I can't think of a better way to kick off the new year and season 2 than with Alyssa Rapp, who joins me to discuss entrepreneurship, killer instincts and nurturing ambition. Currently the Chief Executive Officer of Empower Aesthetics, Alyssa is also the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Healthwell Acquisition Corp. I, a $250 million special purpose acquisition corporation that successfully IPO’d on NASDAQ. Since 2014, Alyssa has been a lecturer-in-management at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and has served as an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago’s Booth Business School since 2019. She is also the author of the Amazon bestseller, Leadership and Life Hacks: Insights from a Mom, Wife, Entrepreneur & Executive.

Our conversation hugely inspired me. We kicked it off talking about nature vs nurture, why hard work is extremely necessary but not sufficient for anything that's worthwhile, and how to cultivate drive and competitiveness in ourselves and the people we love (and are raising!). Alyssa shares how mentorship and role models have guided her to where she is now, and the importance of passion, purpose and integrity in business and in life. We also save some time at the end to glean some of her organizational wisdom when it comes to motherhood and being a sports parent - we both agree that scheduling too much makes you miss the juicy in-betweens, and exchange tricks on how to make space for the magic to happen.

I leave you with this from Alyssa: "To whom much is given, much is expected. And the best way to learn is to teach."

xx
Jo

Find Alyssa at www.alyssarapp.com

Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/

Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast

I am so excited to be kicking off SEASON 2 of EAT MY WORDS with you today! To start this new year, I'm taking you through my very own personal MORE OF / LESS OF LIST, to talk through some of the things I'm craving this year (send me yours - we can hold each other accountable!). 2026 means creating more rituals, more art and intentionality, and lowering the noise around me.

I'm so looking forward to this year with all of you - I'm grateful, excited, and thrilled to be here, and I hope you are too!

xx
Jo

Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/

Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast

This week we are going back to another great episode to close out our holiday season and usher in a new year! The magnificent Mary Buri is here to remind us of the importance of creativity and the strength of nature. As a garden designer, coach and the founder of Mars Kitchen Garden, Mary has worked one-on-one with more than 150 home gardeners—designing and building kitchen gardens, crafting planting plans, and coaching them through the full growing season, from seed to harvest.

After switching gears from the publishing world to raising her four children, Mary had a lightbulb moment that led to the beginning of her now incredibly successful business. She not only walks us through how to approach gardening, but also discusses starting fresh, and how having a hard time closing the loop on potential led her to channeling her creativity and curiosity into the business of helping others accomplish their garden dreams. The conversation moves from prioritizing needs despite existing demands on you, trying again after messing up, and granting yourself the space, freedom, time and permission to do some things less if it means doing the thing you want to do most.

Mary talks about not wanting her kids to see her saying no to important parts of herself, loving her job because she's good at it, and keeping her curiosity, excitement and delight alive while guiding others to find themselves in the dirt and the plants and the food.

This is a GOOD one - dig in and let me know how it lands,

xx

Johanna

Find Mary on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/maryburi/
Find Mars Kitchen at https://www.marskitchengarden.com/
and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/marskitchengarden/

Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/

Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast

Today we are resharing one of our favorite episodes to bring some LIVELY VIBES to your holiday week! Tricia Whalen, a (hilarious) seasoned executive and strategic advisor with over 25 years of experience building and scaling some of the most iconic brands in fashion, media, and lifestyle. Now the CEO of E. Frances Paper, Tricia joins Johanna today to talk business AND navigating family, ambition and learning to do what you can and then letting it go. A natural leader, she brings us along her path learning about creating culture at a company, taking the time to set a vision for herself and her business, and the virtues of directness.

The conversation weaves from behind the scenes fashion stories to family as Tricia shares her joyful experience growing up surrounded by bawdy, no nonsense women, raising a family of boys, and how grief can lead you to new perspectives on living your life.

Let's dig in!

Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/

Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast

Have you ever been stuck wondering what to get to your host? your partner? someone you don't really know or someone who already has everything? Well today's episode is for you! Today I am joined by my producer Sophy to answer all the holiday gifting questions you sent in last week! We talk about different parties, family traditions, and the kinds of unexpected details that can go a long way to making a lasting impression on your host.

Pop a little bubbly and get comfy - consider this your kick off to this year's holiday festivities!

Love,
Jo

Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/

Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast

I am so excited for my guest today, who I've been hoping to get on the show for quite some time now! A born and raised Brooklynite, Melissa Xides is a seasoned retail executive with 30 years of experience working with brands like The Gap, Kate Spade, Jack Spade, Tory Burch, and Soul Cycle, and most recently, Bergdorf Goodman for the last 7 years. She served on Prêt a Manger's board for 5 years during their growth in the US and currently serves as an executive board member for the 5th Ave Association where she gets to put her passion for the avenue's future to work. Today she joins me to share all the wisdom she's gained from being unabashedly ambitious. We talk about the importance of making and investing her own money, how to pivot, the sacrifices she made for her career and her new experience with slowing down.

We also get into how her lived experience as a woman and a mother influences her leadership, how she worked through her fertility process while building a very demanding career, and learning how to allow people into her process rather than seek perfection on her own. Most importantly, we talk about getting comfortable in the unknown, and all the beautiful things we can find when we relinquish a little bit of control (just a little bit!!).

Thank you for joining us today,

xx
Jo

Find Melissa on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-xides

Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/

Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast

Today we are diving deep into the ins and outs of brand deals, how the emergence of social media changed the beauty industry landscape, and how the big magazines keep the lights on behind the scenes. Who better to tell us all about this than Carly Cardellino, a beauty editor and writer known for her two decades of work in the fashion and beauty industry who has held such prominent positions as Beauty Editor of Shape and Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan. In January of 2020, she left her post at Cosmo to pursue a career in content creation and consulting. Since then, she has worked with brands like La Mer, Chanel, Dior, Dove, Four Seasons, Auberge, John Frieda, Apple, Rhode, Margiela (to name a few) and consulted for beauty brands such as K18, being among the initial team to launch the brand, leading the charge on seeding product into major players' hands in the industry, like Chris Appleton.

This is a juicy one - we also cover the pay for play of advertising, being open to connections, and how Carly made the jump from beauty editor to working for herself as a content creator. Carly shares the major pivotal moments in her career and how they affected her life, how believing in her ideas led her to where she is today, and how, despite being bad at math, she will always get what needs to get done done!

Join me in Carly's world - it's a glamorous one!

xx
Jo

Find Carly on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/carlycardellino/?hl=en

Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/

Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast

Today we have two incredible guests on the pod! We talk turning pain into purpose, the stigma and narrative around divorced women in 2025, and how divorce is a chance to redefine the relationships in our lives.

Tamara Frankfort Odinec spent the past 25 years at the forefront of technology and marketing in various leadership roles, and most recently as the founder of My Next Chapter, an expert-led platform and community for people going through every stage of divorce. She also founded and runs Monty Media, an app development company that creates innovative apps for adults and kids, leveraging new technologies. Shari Joseph is a global brand marketing leader with extensive experience in digital partnerships and social media communications. She is President and co-creator of My Next Chapter. Shari is also the founder and CEO of Smart Digital, LLC, a brand marketing and communications consultancy supporting clients across PR, social media, influencer marketing, and creative campaigns that build online presences and drive engagement.

This conversation is funny and heartwarming, and proves that connection is the best balm for the challenges life throws our way.

Let me know how this one lands,
xx
Jo

Find My Next Chapter at: https://www.mynextchapter.com/

And on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/mynextchapterofficial/

Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/

Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast