Explore every episode of the podcast The Messy Parts
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Messy Parts Podcast Trailer | 24 Mar 2025 | 00:01:16 | |
Whether you’re at the top, or striving to get there—you may have noticed the one thing people rarely talk about: how hard it is to achieve success. The Messy Parts is the answer—a podcast where you’ll hear about the twists, turns and pivots that shape extraordinary careers. The real messy parts along the way. Host Maryam Banikarim has been through it, so she gets it. Maryam has been a transformative leader across media, hospitality and tech. Her powerhouse resume features more than 20 years in the C-Suite at companies like Hyatt, NBC, and Nextdoor—and she has a vast, influential network to match. On The Messy Parts, she brings you unparalleled access to that network. Deeply honest, vulnerable conversations with Maryam—who is never afraid to ask the questions on everyone's mind. Join us as we get real, unfiltered, and messy. Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Katie Sturino: Building Megababe, Owning the Mess, and Dreaming Big | 09 Jun 2025 | 00:45:33 | |
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:
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| Cindi Leive: Reinvention, Resilience, and Rewriting the Rules of Women’s Media | 16 Jun 2025 | 00:39:40 | |
Cindi Leive has shaped the media world—from her tenure as Glamour's editor-in-chief to co-founding The Meteor. In this intimate conversation, she joins Maryam to talk about losing her mother young, surviving the “command and control” culture of Condé Nast, and building something new from the ground up. They explore the messy parts of starting over, raising kids in a digital age, the loneliness epidemic, feminism under fire, and why collaboration always wins. Cindi shares the lessons she’s learned (and is still learning) on how to stay hopeful, stay human, and rewrite the rules without losing your why. Show Notes: Guest: Cindi Leive – Journalist, Editor, Co-founder of The Meteor Follow Cindi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindi_leive/?hl=en Topics Covered:
Mentioned: The Meteor (feminist media collective) Night of Solidarity, a Meteor special Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Debra Martin Chase: Safe Choice, Wrong Choice | 30 Jun 2025 | 00:37:50 | |
What happens when you choose the "safe" path and it nearly kills your soul? Debra Martin Chase went from Harvard Law School to becoming the first Black woman producer with a major studio deal. In this episode of The Messy Parts, she shares her journey from corporate lawyer to Hollywood trailblazer, including the near-death experience that made her quit law, the weekend of initiative that launched her film career, and why Vernon Jordan told her she was "too old to start over." It's a masterclass in reinvention, taking risks, and betting on yourself. Guest: Debra Martin Chase - Producer, Entertainment Executive, Broadway Producer Follow Debra on:
Notable Productions: The Princess Diaries, Cinderella, Cheetah Girls, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Equalizer, A Strange Loop (Broadway), The Outsiders (Broadway), Purpose (Broadway) Topics Covered
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| Kass & Mike Lazerow: The Billion Dollar Burnout | 23 Jun 2025 | 00:41:39 | |
Kass and Mike Lazerow sold their company for nearly $1 billion—and felt completely numb. In this episode of The Messy Parts, they share the brutal reality behind entrepreneurial success: kids struggling, health failing, friendships lost. Together with Maryam, they explore what radical transparency actually looks like when you strip away the corporate mask. It's a conversation about the hidden costs of achievement, the messiness of working with your spouse, and why showing your failures might be the most powerful leadership tool you have. Guests: Kass and Mike Lazerow -- Entrepreneurs, Investors, Authors https://kassandmike.com/ Follow Kass and Mike on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassandmike and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kassandmike/ Topics Covered:
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| Vicki Freeman: Finding Your Calling Through Trial and Error | 07 Jul 2025 | 00:42:09 | |
What happens when you try nine different schools and still don't know what you want to do? Vicki Freeman, co-founder of the Bowery Group, shares her winding journey from serial student to successful restaurateur. After searching for her purpose through child psychology, fashion photography, film school, and art history, she discovered her calling was right under her nose - in the restaurants where she'd been working to pay the bills. Her story is about the power of persistence, recognizing opportunities when they appear, and how sometimes the thing you're "just doing for now" becomes your life's work. Show Notes: Guest: Vicki Freeman – Co-founder, Bowery Group (Five Points, Cookshop, Vic's, Shukette, Hundred Acres) Topics Covered:
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Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Ana Gasteyer: SNL, Wine, Fame, and Staying Funny | The Messy Parts Podcast #6 | 14 Jul 2025 | 00:45:21 | |
Saturday Night Live, Wicked, American Auto, Sugar & Booze, many lifelong friendships, and close family relationships are just a few of Ana's string of incredible accomplishments. It turns out none of it was easy. As she says, "It's not for the faint of heart." Even though creating and preforming for a living is "intoxicating and beyond fun" it's also "miserable and challenging." In this episode, Ana talks about how she gets over rejection in one night; how she's felt like an outsider her entire life (and used that to her advantage); why her best auditions were the ones where she was incredibly prepared and left everything on the table; how learning not to be afraid to talk about her own goals and aspirations seemed to make everything feel and work better; and the way the life balancing system she learned from none other than Martin Short helps to put everything in perspective for her. Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Fede Garcia: Fired at the top and giving up on the power, the prestige, and all of it | 21 Jul 2025 | 00:39:56 | |
What happens after the dream job ends? In this deeply honest conversation, Maryam sits down with Fede García, who (in a matter of a few weeks) went from an award-winning Global Chief Creative Officer at one of the biggest agencies in the world to writing a vulnerable LinkedIn post about being fired. Together, they unpack the reality of ego, identity, burnout, and reinvention after “success.” Fede opens up about imposter syndrome, health battles, the creative grind, career pivots, and what it means to let go of titles and begin again—with joy, humility, and courage. Guest: Fede Garcia Follow Fede on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fedegarcia/ Topics Covered:
Mentioned: Read Fede's original LinkedIn post (search under “Posts”) Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Vanessa Barboni Hallik: Where is the rest of me? | 28 Jul 2025 | 00:41:36 | |
Discover the real story behind Another Tomorrow with Vanessa Barboni Hallik, who left Wall Street for a mission in sustainable luxury fashion. In this candid interview with Maryam Banikarim on "The Messy Parts Podcast," Vanessa reflects on career pivots, making meaning from hardship, starting a business during COVID, and how purpose and authenticity drive her leadership. If you’re looking for a boost of inspiration, lessons for entrepreneurship, or an inside look at sustainable fashion, this conversation is unmissable. Show Notes: Guest:
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Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Irina Novolselsky: Will I Ever Get a Job Again? | 04 Aug 2025 | 00:39:48 | |
Irina Novoselsky landed her first CEO gig at just 32 years old. She’s now CEO of Hootsuite, a social media management platform with 16 million users in 175 countries. Even though her career has been a rocket ship, she’s had a lot of messy parts and pivots that’s shaped who she is and how she operates. That includes being out of work for months at a time and really questioning whether she was ever going to get a job again. If you’ve ever felt like you were on the wrong path entirely, this episode is a must-listen. Show Notes: Guest: Irina Novoselsky, CEO of Hootsuite Follow Irina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irina-novoselsky/ Follow Irina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irinanovoselsky/ Topics Covered:
Mentioned: Hootsuite: https://www.hootsuite.com/ Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Judith Curr: Prince, Tarot Cards, Chat GPT and changing the plan | 11 Aug 2025 | 00:35:26 | |
What do Prince, The Secret, and Colleen Hoover have in common? They all worked with Judith Curr to publish their books. Judith's career has been quite a trip: from selling her brother's engine block to a junk dealer in a very small Australian town. to selling Dior to pharmacies door-to-door, to revolutionizing book publishing—founding Atria Books, discovering tomorrow's bestsellers today, and now steering HarperOne into uncharted territory. From Sydney to New York, Judith has made a career of calculated risks and bold bets. Ready to peek behind the curtain of modern publishing? Judith spills on talent-spotting, industry shake-ups, and why the future of books is more exciting than ever. Show Notes: Guest: Judith Curr, President and Publisher of HarperOne Follow Judith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judith-curr-a72b80/ Follow Judith on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/judithcurr/?hl=en What You'll Discover:
Mentioned: Christian Dior: https://www.dior.com/en_us/beauty Simon & Schuster: https://www.simonandschuster.com/ Atria Books: https://www.simonandschusterpublishing.com/atria/ HarperOne: https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/harperonegroup HarperCollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/ The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: https://www.thesecret.tv/products/the-secret-book/ Countdown to Riches by Rhonda Byrne: https://www.thesecret.tv/countdown-to-riches/ Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Sarah Personette: Choosing Kindness | 18 Aug 2025 | 00:45:00 | |
Ever feel like everyone else has it figured out while you're drowning in chaos? Sarah Personette's journey through Facebook, Twitter, and now Puck as CEO reveals the messy reality behind big-name success. She shares brutal truths about workplace bullies who wanted her gone, the isolating loneliness of leadership, and making gut decisions that horrified her father. From losing student elections repeatedly to navigating public failures at major tech companies, Sarah exposes how kindness became her secret weapon—not weakness, but a "structural force" that brought her back to three different companies. This raw conversation proves messiness and compassion can lead to extraordinary breakthroughs. Show Notes: Guest: Sarah Personette, CEO of Puck Follow Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-personette-4b71125/ Topics Covered:
Mentioned: Puck: https://puck.news/ Writers at Puck: John Heilemann, Dylan Byers, Julia Ioffe, Matthew Belloni, Baratunde Thurston, and more Starcom MediaVest Group: https://www.starcomww.com/ Facebook (Meta): https://www.meta.com/ Twitter (X): https://x.com/ Hidden Potential by Adam Grant: https://adamgrant.net/book/hidden-potential/ Rotary International: https://www.rotary.org/en Whispering Angel Rosé: https://www.esclans.com/ Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Negin Farsad: Did I Do Justice to My Dreams? | 25 Aug 2025 | 00:48:50 | |
Feel like you're on the “wrong” path? Negin Farsad (comedian, filmmaker, writer, actor, and activist) went from steady job as a NYC policy advisor to chasing laughs on lonely standup stages across the country. As one of the few Iranian-American Muslim women in comedy, she’s built a career blending sharp political satire with deeply personal storytelling—using humor to tackle racism, sexism, and Islamophobia. From touring conservative towns with The Muslims Are Coming! to hosting Fake the Nation, Negin shares the messy leap from public policy to punchlines, turning passion into a paycheck, what it means to be a “social justice comedian,” and why she believes laughter is one of the most powerful tools for change. Topics Covered:
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| No to Wall St. and Yes to Broadway (and Tony Awards and heartbreak) with Tom Kitt | 01 Sep 2025 | 00:38:28 | |
Tony Awards, Grammys, a Pulitzer Prize, Emmy Awards. Next to Normal, If/Then, Hell's Kitchen, and NY State of Mind. Tom Kitt traded a Wall St. job offer (and paycheck) to follow his passion, a life making music, but that decision didn't come without great cost. He spent five years developing his first Broadway show, "High Fidelity," and it closed after just 10 days, sending him into months of depression and self-doubt. In this raw conversation, Kitt reveals how creative heartbreak became his greatest teacher, why collaboration and his relationships saved his career, and how saying "yes" to risky projects—including an epic pandemic Times Square performance—keeps him creating against all odds. From getting fired from his first music job to creating Next to Normal. Kitt's story is a masterclass in resilience. He shares hard-won wisdom about navigating brutal Broadway reviews, managing creative input overload, and why failure at any age can still become your greatest launching pad. Topic Covered (with timestamps): 05:27 – The Morgan Stanley choice: Nine interviews and choosing art over finance 07:19 – Early career struggles: Getting fired as a pivot moment 09:49 – Meeting collaborators: Brian Yorkey and Rita's introductions 12:18 – High Fidelity development: Five years from BMI workshop to Broadway 16:41 – The garage band approach: Cabaret performances and producer discovery 18:38 – When things go wrong: Boston reviews and Broadway closure after 10 days 20:00 – Recovery and community support: Friends reaching out after failure 21:14 – Next to Normal beginnings: Getting back on the horse 22:16 – Saying yes during pandemic: Times Square performance and Billy Joel collaboration 26:05 – Billy Joel impact: Childhood hero and Emmy-winning "New York State of Mind" 27:52 – Collaboration challenges: Working with long-time partners like Brian Yorkey 29:32 – Managing creative feedback: Trusting audience reactions over individual opinions 31:03 – Continuous learning: From SpongeBob to Shakespeare, staying curious 33:03 – Artistic purpose: Creating physical reactions and inspiring others 34:41 – Starting later in life: It's never too late, Billy Porter's example 36:03 – Future dreams: Film scoring and musical television series 36:24 – Rapid fire: Karaoke songs, reading list, and life advice Mentioned: Hell's Kitchen, Jagged Little Pill, High Fidelity, American Idiot, Next to Normal, If/Then, “New York State of Mind”: https://www.nycnext.org/ny-state-of-mind Brian Yorkey, Billy Joel, Billy Porter, Amanda Green, Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum, Robin Goodman, Walter Bobbie, Green Day, Alanis Morissette, Times Square, Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Overcoming Anxiety and Thriving Through a Twisty Career: Emma Rosenblum | 08 Sep 2025 | 00:40:29 | |
Job opportunities in her industry faded away slowly and then all of a sudden. So Emma Rosenblum committed to her side hustle and found a way to pivot into a new career altogether – she wrote a book. A literary agent rejected it as "too mean,” but she found a way through. Then, when her manuscript accidentally leaked to her real-life community (the location of the book) with real residents' names still in it, the small-town drama was intense. Now a full-time novelist obsessively checking LinkedIn daily, Emma reveals how her competitive nature and insider-outsider perspective fuel both her satirical writing and her ongoing anxiety about what comes next. Show Notes: Guest: Emma Rosenblum, Author, Editor in Chief Follow Emma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-rosenblum/ Topics Covered
Mentioned Glamour Magazine, New York Magazine, Elle Magazine, Bloomberg, Bustle/Bustle Digital Group, Google, CAA, Meta Kevin Kwan, Lucy Foley, Alexandra Machinist, Sarah Jessica Parker, Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Edge of Bankruptcy, Surviving A Toxic Partnership, Starting Over: Gwen Whiting's Messy Truth | 15 Sep 2025 | 00:45:36 | |
What happens when your toxic business partnership implodes and nearly 20 years of work vanishes while you're getting your hair done? Gwen Whiting, co-founder of The Laundress, opens up about the brutal reality behind building a successful brand, selling it to Unilever—and watching everything she created collapse. In this raw conversation, Gwen reveals how early tragedy shaped her resilience; surviving on credit cards for over a decade; why her career path was not marriage; and the devastating moment she became "the adopted child nobody wanted" after acquisition. From being dismissed as "too small to care about" to rebuilding what she believed was a tarnished legacy, Gwen shares the messy truth about starting over. If you've ever felt like you're building on shaky ground or wondered if you have the strength to rebuild after betrayal, this episode will remind you that sometimes losing everything reveals your true strength. Topics Covered:
Show Notes Guest: Gwen Whiting, co-founder, The Laundress, founder, The Fill
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| Debunking Myths About Careers, Generation Gaps, and The Power of Side Hustles: Sam DeMase | 22 Sep 2025 | 00:43:10 | |
If you’re job hunting, eyeing a promotion, or just feeling burnt out—this conversation will remind you that your path doesn’t have to be traditional to be powerful. From bossy kid to bold career coach, Sam DeMase is redefining what leadership and success really look like—with empathy, authenticity, and purpose. In this episode, Sam shares her unconventional journey: from managing 70 people at a fast food chain straight out of NYU to building a business that empowers women to ask for more—more money, more respect, and more balance. Shaped by her experiences with toxic bosses, anxiety, and corporate pushback, Sam empowers others to navigate their careers with confidence, clarity, and self-trust. We dive into bridging generational gaps, debunking myths about Gen Z, and why empathy is essential in today’s workplace. Sam introduces “parallel pivoting,” the power of side hustles, and how to turn nontraditional paths into professional superpowers. Show Notes: Guest: Sam DeMase, Career Coach, author, and public speaker public speaker with a fast-growing community of 800,000+ followers on social media Follow Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samdemase/ Follow Sam on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@apowermood?lang=en Follow Sam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apowermood/ Topics Covered:
Mentioned: Gap, One Fine Day, NYU, Columbia, StrengthsFinder Assessment, Clifton Strengths, authenticity, leadership, HR, TikTok, Instagram, ZipRecruiter, Forbes Business Insider, NBC Time, toxic bosses, Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| The Points Guy Couldn't Get His Own Credit Card: Then He Made $28 Million (at 28 Years Old) | 29 Sep 2025 | 00:39:37 | |
Brian Kelly (aka The Points Guy) has been obsessed with credit card and frequent flyer points since childhood. At age 12, his dad challenged him to book a family vacation using only points, and young Brian successfully got his entire family to the Cayman Islands for free. Fast forward to his twenties, and his credit was ruined. He had to resort to payday loans. As he says, "I was in survival mode." He walked to work because he couldn't afford the subway fare. His boss had to give him a raise just so he could dry clean his suits. Kelly understood he needed to solve his problems, so he tried various side hustles to make ends meet. One of those side hustles was starting a blog called The Points Guy. In a single day only a short time after he began the blog, Kelly made $125,000. Six months later, he hit his first million. Somehow, this hobby-turned-side-hustle had made him a multi-millionaire at 28 years old. It was a challenging, messy road. In this discussion, Kelly reveals the reality behind his meteoric rise: the toxic friendships, the fraudulent interior designer who stole from him, and the loneliness that comes with sudden wealth. He shares hard-won lessons about leveraging relationships, knowing your superpowers, and why most career decisions aren't actually binary. This is the unvarnished truth about building an empire from nothing. Key Takeaways From This Episode Identify Your Strengths and Double Down: When Brian realized he couldn't compete on analytics with Ivy League graduates, he focused on what he was best at - relationship building - which became his competitive advantage throughout his career. From Financial Rock Bottom to Millions in Months: Brian went from taking payday loans and walking to work to making $125,000 in a single day through affiliate marketing - showing how quickly fortunes can change with the right strategy. Turn Your Biggest Expense Into Income: Brian transformed his company's travel expenses into personal profit by volunteering to put all recruiting trips on his credit card, earning massive points while helping colleagues. Side Hustles Can Scale Beyond Your Day Job: What started as a $500-1000/month blog became a million-dollar business in six months - Brian shows how to test ideas without quitting your main income source. Leaving Jobs on Good Terms for Future Opportunities: The Points Guy stayed three extra months at Morgan Stanley to properly transition his responsibilities, maintaining relationships that served him throughout his career. Research Hiring Managers, Not Just Job Requirements: Brian's interview success came from connecting personally with interviewers rather than just reciting qualifications - he'd research their backgrounds to find common ground. Build Senior Mentors as Career Insurance: When a colleague tried to sabotage him, Kelly's senior mentor at Morgan Stanley protected his job - provin Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| The Real Reason You're Paralyzed in Your Career (It's Not What You Think): Farnoosh Torabi | 06 Oct 2025 | 00:41:41 | |
What if everything you were told about building a career was wrong? Financial expert and host of The So Money Podcast, Farnoosh Torabi, gets raw about the messy reality behind her success—from being forced to give up her dream schools to avoid debt, to getting fired twice, to drowning in $300K of business debt that forced her to sell her home. This isn't another "hustle harder" story. It's an honest conversation about the fears nobody admits: waiting for permission that never comes, taking rejection personally, feeling naked without a job title, watching friends with trust funds lap you, and chasing definitions of success that aren't even yours. If you've ever felt paralyzed applying to hundreds of jobs, ashamed about a layoff, or terrified of financial dependence, this one's for you. We're talking about the career stuff nobody warns you about—and what actually helps when things fall apart. You're not failing. The game just changed and nobody told you. Show Notes: Guest: Farnoosh Torabi, a financial expert, bestselling author, and host of the "So Money" podcast and “The Montclair Pod.” Learn More About Farnoosh: https://farnoosh.tv/ Follow Farnoosh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farnooshtorabi So Money Podcast: https://podcast.farnoosh.tv/ The Montclair Pod: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-montclair-pod/id1785567683 Topics Covered:
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| Build a $22M Company While Surviving Layoffs, Lawsuits, Losing Friends: Create and Cultivate's Jaclyn Johnson | 19 Oct 2025 | 00:41:27 | |
At 22, Jaclyn Johnson landed her dream magazine job — until she realized it paid less than her rent. That rejection set off a chain of bold decisions: launching a fashion blog, being sued by a former employer, losing a job she moved across the country to take, and eventually starting her own PR/branding agency. Jaclyn tells Maryam how she turned fear into fuel and turned Create & Cultivate from a side hustle into a brand she eventually sold for $22 million. Along the way, she learned what women aren’t taught and don’t discuss in business, why women sometimes don’t support one another professionally, and the magic that can happen when they do. Jaclyn doesn’t sugarcoat the toll success can take — panic attacks, burnout, isolation — but she also shows how failure, when faced head-on, can be the greatest creative act of all. Key Moments * “You can’t eat makeup.” Learn why saying no to underpayment was the first bold move that shaped Jaclyn's multi-million-dollar career. * If you want to run your own business, you need to understand every role first. An early magazine internship taught Jaclyn Johnson a lesson most entrepreneurs miss: sales runs the show. She realized editorial might look glamorous, but it’s marketing and revenue that keep the lights on — and that knowing how every piece fits together is what makes a great founder. * Her advice for anyone just starting out: believe in yourself enough to show up. You might not be the expert today, but you can be tomorrow. Confidence comes from action, not perfection. * Being the Squeaky Wheel Can Get You Fired — And Set You Free. Jaclyn Johnson shares how being the one who questions, challenges, and moves too fast ultimately got her fired… and turned out to be the best thing that could’ve happened. Her story is a reminder: sometimes getting fired just means you’re meant to be your own boss * Jaclyn shares the turning point when Create & Cultivate went from side project to full-blown brand. After one breakout event, major clients started reaching out — and she realized the momentum was real. Encouraged by a mentor to bet on herself instead of building for others, Jaclyn took the leap and never looked back Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| From Her Parents' Basement to Editor-in-Chief (Twice): Danielle Belton's Comeback Story | 13 Oct 2025 | 00:42:44 | |
Think your biggest breakdown means you’ve failed? Journalist Danielle Belton was hospitalized multiple times for bipolar disorder while she was building her career. In this powerful episode, she opens up to Maryam about a childhood riddled with anxiety, falling into a deep depression after a failed marriage, and drinking tequila at work to power through panic attacks. Danielle hit rock bottom in her mid-twenties and moved home to her parents basement, where she started over and got a job folding sweaters at Macy’s. She tells Maryam how writing an anonymous blog during Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign led to other jobs that ultimately landed her a dream gig — editor-in-chief at HuffPost — and why she eventually walked away from it. Determined to defy the mental illness stigma, Danielle promised herself she’d live publicly with her illness no matter what. A raw, honest conversation about mental health, ambition, and resilience for anyone who’s ever thought their worst moment ended their shot at success. Key Moments 00:00 – Danielle shares her promise to be open about bipolar disorder to show others there’s life after diagnosis. 02:30 – She reflects on her anxious childhood, feeling old before her time and misunderstood by other kids. 10:00– Danielle opens up about leaving a toxic marriage and reclaiming her ambition. 11:30 – Danielle describes the physical ways her anxiety started to manifest 13:00 – A raw confession about masking panic attacks with alcohol during her early reporting career. 15:00 – The first of four hospitalizations for bipolar disorder — a turning point in accepting she needed help. 20:00 – After her breakdown, Danielle describes the humiliation of moving back to her parents’ house and starting over — but also the seed of her comeback. 22:30 – Her anonymous blog goes viral after Obama wins Iowa, launching her back into journalism. 25:00 – A doctor’s advice pushes her to balance ambition and self-care as she tiptoes back into the working world 33:00 – At The Root, Danielle battles depression but still rises to Managing Editor, proving high-functioning illness is complex. 36:00– Danielle explains why she left her job as Editor-in-Chief of HuffPost to protect her team. 40:30 – Danielle’s closing advice: feel your pain, but don’t live there. Remember who you are, and gamble on yourself. Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Finding Light in the Darkness: Writer Jonathan Merritt on Faith, Courage, and Starting Over. | 27 Oct 2025 | 00:49:45 | |
Jonathan Merritt was a pastor’s son destined to preach — until he was publicly outed online and his life imploded. When faith, identity, and ambition collide — what do you do? Jonathan knows that question intimately. But through the wreckage came clarity, courage, and an entirely new way of living. In this candid episode, Jonathan tells Maryam how losing community, career, and certainty opened the door to authenticity, spirituality, and a renewed sense of purpose. Whether you’re navigating a career change, questioning what you believe, or trying to rebuild after loss, Jonathan’s story offers hope that healing starts with honesty — and that being messy is part of becoming whole. Key Moments00:01:45 – Growing Up in a Mega Church World 🙏 00:03:45 – Always Knew I Was Different 🌈 00:10:15 – The High of Being Seen 👀 00:13:30 – Feeling Trapped in My Own Life 🌀 00:17:00 – Preaching What I Didn’t Believe 💔 00:21:00 – Outed — and Everything Changed ⚡️ 00:27:45 – Courage Takes Time ✨ 00:34:00 – Finding Light in the Darkness 00:45:45 – Messy Is the New Strong 💫 Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||
| Turning “No” Into Opportunity: Broadway’s Michael McElroy on Rejection and Resilience | 03 Nov 2025 | 00:42:22 | |
Is your biggest mess also your best teacher? Broadway veteran Michael McElroy tells Maryam about his remarkable journey from rejection at Carnegie Mellon to leading Broadway casts and founding the award-winning Broadway Inspirational Voices. He and Maryam explore how to find purpose after burnout, the power of community and service, and what happens when you finally stop waiting for permission to begin. Michael opens up about identity, faith, and the messy truth behind resilience — reminding us that the hardest lessons can help us develop our greatest strengths. 01:30 – 🙏 The Son of a Preacher: Growing Up in a Life of Service 06:30 – 💔 From Golden Child to Rejection at Carnegie Mellon 09:30 – 💪 The Do-Over That Changed Everything 14:00 – 🔄 Stop Reacting, Start Acting 17:30 – 🎭 Teaching Life Through Art 19:30 – 💡 Breakthroughs and Busts 26:00 – 🚀 Say Yes Before You’re Ready 29:00 – ❤️ Healing Through Helping — Founding Broadway Inspirational Voices 37:00 – 🔮 The Little Voice That Changes Everything Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. | |||