Make Yourself at Home

Episode 29 | 37 min

Betsy Fore Co-Founder, Tiny Organics & Natives Rising

Betsy Fore has always been a builder. Growing up in Illinois, she used to tinker in the garage building motorcycles with her dad, and spent hours building forts outside with her brother and her velveteen rabbit. Her parents told her that she could build anything she wanted in life, and she set out to do just that.

Along the way, she’s found ways to honor her ancestors, build for the next generation, and create a life she could never have imagined.

Episode 28 | 44 min

Eliza Blank Founder & CEO, The Sill

Eliza Blank’s home in upstate New York is filled with a lot of plants. And while that might not be surprising for the Founder & CEO of The Sill — the direct-to-consumer houseplant retail and delivery brand built on the simple idea that plants make people happy — Eliza’s roots with with plants are even deeper than you might think.

In this conversation, Eliza shares how her family influenced her vision for The Sill, what she’s learned about life from working with plants, and why, just as she moved her family from Manhattan to the Catskills, she feels home is both a place where you feel at ease and an expression of who you are.

Episode 27 | 55 min

Michael Perry Founder & CEO, Maple

Michael Perry says his only greed is for memories. As a serial entrepreneur, he spent years making life easier for small business owners.

Then, a difficult journey to becoming a parent changed everything — from the way he leads people and the mission he works towards, to the way he approaches each moment with his kids.

Episode 26 | 58 min

Steve Schlafman Professional Transition Coach & Creator, Where the Road Bends

For years, Steve Schlafman envisioned success as an investor — and then, at the height of his VC career, just after he’d made partner at a multi-billion dollar firm, he walked away. The move opened up a world of other “possible selves,” and now, Steve sees himself as a husband, a father, a cook, a lifelong learner, and a coach, rather than just a worker.

It sounds like a professional shift, but Steve says this transition has affected every aspect of his life — and that it all started at home.

Episode 25 | 44 min

Lindsay Shookus Television Producer & Entrepreneur

Lindsay Shookus spent 20 years — her entire adult life so far — booking hosts and helping guests feel at home at Saturday Night Live. She landed the job right out of college, and it shaped not only her professional path, but her life outside of work, as well. Now, after leaving SNL 9 months ago, she’s adjusting to a completely different lifestyle (with the perk of making plans on Saturday nights) and writing her own new chapter.

In this conversation, she shares how she honed her ability to make people feel comfortable and confident, what success looks like to her now vs. 20 years ago, and why she’s channeling her passion for helping others into something new.

Episode 24 | 37 min

Katie Hoff Olympic Medalist, World Champion Swimmer and Bestselling Author

Katie Hoff went to her first Olympic Games in Athens at the age of 15. She’s won 8 World Championships and 3 Olympic medals, and she spent years breaking world records and being heralded as the female Michael Phelps. After decades competing on the world stage, she knows a lot about extraordinary pressure.

Now, as a mentor, keynote speaker and bestselling author, she helps other people turn that pressure into fuel — whether they’re striving for gold medals and national championships or working towards a promotion at work.

Episode 23 | 50 min

Christopher Gavigan Founder, Prima & The Honest Company

At home and at work, Christopher Gavigan has a passion for optimizing wellbeing.

After leading Healthy Child Healthy World and co-founding the Honest Company with Jessica Alba, he recently launched Prima, a therapeutics company that Forbes called “the Patagonia of CBD” and its umbrella network, Uplifter Brands, a CPG wellness platform. With Prima and Uplifters, Christopher and his co-founders are on a mission to help people combat stress. Meanwhile, Christopher is “optimizing for the 1%” in his own life at home, striving to mitigate his own stress and practicing gratitude every day.

Episode 22 | 49 min

John Andrew Entwistle Founder & CEO, Wander

John Andrew Entwistle is on a mission to help people find their happy place, and for the Wander Founder & CEO, it’s a mission that feels personal.

John Andrew started his first company at just 13 years old, and launched his second right out of high school. He became a Thiel Fellow and was named alongside his Coder co-founders to Forbes 30 Under 30. When he stepped down to Coder’s board in 2021, he took some time away to ask himself, what’s next? That question — and that trip, where he stayed in a sub-par vacation rental — sparked the idea for Wander. In this conversation, he shares his take on the road less traveled, how he’s guided by a set of rules he wrote down as a kid, and what shapes his idea of a meaningful life.

Episode 21 | 54 min

Alissa Heinerscheid VP, Bud Light, Anheuser-Busch

At work, Alissa Heinerscheid is the Vice President of Bud Light, tasked with evolving and elevating an iconic brand that was in decline — and she’s the first woman to lead Bud Light in the brand’s 40 year history. At home, she’s a mom who celebrates her kids’ wins with a family swag chain, and a cancer survivor, who finds her joy paying it forward and coaching other women through the tough moments she’s been through herself, like having her three kids through surrogacy.

She says, in both work and home, her values are the same — she’s motivated by the hard, and she’s always looking for depth and meaning.

Episode 20 | 40 min

Nicole Ryan Co-Host, SiriusXM Hits 1's The Morning Mash Up

You know Nicole Ryan from SiriusXM Hits 1, where she co-hosts The Morning Mash Up with Ryan Sampson and Stanley T Evans. You may have also heard her podcast, Have Kids, They Said, where she and co-host Rich Davis get personal and laugh about the realities of parenting, or seen her hosting a red carpet or appearing on shows like Good Morning America.

But Nicole never pictured a career in front of a microphone — let alone bringing millions of people into her personal life every day. For this episode of Make Yourself at Home, we’re in Nicole’s apartment in NYC, talking about the ups and downs of living every day on the air, and what she’s learned from Ed Sheeran about focusing on what’s most important.

Episode 19 | 47 min

Ally Love Peloton Instructor | Founder & CEO, Love Squad

Peloton Instructor Ally Love is on a mission to spread light and lift up the people around her — not just as a fitness instructor, but in every aspect of her life. After fighting back from a life-threatening accident, she knows how hard life can be. And even though she always wears a smile, she, too, has her share of struggles with staying positive.

In her home in New York City, Ally shares where her sense of clarity comes from, how she envisions a successful, meaningful life, and why Sundays are her favorite day.

Episode 18 | 59 min

Sasha Cohen Figure Skater & Olympic Medalist

Sasha Cohen is a U.S. figure skating legend — she’s a 6-time medalist at the U.S. National Championships, with a gold medal in 2006, and a 3-time medalist at the World Championships, but she spent 20 years laser-focused on one goal: winning gold at the Olympic Games. At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, she shined in the short program. But after falling in the first two jumps of her long program, she left with a silver medal — a moment she says she’s still processing.

Today, Sasha has a totally different career, a passion for investing and entrepreneurship, and two kids under the age of three. She’s built a new way of living, but she says those two decades of skating serve as the foundation for who she is. During this conversation in her home in Colorado, Sasha shares how she’s reshaped her identity, what happiness and success look like to her now, and why, whether you win or lose, you’re left asking yourself, “who are you now?”

Episode 17 | 48 min

Ariel Kaye Founder & CEO, Parachute Home

Parachute Founder and CEO Ariel Kaye doesn’t have a background in interior design, and she never planned on becoming an entrepreneur. Instead, she felt compelled to launch the brand because of her own love of home.

In a new episode of Make Yourself at Home, Ariel shares her love of making people feel comfortable, and why she strives to live intently. Make Yourself at Home with Ariel Kaye.

Episode 16 | 52 min

Rechelle Balanzat Founder & CEO, Juliette

With her company Juliette, Rechelle Balanzat is on a mission to bring the laundry and dry-cleaning industry into the 21st century by picking up, cleaning and delivering laundry in 24 hours at the tap of a button. She’s been working for 9+ years to build the business, and today, it’s thriving. Rechelle says she’s living her dream — but getting here hasn’t been easy.  In 2016, Rechelle struggled to support the business and herself. Then, just after Juliette took off, they lost 90% of their revenue at the onset of Covid-19. Through it all, Rechelle refused to give up.

For this conversation, we’re in Rechelle Balanzat’s home in NYC, talking about being relentless, how her home has given her a safe space to weather every storm, and why she’s always been set on doing everything it takes to make her dream a reality.  Make Yourself at Home with Rechelle Balanzat.

Episode 15 | 59 min

Al Doan Investor, Co-Founder, Missouri Star Quilt Co

Al Doan and his sister had always talked about starting a business together, and for years they wondered, “what if, what if, what if?” When he lost his job in 2008, they decided to give it a try — and ended up becoming quilt moguls.

Today, the Missouri Star Quilt Company is the largest quilting company in the world. Their hometown of Hamilton is known as “Quilt Town USA.” They’ve achieved the level of success Al had always imagined, and then some. Since 2008, his world has changed completely — and after growing up in a home where money was tight, he says he thinks a lot about how to come into abundance gracefully and responsibly.

For this conversation, we’re in Al’s home on a farm in Hamilton, talking about what it’s like to build a startup with your siblings, and why realizing his dream feels different than he thought it would. Make Yourself at Home with Al Doan.

Episode 14 | 67 min

Katelin Holloway Investor & Founding Partner, Seven Seven Six

Katelin Holloway has built a career around investing in people — first, in People & Culture for companies like Pixar, Klout, and Reddit, and today, as an investor and Founding Partner at Seven Seven Six, Alexis Ohanian’s venture capital firm launched in 2021.

At work, she’s rewriting how companies think about belonging, and at home, she’s just like the people on the other end of the changes she’s making. She’s a planner who struggles to stay present, a mom whose path to parenthood wasn’t easy, and someone who thinks critically about what she wants her legacy to be. For this conversation, we’re in Katelin’s home in San Francisco, talking about how her own life has shaped her mindset around supporting founders, and why she wakes up every day feeling grateful.

Episode 13 | 57 min

Ruth Zukerman Co-Founder, SoulCycle & Flywheel Sports

Ruth Zukerman is a force in the fitness industry known for co-founding SoulCycle and Flywheel Sports, and for creating the communities that sparked the studio cycling movement. But Ruth never imagined starting a business, let alone two of the biggest names in fitness.

Today, we’re in Ruth’s home in New York City, talking about living alone and being comfortable with herself, how she’s learned to see her most challenging moments in a positive light, and why she’s finally owning her success.

Episode 12 | 50 min

Dr. Wendy Borlabi Director of Performance and Mental Health, Chicago Bulls

Dr. Wendy Borlabi is a renowned sports psychologist who today serves as the first Director of Performance and Mental Health the Chicago Bulls have ever had. Before moving to Chicago in 2016, she worked with Olympic athletes in San Diego, and she’s an expert at helping athletes achieve their goals.

But a powerhouse career was never a goal of her own. She wanted to play basketball, and become a mom. After college, she fell into sports psychology serendipitously, and her career took off. Then, a health scare put things into perspective — and set off a sea of change in her life that would lead her to have twins, move to Chicago, and land a job with the Bulls she says felt meant to be.

Episode 11 | 49 min

Tara Williams Founder & CEO, Dreamland Baby

Tara Williams had always dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur, but her million dollar idea came out of challenge in her personal life, at the worst possible time to start a business. Tara and her husband were both laid off at the same time, just as they had their 4th child. To add insult to injury, baby #4 wouldn’t sleep — until Tara had the idea for a weighted sleep sack.

Two years of sacrifice and one episode of Shark Tank later, Dreamland Baby took off in 2020 — and this year, the company is on track to do $22 million in revenue. In this conversation, Tara talks about the reality of “having it all,” and why she believes success is a life of gratitude. 

Episode 10 | 44 min

Noora Raj Brown EVP, Brand, Goop

As the EVP, Brand at goop, Noora Raj Brown is always on — ready to take the heat and help the brand push the conversation forward. For years, she was the first to raise her hand for a work trip, and she was focused on her next title, her next career move. But in 2020, a challenge in Noora’s personal life started to change how she thinks about goals in work and in life, when she and her husband were told they couldn’t have kids.

Then, after a tough round of IVF, a global pandemic, and an unexpected gift from a friend, they welcomed their daughter, Lily, and Noora shifted how she thinks about her North Star. In this conversation, Noora shares why “there’s no time for sad sushi,” how she found a sense of belonging after years of transience, and how to recognize that you have enough, when there’s so much you can want.

Episode 9 | 55 min

Nyakio Grieco Co-Founder, Thirteen Lune

Nyakio Grieco launched her first brand, nyakio Beauty, more than 20 years ago, working relentlessly to bring her grandparents’ beauty secrets to the U.S. Then, in 2020, she co-founded Thirteen Lune, the e-commerce platform dedicated to the discovery of beauty brands created by Black and Brown founders that resonate with people of all colors. And in 2022, she launched a new clean, inclusive skincare brand — Relevant: Your Skin Seen. Nyakio is a force in the beauty industry, but she says she struggled with imposter syndrome, and embraced the title “entrepreneur” later on in her career.

For this conversation, we’re in Nyakio’s home in Los Angeles, talking about learning to operate from a place of confidence, why she’s dedicated to lifting up other women (and how she’s supported by her own powerhouse group of girlfriends), and how rest, family time and gratitude fuel her success.

Episode 8 | 55 min

Loren Brill Castle Founder & CEO, Sweet Loren's

You know Loren Brill Castle as the founder of Sweet Loren’s — the #1 natural cookie dough brand found in 15,000 supermarkets across the United States — but she never planned to disrupt the cookie dough aisle. At 22 years old, just after Loren graduated from college, she was diagnosed with cancer, and had to spend the next year going through treatment. She channeled all her energy into getting healthy, and along the way, developed a clean cookie dough recipe that even her picky eating little sister couldn’t get enough of. A year after her diagnosis, she was cancer free, and set out to live a life without regrets.

Today, we’re in Loren’s home in Los Angeles, CA, talking about choosing which road to take when bad things happen, how to find work-life balance when your company’s mission is incredibly personal to you,  finding a partner who understands the life of an entrepreneur, and what Loren has learned about living well on her path to success.

Episode 7 | 55 min

Adrian Grenier Actor, Environmentalist, Impact Investor

Adrian Grenier had “made it.” After his leading role in HBO’s Entourage and the success of films like The Devil Wears Prada and Drive Me Crazy, he’d found success, fame, money. And yet, it wasn’t enough. He was always striving for more — until his girlfriend Jordan Roemmele ended their relationship and set off a chain reaction that changed his life completely.

Today, Adrian lives at what he calls, “earth speed,” and for this conversation, we’re at Kintsugi Ranch — Adrian’s farm in Bastrop, Texas — talking about why he feels so much more at home here than in Hollywood, how his views on money and success have changed, why he feels his now-wife Jordan is his soulmate, sent to shake up his life.

Episode 6 | 49 min

Kate Torgersen Founder & CEO, Milk Stork

Kate Torgersen doesn’t believe in work-life balance — she believes in work-life complexity. As the Founder and CEO of Milk Stork, the first breast milk shipping company, she’s helped thousands of working parents achieve their goals, both personally and professionally. And she says if she hadn’t been a mom — specifically, to twins — she would never have become an entrepreneur.

For this conversation, we’re in Kate Torgersen’s home in Lafayette, California, talking about committing to a new business while standing on a pile of hot wheels, what her home means to her, and why there’s no doubt Kate’s work and home have had an incredible impact on each other.

Episode 5 | 52 min

Danielle Canty Co-Founder & President, bossbabe

Danielle Canty is the President of bossbabe, a multi-million dollar company that’s helped more than 100,000 women reach their goals through its podcast, mentorship community, and social media empire. But just 3 years ago, Danielle had a completely different life. She had built the life she felt she was “supposed to build,” and yet, something didn’t feel right.

For this conversation, we’re in Danielle’s home in Los Angeles, talking about how, after moving halfway around the world, navigating a tough divorce, and rewiring how she thinks about time and success, she’s starting to build a life she loves. Make Yourself at Home with bossbabe’s Danielle Canty.

Episode 4 | 40 min

Greg Davidson CEO & Co-Founder, Lalo

Greg Davidson is the Co-Founder and CEO of Lalo, the baby and toddler brand known for its beautifully designed high-chairs, play tables and strollers. But when Greg and his co-founder Michael Wieder had the idea for Lalo, neither one of them had kids. Since 2019, Greg’s personal and professional lives have been two parallel rollercoasters. As Lalo took off (growing 400% in 2021), Greg’s life at home took off, too.

For this conversation, we’re in New York City, talking about choosing a life of chaos as an entrepreneur, raising kids in NYC, and taking the time to live in the moment and give yourself the “30,000 foot view.” Make Yourself at Home with Greg Davidson.

Episode 3 | 46 min

Kara Goldin Founder, Hint

Kara Goldin is the Founder of Hint — the award-winning unsweetened flavored water brand sold in 30,000 stores across the United States. But who is Kara Goldin at home? How are her life at home and her professional success intertwined? In fact, from the very beginning of Hint, Kara’s personal life and her entrepreneurship career have fueled each other. Before Hint water was a household name, it was just an idea in her kitchen. She stocked her first products on the shelves the day she had her 4th child, and her kids sold early cases of Hint in the driveway.

For this conversation, we’re in Kara’s home in Marin County, California, talking about finding home in the Bay Area, what her kids learned from watching their parents launch Hint, and how big moments in Kara’s work and personal life tended to happen all at the same time. Make Yourself at Home with Kara Goldin.

Episode 2 | 42 min

Frédéric Fekkai Hair Stylist, Founder & CEO, FEKKAI

Frédéric Fekkai is known for being a celebrity hair stylist, and for reinventing the hair salon when he launched his “day spa” at Bergdorf Goodman. For decades, he’s styled the biggest stars at busy salons in New York City and Hollywood, including Claudia Schiffer, Demi Moore and Martha Stewart. But today, as he leads his hair care brand FEKKAI to a cleaner, more sustainable future, he gets creative in a different environment — his home.

For this conversation, we’re in Frédéric’s home in Greenwich, CT, talking about his winding path to success, and how his life at home has changed every step of the way. We cover how his modest upbringing in France influenced his creativity, where he gets his sense of gratitude, and why he’s edited his priorities over time. Make Yourself at Home with Frédéric Fekkai.

Episode 1 | 47 min

Bess Freedman CEO, Brown Harris Stevens

At work, Bess Freedman is the CEO of Brown Harris Stevens, one of the largest and most successful privately held real estate companies in the United States. At home, she’s a mahjong player, someone who reads library books and smiles at her neighbors, and a self-described homebody.

For this conversation, we’re in Bess’s home in New York City, talking about what home means to her, and how home and success are intertwined. We cover why she hates the phrase killing time, her commitment to standing up for what’s right, how she and her ex-husband have set aside their egos to help their family find harmony, and more. Make Yourself at Home with Bess Freedman.

Episode 0 | 3 min

Trailer

Make Yourself at Home is new podcast, presented by Nines, that takes you into the homes of people you admire, to ask these questions and show you a side you don’t usually get to see. Every week, we’ll interview someone at the top of their career, to explore holistic success and how work and home are inextricably intertwined.

Season 1 — featuring Adrian Grenier (Earth Speed Media, DuContra Ventures), Bess Freedman (Brown Harris Stevens), Danielle Canty (Bossbabe), Frédéric Fekkai (FEKKAI), Greg Davidson (Lalo), Kara Goldin (Hint), Kate Torgersen (Milk Stork), and more.