Podcast · Business

How She Does It

by Karen Finerman · English · Business

On every episode of HOW SHE DOES IT you’ll be listening in to a conversation with a female leader — leaders in all industries — who make their own space and build their careers in unique ways. How She Does It is about a woman’s place in the world and in the economy, but it’s also about our power, ou

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 42 min
Latest: 21 Jul 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

21 Jul 2026 · 33 min

You Might LIke...Sari Botton on the Real Cost of People-Pleasing from the HerMoney Podcast

How She Does It is on a short hiatus, but Karen was kind enough to let us drop into your feed today. This show is part of the HerMoney Media Network — so if you like what you hear, come find us at The HerMoney Podcast. On today's episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with Sari Botton, the writer and editor behind Oldster Magazine, a Substack newsletter with over 85,000 subscribers, and author of And You May Find Yourself: Confessions of a Late-Blooming Gen X Weirdo. In this episode, we cover: What the real financial cost of people-pleasing is How women in the Oldster community have reinvented…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S2 · 30 Jun 2026 · 33 min
BONUS: Life-Changing Moments: Female Founders & CEOs on Embracing Grit
What motivates some of today’s successful leaders? What person or event helped snap their futures into focus, creating a roadmap they followed with grit and resilience, determined to make it to the highest levels in business and beyond? Some of the most high-profile founders and CEOs have shared such moments from their lives with Karen Finerman on HOW SHE DOES IT. In this episode, we want to revisit some of these pivotal experiences: from a few well-placed words of encouragement to living through circumstances they became determined to find a way out of. Hearing these stories is a reminder…
16 Jun 2026 · 42 min
EP 88: Quitting The WSJ: Tech Journalist Joanna Stern on Her Year Embracing A.I. and Joining The Creator Economy
Imagine willingly opening up your life to as much A.I. as possible. Have a question? Ask A.I. first. Feeling blue? Talk to an A.I. therapist. Need a ride? Summon a Waymo. In journalist Joanna Stern’s New York Times bestseller “I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything,” she did all of the above and more. She shares what's hopeful, what’s creepy, and how A.I. is already in your life, whether you like it or not. As she worked on her book in 2025, she was also facing another big question: whether or not to quit her job of 12 years at the Wall Street Journal. She was weighing…
E87 · 9 Jun 2026 · 30 min
EP 87: LIVE: Risk & Reward: Kari Firestone’s 4+ Decades in Finance
In our first-ever pop-up podcast in front of a live audience, Karen Finerman sits down with Karen Firestone at the CNBC Pro Event: Wealth For Women at the Nasdaq MarketSite. Karen Firestone, who goes by Kari, began building her impressive career as an investor in the early ‘80s. There were far fewer women working in finance at that time, and things were far more challenging for women in that space than they are today. Still, Kari couldn’t have imagined taking a different path. She was drawn to investing at a young age and for 22 years, worked her way up at Fidelity. Kari spent a good portion…
S2 · E86 · 2 Jun 2026 · 51 min
EP 86: The Pitt, Hacks & Harry Potter: Inside Original Programming at HBO Max With Sarah Aubrey
What does it take to create culture-defining entertainment that not only attracts loyal viewers but wins accolades as well? We’ve asked Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Programming for HBO Max. The streaming service behind shows like “The Pitt,” “Hacks,” “And Just Like That,” and the forthcoming “Harry Potter” series is once again evolving what audiences expect from premium television: high-quality entertainment delivered on a consistent basis. Aubrey, a Texas native, began her career as a lawyer before making the jump into film producing. Her first foray, the Billy Bob Thornton comedy “Bad…
S5 · E85 · 19 May 2026 · 43 min
EP 85: Brooke Shields: Taking Charge! The Actress & Model on Being an Executive Producer, Union President, and CEO of a Beauty Company
Brooke Shields has been famous her entire life. Now, in her early 60’s, the actress and model is using her passion to take charge and create impact. She is an executive producer on her new ACORN TV series YOU’RE KILLING ME, she was elected president of Actors’ Equity, and she is founder and CEO of her hair care line, COMMENCE. It’s a portfolio she’s immensely proud of. In her new series, which she developed, she plays a crime novelist who solves murders in a sleepy town in Maine; As executive producer, she insisted on including more physical comedy, which is her strong suit. With Actors’…
S2 · E84 · 12 May 2026 · 46 min
EP 84: When Your Job Is On Front Lines Of A Political Battle: Alexis McGill Johnson, CEO of Planned Parenthood
When Alexis McGill Johnson was asked in 2019 to become interim CEO of Planned Parenthood, she thought it would be a short assignment. “ I remember my famous last words to the board when I stepped in were, “‘I'll get you through 2020’,” she recalls. Almost immediately, she found herself in the unenviable position of steering a healthcare organization through a pandemic. She embraced the challenge and eventually raised her hand to stay on full-time. She officially landed the job in 2020 and serves as CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the healthcare arm, and CEO of Planned…
5 May 2026 · 31 min
BONUS: Moms Make Incredible Leaders: Experience, Wisdom & Advice from Women Who Have Done 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…
S2 · E83 · 21 Apr 2026 · 40 min
EP 83: PEOPLE’s World’s Most Beautiful: Editor-In-Chief & GM Charlotte Triggs On Running The Iconic Brand
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…
S2 · E82 · 14 Apr 2026 · 49 min
EP 82: Thasunda Brown Duckett: Rewriting the Rules of Being a CEO
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…
S2 · E81 · 7 Apr 2026 · 37 min
EP 81: Late July & Nixie Founder Nicole Bernard Dawes: Why Building Brands Is Her Extreme Sport
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…
S2 · E80 · 31 Mar 2026 · 48 min
EP 80: Being The Boss: Vivian Tu on Growing “Your Rich BFF” and Her Plans for its Future
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,…
S2 · E79 · 24 Mar 2026 · 42 min
EP 79: Veronica Swanson Beard: 15+ Years of Leading A Fashion Favorite
Veronica Swanson Beard’s life changed when she met her future business partner, Veronica Miele Beard, and her future husband, Jamie Beard, on the same evening. The two Veronicas, who became sisters-in-law, share a love of fashion. They explored a number of possible business ventures together (including, at one point, maternity wear) before landing on their game-changing women’s dickey jacket. Since they introduced their signature piece in a market set up in Veronica Swanson Beard's apartment in 2010, the company has exploded. They now offer a complete “uniform” for women: dresses, pants,…
S2 · E78 · 17 Mar 2026 · 42 min
EP 78: Behind “Yellowstone” & “The Madison”: Director Christina Alexandra Voros On Creating TV Magic
Gorgeous landscapes, high-stakes drama, and throw in some horses and cattle for good measure. That’s just another day at the office when you work on a show in Taylor Sheridan’s universe. Emmy-nominated Christina Alexandra Voros is one of the most influential female voices in Sheridan’s inner circle, having directed multiple episodes of his hit shows, including “Yellowstone,” “1883,” “Lawman: Bass Reeves,” and now, every episode of “The Madison.” “The Madison” stars Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell and explores themes of family and loss, as well as the healing power of the land. For…
S2 · E77 · 10 Mar 2026 · 33 min
EP 77: Women’s History Month: Favorite Moments From Gutsy, Innovative & Trailblazing Leaders
Our mission at HOW SHE DOES IT WITH KAREN FINERMAN is to have meaningful conversations where high-achieving women across business, media, science, the arts, and more can share their insight and wisdom. So to celebrate Women’s History Month, we put together a collection of highlights from some of our history-making guests, spotlighting their incredible experiences and what they’ve learned along the way. And while many of us may never walk in space or dance on stage at the American Ballet Theatre, we know each of these women’s experiences will serve as both inspiration and a reminder of the…
S2 · E76 · 3 Mar 2026 · 48 min
EP 76: Eva Pilgrim: Anchor of “Inside Edition” On Chasing The Story & Finding Fulfillment
Throughout her career, Eva Pilgrim, the new anchor of “Inside Edition,” has always strived to deliver excellent journalism. It’s a mindset she traces back to her childhood, raised by her American father and, what she calls, her “Korean Tiger Mom.” Eva recalls her mother not tolerating anything below perfect grades (to the point that she once hid a paper with a grade of 98 in the trash). As an adult, she combined her determination to treat her interview subjects with care with her gift for getting people to open up, and her career in journalism took off. She rose in the ranks from an…
S2 · 24 Feb 2026 · 40 min
BONUS: Jody Gerson: Making Music (And Profits) With the CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group
Music is ever-present in our lives, from our morning exercise routines until bed. And we all have a "life soundtrack” of songs that transport us to a moment or an era — one note, and you're right back there. Music is also a multi-billion-dollar business. But who runs this business? Despite so many of the biggest performers being women, the industry itself has long suffered from a lack of women and diversity — not only on the talent side but also on the executive side. One of the most powerful, longstanding players in this business is Jody Gerson, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music…
S2 · E75 · 17 Feb 2026 · 43 min
EP 75: Sesame Workshop CEO Sherrie Westin: Leading The Drive To Keep Elmo & Friends Entertaining & Educating Kids
For Sesame Workshop CEO Sherrie Westin, there’s one question that rises above the rest. “Is Sesame going to be here for the next generation of children?” Making sure favorites like Elmo, Big Bird, Abby Cadabby, and Grover continue their work educating kids is a responsibility she takes very seriously. Over the past year, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind the 56-year-old global phenomenon, faced what Westin called a “perfect storm.” There were federal funding cuts, the end of a distribution deal with Discovery / HBO Max, and the need to downsize the organization. Westin has guided Sesame…
S2 · E74 · 10 Feb 2026 · 43 min
EP 74: JPMorgan Chase’s Kristin Lemkau: Professional Ambition, Personal Loss & Feeling “Unstoppable”
Kristin Lemkau was thriving in her job as CMO of JPMorgan Chase, a job she thought would be her last, when CEO Jamie Dimon and his leadership team threw a new challenge her way. They wanted the company to become more competitive in the wealth management space, and offered Lemkau the job as CEO of J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. Despite some significant hurdles that would come with building the business, Lemkau took on the role in late 2019. A few years into this professional challenge, she experienced a tectonic shift in her personal life. Lemkau’s husband, who had stayed at home with their…
S2 · E73 · 3 Feb 2026 · 40 min
EP 73: ULTA Beauty CEO Kecia Steelman: From An Hourly Job At Target To Leading The Largest Beauty Retailer in the U.S.
Kecia Steelman was a 20-year-old single mom living in government housing when she faced a realization: if she wanted a better life, it was up to her. She became determined to find a job where she could learn and grow. From the men’s department at Target, she buckled down, worked holidays and weekends, and transformed what started as an $8 an hour gig into something much more. She built a career path that would lead her to become one of the most powerful women in the beauty business. On this episode of How She Does It, Kecia opens up about her first year as CEO at ULTA Beauty, the country’s…
E72 · 27 Jan 2026 · 43 min
EP 72: Responding To Change: Maya Shankar On Finding Your “Why” When Facing An Unexpected Detour
We’re all likely to encounter some change in life that’s unwelcome: a scary health diagnosis, the end of a relationship, the loss of a job, or the end of a dream. Maya Shankar, PhD, deeply understands the concept of change and offers a roadmap for navigating it. She is a cognitive scientist and Senior Director of Behavioral Economics at Google. But she is perhaps best known for her side gig: being the creator and host of the award-winning podcast A Slight Change of Plans. Her fascination with how we navigate change started when she was a teen, and a hand injury forced her to give up her…
E71 · 20 Jan 2026 · 41 min
EP 71: Tradwife Or Career Woman: Corinne Low on On Ambition, Kids & Equality
“I don’t sweep the floor with my uterus,” asserts Corinne Low, Associate Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania. It’s a stark statement, but her underlying point is to urge men and women to re-examine gender roles around the work needed to maintain a home and family: cooking, cleaning, making the kids’ doctor’s appointments, and so on. Low was on the tenure track when her first marriage fell apart. She was overwhelmed with her job, a bad commute, a new infant, and housework. She was the higher earner of the couple, and the…
12 Jan 2026 · 33 min
BONUS: Karen Finerman’s Bold Bets (and Red Flags) for 2026
The markets are still riding high, but if 2025 taught us anything, it’s that not everything that glitters is gold. In this episode of our sister podcast HerMoney, Jean Chatzky sits down with legendary investor and How She Does It Host Karen Finerman to unpack the wild ride of 2025: the highs, the flops, the lessons learned, and the big bets she’s making in 2026. We also talk about what makes a winning portfolio, how our InvestingFixx club beat the market, and how you can start building confidence with your own investments, one smart move at a time. In this episode: What Karen’s biggest…
6 Jan 2026 · 40 min
Inspiration, Advice & Overcoming Adversity: Favorite Moments From Powerhouse Female Leaders
We love hearing insight and hard-won wisdom from some of the most exceptional and accomplished women. In this episode, we’ve put together some particularly insightful moments from a few of our guests from across our first 70 episodes. We cover how to push through those tough moments, trust your gut, and do what it takes to build the life you want (and not the life other people think you should be living.) So, as you take a moment to think about your own plans and dreams for the year ahead, we know listening to these smart and talented women share their own experiences will help inspire,…
S2 · E70 · 30 Dec 2025 · 45 min
EP 70: Gina Raimondo On Pondering a Presidential Run: “It’s A Job That I Would Know How To Do”
It was a “gigantic” role: one that required Gina Raimondo to engage in high-powered meetings with heads of state and be called on in the White House Situation Room to weigh in on critical decisions of national security. After serving as Secretary of Commerce during the Biden administration, Gina Raimondo is now taking time to consider what her next move will look like. But there’s one thing the former Governor of Rhode Island knows for sure: she wants to stay in public service. Listen as Gina Raimondo, now a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, looks back at her career…
S2 · E69 · 23 Dec 2025 · 41 min
EP 69: Angie Hicks, The Introvert Entrepreneur
Selling subscriptions door-to-door. It was difficult work and a worst-case scenario for Angie Hicks, a self-proclaimed introvert. Straight out of college, Hicks went to work with a former boss from an internship to help launch a new business. The idea: create a resource of home repair and renovation service providers curated by customers, along with reviews. They called it Angie’s List. Now, 30 years later, the company known today as Angi is a billion-dollar brand. Angie Hicks built the foundation of the company, signing customers up one at a time and creating her famous list of service…
S2 · E68 · 16 Dec 2025 · 45 min
EP 68: Calm Under Extreme Pressure: Astronaut Sunita Williams On Her Unexpected Extended Stay On The International Space Station
Talk about a tough day at work. NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were the first to fly the Boeing Starliner into space in June of 2024. The plan for the test mission was to pilot the new spacecraft into orbit, dock with the International Space Station for 8 days, and return home. But when the two astronauts first attempted to approach the ISS, five of the Starliner’s critical thrusters failed for a time, and the astronauts were in the unenviable position of piloting a potentially unreliable spacecraft. Their story grabbed headlines around the world. After successfully…
S2 · E67 · 9 Dec 2025 · 44 min
Ep 67: Not Afraid Of The Pivot: Carla Hall On Creativity, Curiosity, and The Many Paths She’s Taken
Carla Hall is a force. Her effervescence is a welcome ingredient in the many shows she has fronted, including “The Chew,” Fox’s “Next Level Baker,” and Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Challenge” and “Worst Cooks in America.” But what might surprise you is that she began her professional career as an accountant after being rejected from her chosen college and a dream of studying theater. In her conversation with Karen Finerman, Carla shares how she has dealt with disappointment and setbacks, inevitably turning them into triumphs. A creative and curious entrepreneur, she has authored…
2 Dec 2025 · 37 min
BONUS: Take Back Your Time With Google’s Productivity Expert
Women often have a blur of busy days — especially this time of year - going from meetings and important phone calls to the grocery store or soccer practice. It often feels like the day goes by in the blink of an eye. This, of course, leaves many of us feeling drained at the end of the day, or inspired to push off our most important tasks to next week — or we forget about them completely. So how can we better juggle our busy work days, the challenges of raising a family, and all of the other tasks in between, while still making time for fun? We’re sharing one of our favorite episodes from…
S2 · E63 · 18 Nov 2025 · 47 min
Ep 66: The Many Roles Of Deborah Roberts: Sister, Co-Anchor of 20/20 & Mother of The Bride
Deborah Roberts is an Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist. She has graced our television screens for 30+ years, from her early days at stations in Columbus, Knoxville, and Orlando to one of the most coveted jobs in the business: co-anchoring 20/20 at ABC News. That rise has come with its share of lessons and shifting priorities, but Deborah is now clearly at the top of her game. The New York Times best-selling author’s new book was inspired by her early life growing up with six sisters in Perry, Georgia. It’s called “Sisters Loved and Treasured Stories of Unbreakable Bonds.” In it, she…

About How She Does It

How She Does It is a English business podcast from Karen Finerman. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Karen Finerman
Language: English
Category: Business
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 42 min
Latest episode: 21 Jul 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1691787429

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