Your New Life Blend

Have you ever looked at someone who seems to have it all — the job, the glam, the life — and wondered, what the heck did I miss? That's the premise of the much-anticipated new novel "The Memo" by Rachel Dodes and Lauren Mechling, about a woman flailing in life and love, stuck in a rut while all her friends seem to flourish — and realizing it's because they got "The Memo," and she didn't. At her college reunion, she is given the chance to go back in time and change her life. The novel invites us to ask ourselves... would we? And other, thornier questions: what does it means to be happy and successful? Are those the same things? If we had the chance to go back and course-correct our lives, what would we be giving up? In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," Rachel and Lauren talk with host Shoshanna Hecht about how we define success (and how it is defined for us), how even successful women can feel like they missed the memo (yes, even incredibly accomplished writers like Rachel and Lauren who together have written for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Vogue, Vanity Fair, the GuardianUS, Elle, the New Yorker, Buzzfeed and more), and what it means to choose — and love — the life you are living. SHOW NOTES Website: Rachel Dodes https://www.racheldodes.com Lauren Mechling https://www.laurenmechling.com Books: The Memo: A Novel, by Rachel Dodes & Lauren Mechling https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-memo-rachel-dodeslauren-mechling How Could She, by Lauren Mechling https://www.laurenmechling.com/how-could-she Other Writing: Rachel Dodes https://www.racheldodes.com/writing Lauren Mechling https://www.laurenmechling.com/journalism-1 Podcast: "Nope" with Rachel Dodes & Brian Hecht https://www.racheldodes.com/podcasts Social Media: https://twitter.com/racheld https://www.threads.net/@racheldodes https://www.instagram.com/racheldodes https://twitter.com/laurenmechling https://www.instagram.com/laurenomics https://www.instagram.com/thecloglife

Jenn Romolini is a success story, with the glowing "get her life!" press coverage to prove it. As a journalist, editor, author, podcast creator and creative executive, Jenn has had the kind of successful career across media, tech and entertainment that is a testament to ambition, vision and hard work. But in her new memoir “Ambition Monster,” Jenn shares the story of just how hard the work was, and just how deep the ambition went as she looks backward on a life that was not always the stuff of glossy press coverage. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Jenn about the deeply personal story she tells about family, class, workaholism, and identity; how her ambition was both her survival mode and what gave her hope; and what it means to allow ourselves to tell our full stories - and be fully seen. SHOW NOTES Website: https://www.jenniferromolini.com Books: Ambition Monster: A Memoir Weird In a World That’s Not: A Career Guide for Misfits Podcasts: Everything Is Fine (Jennifer Romolini & Kim France) Stiffed (Crooked Media) Newsletter: Extended Scenes (Substack) Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/jennromolini https://twitter.com/jennromolini https://twitter.com/theeifpodcast

Christie Marchese is the founder and CEO of Kinema, a next-gen platform for filmmakers to share their work (and get paid for it!), to find new audiences and experiencing the magic of going to the movies as intended - in community. That's magic that Christie knows well, as a serial entrepreneur who has built a career around surfacing important work and bringing new audiences together to drive social change and tell stories that matter. (She was previously the founder & CEO of the impact agency Picture Motion, and worked in strategic roles at Righteous Pictures, Participant Media, Norman Lear's nonprofit Declare Yourself.) Community is also a North star of Christie's life, guiding her investment strategy, vision of family planning, and in the short term, how many people she and her husband can cram joyfully into their amazing lower Manhattan apartment for book parties, screenings, fundraisers and more. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend" host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Christie about the intentionality of building community in her life as she (happily) approaches 40 and the joy of working and building alongside your chosen family. SHOW NOTES Website https://kinema.com "Meet Christie Marchese, whose company Kinema wants to revolutionize film distribution," Fortune https://fortune.com/2023/08/10/christie-marchese-founders-forum-2023 "Christie Marchese, CEO of Kinema, on Creating A Mission-based Company," WieSuite https://www.thewiesuite.com/post/christie-marchese-ceo-of-kinema-on-creating-a-missionbased-company Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiem https://www.linkedin.com/company/kinemahq https://www.instagram.com/christiemarchese https://www.instagram.com/kinemahq https://twitter.com/ChristieM https://twitter.com/kinemaHQ https://www.facebook.com/KinemaHQ

For the past two and half seasons, we have been lucky to have some truly amazing guests here on "Your New Life Blend," who have shared so many amazing insights. As we hit that Q2 crunch time, we wanted to share some of it to help you refocus on your own priorities, goals, and boundaries (we love boundaries). Please enjoy this great advice and insight from Dorie Clark, Bridget Todd, Vanessa Bennett, Candice Cook, Lyz Lenz, Hitha Palepu, Christina Wallace, Stacy London, Bea Arthur, Morra Aarons-Mele, Abby Falik and of course, "Your New Life Blend" host, executive and personal coach Shoshanna Hecht. We hope you enjoy it! We'll be back next week with more great Season 3 guests. Featuring: Dorie Clark, Author & Speaker Season 1, Episode 13 https://dorieclark.com Bridget Todd, Founder & Podcaster Season 2, Episode 9 https://www.unbossedcreative.com Vanessa Bennett, Author & Entrepreneur Season 2, Episode 16 https://lessawkward.com Candice Cook, Entrepreneur & Attorney Season 1, Episode 16 https://www.candicecook.com Lyz Lenz, Author & Journalist Season 2, Episode 8 https://lyzlenz.com Hitha Palepu, Multi-Hyphenate Season 2, Episode 3 https://hitha.beehiiv.com Christina Wallace, Author & HBS Professor Season 1, Episode 7 https://christinawallace.com Stacy London, Style Icon & Midlife Advocate Season 2, Episode 6 https://www.instagram.com/stacylondonreal Bea Arthur, Entrepreneur & Therapist Season 2, Episode 1 https://www.beaarthurtherapy.com Morra Aarons-Mele, Mental Health Speaker & Author Season 1, Episode 4 https://morraam.com Abby Falik, Social Entrepreneur Season 1, Episode 12 https://www.abbyfalik.com

Sure, we all get tired. But Lindsay Scola's tired was different. She was constantly exhausted, dozed off frequently, experienced night terrors, anxiety and brain fog, and sometimes, hallucinations. Doctors suggested that perhaps it was her demanding career working with high-powered leaders in entertainment, politics and government (including being part of the Obama administration), but still, this had been going on for two decades and Lindsay knew that something else was going on. It took years of telling doctors about her symptoms before finally, at age 35, she got confirmation that yes, her tired was different: she had narcolepsy. Armed with this new information about her own health, Lindsay has become a patient advocate and sleep evangelist, writing and speaking widely to share her story and help others find clarity about their own health. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Lindsay about her sleep journey and the complexities of sleep issues for different people (yes, your tired might be different!); how to best advocate for ourselves with medical professionals (before they pass you a pamphlet and send you on your way); and how to be ambitious and productive when our bodies are not cooperating. SHOW NOTES Website https://www.lindsayscola.com "For Years Doctors Told Me My Constant Exhaustion and Night Terrors Were Normal. They Weren’t," Self https://www.self.com/story/constant-exhaustion-narcolepsy-essay "Waking Up to a New Era of Sleeping Well: In Conversation with Lindsay Scola," Thrive Global https://community.thriveglobal.com/waking-up-to-a-new-era-of-sleeping-well-in-conversation-with-lindsay-scola "Everyone Around Me Was Tired: I had no idea my tired was different," WieSuite https://www.thewiesuite.com/post/everyone-around-me-was-tired-i-had-no-idea-my-tired-was-different Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-scola-a75b431 https://www.instagram.com/lindsay.scola https://www.threads.net/@lindsay.scola

Glynnis MacNicol spent the long stretch of COVID lockdown mostly alone in small Upper West Side apartment, mostly without really touching another person. So by summer 2021, after vaccines had rolled out and restrictions were finally lifting, she jumped at the chance to stay at a friend's apartment in Paris, and immediately bought a plane ticket out of her pandemic-imposed solitude. Landing in Paris she found a city just waking up from its own lockdown, and felt in Parisians all around her the same urgent, greedy desire to enjoy every pleasure life had to offer - food (cheese, croissants, chocolate), community (in-person, Zoom be damned), and connection (very much in person, very pleasurable, very much enjoyed). She recounts it all and then some in her joyful, decadent, and insightful new memoir, "I'm Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself: One Woman's Pursuit of Pleasure in Paris," coming in June, which dares to suggest that women have the right to enjoy themselves - and their choices - fully and gloriously, without needing permission. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," Glynnis talks to host Shoshanna Hecht about how seeking & claiming pleasure is actually a radical feminist act; the power of a free woman freely making her own choices; the joys of embracing your life unfolding at any age; and why we all deserve to truly enjoy ourselves. SHOW NOTES Website https://www.glynnismacnicol.com/ I'm Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself: One Woman's Pursuit of Pleasure in Paris https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/736781/im-mostly-here-to-enjoy-myself-by-glynnis-macnicol No One Tells You This https://www.glynnismacnicol.com/noonetellsyouthis.html Podcast: "Wilder" https://www.glynnismacnicol.com/wilder.html Newsletter: "Good Decisions" https://glynnismacnicol.substack.com "I Think We’re Alone Now. Welcome." New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/style/self-care/coronavirus-living-alone.html "Growing Up Meant Learning How to Wear Red Lipstick," The Cut https://www.thecut.com/2014/12/growing-up-meant-learning-to-wear-red-lipstick.html "I Miss My Lipstick," New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/style/lipsticks-to-wear-with-masks.html Other Writing: https://www.glynnismacnicol.com/other-writing.html Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noonetellsyouthis References: The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center https://www.amazon.com/Other-Significant-Others-Reimagining-Friendship/dp/1250280915 Birthrates are plummeting worldwide. Why? https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/19/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-jennifer-sciubba.html TheLi.st, founded by Glynnis MacNicol & Rachel Sklar https://nypost.com/2020/11/24/exclusive-womens-social-network-sold-to-shokets-new-power-media

Who are we when we don’t have a job? A fancy title? The heft of a prestigious organization behind us, signaling our worth and marketability? That question stared Penny Abeywardena square in the face when she left her high-powered position as New York City Commissioner for International Affairs in the De Blasio administration, a role she had served in from 2014-2022. It was the first untethered, unstructured time she’d had in two decades. It was also the first time she’d had a moment to think about what this new untethered life might look like. In this episode of “Your New Life Blend,” host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Penny about creating a new, bespoke job description, her newfound focus on "soft power" and the power of collaboration, and how her experiences as an immigrant, woman of color, and survivor of domestic violence have shaped her approach to leadership and advocacy. Website https://pennyabeywardena.com Soft Power Strategies http://softpowerstrategies.com Forbes Column https://www.forbes.com/sites/pennyabeywardena Social Media https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennyabeywardena https://twitter.com/pabeywardena https://www.instagram.com/pabeywardena

Jo Piazza has built a career around telling stories, specifically about women living lives of adventure, bravery, joy and fulfillment. In celebration of Jo's upcoming novel "The Sicilian Inheritance" - out next week! - we are sharing our wonderful conversation with her from Season 2, where she talks about the personal journey behind the book (based on the murder of her Sicilian great-great-grandmother, who was also maybe a witch). In this episode, Jo sits down with host Shoshanna Hecht to discuss her rich and full career as a journalist, author and podcaster, and shares insights into her career evolution, highlighting the necessity of adaptability, reinvention - and being your own CEO. The Sicilian Inheritance https://www.amazon.com/Sicilian-Inheritance-Novel-Jo-Piazza/dp/0593474163 Podcast: Under The Influence https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/under-the-influence-with-jo-piazza/id1544171101 Newsletter: Over The Influence https://jopiazza.substack.com/ Other Books https://www.jopiazza.com/books Other Podcasts https://www.jopiazza.com/podcasts

Jessica Bennett has spent a prolific, award-winning career writing and reporting about gender, sexuality, politics, and culture, including as the first-ever Gender Editor for The New York Times, and now as a contributing writer & editor. She has profiled - and shaped our collective understanding of - numerous public figures including Jennifer Aniston, Pamela Anderson, Monica Lewinsky, E. Jean Carroll, Governor Kathy Hochul and Anita Hill. Jessica's book, "Feminist Fight Club," offered solutions for fighting workplace inequality and gender bias, and her current podcast, "In Retrospect," with co-host Susie Banikarim, looks back on cultural moments from the past few decades and rethinks our collective - and often extremely dated - response. It's all giving her a lot to think about right now as she ponders what's next in a decimated media environment as it seems like, yet again, everything is changing. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," host Shoshanna Hecht sits down with Jessica to discuss our shifting attitudes as a society (and as an ambitious, high- achieving women), how to carve out your own job description, and above all, how to roll with an ever-changing world when sometimes what you really want is a nap. Website: https://www.jessicabennett.com Books: Feminist Fight Club: A Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace This Is 18: Girls’ Lives Through Girls’ Eyes https://www.jessicabennett.com/books New York Times stories: https://www.nytimes.com/by/jessica-bennett Podcast: In Retrospect with Susie Banikarim and Jessica Bennett https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-in-retrospect-with-susie-122206786/ Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/jessicabennett https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess7bennett https://twitter.com/jessicabennett

In honor of Women’s History Month, we wanted to bring back one of our *favorite* episodes from Season 1, with the inimitable Cindy Gallop, who lives her life *exactly* as she wants and is *very good* at inspiring the rest of us to do the same. Cindy would like you to have *more* of everything you want - more money, more power, more freedom, more innovation, more connection, more joy - and yes, more sex. And who are we to argue? Cindy is also in the process of an equity crowdfunding campaign on WeFunder in support of her company, Make Love Not Porn, a social sex platform with the mission of promoting safe & informed sex for consenting adults. (The campaign’s lead investor is actress & activist Jameela Jamil.) In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," Cindy talks about her work encouraging connection, communication, and authenticity (at MNLP and with her coaching clients, and speaking and newsletter audiences!) and why she wants you to build whatever you are dreaming of with your unique voice, skills and vision. We are *always* inspired by Cindy and we know you will be, too. We hope you enjoy this encore episode of your new life blend! SHOW NOTES MNLP Crowdfunding Campaign https://wefunder.com/makelovenotporn/ Website MakeLoveNotPorn.tv Newsletter Dear Cindy TED Talk Make Love, Not Porn Social Media @CindyGallop on Twitter Cindy Gallop on Linkedin @CindyGallop on Instagram

What happens when you're building the life you want, and then life knocks you sideways? The layoff. The rejection. The congratulations-on-your-new-baby-we’ll-just-give-that-account-to-someone-else. That last one happened to Amy Shoenthal, whose upward trajectory in a marketing firm record-scratched when she announced her pregnancy and came back from maternity leave to find herself subtly but unmistakably sidelined. The subsequent feelings of professional panic, alienation and displacement left her unmoored from her career expectations and goals, which took a while for her to process and regroup from. Fortunately, the regrouping led her to something even better - her new book, "The Setback Cycle" about how we process the obstacles that knock us flat and find our way back to something even better. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," host Shoshanna Hecht (who is in the book!) sits down with Amy to discuss how to rally when we want to wallow (but go ahead and wallow a bit, it's an essential part of the process), how to check in with ourselves as we course-correct, and how sometimes setbacks are just what we need to wake us up. Website: https://www.amyshoenthal.com Books: The Setback Cycle: How Defining Moments Can Move Us Forward https://www.amyshoenthal.com/the-setback-cycle A Magical Day in Sunnyside https://www.amyshoenthal.com/book Forbes column: https://www.forbes.com/sites/amyshoenthal Visionaries Collective: https://www.visionaries-collective.com Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyshoenthal https://www.instagram.com/amysho https://twitter.com/amysho

Welcome to Season 3 of "Your New Life Blend," a podcast about building the lives we want, powerfully and with intention. Join executive coach and licensed clinical therapist Shoshanna Hecht for another round of conversations with dynamic, inspiring women who are living the process of building - and rebuilding - their best and most meaningful lives. This podcast is about crystallizing what YOU want, and how to get there with purpose and clarity, while still navigating the obligations and demands of a needy, time-sucking world. (Boundaries! Learn to love them.) What do you want your life to look like? Every day is a good day to figure out the answer to that question. We can’t wait to join you as you find Your New Life Blend.

Suzanne Lerner built a business with her husband, Michael Cohen, and that business was Michael Stars, the ubiquitous and long-standing fashion brand that there's a very good chance has, at one point, made your favorite t-shirt or tank top or sweater or dress or otherwise clutch wardrobe staple. Suzanne and Michael built the Michael Stars brand in alignment with their values, prioritizing local production, fair wages, planet-friendly materials, and strong support of social justice causes. In 2015, after almost 30 years of a life and business together, Michael passed away, and Suzanne has continued to carry on their shared vision, purpose and passion for creating positive social change. In this episode of “Your New Life Blend,” host Shoshanna Hecht speaks with Suzanne about how to build a purpose-driven company (and life), and why now feels like her time to teach. Show Notes Suzanne Lerner - Website https://suzannelerner.com/ Michael Stars - Our Story https://www.michaelstars.com/pages/our-story Michael Stars - We're A B-Corp! https://www.michaelstars.com/pages/were-b-corp-certified Social Media - Suzanne Lerner https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannelerner https://www.instagram.com/suzanne_lerner https://twitter.com/Suzanne_Lerner Social Media - Michael Stars https://www.instagram.com/michaelstarsinc https://www.pinterest.com/michaelstarsinc https://www.facebook.com/michaelstars

Lori Leibovich is the editor of the Well section at the New York Times and under her leadership, it has become a juggernaut of essential, chart-topping content about the ways in which we are all trying to live better, healthier, and happier (and the many ways in which we are being challenged in trying to do so). Meanwhile, Lori has been living all the confusion of the past three years along with the rest of us, leading the section while keenly aware that we all needed information we could trust while we figured out the way forward (and a little bit of grace while we got there). In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Lori about building trust, covering trends and big stories (pandemic, menopause, mental health, Ozempic), and how to actually help people to be happier (and also drink more water). Show Notes NYT Well https://www.nytimes.com/section/well Getting Well with Lori Leibovich https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/29/insider/getting-well-with-lori-leibovich.html Social Media https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorileibovich https://twitter.com/lorileibovich https://www.instagram.com/lorileibo (private) Book Maybe Baby: 28 Writers Tell the Truth About Skepticism, Infertility, Baby Lust, Childlessness, Ambivalence, and How They Made the Biggest Decision of Their Lives https://amzn.to/4aSes5M Mothers Who Think: Tales of Real-Life Parenthood (contributor) https://amzn.to/4b1AMKw

How can I do my best? How can I do my best for others? How can I face the world with compassion? These are the questions Malynda Hale is asking herself as she begins this new year. Hale is an entertainer, a creator, an entrepreneur and an activist, and has come off a busy, busy year determined to follow her own North Star of empathy in a noisy, noisy world. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Malynda Hale about how to choose where to put your talents and focus (even if it means ending something), how to use your voice to advocate for what matters, and of course, how to be guided by empathy. Website https://malyndahale.com https://www.jmv-entertainment.com Social https://www.instagram.com/malyndahale https://twitter.com/malyndahale https://www.youtube.com/malyndahale What Would Jesus Do? Not What the MAGA Right Is Doing. https://www.thedailybeast.com/what-would-jesus-do-not-what-the-maga-right-is-doing

S. Mitra Kalita is the CEO & Founder of URL Media, a network of high-performing Black and Brown news media organizations that serve, support and center communities of color, and she has plans for 2024. Fresh off a $500 thousand grant from the MacArthur Foundation, Mitra has a mandate to expand URL Media's essential editorial work and reach — because 2024 is an election year, and Black and Brown communities need news and information they can trust. This has been Mitra's mission since founding URL Media during the pandemic, along with community newsletter EpicenterNYC: to bring crucial information to her community in a way that would actually reach them, and be trusted by them. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend," host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Mitra about how she is is leveraging all the skills of her years in legacy media (CNN, LAT, WSJ, Quartz & more) in order to marry information with trust — all while recognizing that this will be an election year unlike any other, and we will all have a role in fighting for our democracy. Websites http://mitrakalita.com https://url-media.com https://epicenter-nyc.com Social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/s-mitra-kalita-377738 Twitter/X https://twitter.com/mitrakalita Books Suburban Sahibs: Three immigrant families and their passage from India to America https://www.amazon.com/Suburban-Sahibs-S-Mitra-Kalita/dp/0813536650 My Two Indias: A journey to the ends of opportunity https://www.amazon.com/My-Two-Indias-Journey-Opportunities/dp/935029012X

The holiday season can be joyful for some and complicated for others, particularly those of us who are mourning loved ones whom we have lost. Rebecca Soffer knows this well, having lost both her parents within just a few years of each other in her early 30s. In a career twist that she never planned for and certainly never would have wanted, Rebecca went on to co-found Modern Loss, a community and events company to support the many of us who are bereaved, without platitudes. In this episode of “Your New Life Blend” host Shoshanna Hecht talks to Rebecca about boundaries, resilience, trusting your gut about what works for you, and why, no, everything does not happen for a reason. Books: The Modern Loss Handbook: An Interactive Guide to Moving Through Grief and Building Your Resilience by Rebecca Soffer https://modernloss.com/the-modern-loss-handbook/ Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome by Rebecca Soffer and Gabrielle Birkner https://modernloss.com/our-book/ Website: https://modernloss.com Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccasoffer https://www.instagram.com/modernloss

We lost our friend Benish Shah last week. Benish was smart, righteous, funny, thoughtful, passionate, loving and brave. She was one of the first people we spoke to when we were launching the podcast and we knew we wanted her voice on the show. Her episode was one of our favorites and we refer to it often. We are sharing it again today in Benish's honor, because her voice felt so necessary at the time and still feels that way, even more so. We've also shared some of her writing in the show notes below. Her "Is It Toxic?" column was so necessary and practical and compassionate and helpful. We hope you will get as much out of this episode as we did. Rest in peace, Benish. You are loved and missed. Show Notes Is It Toxic? Benish Shah, The Muse https://www.themuse.com/author/benish-shah Why layoffs hit workers of colour so hard Benish Shah, BBC https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230308-why-layoffs-workers-of-colour-so-hard What Happens When Our Longest Relationships Change? Benish Shah, TueNight https://tuenight.substack.com/p/what-happens-when-our-longest-relationships The Splendiferous Spillerella Benish Shah https://www.amazon.in/Splendiferous-Spillerella-Benish-Shah/dp/0983539111 The English Meets Urdu 3-Book Set Benish Shah (author) Maryam Ishtiaq (illustrator) https://anchorandoakpublishing.com/products/the-english-beets-urdu-3-book-set

Binta Brown is a woman of letters. Two of those letters are "J.D." and they have undergirded her career, first at top Wall Street firm Cravath, Swaine and Moore and then as a partner at Kirkland & Ellis advising global entertainment and media companies, as well as in her leadership roles at iconic American institutions like the American Theatre Wing, Barnard College, Columbia University, and the New York Philharmonic (this is very partial list). Binta is also a lifelong musician (she plays 13 instruments), and took the leap into the music industry and artist management, including at Keep Cool/RCA Records and then with her own omalilly projects, a full-service talent management, media and entertainment company. Binta was quickly recognized as a force, and was named to Billboard's 2020 Hip-Hop & R&B Power Players list, 2020 Women in Music List and 2021 Change Agents List, among numerous other honors, and she worked with critically-acclaimed artists including Chance The Rapper. Binta has also had a number of challenging health issues and between shifts in her professional life, her health, her family and the pandemic, she has a lot to say about how to live life with intention. Binta talks about all of this and more with host Shoshanna Hecht on this episode of "Your New Life Blend," including how to see our own humanity in each others' stories (but maybe to consume a few less of each others' IG stories). Show Notes omalilly projects: https://linktr.ee/omalilly Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/batnib https://www.linkedin.com/in/binta-niambi-brown-07a303/

Marina Khidekel had anxiety, and a fidget-spinner wasn't going to cut it. She liked the feeling of a weighted blanket, but having it all over her body was way too much. So she came up with an ingenious solution: a weighted stuffed animal. In June 2022, she launched Hugimals World and its anchor product, the Hugimal, a 4.5-lb weighted stuffed animal in 4 varieties that feel like they are hugging you back. Let's fast forward to 300 glowing press clips later: Hugimals is a multiple award-winning product, one of TIME's Best Inventions, and available from Amazon to Nordstrom to QVC. It's an incredible success story, but like all success stories, it didn't happen overnight. In this episode of "Your New Life Blend,” Marina speaks to host Shoshanna Hecht about making the leap to becoming a first-time founder, the path from idea to invention, and the people she's hugged along the way (via many units of Hugimals, of course).