LEAVE YOUR MARK: Freshly Brewed Career Advice with Aliza Licht

Tracey Baker-Simmons met L.A. Reid and Babyface while waitressing at Houstons in Atlanta. She had no clue who they were. They handed her their Amex to pay for the bill, and she saw that they had a production company. She asked if they were hiring, and they invited her to come to the studio. That chance encounter landed her an internship where she would begin the process of learning the ropes of production. It was the early 90's in Atlanta, and while she had a degree in marketing and finance, she had no experience or formal education in what her future career would be. Leaning on the power of books and her own resourcefulness, Tracey taught herself everything she needed to know and asked the right questions. As a firm believer in saying yes and figuring it out later, Tracey is proof that if you take a chance on yourself, you just might win. Today as a 25-year entertainment industry veteran and seasoned television producer, Tracy Baker-Simmons is one of television's most prolific and industry-forward innovators, earning titles such as the pioneer of urban reality television. With content such as the Bravo reality series Being Bobby Brown, MTV2's Sprite Step-Off, and the biopic Bobbi Kristina, Tracy has proven her ability to create content that both resonates well with viewers and pushes the culture forward. Note: When she pitched Bobby Brown a reality show she had never produced one before and fun fact: he was in jail at the time! In fact, the only blueprint at the time was The Osbournes. Currently, she works under her production company, Baker Simmons Media. She also recently launched an educational platform Reality TV Decoded, which launched its first master course, Making Reality TV. In this episode, you will learn that determination and curiosity can get you everywhere and why if you invest in yourself, you can push beyond what you don't know and be unstoppable.

If you have a story to tell and want to use your authentic voice to share it, Barbara Barna Abel is the woman for you. Since launching her casting and talent development company, Abel Intermedia, in 2001, Barbara has worked on over 100 unscripted/alternative projects and jump-started the careers of many prominent figures. As a seasoned media & communications coach, talent & executive development expert, and casting director in the entertainment industry, Barbara knows what it takes to make an impact and stand out. Her clients include television networks, PR firms, athletes, models, celebrity chefs, business executives, and young creatives. Her credits include the groundbreaking RuPaul Show on VH-1, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and What Not to Wear. In this episode, Barbara shares the tricks of the trade and what makes a great audition. Fun fact: what makes a great audition is the same thing that makes a great interview and breaking news; it starts the minute you walk into the building. As Barbara says, be memorable and delightful. Leave the room better than you found it. Even if you don't land the gig, you'll make an impression that may pay dividends in the future.

Leading celebrations expert, Darcy Miller, grew up in a house where both of her parents were artistic, and "making things" was a daily occurrence. But their artistic passion was never about being hardcore crafters but more about celebrating life and everyday moments. Their mantra was D.I.T. (Do it together) versus D.I.Y. as creating memories, was always the driver. Darcy's mom worked for Diana Vreeland, and her after-school activities included being dragged to the MET. She would watch them work on the MET shows while she did her homework. That creative environment left an impression on Darcy that would inspire her future career. She, of course, didn't know that at the time. Beginning her career early, Darcy flexed her artistic muscle as a college entrepreneur, but after college, she was faced with a fork in the road decision: Interview to be Anna Wintour's assistant OR become the assistant to Martha Stewart, who was launching a start-up magazine. Going with her gut and following her crafting passion, she went on the road less traveled and has never looked back. Today, Darcy is the founder of Darcy Miller Designs, culminating over twenty-five years of cultivating and creating inspiration and ideas for all things celebrations.  In this episode, you will learn to view every day as a celebration and why capturing those memories builds the foundation for long-term happiness and meaningful relationships. Darcy also shares how to choose the right path when you're faced with more than one direction and so much more.

David Yi, founder & editor-in-chief of Very Good Light and co-founder of Good Light, discusses his journey in the beauty industry, the importance of self-care and self-expression through skincare, and his commitment to uplifting and empowering others. He shares insights on the creation of Biden Beauty and his book 'Pretty Boys'. Join him in celebrating beauty beyond the binary.

Life is short. Kate Doerge learned that early on. Now, after more than 25 years of working for other people, she's taking the plunge into entrepreneurship. As Principal of Kate Doerge Consulting (KDC), Kate is betting that her more than two decades of brand-building and communications experience can help prestige consumer brands and investors unlock value at all stages of the investment process.   When Kate left her role as partner of Paul Wilmot Communications after 21 years of experience, she thought that she left her network behind. A chance meeting that she almost didn't take pushed her outside her realm and comfort zone and landed her as Head of Marketing at iStar. Without that experience, she doesn't believe she would have founded KDC today.  In this episode, you'll learn how Kate channels her physical fitness challenges to inspire her professional risk-taking and how it taught her that she could do anything she sets her mind to with that same passion. She'll share how she tackles goal setting as her own boss and how with a mantra of never burning bridges, she is now tapping into her network to invite them on her journey. You will learn why your network is not a pile of business cards but relationships that need to be nurtured. You'll also understand why every conversation is worth having, even when you don't see the value at the time.

Since she began working in the fashion industry over a decade ago, Ruthie Friedlander has established herself as someone to know. As the CEO/Founder of At Large Agency, she helps brands navigate the convergence of content and growth. Ruthie's prior experience has shifted over the years from iconic fashion brands like Chanel and The Row to major editorial roles at ELLE.com and InStyle.com. She started her career as the assistant to media entrepreneur Dan Abrams.  But along her journey, Ruthie came face to face with her demons, ultimately hitting rock bottom and then coming out the other side. As the co-founder of The Chain, a non-profit peer support network for women in fashion, media, & entertainment who are struggling with or recovering from an eating disorder, she is building a community where no one has to struggle alone. In this episode, Ruthie shares her story,  life lessons, and aspirations, all with sincerity and humor.  

When Jackie Giusti Seaman was clipping headlines from newspapers during college at Villanova and analyzing what the story could be as a communications major, she knew this would be her career. Fast forward to today, and she is doing exactly what she set out to do—as the Vice President of Global Communications at Stuart Weitzman, overseeing Public Relations, Celebrity and Influencer Integration, Paid Publisher Advertising Partnerships, and Wholesale Marketing. For most of her 15 years at Stuart Weitzman, her primary role led the brand to its celebrity status and association under the Founder and brand's namesake leadership.  In this episode, you will learn about loyalty and passion for working for a brand and Founder you genuinely believe in. You will see why the willingness to roll up your sleeves and do whatever it takes makes you indispensable. You'll learn what it takes to make something buzzy in Hollywood, and the answer will surprise you. On the corporate front, you will also learn Jackie's tactics for understanding when you should speak up or not speak up, which is an underrated skill in managing complicated issues at work. 

Alyssa Rosenheck was working hard, climbing the corporate ladder in a Fortune 100 company, when she was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 32. Reevaluating her life, this diagnosis sparked a career change when photography became her healing catharsis. What started as a simple need to photograph her home for sale became a pioneering shift in an antiquated corner of the photography world. Alyssa is now a celebrated stylist, speaker, and architectural and interiors photographer with over 900 features of work regularly found on the pages and sites of the world’s leading shelter and lifestyle publications, including Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, HGTV Magazine, and PEOPLE. She works with clients who are designers and architects to communicate their brand and expand their digital footprint. She has helped grow many small businesses over the years. Her book, The New Southern Style, is a  vibrantly illustrated exploration of 30 designers, artists, celebrity chefs, authors, and creative entrepreneurs who are reinventing Southern culture, along with tips for styling and soulful thoughts for living a creative life. The images and stories are meant to bring light and inspire stillness in a world that never stops to reflect. But as Alyssa will tell you, she needed to face her shadows before stepping into the light. As one of the only Jewish families in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she faced discrimination and ridicule. On top of that, Alyssa's childhood was emotionally and financially unstable. She hopes this book will inspire creative courage. In this episode, Alyssa shares her secrets to a holistic self-care approach, how to use fear as a tool for your own empowerment and why you need to reframe your inner dialogue and why you need to release in order to receive the gifts life has to offer. 

As the Lead Benefit Auctioneer at Christie's Auction House and Global Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships, Lydia Fenet knows firsthand that being an effective salesperson is what distinguishes top achievers in all fields from the rest of the pack. She has led auctions for more than 600 organizations and raised over half a billion dollars for over 400 nonprofits worldwide. Lydia's widely acclaimed book, The Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You: Command an Audience and Sell Your Way to Success, equips you with the essential tools of the trade and reveals Lydia's strategies behind her revolutionary sales approach so that every reader feels empowered to tap into their own power and achieve results in any setting. She is currently writing her second book, The Most Confident Woman in the Room is You. Having developed key skills over a fifteen-year career on stage, Lydia is a keynote speaker and travels internationally lecturing on topics ranging from women's empowerment, unlocking sales potential, and empowering teams in the workplace. She was named one of New York's most influential women by Gotham magazine and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Crain's, Elle, and has appeared in Vanity Fair, Women's Wear Daily, Vogue, and Town & Country. In this episode, Lydia shares her tips on how to sell anything using a clever combination of intelligence, personality, and humor. She explains why you should get your foot in the door of your dream company and worry about the role later, see the positives in every task (even being the company's paper shredder!) and how to make sure you get paid what you're worth.

Margi Conklin is the former editor of the New York Post's award-winning Sunday edition. She is a storytelling expert who's previously set the editorial agenda at some of the world's most famous brands in both the US and UK, including ELLE, InStyle, the Daily Mail, and Harper's Bazaar. In this episode, Margi shares her editorial journey, complete with the highs and lows of rising to Editor-in-Chief, being fired, and even dealing with sexual harassment from a former boss. She authentically shares her learnings from being forced to push past her comfort level, how she rewrote her own story, and why, in her free time, she is helping women tell their stories pro bono.