Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike

Ritual CEO Katerina Schneider and Ritual advisor Robin Berzin, MD, are working together to support women through every life stage, and recently, they've turned their focus to the historically under-researched space of perimenopause and menopause. On this episode, the two women join Nikki to discuss all things supplements, including the research and development that went into Ritual's new Perimenopause Health Supplement and why they felt it was important to create Creatine Greens for women in perimenopause. Plus, Berzin shares important insights about why symptoms are information and shouldn't be ignored.

Quincy Tyler Bernstine is a Tony-nominated theater performer known for her work in shows such as Doubt: A Parable, Small Mouth Sounds, and Ruined, but this year, she rose to television fame for her role as Nora in Hulu's thriller series Furious. On this episode, Bernstine shares why it feels important to flip typical power dynamics within the crime genre, the finances of a career in theater, and why she felt emotional attending the Kallmeyer show at her first NYFW this year.

As the chairman of Bravo and Peacock Unscripted, Frances Berwick is the woman behind your favorite reality TV shows, from The Traitors to Top Chef to Love Island USA to the Real Housewives franchises and more. On this episode, Berwick shares her insights on how to evolve a show over the course of 20 years, what it took to build The Traitors US into the record-smashing show it is today, and her advice for anyone trying to break into the reality TV industry—whether that's behind the scenes or on camera. Plus, she reveals her current favorite Housewives tagline.

Melinda French Gates has been leading philanthropic efforts for over 25 years, and in 2015, she started Pivotal with the mission to accelerate the pace of social progress for women and young people. On this episode, recorded live at The Whitby in NYC, French Gates breaks down the findings from a recent survey Pivotal conducted in partnership with global analytics firm Gallup about women's health. She dives into the stats about menopause and the workplace and what we can do about the state of women's health in this country. Plus, she shares everything that went into Pivotal's collaboration with Olivia Rodrigo...

Lily Shimbashi, the founder of sports media company Sportsish, joins Nikki for the final episode in our four-part US Open miniseries. Sportsish bills itself as “not your boyfriend’s sports news” and is on a mission to support and encourage women sports fans. On this episode, Shimbashi dives into all the stories we need to know from this year’s US Open, explains the economic advantages of investing in women in sports, and shares her thoughts on how influencers should navigate attending major Slams.

Four-time Olympian, six-time Grand Slam champion, and 60-time WTA winner, Rennae Stubbs joins Nikki for the third episode in our four-part US Open miniseries. After retiring from tennis in 2011, Stubbs transitioned into broadcasting and coaching, working with legends like Serena Williams. On this live-recorded episode, Stubbs dives into the importance of mental health in professional sports, the “three C’s” mantra she always comes back to, and the power of movement and exercise. Plus, Stubbs shares some of her favorite moments from the 2026 US Open.

Award-winning journalist and television host Cari Champion joins Nikki for the second episode in our four-part US Open miniseries. Champion is a former ESPN anchor, and today she’s a regular CNN contributor, host of Naked Sports With Cari Champion, and co-host of Flagrant and Funny alongside Jemele Hill. On this episode, she shares why she felt pressure to tone down her fashion while working at ESPN, how she’s been able to uncouple her value from her job title, and why she started her foundation, Brown Girls Dream. 

Ayan Broomfield—former tennis player, content creator, philanthropist, and model—joins Nikki for the first episode in our four-part US Open miniseries. On this episode, Broomfield discusses her complicated feelings toward the term "WAG," why she's focusing on bringing more women of color into the tennis space with her organization Ayan's Aces, and how she approaches getting dressed for the various Grand Slams of the season. 

Ariana Madix is a reality TV personality known for her 11-season tenure on Vanderpump Rules and her role as the Emmy-nominated host of Love Island USA. She’s also starred as Roxie Hart in Chicago, competed on Dancing With the Stars, and has a recurring role on St. Denis Medical, and this fall, she will be returning to the Broadway stage in Just in Time. On this episode, Madix shares how she juggled multiple jobs in order to pursue her dream of being an actor, why Ginger Spice was her style icon growing up, and the behind-the-scenes details on ho...

Jazzy Collins is an Emmy Award–winning casting director whose résumé includes fan-favorite shows like The Traitors, Love Island, Very Important People, The Circle, and many more. She's also the cofounder of the production company Forced Perspective and was recently named one of Vulture's Reality TV Masterminds. On this episode, she discusses everything that goes into casting the most popular scripted and unscripted shows—from identifying potential reality TV stars on social media to making sure people are "there for the right reasons." Plus, she shares the details about the feature film she's producing alongside the L.A.-based...

You may know Ally Love as the beloved Peloton instructor with impeccable music and challenging classes, but she's also a contributor for the Today Show, the VP of instructor strategy and development for Peloton, and a member of JPMorganChase's Athlete Council. On this episode, Love shares why she views energy as currency, what it means to her to be able to guide young athletes through their financial journey with the Athlete Council, and how she approaches getting dressed to be on camera. Plus, she details the exact anatomy of a perfect workout playlist.

So nice we’re releasing it twice! Today we’re revisiting Issa Rae’s Nice Talk episode.
Issa Rae truly does it all. Not only is she a multifaceted entertainment powerhouse, but she also runs businesses in various industries—from prosecco to food to haircare. Today on the show, the former Marie Claire cover star joins us to talk about money, power, and style, including how she crowdfunded her early projects like Awkward Black Girl, how she overcame "grateful to be here" energy after partnering with HBO, and what it means to be boldly elegant in her style. She also tells...

Today, we’re revisiting one of our earliest episodes with host, media personality, and creator Tefi Pessoa. Pessoa has forged a career—and amassed 2 million followers on TikTok—by being “professionally [her]self.” Her online presence is equal parts hilarious and authentic: One moment she’s doing a deep dive on celebrity relationship timelines and the next talking about her own mental health journey. On this episode, we dive into Pessoa’s financial ups and downs throughout her career, the surprising Kardashian/Jenner family member she would trade closets with, and how she sets boundaries online.
This episode was originally...

Lindsay Hubbard is a reality TV legend known for her 10-season tenure on Summer House and the debut season of the spin-off show, In the City. Before she was leaning into being “Lindsay from Summer House,” she was a PR executive with her own firm. On this episode, Hubbard discusses why the only thing worse than breaking someone’s heart is messing with someone’s money, the power dynamics at play in reality TV (including what it’s like filming with an ex), and her collaborative work with her stylist, Emily Men.

Micaela Erlanger is the Emmy-nominated stylist behind some of Hollywood's most talented stars, including Meryl Streep, Lupita Nyong'o, and Kelly Clarkson. On this episode, Erlanger takes us behind the scenes of all of Nyong'o 20+ looks for The Odyssey press tour and the mythological details she pulled from to create the ensembles. She also reveals her Mount Rushmore (aka her four favorite looks) from her work with Streep on the recent The Devil Wears Prada 2 tour. Plus, she shares the difference between "meta dressing" and "method dressing" in her styling. 

Jessica Knoll is the best-selling author of the novels Luckiest Girl Alive, Bright Young Women, and The Favorite Sister. On this episode, Knoll discusses how her own relationship with money and power informed the writing in her newest novel Helpless, which hit shelves on July 7. She also delves into what true success as a novelist would look like to her and how she feels in retrospect about her 2018 New York Times opinion piece "I Want to Be Rich and I'm Not Sorry."

Order Helpless here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Helpless/Jessica-Knoll/9781668062302

Comedian Michelle Buteau is the star and co-creator of the hit series Survival of the Thickest, which dropped its third and final season today. On this episode, Buteau discusses not knowing if she had enough trauma to be a comedian, why she started making money as soon as she leaned into being herself, and the deliberate decision to make her main character in Survival of the Thickest a stylist. Plus, she shares everything she’s excited about for this new season of the Netflix series, including her directorial debut. 

Maria Sharapova is a five-time Grand Slam tennis champion, but after retiring from the sport in 2020, she pivoted into the world of entrepreneurship, taking on business roles for companies such as Supergoop!, Bala, and Therabody. On this episode, Sharapova shares her tips for creating a strong business pitch (hint: shorten your deck!), how she learned everything she knows about money, and details about her style evolution from the court to the boardroom. Plus, she takes us behind the scenes of her new podcast Pretty Tough, which airs weekly on Wednesdays.

Tia Williams is the best-selling author of books such as Seven Days in June and The Perfect Find, and her most recent novel, The Missed Connection, just came out on June 9. In addition to her career as an author, she also spent over 15 years as a beauty editor at magazines including Glamour, Lucky, and Essence. On this episode, Williams discusses what it was like working in print magazines during the Devil Wears Prada era, the financial decision to continue working her corporate job while writing novels, and why penning fanfic about her own life trained her to become a...

Laverne Cox is an actress, producer, and LGBTQ+ advocate, and as of June 9, she’s also the author of her memoir, Transcendent. In this episode, Cox discusses how her childhood love of thrifting has evolved into a vintage Mugler obsession, why it feels "divine" for her memoir to come out in this political moment, and what it was like being “broke and fabulous” in New York City before she booked Orange Is the New Black. Plus, Cox shares some of her greatest writing inspirations, including bell hooks and Walt Whitman.

Whitney Leavitt first rose to fame as a member of the TikTok group "MomTok" and as a star of the subsequent reality show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Since then, Leavitt has evolved her entertainment career time and time again, competing on Dancing With the Stars and making her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago. Now, she's embarking on yet another new chapter in her career with her production company, Leavitt Media House. On this episode, she candidly discusses her career ambitions, why leaving Secret Lives feels different this time, and what she’s learned about style fr...

Becky Kennedy, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, best-selling author, founder of the parenting platform Good Inside, and a social media creator with over 3.5 million followers. Today on the show, she’s bringing us all the methods, strategies, and mindsets people can use to become sturdy leaders in their lives—whether that’s at home with their kids or at work with their teams. She shares how she approaches her calendar, why a “same team” mentality is helpful for navigating challenging situations, and her thoughts on the concept of weaponized incompetence.

Ego Nwodim is an actor and comedian known for her seven-year tenure as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, as well as projects like Mr. Throwback and Mindy Kaling’s Not Suitable for Work. On this episode, Nwodim discusses her time at SNL—including the casting process, why it felt like a really cool corporate job, and the deep friendships she formed with colleagues, including Heidi Gardner. Plus, she shares her online shopping method and why her motto when it comes to Solidcore is, “But did you die?”

Cleo Wade is a poet, artist, and New York Times best-selling author whose latest book, In a World of Sunrises: 365 Days of Heart, Soul, and Hope, debuted this April. On this episode, Wade shares insight on what she's learned from her early career in fashion, the influence growing up in New Orleans had on her style, and how she’s navigated her money anxiety. Plus, she shares the one prompt she always uses when she doesn’t know what to write and her advice for anyone trying to build community and make friends as an adult. 

Rickea Jackson and Kiki Iriafen are two of the WNBA’s brightest young stars. Today on the show, they each sit down with Nikki to discuss how they’re preparing for the upcoming season, the future of the league, and why they view the mental game of basketball to be just as important as their physical training. Jackson also lets us in on how she creates and styles her tunnel outfits, and Iriafen shares what it was like guarding Brittney Griner in her first two games as a rookie. Plus, they both discuss what partnering with Skechers—a new offici...

Haley Sacks, or Mrs. Dow Jones as she’s known on the internet, is on a mission to demystify personal finance and turn everyone into a “future rich person.” After realizing in her early career that she didn’t know much about finance, she set out to educate herself and now shares that knowledge with her 1.3 million Instagram followers. Her new book, Future Rich Person: The New Rules for Building Wealth (Even If You’re Stuck, Broke, and That Billionaire Won’t Text You Back…), is a juicy and engaging step-by-step guide to setting yourself up for financial success. In this episod...

Anna Cathcart is an actress best known for playing Kitty Song Covey in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before franchise and her character’s own spin-off series, XO, Kitty. On this episode of Nice Talk, Cathcart dives into everything she’s learned about herself, her style, and what it means to be a leader on set after playing Kitty the past eight years. Plus, she shares the details behind attending her first Academy Award ceremony this year and what she’s most excited for in the new season of XO, Kitty—including her reunion with on-screen sister Lan...

Emma Grede is the serial entrepreneur behind massively successful businesses including Skims, Good American, and Off Season. She’s also the author of the new book Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work and Life, which released on April 14. On this episode, Grede discusses how her East London background shaped her career, perception of power, and relationship with money. She also shares the nuance behind the many “hot take” headlines that have been written about her in the media. Plus, she divulges about splurging on fashion and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the closet she’s curated over the...

Ten years ago, Marie Claire released a series of stories investigating the relationship between women and guns. A decade later, our team decided to return to this topic to see how that relationship has evolved over the years. Today on the podcast, Marie Claire Executive Editor Andrea Stanley and Deputy Editor Noor Ibrahim join Nikki to discuss the 2026 version of "Women and Guns: A Marie Claire Investigation." They dive into why they chose to write each story in this package, their research and journalistic process, and the impact the pieces had on them.

This episode deals...

Many people first came to know Padma Lakshmi during her 19-season tenure as host of Top Chef, but now she’s returning to the world of competition cooking shows as the the host, creator, and executive producer of America’s Culinary Cup. The new CBS series features some of the biggest names in the food industry and boasts the largest monetary prize awarded in culinary competition show history. Today on Nice Talk, Lakshmi discusses how the one-million-dollar prize pot came to be, what it’s like to create a show from scratch, and how she approaches getting dressed for on-screen appeara...

Lauren Sherman is a fashion correspondent for Puck, host of the podcast Fashion People, and author of the must-read fashion newsletter Line Sheet. Today, she’s here to discuss all things fashion month. Not only do Nikki and Lauren chat about their favorite moments from attending the fashion shows this season, but they also dive into what the collections say about the overall culture and economic trends within the industry right now. Lauren brings such a nuanced, unique perspective on fashion month, and you won’t want to miss this episode.

As soon as Yvonne Orji performed her first stand-up set during the talent portion of a pageant, she knew comedy would be her calling. Today, she’s a comedian with two HBO specials under her belt and an actor, known for playing beloved characters like Molly in Insecure. In this episode, Orji discusses how her Nigerian American background informed her view on money, why she likes to get dressed up to do comedy, and how she navigates her nerves before she goes on stage. This episode is nonstop laughs, so be sure to tune in.

Jordyn Woods wears many hats: she’s a model, the founder and CEO of her fashion line Woods by Jordyn, a content creator with over 11.6 million Instagram followers, the newly minted Chief Creative Director of the beauty brand Glosslab, and more. Today, she’s sitting down with Nikki as a part of our NBA All Star Weekend mini-series to discuss the big three—money, power and style. She discusses what it was like growing up adjacent to wealth, why logging off is her way of taking back power, and the behind the scenes of building her fashion line Woods by Jor...

Malika Andrews is an Emmy Award–winning sports journalist and host of ESPN’s NBA Today, NBA Countdown, and WNBA Countdown. Not only is Andrews one of the most prominent sports journalists in the industry, but she’s also a trailblazer. In 2018, she became ESPN’s youngest sideline reporter, and in 2022, she became the first woman to ever host the NBA Draft—a position she’s held every year since. On this episode, Andrews tells us about her relationship with money growing up, why she only wears women-owned brands when covering the WNBA, and what advice she would give to her younger self...

Taylor Rooks is a two-time Emmy Award–nominated journalist and producer who currently hosts NBA on Prime Video and Thursday Night Football on Prime. In addition to being one of the most important voices in sports media, she’s the founder of the Taylor Rooks Foundation—an organization that supports communities by providing school supplies to teachers, helping people pay their utilities during the holidays, and more. On this episode, Rooks dives into why she believes both hard work and luck are necessary for success, her favorite on-air looks she's worn over the years, and the ways she advocates for herself financially.

Courtney Mays is a renowned sports stylist and menswear consultant. She's known as a fierce advocate for size and gender inclusivity in fashion, and her client list includes big-name athletes like Chris Paul, Brittney Griner, and Sue Bird along with actors like Anthony Anderson and Winston Duke. On this episode, Mays tells us how she learned to ask for a raise, why she loves celebrating queerness through gender-fluid fashion, and what her clients have taught her about owning her identity. Plus, she shares her plus-size styling hacks and what you should tell your tailor for the perfect fit in whatever you b

Amy Smilovic is the founder and creative director of the independent global fashion brand Tibi. In addition to helming her beloved brand, Smilovic also runs an educational "style class" on Instagram and is the author of two books: The Creative Pragmatist: An Intelligent Conversation About Personal Style and Almost Reckless: A Creative and Pragmatic Approach to Taking Risks, which is available for preorder now. On this episode, Smilovic gets into the tangible ways she's been able to trust her gut throughout her career, viewing items in your closet as ingredients, and her practical tips for how to layer in the winter with...

Jennette McCurdy is the best-selling author of the memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died and her recent debut novel, Half His Age. Many people were first introduced to McCurdy when she was a child actor, but in her early 20s, she stepped away from her acting career to pursue writing. On this episode, she discusses the messy and uncomfortable power dynamics at play in her new novel, the deeper meaning behind some of her style choices, and why she didn’t feel financially secure until the success of her memoir.

Half His Age was released on January 20 and...

Erin Walsh is the stylist behind some of Hollywood's best-dressed celebrities, including Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez. Now, after years of styling some of the biggest names on the red carpet, Walsh is sharing all her coveted knowledge in her new book The Art of Intentional Dressing: Your Essential Style Guide for Manifesting a Magnetic Life. On this episode of Nice Talk, she discusses all the details that went into creating this book, the closet-clean-out tips she swears by, and the surprising subliminal reason you may not be attracting a romantic partner into your life. (Hint: It has to...

Financial translator Erin Lowry is back! On this episode, the Broke Millennial author breaks down everything we need to know to set ourselves up for financial success in the new year. She details the nitty-gritty of credit scores, budgets, and cutting costs, while also giving tips on how to set big-picture goals and approach financial conversations. Plus, Lowry shares why we all need to let go of the shame we feel when it comes to financial mistakes and why she endorses a no-spend February.