Secrets to success? No, thank you. Welcome to Work Friends, a podcast for sharing upfront and unfiltered career stories—the good, the bad, and the unapologetically ambitious. Because what’s better than a bit of real talk among friends?
Each episode, Sali Christeson, Founder and CEO of women’s workwear brand, Argent, hosts one of her Work Friends for a conversation about climbing the corporate ladder, building a brand from scratch, raising money, and finding success on their own terms. Meet industry-shifting women in media, entertainment, business, and more, as they share the ups and downs of their careers, without glossing over the difficult parts.
This podcast is for everyone who takes their work (but not always themselves) seriously and believes in radical equality in, and out of, the workplace.
Ambition suits you.
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Gregg Renfrew on A New Founder Era & The Launch of Counter
Season 1 · Episode 33
Monday, November 17, 2025 • Duration 01:00:36
This week, Sali welcomes Gregg Renfrew, the Founder of Counter, a beauty company that launched earlier this year. Previously, Founder and CEO of the now-defunct Beauty Counter, Gregg has experienced all the highs and lows of entrepreneurship as she grew her first beauty brand into a $1 billion business—only for it to go into foreclosure a few years later. At the last minute, Gregg decided to buy back the rights to the company name and its signature product formulas. Enter: Counter and an all-new chapter for Gregg, the CEO.
Counter offers some of the same bestselling products that people associate with Gregg’s previous company and, more importantly, the same commitment to clean ingredients and transparency. We’ll dive into it all, including:
prioritizing social life over school studies (aka honing your soft skills!)
why she launched a beauty brand in the first place, and enlisted a community of individual sellers.
how she sold her $1 billion business, witnessed its fall, and the exact moment she took a leap and bought it back.
what clean beauty actually means and what it looks like in practice for Counter.
the key differences between Counter and Gregg’s first business, and so much more.
Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.
For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.
To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to WorkFriends@ARGENTWork.com for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.
Abby Phillip on the Myth of Meritocracy
Season 1 · Episode 32
Monday, November 3, 2025 • Duration 01:03:52
Today, Sali sits down with Abby Phillip, the host of NewsNight with Abby Phillip on CNN. Since joining the network in 2017, Abby has covered the biggest headlines in the country and around the globe. Notably, she also co-moderated the democratic debate for the 2020 presidential election.
A self-professed introvert, Abby got her start in print and digital media and never set out to be on television. But today, she’s widely recognized as one of the most prominent voices of political news. Just last week, she also released her debut book, A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power (be sure to pick up a copy!), which has been years in the making and documents the legacy of the political and civil rights leader.
As a journalist, Abby is a steady, calming presence among a slew of emotionally charged headlines. She sits down to share her career story, including:
why she switched from pre-med to journalism while at Harvard.
feeling like a fish out of water in the workplace, and the “myth” about hard work and merit.
why she waited a year to accept a job on camera at CNN.
how the 2020 democratic debate was both a career high and a career low.
and, her advice for future journalists: “be a good guy.”
LaFawn Davis on Making It to the C-Suite Without a College Degree
Season 1 · Episode 23
Monday, June 30, 2025 • Duration 48:07
This week, Sali is joined by LaFawn Davis, the Chief People & Sustainability Officer at Indeed. Her work leading culture, diversity, and inclusion at major tech companies—including Google, Yahoo, PayPal, eBay, and Twilio—spans over a decade.
In addition to her incredible leadership, LaFawn is a STAR, otherwise known as a professional who’s Skilled Through Alternative Routes. She’s an advocate for skills-based hiring and is herself an esteemed C-suite executive who didn't complete college.
LaFawn’s career story has not been linear, and is truly inspiring. She also has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to navigating the many challenges facing the modern workforce. In this episode, she shares:
the struggle to get a job interview without having a college degree.
how she became a leader at some of the biggest tech companies in the world.
what more employers need to understand about hiring for longevity.
why it may be late to start thinking about how to use AI at work, and what you can do about it right now.
Shannon Watts, The Activist Who Set Her Life on Fire
Season 1 · Episode 22
Monday, June 16, 2025 • Duration 56:15
Our guest today is Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America—the largest grassroots movement in the country. Back in 2012, Shannon began her career in activism when she posted a call to action on Facebook to end gun violence, in response to the horrors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Her message was met with an overwhelming response, and soon after, the mother of five and former communications executive founded Moms Demand Action.
Although Shannon stepped down as the founder in 2023, she continues to work to mobilize massive change on the boards of Emerge America—an organization dedicated to recruiting and training women to run for office—and Advance Peace—a community-based organization focused on ending gun violence. And now, she’s joining us right ahead of the launch of her second book, Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age. Her inspiring story includes:
completing her education while battling undiagnosed ADHD.
unexpectedly becoming the leader of the largest grassroots movement in the country
taking on the gun lobby and facing frightening pushback.
Samina Virk, The CEO Combatting 92 Million Tons of Fashion Waste
Season 1 · Episode 21
Monday, June 2, 2025 • Duration 55:54
Our next guest, Samina Virk, is the US CEO of Vestiaire Collective and leads one of the largest luxury resale companies in the world—the first to be a B Corp.
Her resume spans over two decades in fashion and tech, with stints at Target and eBay, before she helped launch the Paris-based Vestiaire Collective in the States in 2014. Samina left Vestiaire in 2017 only to return a few years later in her current CEO role where she’s passionate about confronting the environmental effects of ultra-fast fashion and the beauty of clothing that lives a second life. After all, the luxury resale market is expected to be valued at over $60 billion by 2029, and Samina is at the forefront.
We’ll get into her inspiring, unique path to CEO, including:
the expectations of growing up as a first-generation Pakistani-American woman.
why there are actually no right or wrong choices.
attending business school. Is it worth it?!
how to combat a whopping 92 million tons of fashion waste.
and what it really takes to be a successful CEO today.
Karla Martínez de Salas on Her Path to Vogue Mexico and Latin America
Season 1 · Episode 20
Monday, May 19, 2025 • Duration 44:52
Karla Martínez de Salas is a powerhouse editor and the Head of Content for Vogue Mexico and Latin America. She’s held the role for nearly a decade, following incredible stints at US Vogue, T Magazine, Interview, W, and more.
An El Paso, Texas native of Mexican descent, Karla has been incredibly instrumental in helping to shape the all-too-often slow-to-change fashion industry. She’s been a staunch advocate for featuring a diverse range of voices in the magazine who shape fashion and culture across, and beyond, Mexico and Latin America.
Alongside Sali, Karla gets candid about her journey to the top of the masthead on this week’s episode, including:
cold calling to land her first internship.
interviewing at Vogue early in her career and getting passed up for a promotion.
the fateful move that led to her helming one of the biggest fashion publications in the world.
and being the fearless leader behind history-making Vogue covers, including the first to feature an actress of Indigenous Mexican descent.
Work Friends is produced by (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress. For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, , and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, , for clips and bonus content.
Alexa Roussel & Sarah Pierson, From Harvard Roommates to Margaux Co-founders
Season 1 · Episode 19
Monday, May 5, 2025 • Duration 48:31
Today is a Work Friends first! We’re welcoming two guests: Alexa Buckley Roussel and Sarah Pierson, co-founders of Margaux. These two started their careers as undergrads at Harvard and have grown their business into a one-of-its-kind shoe brand that’s disrupted the footwear industry—one that’s historically male-dominated and very traditional.
Alexa and Sarah are also here to discuss an exciting new Argent partnership: Argent x Margaux. But first, they spill exactly how they upended their original post-grad-job plans and started on a path toward creating a shoe brand from scratch. And now, 10 years later, how they’re evolving and continuing to thrive with a line of styles in an inclusive range of sizes. We talk all things:
entrepreneurship and never giving less than 100%.
what it takes to make it as a fashion brand in 2025.
navigating the massive imbalance of funding given to female-founded businesses.
and finally, how Margaux is helping Argent make its footwear debut this month!
*Explore Argent x Margaux: an exclusive footwear capsule designed with your busy, on-the-go lifestyle top of mind. It features three timeless silhouettes—a sandal, a flat, and a loafer mule—designed to fit into every aspect of your life. Shop the Argent x Margaux capsule online at Argent and Margaux, and in store at Margaux’s Los Angeles store at Platform in Culver City and in Argent stores in Soho, Upper East Side, and Georgetown in Washington, D.C.*
Amy Williams on Dropping Out of College, Sustainable Fashion, and Good Work
Season 1 · Episode 18
Monday, April 21, 2025 • Duration 56:07
This week, Sali sits down with Amy Williams, the CEO of Citizens of Humanity. She launched her remarkable, multi-decade retail career after dropping out of college, joining iconic denim brands, Gap and Lucky Brand, in the ‘90s and early ‘00s. Since taking the helm at Citizens of Humanity in 2011, Amy has transformed the denim giant—which includes the AGOLDE brand, as well— into a leader in sustainability, including introducing regenerative cotton in 2023.
Most recently, Amy’s helped power Argent’s newest partnership with Citizens of Humanity: Good Work, a sustainably produced modern workwear capsule that blends what each brand does best. We can’t wait to share more and get into Amy’s career, including:
how her love of fashion inspired her work in retail.
the pivotal moment she dropped out of college to pursue her career.
working at the Gap in the ‘90s, and what eventually made her leave.
making significant strides in sustainability as a fashion brand, and what others can learn from it.
and, how the Good Work capsule came to life, starting with a phone call about a year ago.
*The Argent x Citizens of Humanity Good Work capsule is now available! The modern workwear collection is designed with a shared mission to create a better future–one that’s responsibly sourced and empowers women to look and feel their best. Explore sharp linen suiting, sleek denim silhouettes, and incredible basics for styling it all together at argentwork.com, citizensofhumanity.com, and neimanmarcus.com.*
Ali Wentworth on Learning to Never Give Her Power Away
Season 1 · Episode 17
Monday, April 7, 2025 • Duration 01:01:23
This week, Sali is joined Ali Wentworth, an actress, comedian, producer, and a New York Times bestselling author. Her credits include appearances on iconic television shows like In Living Color, Seinfeld, and as a correspondent for The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Later, Ali created and starred in the series Head Space and Night Cap. More recently in 2023, she produced the documentary Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields under her company Bed by 8 Productions, which she runs with her husband, the journalist, George Stephanopoulos.
Ali has led an inspiring, multifaceted career, and—for better or for worse—has learned many lessons along the way that she shares on today’s episode, including:
combatting blatant sexism in the entertainment industry.
trusting her gut and not giving power over to people she assumed knew better.
getting fired up, not defeated, when she hears “no”
and how to navigate the many ups and downs of being a creative professional.
Cari Champion on the Undeniable Connection Between Sports and Politics
Season 1 · Episode 16
Monday, March 10, 2025 • Duration 01:03:47
Our next guest is a force and a joy. Cari Champion is a sports journalist with over 25 years of experience reporting on the biggest, most formidable athletes of our time. She’s a regular contributor on CNN and host of the Naked Sports with Cari Champion podcast.
An LA native, Cari's early career included the Tennis Channel, covering icons like Serena and Venus Williams, before joining ESPN to host and report on shows including First Take and Sports Nation. Alongside Jemele Hill, Cari also co-hosted the Vice show, Cari and Jemele: Stick to Sports.
Cari’s work squarely sits at the intersection of sports, politics, and culture—even when some may not understand why. Today, she gets into it all and shares the unfiltered stories of:
falling in love with basketball, all because of her grandmother.
becoming a “one-man band” to break into broadcasting.
navigating double standards and clashing with the boss.
covering the so-called “rivalry” between WNBA stars Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.
and why some can ignore, but certainly can't deny, the connection between sports and politics.
Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.
For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.
To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to WorkFriends@ARGENTWork.com for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.
Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.
For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.
To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to WorkFriends@ARGENTWork.com for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.
Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.
For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.
To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to WorkFriends@ARGENTWork.com for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.
Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.
For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.
To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to WorkFriends@ARGENTWork.com for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.
To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to WorkFriends@ARGENTWork.com for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.
Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.
For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.
To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to WorkFriends@ARGENTWork.com for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.
Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.
For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.
To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to WorkFriends@ARGENTWork.com for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.
Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.
For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.
To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to WorkFriends@ARGENTWork.com for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.
Work Friends is produced by ARGENT (www.argentwork.com), a women’s clothing label on a mission to redefine workwear and drive forward women’s progress.
For more, follow ARGENT on Instagram, @ARGENT, and subscribe to the ARGENT YouTube channel, @ARGENTWork, for clips and bonus content.
To be featured on a future episode, email your work questions and dilemmas to WorkFriends@ARGENTWork.com for a chance to have one of our amazing guests weigh in with advice.
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