The Messy Parts Katie Sturino on Building Megababe, Owning the Mess, and Dreaming Big (Re-Release)
We're going back to our first episode: Katie Sturino is no stranger to reinvention—from fashion PR hustler to viral dog-momager to founder of Megababe and author of the new romcom Sunny Side Up. In the premiere episode of The Messy Parts, she joins Maryam to talk about building a self-funded brand, the real struggles behind the Instagram gloss, and how letting the "messy parts hang out" can be your superpower. They talk all things Ozempic, Oprah, body image, revenge-fueled motivation, and working with family. Katie also opens up about her purpose: helping women stop feeling bad alone—and start feeling powerful together.
Show Notes:
Guest: Katie Sturino – Entrepreneur, Author, Founder of Megababe
Follow Katie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiesturino/?hl=en
Follow Katie on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katiesturino
Topics Covered:
- Why revenge is her greatest motivator: "Success is the ultimate revenge"
- Moving to NYC and relentlessly pursuing her dream job at Chanel
- Making her dog Toast Instagram-famous and recognizing unexpected opportunities
- Starting 12ish Style blog after discovering the power of body representation
- Creating Megababe: solving problems no one talks about (thigh chafe, boob sweat)
- Working with family: benefits and challenges of business partnerships
- Writing "Sunny Side Up": transforming pain into a romcom after 9 years
- Meeting Oprah and sparking a national conversation about weight stigma
- The messy reality of entrepreneurship that podcasts don't share
- Dreaming big without limits and trusting your gut
Mentioned:
- Chanel
- Dolce & Gabbana
- Megababe Products
- Toast (her famous dog): DogMeetsWorld
- 12ish Style blog
- "Sunny Side Up" (her novel)
- Today Show
- Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution
- Target
- Weight Watchers
- Ozempic
- Ina Garten’s book, Be Ready When Luck Happens
- The Longest Table
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