communi...

For over two decades, Kate Schelter has been working as an artist, designer, image consultant, and all-around creative, reimagining brand identities and bringing dreams to life with her creative touch and signature blend of color, joy, and vitality. Founder and owner of Kate Schelter LLC, Kate has worked with countless companies such as Bulgari, Veronica Beard, The Colony Palm Beach, and St Regis Hotels. And in her book, Classic Style: Hand It Down, Dress It Up, Wear It Out, Kate curates a co...

For many, growing up with a twin means having a built-in best friend. For Lizzie and Kathryn Fortunato specifically, growing up with a twin means having a built-in best friend and business partner. Inspired by the following she had fostered while making jewelry in college, Lizzie launched her namesake brand in 2008 with Kathryn’s help. Now, they work together as full time entrepreneurs and are committed to creating luxurious pieces–from handcrafted statement necklaces to fine jewelry–that cha...

When hearing the word “etiquette”, the first thing that might come to mind is table manners, but certified etiquette trainer and founder of Old Soul Etiquette Mariah Grumet is here to share that there’s much more to etiquette than meets the eye. It’s how we present ourselves to the world, how we interact with others day-to-day, and even how we network in our careers. Since founding her company in 2021, Mariah has helped clients of all ages build confidence, create stronger connections, and re...

It’s hard to believe, but Claim Your Confidence has now released over 80 episodes since our launch as a podcast in 2023. To celebrate this milestone and thank our audience who has tuned in from the very beginning, this episode was recorded from a live call-in Q&A session where I answered all of your burning questions about confidence, career-building, and everything in between. If you’re thinking about making a big leap or are just looking for some extra motivation in your day-to-day life...

If you’ve been on any corner of the internet in the past decade, then chances are you’ve heard of Barstool Sports. Since its launch, Barstool has become one of the top ten podcasting publishers in the US thanks in part to Erika Ayers Badan, who served as the company’s CEO from 2016 to 2024. An early adopter of internet culture, Erika is always on the cutting edge of content creation, distribution, and monetization. Author of the book Nobody Cares About Your Career, named one of the most power...

Claim Your Confidence is now a family affair. In this very special episode, I’m joined by my sister Hilary Fenet–the founder and CEO of Powered by Halo. Inspired by Hilary’s own travels, Powered by Halo is a first-of-its-kind software platform that allows lifestyle and sports brands to actively participate in the hospitality economy by building their own hotel booking platforms and curating travel experiences designed around the passions of their customer base. The end result? More convenient...

In this day and age, protecting our childrens’ safety and wellbeing online is a topic that’s on every parent’s mind. Larissa May, founder and executive director of #HalfTheStory, is at the forefront of the conversations surrounding technology and its effects on mental health. Founded in 2015, #HalfTheStory aims to rebuild the next generation’s relationship with technology and has collaborated with educational institutions, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies across the country to c...

Trish McEvoy’s philosophy is simple: makeup is supposed to be easy and joyful. And that philosophy has been the guiding force behind her brand that she founded nearly fifty years ago. Starting as a makeup artist with a passion for empowering women, Trish began developing her signature makeup products to help her clients learn the art of makeup and exude confidence while doing so. Now, Trish’s brand is a titan within the beauty industry and still committed to providing high quality makeup, ski...

Sahil Bloom doesn’t have all of the right answers, but he does have the right questions. A writer and content creator with an audience of millions across social media platforms and his bi-weekly newsletter The Curiosity Chronicle, Sahil aims to inspire his audience by providing them with the questions, principles, and ideas that help them assess their lives and foster their growth. And in his upcoming debut book, The Five Types of Wealth, Sahil offers readers a new way to measure what matters...

Emma Mcilroy is the co-founder and CEO of WILDFANG, a fashion brand dedicated to rethinking gender norms and giving women the space to be who they want to be. After a shopping experience left Emma questioning why certain styles in fashion were exclusive to certain genders, she left her position as product marketing manager at Nike to dive headfirst into the start-up world and launch WILDFANG in 2013. Since then, the brand has become a multimillion-dollar business and one of the fastest growin...

Listeners of this episode can get 15% off their online purchase of any Commando product excluding gift cards using the code CYCPodcast24, expiring September 1, 2024.*Kerry O’Brien has always done things her own way. The founder, CEO, and designer of Commando, she took the fashion industry by storm and launched the brand in 2005 with the first seamless, elastic and trim-free undergarments. Commando has since expanded to a full clothing line made from the highest quality luxury technical fabric...

If you have a daughter, you’ve most likely been warned about the “difficult” and “moody” teenage years. However, Chelsey Goodan takes a different approach in viewing teenage girls in her recently released book Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls. Building off of the lessons she learned from mentoring teenage girls for sixteen years, Chelsey highlights their inherent strengths and what we can learn from them as adults. Underestimated is not only a guide to help parents suppor...

Not just anyone can write a biography of fashion icon Anna Wintour, but Amy Odell certainly has what it takes. A prominent journalist, author, editor, and media consultant, Amy has worked for some of the most well-known media companies including New York magazine, Buzzfeed, and Cosmopolitan magazine. Drawing from her career experience specializing in fashion and culture, Amy’s first book Tales From the Back Row gives readers a behind-the-scenes look into the mysterious and exclusive fashion i...

Reah Bravo is tackling an incredibly important topic in her new book Complicit: How Our Culture Enables Misbehaving Men. After speaking out about her experiences working for journalist and talk show host Charlie Rose in her essay “The Open Secret Door of Charlie Rose” published in 2018, Reah was inspired to use her story as the foundation to write Complicit. An examination of how women unintentionally condone workplace abuse in a post-#MeToo world, Complicit combines Reah’s experiences with t...

To those who are just beginning an internship or their first job, navigating the ins-and-outs of professional environments can feel confusing and overwhelming. Yet, if you seize the opportunities at your fingertips, these early positions can help lay the groundwork for a successful career. Mary Giuliani, CEO and founder MGCE and three-time author, returns to Claim Your Confidence as we answer questions from a live call-in audience about thriving in an internship and beginning your career with...

Adam Lippes is always moving forward. Inspired by his lifelong dream of becoming a fashion designer, Adam got his start in the industry working at Ralph Lauren before moving to Oscar de la Renta, where he eventually became one of the youngest creative directors of a luxury fashion house. In 2005, he launched his own company and designed his signature t-shirts which quickly gained a cult following after being featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Now, Adam’s brand has evolved into a designer lab...

Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos knows what it takes to bring a vision to life. She is the co-founder, President, and COO of Flag Luxury Group, a real estate development company focusing on luxury hotels, boutique hotels, and retail development. With her involvement in every aspect of a project from site selection, architectural and interior design, to construction, branding, and everything else in between, Dayssi ensures that each project can meet its fullest potential, which is certainly true for F...

When it comes to your career thinking big allows you to swing big, and Meghan Joyce is no stranger to doing either. Getting her start as an associate consultant at Bain & Company before graduating from Harvard Business School, Meghan has since held leadership positions at industry giants such as Uber and Oscar Health. Following her passion for problem solving, teamwork, and utilizing technology to make people’s lives better, Meghan co-founded and is currently the CEO of Duckbill: a person...