Alma Matters With Riane Puno: Breaking Down the Journey to Success

Oliver and Sasha Zabar have lived and breathed food basically since they were born. Their father, Eli Zabar, has created his own empire in New York with Eli's, which has become an Upper East Side institution, and the twins are trying to branch off and do the same. Devon is the brothers' most recent project together. The craft cocktail bar and restaurant offers creative, whimsy cocktails and a selection of shareable plates inspired by the team’s extensive travels in France, North Africa and the United Kingdom, which are made with local, seasonal ingredients sourced from the family-run rooftop greenhouse on the Upper East Side, as well as house-made breads from Eli’s Market on the Upper East Side and the family-run Broome Street Bakery. Enjoy this episode and come out to Alma Matters' next live event - when all the craziness winds down!

If you're on Instagram or really any social media platform, you'll know Comments By Celebs, the popular account that showcases celebrity interactions and sheds light on the fact that famous people - they're just like us. Emma Diamond and Julie Kramer unintentionally landed on a goldmine when they realized the Instagram algorithm changed to bring celebrity comments to the forefront and identified the opportunity to capitalize on it. Since its conception, Comments by Celebs has racked up 1.4M followers and has spun out into different accounts: Comments by Bravo, Comments by Bachelor, Comments by TikTok etc. In this episode, Emma and Julie talk about starting the account back in their Syracuse days, foregoing their original plans of going to grad school to pursue this full time and what's in store for the future of Comments by Celebs.

On the podcast today, I’m joined by Steve Uria, the founder of one of New York’s hottest workouts Switch Playground, among many other fitness concepts that he developed in his home country of South Africa and during his time in Atlanta and LA. When talking to him and learning about his life as fitness visionary, I thought about Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. At Penn, my alma mater, I actually had the chance to listen to Malcolm Gladwell speak and from the book, he expounded on the 10,000 hour role, which he considers to be the key to becoming world-class in any field. You practice something by dedicating 20 hours of work a week to it for 10 years and that’s your key to success. Steve is perfect proof of that, having immersed himself in physical activity and movement and the study of the human body for more than three decades. In this episode, he talks about the origins of his love for fitness, the lessons he learned at school that fostered his scientific knowledge, which inform his practice, his roots in South Africa’s Special Forces Military training and the ways he continues to innovate and revolutionize the fitness space. Link to the female founders panel with Jen Gotch of ban.do, Vicki Fulop of Brooklinen and Lisa Barnett of Little Spoon here! https://almamattersxbrooklinen.splashthat.com/

Cyndi Ramirez is the amazing self-made entrepreneur and chiller-in-chief behind Chillhouse, the go-to destination for all things self care. What started as a Lower East Side brick and mortar with a nail salon, massage boutique and full service café has evolved into a national wellness brand with a loyal following and its own editorial platform dubbed The Chill Times. This whole endeavor didn’t stem from the traditional path of college then maybe an MBA. Cyndi dropped out of college twice and spent that time on the ground, learning on the job until she and her now husband found a void in the wellness market and filled it with Chillhouse. Enjoy her incredible story in today's episode! New Yorkers, RSVP to The Alma Matters Experience live podcast recording with Jen Gotch, Vicki Fulop and Lisa Barnett here! https://almamattersxbrooklinen.splashthat.com/

When the year started, I made it one of my 2020 resolutions to start reading again because up until then, the extent of it had become work emails and instagram captions. I was a huge English nerd so I always used to leave reading books and plays like The History Boys, anything by Arthur Miller, A Little Life, The Great Gatsby etc etc. One of the books I had the chance to read snippets of and have been extremely excited about it is Buy Yourself the F*cking Lillies. Take it from Chelsea Handler and Adam Grant, two of my favorite human beings on the planet, who called it “compelling, persuasive, and useful no matter where you are in your life,” and “a bracingly honest, funny read . . . like Wild meets You Are a Badass.” The book’s author Tara Schuster graces the podcast this week and I could not be more excited. After graduating from Brown University, she landed at Comedy Central where she’s had a storied career and now sits as the VP of Original Programming and Development. Some of the shows she’s been in charge of include Key and Peele and David Spade’s Lights Out - no big deal. In this episode, she talks about the lessons that Brown taught her, the evolution of her Comedy Central career and the inspiration for Buy Yourself the F*cking Lillies.

The beauty industry is an increasingly saturated space. I literally get the most overwhelming wave of anxiety when I walk into a Sephora or even the beauty floor at a Bloomingdale's or Nordstroms. Even though I have some mainstay staples, I'm always intrigued by the products on the next shelf or the lipsticks and glosses that influencers on the store signs are telling me to buy. So I always appreciate a brand that tries to break through the clutter and provide just the key essentials to a good beauty routine. Wander Beauty has been doing that since its inception in 2015, when co-founders Divya Gugnani and Lindsay Ellingson met at a party and bonded over their love of travel and conversely, their frustration over the lack of efficiency in their beauty bags. In this episode, Divya talks about how her early beginnings at Cornell, foundational background at Harvard Business School and experiences working on Wall Street helped her to take on the new challenges that come with being an entrepreneur and CEO sitting at the helm of an ever-evolving beauty disruptor.

I truly garnered a lot of inspiration from this conversation with Minali, the Co-Founder and Head of Brand at Wild One, because her story is one I can identify with. Like me, she's from a different country, took the International Baccalaureate (IB kids, if you know you know), started her career at Bloomingdale's and is just a creative soul at heart. There's something special about finding a person who reflects your path and background and has achieved success. Look around for those people in your life – they're there. Back to Minali! After a stint at Bloomingdale's and then becoming one of the initial team members at Sweetgreen, the healthy and modern fast casual chain that has taken the US by storm, she landed at Wild One. As a pet lover, I'm obsessed with the thoughtful design and community they've fostered through the brand and she's had a lot to do with that.

There are so many Instagram accounts that have popped up just highlighting one of the best things in this world – good food. I could honestly spend an entire day just scrolling through those feeds, watching them break open cookies to uncover slightly melted chocolate chips inside, pull apart pizza so the cheese stretches out, spoon the most perfect bite of pasta (lol I'm torturing myself right now). One of the OG food influencers in the game is Alexa Matthews, the name and face behind Eating NYC. She now has over 300K followers and has ventured outside of her page alone to create an IGTV series on PureWow called #StreatTalk and consult for other restaurants. Enjoy this episode! You know the drill – if you liked it, rate, review, subscribe and follow on Instagram @almamatterspod.

It's such a beautiful thing for a first generation student to evolve into a successful entrepreneur at the helm of her own company - and that's exactly the case for Christina Carbonell. The intelligence and work ethic that brought her from Kraft Foods to Harvard Business School to Diapers.com as the third employee, a company that was famously acquired by Amazon, to finally creating her own company was palpable in our conversation.Today, Christina leads the charge at Primary, a direct to consumer children's brand that focuses on quality, simplicity and price. It's not prescriptive – a little girl can be seen in a red hoodie, a little boy in a bright purple shirt – and it's this approach that really sets them apart. Listen to Christina's incredible story now and drop a review if you liked her episode.

I've found that one of the common threads that weaves through entrepreneurs is curiosity – the inability to accept the status quo, the drive to find solutions to the world's unanswered questions, the hustle to see your vision through and fight off the obstacles along the way. It's no surprise that Brandon's mind works in this exact way. After graduating from Penn, where he could already feel the entrepreneurial bug kicking in, Brandon went to law school – it seemed right at the time and it paid the bills. But in this podcast, he talks about how he knew he was meant for something different. Hear Brandon touch on his love for his alma mater, the most pivotal moments throughout his career, the family he's built alongside wife Arielle Charnas, founder of Something Navy (who he so palpably admires), and what he believes the future holds.

Pitch Perfect. Ever heard of it? If you're asking me, it's truly one of the greatest movies - and greatest franchises of the 21st century (true cinephiles may disagree with me and that's okay). Behind the surface of the movie are the incredible producers that make it happen: Max Handelman and Elizabeth Banks, founder of Brownstone Productions. Max Handelman has an unconventional story for making it into Hollywood and deciding to be in the entertainment industry, and that's make it all the more interesting to hear. Going from Portland to Penn, from investment banking to business school, from writing to producing – his life has been a series of interesting twists, turns and jumps. In Alma Matters, he speaks candidly about all those experiences and how he finally found his passion – and success – as a producer. Don't forget to catch Shrill Season 2 out tomorrow, Friday January 24th! I'm obsessed with Aidy Bryant and the rest of the cast and you should be too.

Despite having only graduated in 2016 (currently having a quarter-life crisis about what I'm doing with my life... only half joking), Olivia and Justine Moore have accomplished so much and rightfully have seats at the Forbes 30 under 30 table. Currently, they work at CRV, one of the nation's oldest and most successful early-stage venture capital firms focused on technology and new-media companies. Outside of that, they co-author the Accelerated newsletter, which has become an emerging resource of all things tech and venture capital, full of the "news you need to know, jobs and internship opportunities, interviews with founders and investors, and new apps and platforms to try out."I could really go on about the number of things they've somehow fit into their 25 year life span. But you'll hear about the summer camp they founded in their backyard, the class they created as undergraduates back at Stanford and so much more if you just hit the play button. Enjoy the episode and don't forget to go through the motions: subscribe, drop a review, follow the pod on Instagram @almamatterspod!

If you haven't jumped on the Peloton train yet, you're missing out. Ever since I hopped on the bike for my first class in 2016, it's changed my life in an exponentially positive way. One of the trainers that I've stuck with from the start is Cody Rigsby, Peloton's resident source of positive vibes and Britney Spears energy. There's so much to be said for possessing the power and somewhat of the responsibility to inject a daily dose of happiness in the lives of the Peloton community and Cody Rigsby is a prime example of that. His journey hasn't been the most straightforward one. After graduating from University of North Carolina at Greensboro, he dabbled in marketing, fashion and dancing, which ultimately because his passion pursuit before clipping onto the bike and changing his life, and the lives of many, in an unparalleled way. How did he get to Peloton exactly? You're going to have to listen to the episode to find out. ;) Also, if you're in New York, come over to Alma Matters Live! at Devon in the Lower East Side. You'll get a drink, food and some great conversation. Grab tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/alma-matters-podcast-live-with-oliver-sasha-zabar-tickets-86152583697!

Seems fitting that my guest today is from Bachelor Nation, given that the new season with Pilot Pete comes out tonight (which I'm extremely excited about by the way!). The thing is, when these people land on a show like that, it's so easy to view them two-dimensionally and not realize that they have so many elements that aren't revealed through a dating show. Luckily, you get to learn all about Connor Saeli in today's podcast episode - his younger days, college life, finance career, entrepreneurial ambitions and all. After uprooting his life in Michigan to go to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Connor joined the finance world. But the Goldman Sachs life isn't for everyone and The Bachelorette, which was a surprise nomination by a friend, seemed to come at the right time. Now, post-reality TV, Connor's diving deep into his actual passion – a new venture called Sael Wellness that he hopes will be a big player in the health space after it launches in March. Mark your calendars! Rate, review, subscribe, follow! Instagram: @almamatterspodWebsite: www.almamatterspod.com

Jenni Kayne's eponymous label has become a staple in the fashion and lifestyle world. What started as a small, California company has grown exponentially and, based on what Julia Hunter and I talked about, is going to continue to make a name for itself in a big way. One of the women at the forefront of this company's growth and success is Julia Hunter, the President of Jenni Kayne. She gets raw and real about her college experience and the not-so-great experience she had – which not many people talk about but is a reality for many. And clearly, she didn't let the challenge stop her. After a stint in investment banking, she found herself in fashion and continues to grow alongside the brand, Jenni Kayne. Rate, review, subscribe, follow! Instagram: @almamatterspodWebsite: www.almamatterspod.com

Success is something that, now more than ever, isn't tied to a certain stage in life or an age. Forbes 30 under 30 is a pretty good indication that young minds are contributing big things to the world – and if there's someone that I imagine will be on that list in the next few years, it's Serena Kerrigan. You might know her as SFK but there is so much more to Serena Kerrigan. From 9-5, she's a host and producer at Refinery29 and even has her own inspirational show called Ask Serena. But 24/7, she is the Queen of Confidence who hustles through life and lives it with insane hunger and ambition.Rate, review, subscribe, follow! Instagram: @almamatterspodWebsite: www.almamatterspod.com

We're in such a unique time where fame and notoriety have become so democratized – where one photo can seemingly reset someone's life and launch their entire career. It's the age of the booming influencer economy, and yet there's not a lot that the regular person knows when it comes to the influencer. But I got a little peek into that world with my guest this week, Katie Sands of Honestly Kate!She's built her career on being the happy influencer – instead of smizing in photos, she's always got a smile on her face and she has such a positive energy that is so incredibly contagious. Learn how her double major in Communications and Theatre at the University of Richmond has helped her in her career (where she's essentially performing everyday) and what's in store for the exciting future of HonestlyKate. Rate, review, subscribe, follow! Instagram: @almamatterspodWebsite: www.almamatterspod.com

It's the first time I've ever spoken to someone I'm actually employed by on the podcast so clearly the pressure is on for this episode. No, but really... I see our Chief Marketing Officer Mike Raffensperger walk around the FanDuel office everyday but to get this up close and personal with him, to hear his life story and the way he built his career at some of the biggest companies in the US to land at our Park Avenue South office was definitely something special. Marketing has become one of the key components of the business matrix. It's not an afterthought or a matter of slapping a picture on a billboard – it's something more that ties in with crafting the holistic brand image and voice. And Mike speaks to that deeper understanding of the purpose of marketing in such a resonant way. From DirecTV to Amazon to FanDuel, he's flexed different marketing muscles to now be at the helm of a rapidly growing company in the booming sports betting and fantasy sports industry. I'm so excited for you to hear this incredible episode with too many quotable moments to count!Rate, review, subscribe, follow! Instagram: @almamatterspodWebsite: www.almamatterspod.com

It's a scary thing to give up a secure, full time job and leap into the unknown, with just a passion that you see the potential of in hand. That's exactly what Elizabeth Endres and Dale Borchiver did – and ultimately it paid off. But that's not without the challenges they had along the way. In today's podcast, Elizabeth and Dale talk about memorable college classes, some of the worst moments (or most embarrassing really) of their times at school, their stints in corporate America and the decision to ultimately leave the stability of their jobs behind to put their all into Sweats & The City. Rate, review, subscribe, follow! Instagram: @almamatterspodWebsite: www.almamatterspod.com

I think Stuart Weitzman and his career are both pretty self explanatory. But in case you don't know who he is, Stuart Weitzman is the iconic founder of the shoe empire aptly named after him, Stuart Weitzman. Despite the grand success that he's seen in his lifetime, he was one of the most unassuming men I've ever met. The conversation we were able to have was so incredibly candid and honest. He also has a little fun story about TSwift! Want a little summary of everything that we talked about? Look no further. 5 Things You Didn't Know About Stuart Weitzman1. He grew up wanting to work on Wall Street. He didn't study fashion in high school or college at all. Instead, he was a Finance major. 2. He spent a lot of his free time at college trying to game pinball machines with a friend. He probably played over 100 times - didn't pay once. 3. He was one of the founders of the University of Pennsylvania's alumni club, The Penn Club.4. He just switched from a Motorola flip phone to an iPhone. An iPhone 5.5. The one professor that made a difference in his life and has impacted him to this day is famous American sociologist, E. Digby Baltzell. 3 Pieces of Advice from Stuart Weitzman Himself1. The "jar of life" metaphor. It's best coming from him.2. "You can't play poker with God forever. Eventually, you're going to lose the hand. Better find the ace in the hole before you lose the hand."3. Fill a need. It's not a shoe that's just there because it's gorgeous. It fills a need and that need always exists.Rate, review, subscribe, follow! Instagram: @almamatterspodWebsite: www.almamatterspod.com

You know what the world needs more of? Women in power. More than that? Diverse women in power. Amina Belouizdad is a perfect example of that. She's from the United Arab Emirates, went to college in Canada, studied in China, got her MBA in Philadelphia and now works at one of the most disruptive companies today in Los Angeles. And she's such a freaking badass. Amina's dipped in her toes in a lot of different worlds, like real estate investment and consumer goods, and currently sits at the helm of The Private Suite as its Chief Commercial Officer. Hear her story and the nuggets of wisdom she has for aspiring entrepreneurs.Rate, review, subscribe, follow! Instagram: @myalmamatters

Alma Matters is back and better than ever! In Season 2, I find the value in sharing my own experience from college to switching my jobs THREE TIMES IN ONE YEAR to now being in a role that makes me happy. To start off the new season, actress Rebecca Rittenhouse, who most recently played Ainsley in Hulu's Four Weddings and a Funeral, is on the podcast to talk about her love for the romance languages and her life in the entertainment world. She's worked with Mindy Kaling, Quentin Tarantino and has a wealth of knowledge that anyone interested in the industry would benefit from. She is also one of the kindest souls I've met! No matter what you want to be or where you are in your career, you will love this conversation. Rate, review, subscribe, follow! Instagram: @myalmamatters

If you know me, you know I love food. And if you love food, you know that the number one destination on your phone has to be The Infatuation. It has saved me from plenty dire culinary situations ie. where to go when I want to splurge with the parents in town? The best place for a Friday night that doesn't have a 2 hour waitlist? All important things.Hillary Reinsberg is the incredible Editor-in-Chief of The Infatuation & Zagat (which they acquired) and has been curating the voice of the brand since she was the third person to join the team. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, where she founded Under The Button (!!!), Hillary went down the editor path and it has clearly served her well. Hear the rest of her story in the podcast.

As someone who loves to cook, I know the struggles of having to buy pans on pans on pans to serve different purposes in the kitchen. Cue Great Jones, which came in with a nostalgic aesthetic, a homey feel and multipurpose pots and pans to save consumers some space and money.Maddy Moelis, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, founded the company with her childhood friend Sierra Tishgart after realizing that quality cookware was difficult to find. Her experience at Wharton spearheaded a love for startups - her first job was at Warby Parker during its early days before she went on to do a long stint at Zola. It was there that she actually saw the price tags of registry cookware and thought there had to be an alternative for people who didn't want to skimp at Ikea or spend a fortune on a KitchenAid tool. Thus, Great Jones was born. Listen to the episode for the full story.

Peloton has completely changed the fitness industry, in part because of the revolutionary tech but also because of the amazing, celebrity-like instructors at the helm of it. One of those incredible faces is Emma Lovewell, one of my personal favorites and the guest on this week's podcast!Emma talks about her life beyond the bike - her college experiences, the struggles of being Asian and American but not quite fitting entirely into either group, the wealth disparities that made themselves apparent at different phases of her life and how she forged her own and followed her true passion. Deep, right? You don't want to miss this conversation.

Social media has become an indispensable tool in today's society - and Courtney Spritzer knows that more than anyone. After graduating from NYU with a degree in Economics, she naturally thought she'd use her degree to make some bank $$ in finance. But it's hard to ignore the right side of the brain. After several stints in the banking world, Courtney connected with her co-founder Stephanie Cartin to dive into the creative world and create the social media marketing agency, Socialfly. Now, a book and a podcast later, she's an amazing example of a powerful female transforming her industry. Listen to the episode now.BTW: Don't forget to check out @Entreprenistas on Instagram for my social takeover!

If you watch baseball, you definitely know who Ken Rosenthal is. Serving as a field reporter for FOX Sports and MLB network and a senior writer for The Athletic, he's established himself as one of the biggest faces in sports journalism with a distinct bowtie-laden look (there's a story behind that too). His achievements are lengthy and notable; he won a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Sports Personality – Sports Reporter two years in a row (2015 and 2016) and has become a big Twitter authority in the baseball field with over 1 million followers.Listen to the episode to find out how he got his start through a connection at the school newspaper, his dad's parental push to get him out of the house and the road that led him to his position today. You'll 1000% love this episode. DISCLAIMER: Interview was done through Skype so audio isn't fabulous... Apologies!ENJOY. RATE. REVIEW. SUBSCRIBE. FOLLOW ON INSTA @MYALMAMATTERS AND LIKE ON FACEBOOK.Music: Purple Planet

Are you trying to break into the fashion industry? Do you want to know what it's like to be at the forefront of the decision making at a legacy retailer? Brooke Jaffe is an expert in the field, having gone from the editorial world at InStyle and Vogue to her decade-long role as Fashion Director at Bloomingdale's to her current career as an on-air fashion expert and brand consultant through her independent company, Brooke Jaffe Style. But of course, this journey starts with college, where Brooke studied English and Theater at the University of Pennsylvania. Listen to the pod to find out about how exactly she went from singing and acting in an auditorium to talking on the Today Show and Access Hollywood, the serendipitous connection that landed her her first job and the challenges in leaving Bloomingdale's to forge her own path. ENJOY. RATE. REVIEW. SUBSCRIBE. FOLLOW ON INSTA @MYALMAMATTERS AND LIKE ON FACEBOOK.Music: Purple Planet

Let's talk weddings. It was just New York Bridal Fashion Week so it's only natural that today's Alma Matters guest come from that exact industry! Jess Levin Conroy is the founder of Carats & Cake, the premier destination for aspiring brides and grooms looking to find the right people – from vendors to venues – to bring their dream celebrations to life. While she's immersed in the world of weddings now, Jess actually majored in Economics at Penn and went back to school at NYU's Stern School of Business thinking she'd be going into more of a finance or banking role. Of course, the best ideas come when you're not even looking for them and so in the middle of a lecture hall, the idea for Carats & Cake was born. Listen to the podcast to hear the rest. ENJOY. RATE. REVIEW. SUBSCRIBE. FOLLOW ON INSTA @MYALMAMATTERS AND LIKE ON FACEBOOK.Music: Purple Planet

Little Spoon is revolutionizing the baby food industry, a category that's been untapped for a long time. Everyone knows how tough it is to be a parent, and Little Spoon aims to make the lives of moms and dads in the world a little easier by offering a quick, convenient and nutritious solution.Lisa Barnett is one of the incredible faces behind the brand! She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 and again from Wharton as an MBA student in 2016. Since then, she's been at powerhouse companies like BCG and Estée Lauder, immersed herself in the venture capital world (which landed her a spot in Forbes 30 under 30 in the venture capital category!) and is now spearheading Little Spoon in the startup space.ENJOY. RATE. REVIEW. SUBSCRIBE. FOLLOW ON INSTA @MYALMAMATTERS.Music: Purple Planet

A little late to the game but happy belated International Women's Day to all the badass beautiful women out there! What better way to celebrate the occasion than by showcasing a powerhouse female founded business?Rent the Runway has revolutionized the way people shop - or rather, don't. Founded by Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss in 2009, the company has been growing rapidly, making the subscription model in fashion pretty indispensable. Behind the brand is a creative vision and a person executing it. Angie Hellman is that person for Rent the Runway. After graduating from Penn in 2008, she launched her marketing career, which led her to the founding team of Capsule as Head of Marketing and now, ultimately, VP of Brand & Product Marketing at RTR. Hear her story and celebrate women today and everyday! ENJOY. RATE. REVIEW. SUBSCRIBE. FOLLOW ON INSTA @MYALMAMATTERS.Music: Purple Planet

Who doesn't love a facial? Heyday has disrupted the beauty industry by offering "expert skincare with a human touch." It's a one-stop shop for all your skincare needs, ranging from personalized facials to knowledgeable experts to powerful products ready to tackle any skin type.The face behind the brand is Adam Ross, who graduated with his MBA from Wharton in 2006. While he started his career in the classic investment banking role, he grew interested in the beauty industry and ultimately founded Heyday. Enjoy this first live episode of Alma Matters!! Thank you to the Burrow and Heyday teams for making the event such a success!ENJOY. RATE. REVIEW. SUBSCRIBE. FOLLOW ON INSTA @MYALMAMATTERS.Music: Purple Planet

Michael Taormina has done it all. While his position now is Head of innovation & Strategic Partnerships at Group 1001, he's actually founded several companies (including Co-Founder of CommonBond!), acted as CFO and financial advisor for even more companies and still believes another company is there to be discovered. Graduating summa cum laude from Georgetown, he then went on to do a 6 year stint at JP Morgan before realizing that entrepreneurship was a passion. So what better place to go than Wharton? ;)ENJOY. RATE. REVIEW. SUBSCRIBE. FOLLOW ON INSTA @MYALMAMATTERS.Music: Purple Planet