Hiding in the Bathroom

She is the only woman host of a network Sunday morning news show, and even though she's a veteran journalist who has reported from Tehran, Baghdad, Kabul, and Beijing, covered the Iran nuclear deal, the chemical weapons deal in Syria, the reopening of relations with Cuba and been a White House correspondent..when you Google her most of the recent stories cover her baby bump, how she met her husband, and her "first-ness" as a woman moderator.   That's alright though, because Brennan understands that women's lives are changing, and she's helping us navigate through it all, including this weekend when she sat with five women from Virginia and asked them, "Does President Trump respect women"?  Hosting Face the Nation every Sunday has forced journalist Margaret Brennan to take a step back from the relentless Twitter driven news cycle and think about the bigger picture. We talk through how to process the news in a healthier manner, how to connect the dots, and how to make sense of the changing lives of women in our politics and our workplaces.  

What's the best path forward for digital campaigns? Online fundraising, organizing, and campaigning are fundamental to how we run for office now, but we're rightly nervous. Social media is a hugely powerful tool for candidates and organizing for change, and online fundraising a cash cow that allows normal people to meaningfully contribute to political campaigns when they might otherwise be shut out. But the entrenched consultant culture in our politics doesn't always have incentives to drive innovation- or the strategies that will have the largest impact. How do we know the supporters we garner on Facebook aren't trolls? As we head into the midterms, Tara and I talk through the path forward for digital strategy and politics. Learn more about Tara McGowan's work.

Poet and scholar Gloria Anzaldua said "a woman who writes has power, and a woman who has power is feared." My guest Kelly Wickham Hurst says "Once writing started to happen for me, there was power there." So we explore the unfurling of Kelly's power and how she found her identity as a storyteller. Kelly Wickham Hurst used her many years as an educator and the power of her voice to create Being Black at School, which advocates for equity and safety for Black students. Kelly's team helps teachers, school boards, and students navigate tough conversations in the classroom. Kelly is a systems thinker, and she's taking on a big, broken system. This episode will be useful for anyone who's wondering how to make the leap from personal writing into activism, or how to take a lifetime of professional knowledge into a brave new place.

From the time she was five, Kelsey Wirth traveled with her dad Tim Wirth as he was up for reelection in Congress- every two years in a swing district. Kelsey says she grew up in the spirit of both unpredictability and standing up for what you believe in. She is comfortable with uncertainty, something she credits with her success as an entrepreneur (she co-founded Invisalign at 27) and her work behind the non profit Mothers Out Front, which uses grassroots organizing to tackle the dirty energy powering climate change. Mothers Out Front creates practical solutions against a threat that can feel hopeless. Recently, members mapped gas leak spots in their community, setting in motion a plan that could reduce methane from gas leaks Massachusetts by 50%. "We take an enormous threat and we break it down into pieces that enable mothers to take action and make meaningful change." The grief Kelsey felt while watching a documentary about polar bears in the Arctic with her daughters led to the birth of Mothers Out Front, but the work of Mothers About Front is local and not political in focus. Local moms and grandmothers take on often giant, entrenched utilities and corporate interests. Kelsey is hopeful and inspiring in her belief behind the power of the "snowflake" organizing model, made popular by President Obama in his Presidential runs and created by Marshall Ganz at Harvard. If you're an organizing nerd you'll love listening to how Mothers Out Front has grown!   

If there's one question I get over and over, it's "How can I pursue a dream career as a content creator/artist/inspirational speaker/influencer and still pay the mortgage?" Is this you? On paper everything is perfect, and yet: you're a talented, well-paid professional seeking a path of much less security, and probably, less income. Or like Karen Walrond, you're waking up decades after Dad said, "You're a math person. You should be an engineer."  My guest Karen Walrond and I rehash our paths from corporate America to new, creative, careers. Karen is a renowned speaker, coach, author, photographer and blogger. Learn about her shift from engineer and corporate lawyer to multi-hyphenate. We often hear the before story, and the happily ever after story. But what happens in between? How do you make the pivot and build a new path as a creative person? How do you pay the mortgage throughout?  Karen and I talk through the process- and work in progress.        

"There is nothing a gun extremist has as much love for as we do for our children." That's the true theory of change behind Moms Demand Action, a 50 state strong movement of over 4 million Americans who demand legislators fix our epidemic of gun violence. Moms Demand members show up in state legislatures (and my Twitter feed) almost every day, fearless in the face of threats. Founder Shannon Watts says "All credit goes to every talented, Type A, badass moms who breathed life into this movement." I wanted to know, what is life like as a grassroots organizer working in the perfect storm of a startup and politics? What's the organizing model that allows Moms Demand to function? How does a mom go from social media fan to activist? What kind of social media strategy does the organization employ? How did Shannon create the brand, one that appeals to red and blue state moms alike? And how do Moms Demand volunteers stay above the fray of ad hominem attacks on social media? Shannon Watts started a Facebook page the day after Sandy Hook; she wanted to start something like Mothers Against Drunk Driving to allow mothers to fight gun violence. Learn how she and a team of dedicated volunteer activists built one of our most powerful grassroots armies.

Gender, age, perception all color how introverts experience the world and how the world experiences us. So I was excited to sit down with Jennifer Kahnweiler, "champion of introverts," and ask her expert advice on some of the most frequent questions I've gotten about introversion as host and author of Hiding in the Bathroom. What are the top myths about introverts? What's the best meeting style for an introvert? Dig in for some great and unexpected advice! This is an amazing precis for anyone, introvert or extrovert. For example: introverts can be great public speakers!! We can sizzle.  The final episode of my season on patriarchy brings things fill circle as we discuss introversion, patriarchy, and leadership.  Coming soon: the next season of HITB. We'll It's going to be about women, digital transformation, and social change and feature the women who are changing our world.    

Cindy Gallop is a former advertising executive who now runs Make Love Not Porn, a startup rewriting the rules of sex online.  Cindy is 57 and she "shouts it from the rooftops." Whether you're a precocious 25 year old in a room full of older executives, a woman over 40 who feels increasingly uneasy, or a 60 something tech nerd feeling squeezed, there is a feeling that we should hide our age. Cindy doesn't do that. She dates younger men. She's a tech entrepreneur. She's a total role model. Take it from Cindy: You can live your life differently from the way society expects you to and be incredibly happy. Let's #DisruptAging!

“We have to create the leaders we want, and there is no more promising investment than Black women,” says my guest Kimberly Peeler-Allen. Peeler-Allen is co-founder of Higher Heights, which is building a national infrastructure to harness Black women’s political power and leadership potential.  African American women are consistently the difference between victory for Democrats and loss, and we discuss her work, and the Democratic Party’s role in supporting turnout and new candidates.  How to put together a winning coalition? Peeler-Allen’s work highlights the challenges of taking on entrenched institutions and she’s expert at using social media and on the ground networks to help women win. Even if you’re not running for office, her strategies will help you advance in your career and take on patriarchal interests. Plus: How has #MeToo affected how you feel about the men in your life? 51% of respondents in my recent survey said yes. Do you still want to have sex with your partner? 40% said yes. I discuss the results of my survey on MeToo and our own relationships.

Living life through the male gaze has become so normal, we may not even notice. That's why it's important to step back and examine the terms and constructs we use to describe and dissemble a world where men dominate.  Dr. Emerald Archer joins me to put her engaging and scholarly lens and helps us think about every day life through the lens of living in patriarchy.  Plus, Morra's thoughts on Aziz Ansari, and how an experience with slashed tires made her get in touch with her rage. (Spoiler alert: It makes me feel my age).

Morra recorded this episode with writer, attorney, entrepreneur, founder of #Changetheratio and The List, and feminist thinker Rachel Sklar during the fall 2016 Trump campaign. We talked about sexual predation at work and how to negotiate dealing with predators while advancing in your career. Our conversation is even more relevant right now, in January 2018. We talk about the temptation to "grade" severity of your harassment ("it's not that bad"), resisting the temptation to write men off as "handsy" and diminishing outrageous behavior because that's what we've always done. Plus single momming. Rachel Sklar is funny and honest and always, ahead of her time. Morra also interviews her mother Pamela Aarons about how it feels to be triggered by Trump and #MeToo.   

You might assume a hi pressure, hi tech startup couldn't allow for flexibility. Not so says Werk co-founder Annie Dean: "We can't expect our team to meet our deadlines and innovate at the level we expect them to unless we're taking the time to understand the nuance of their personality. Some people don't want to be in the chaos of the small office all the time. Maybe they need time to breathe." And don't buy the story that work from home or workplace flexibility is on the wane. It's stronger than ever. Annie shares her journey scaling a women-run, VC funded startup while staying true to flexible work values.   I also ask Annie how workplace flexibility can help reduce workplace harassment. You'll want to listen to her answer! And then get her advice on how to manage extremely high performance and a flexible schedule. Flexible work chips away at the patriarchy in so many ways.  

"If you've been told to shut up, keep talking." Donna shares great advice on how to get a seat at the table, and then be heard.  Discussing her four decade career managing legendary political candidates and legendary egos, email hacks and threats from foreign powers, Brazile downloads the evolution of her influence and provides practical tactics for making change and being heard, even if you're a "troublemaker" as she calls herself. "I've gotten kicked off the plane. I've gotten knocked down. I've gotten kicked off the same staircase I've already climbed."  When in comes to patriarchy, Donna says "we are long overdue for a shift in dynamics." We have overused the male brand of leadership in which everything's a fight (and every sports metaphor has been overused). Patriarchy is "so rooted in our soul you cannot use Round Up" to kill it. To break it we have to break our traditions." PS: Hiding in the Bathroom is now Patriarchy the Podcast. I explain why in the episode. Let me know what you think!  

Mad as hell? Here's the good news: the women across our country. A surge of women have stepped up to run for office. Over 22,000 of them, according to Stephanie Schriock, President of EMILY's List, super smart political strategist. Curious about running for elected office and what it takes? Stephanie will explain why you're ready. (We promise. You do not have to be Tracy Flick!) Listen in as we talk politics, Trump, and how introverts toying with public service can tackle their hesitancy and run for elected office.  We're the ones we've been waiting for!

Katherine Goldstein was on the fast track to a top leadership position in digital journalism, with senior roles at Huffington Post and Conde Nast before she was 30. Then she had a baby. I met Katherine when she was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard. Her groundbreaking work on Mothers in the Newsroom (where are they?) is must reading for the moment we're in, as is her thinking on sexual harassment in the news business.  She'll tell us the story. Have a listen.    

"I no longer give anxiety decision making power in my life," says Ashley C. Ford. There was a long time when I just leaned into my anxiety, she says, but now, she can separate the feelings from reality and dive in anyway. "Anxiety and depression are liars," Ashley says. So how to put them in their place? That's what we share on this podcast. Feelings are not facts. We also talk about the relationship between class privilege, race, and upbringing in managing mental health.  PS: My husband says I can't decorate for Christmas until well after Thanksgiving, but Ashley and I disagree. She's starting Sunday after Thanksgiving. I want to as well. Where do you stand? Let me know @morraam on Twitter. 

In this exclusive short excerpt from the new book Hiding in the Bathroom: An Introvert's Roadmap to Getting Out There (When You'd Rather Stay Home) author and podcast host Morra shares her journey from serial job quitter and anxious overachiever to proud hermit entrepreneur. “I have the dubious distinction, of being an ambitious risk taker who also struggles with anxiety and depression. This has forced me to learn some very helpful coping mechanisms, and I want to share some today with you.” But first, I told them, there were the panic attacks. That time sophomore year I couldn’t get out of bed for a week... Listen to the short reading, or read more at ThriveGlobal.com, where this piece is published.

Blogger and bestselling author Luvvie Ajayi's secret to building a great career and ensuring there's a team in her corner? Bringing her audience along on her professional journey. On this episode of Hiding in the Bathroom, Luvvie and Morra talk about getting paid what you're worth, creating true diversity at work, and how to turn your vision into reality.

Reporting from throughout the city each day, Chicago Tribune reporter and 2017 Nieman Fellow Lolly Bowean has built a career telling the stories of people you probably aren't used to seeing in the newspaper - and she's rarely stuck in the office! Morra and Lolly talk about rejecting cynicism, why journalism matters, and how to build power inside your organization (finding "the juice") so you can do your best work and tell those stories.

Annoying fact: men have more money than women. Cool fact: you can use your money to get ahead. On this episode of Hiding in the Bathroom, finance maven and Ellevest founder Sallie Krawcheck shares her personal finance tips designed to help women everywhere lead the lives they want.

Stressed out about what to wear to your next big meeting or work event? Want to build a power look, but not sure how? We've got you covered. Fashion icon Stacy London, former host of What Not to Wear, shares her philosophy on style and career, why fashion is feminist, and why these days she's wearing what she wants.

Genevieve Jones and Rachel Skidmore work in the "wheel of awesome," creating experimental media for Skybound Entertainment. Morra talks to Genevieve and Rachel about geek and niche culture, how they built their careers, and finding your leadership philosophy. Plus a preview of our conversation with style icon Stacy London.

Financial therapist Amanda Clayman wasn't always a money expert. In her twenties, she spiraled into serious credit card debt before she got serious about her money. Now she counsels people on healthy ways to reach financial wellness. Listen as Amanda shares her tips for budgeting for a life you want, managing money with your partner, and building a relationship with money that will serve you for the long term.

A self-proclaimed "math kid," LegalZoom CMO Laura Goldberg started her career in finance so she could pay off her student loans. But she was passionate about the online music industry, so she took her skills to Napster, where she worked as COO before hopping industries again - twice. Morra and Laura talk about the early days of the internet, navigating bro-culture at work and how to propel your career forward while building a life you love.

Flexibility isn't just a perk - it's essential for keeping talented women in the workplace and on track for leadership positions. Morra talks to Annie Dean and Anna Auerbach, co-founders of the job site Werk, about their tips for negotiating flexibility, caregiving while working and taking control of your schedule so you can thrive.

When you're creating your own path or starting your own business, it's hard to remember to take care of your body. That's when you burn out (and your business can't afford that). Radical body mover and therapist Sukie Baxter joins Morra to explain how we can change the way we move, avoid burnout, and take up the space we deserve.

How do you know when you're called to do something? When is it time to do meaningful work in the public sphere, and when is it time to let that go? Morra talks to Meighan Stone, Entrepreneurship Fellow at Harvard's Shorenstein Center and former president of the Malala Fund, about the seasons of her career, making big choices from a place of quiet reflection, and the many ways to do powerful work.

Morra talks to strategy and branding expert Dorie Clark about transforming your career by building a personal brand. We also hear from April Reign, activist and creator of #OscarsSoWhite, about the year in film

After the election, longtime marketer and creative director Carrie Ingoglia noticed that while people around her were becoming increasingly politically active, the advertising industry remained conspicuously silent. On this episode of Hiding in the Bathroom, Morra and Carrie tackle big questions around politics, morality and fake feminism in advertising.

Self-care: sometimes it feels like a new age buzzword, and other times it's something you really, really, need. Morra talks to non-profit leaders Aliza Sherman, Beth Kanter, and Christine Koh about how to build self-care into your daily routine, avoid burnout, and still be highly effective at work.

Listeners, you shared your burning career questions with us - all the tough issues at work that you're grappling with. On this episode, Morra helps you navigate those issues. And we hear from Lisa Sugar, founder of PopSugar, who shares some great career advice of her own.

Maybe you could really use a mentor with great advice - but you don't know where to find one. Or maybe you don't think you're qualified to be a mentor, despite decades of valuable career experience. On this week's episode, Morra talks with fellow Forbes podcaster and GirlQuake CEO Denise Restauri about building strong mentoring relationships, why they both podcast, and getting sexier with age.

Morra chats with FertilityIQ cofounder Deborah Anderson-Bialis about what led her to create her company, tips on running the financial aspect of a small business and whether or not there is an ideal time for female professionals to have children.

Do you feel stuck in the corner of your career? Never fear. Morra brings on author and radio host Samantha Ettus to talk about why women should not place a low priority on their careers and how guilt drives bad decisions. Morra also chats with media strategist Wendy Sachs on the best time for women to pivot in their career paths.

Have you forgotten how to focus? Has social media eroded your attention span? Do you fondly remember days when you grew immersed in your work for hours? It's not too late to regain your ability to focus and do deep satisfying work. Morra asks computer scientist and author, Cal Newport for his advice on how to regain. They also discuss the myth of the online personal brand.

If you've ever watched reruns of The Golden Girls and wanted to trade places with Blanche or Rose - this episode is for you. The List Co-Founder, Glynnis MacNicol joins Morra to discuss the very real effects of burnout in our radically connected reality, and how she rebuilt her work life by founding a successful tech company that isn't about scale. Morra and Glynnis also talk about living and working as women in America under the Trump administration, and why you'd better know where your stash of cash is at all times.

This show features two tech entrepreneurs, age 73 and 23. Tech entrepreneurs are not who you think they are! They are all ages, from all walks of life. Gina Glantz, founder of GenderAvenger shares "the advantage of age" in tech, and Alex Shadrow, who started Unitiques.com in her dorm room shares the nitty gritty of growing a tech company without a roadmap.

"Put Down the F-ing Coffee"! If negotiations remind you of confronting an angry Alec Baldwin in the film Glengarry Glen Ross - we're here to help. Collaborative negotiation coach Tanya Tarr shows how to tap into your negotiation superpowers and details the art of collaborative negotiation. You'll learn how to use inquiry, preparation, and your natural skills to make a great deal.

You work at a Fortune 500 company. Your boss (who just happens to be one of the few Fortune 500 women CEOs) sends a very public olive branch to someone you abhor. What do you do? This woman quit, in public. Morra talks to former IBM Senior Content Strategist Elizabeth Wood about her departure from the company after IBM's CEO sent a particular letter to Donald Trump. They also dig into the new definition of corporate social responsibility, the myth of slacktivism, and the decision to leap...without a plan B.

Resiliency is not a mood, and denial won't stop bad things from happening. Today's show will empower you (promise) and offer easy and practical tips to own your personal and business security. Morra talks with Juliette Kayyem, former Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs at the Dept. of Homeland Security, about cyber security, emergency preparedness, the origins of the "Keep Calm" posters and how we can maintain our spirits in spite of a bleak political climate.

Do you have a healthy work-life fit? Morra tackles this question with Cali Yost, a flexible work culture strategist, who differentiates between work-life fit and work life balance. Which should you strive for? Are we trying to do too much or do we just not know how to manage everything? Morra and Cali talk about who this applies to, if it can be learned, the difference between flexibility and sloppiness and how to develop healthy, streamlined communication in the workplace.

Morra interviews Dr. Ellen Hendriksen psychologist and expert on social anxiety, on how to employ practical tools to tackle anxiety in social or work situations. By the end of the episode you'll know how to turn a nerve wracking situation into a mild and positive experience.

It's a doozy double header: First, processing the internalized patriarchy of November 8's result, Morra brings on Karen Cahn, Founder and CEO of VProud Labs, to talk about how American women's financial dependence might have played a role in Trump winning the election. Morra also chats with KJ Dell'Antonia, a columnist and contributing editor for the New York Times Well Family Page, about the difference between being introverted and being rude, how introverts are taking over the world and the developing wisdom emerging from social media.

Morra chats with Elisa Camahort Page, BlogHer co-Founder and Chief Community Officer at SheKnows Media, about how to take ownership of your professional expertise. It's not as hard as you think. They also breakdown mentorship, "the female tax," how to use your ego (even when you don't have one) and how women who say they're not feminists still act like feminists.

One is 6'1", the other is 4'11". How does it affect their professional selves? Morra sits down with Susan McPherson, Founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, to talk about work place manners and how childhood tendencies pervade our adult life. They also discuss corporate social responsibility, what we expect from politicians in the public eye and building tactical yet genuine social networks as an entrepreneur.

Morra talks with Rachel Sklar, former lawyer and co-founder of advocacy organization Change The Ratio, about why "handsy" men get away with sexual harassment and how to make it stop at the work place. They also discuss the intense effect of Trump's assaults and the current national discussion on consent, triggers, and rape culture. Morra also interviews her mom, Pam Aarons, about the intense effect it's having on women of all ages, and how to take back power.

Morra sits down for a candid conversation with Morgan Shanahan, editor at Buzzfeed Parents, about living with mental illness and how dark times can bring you where you need to be. They share stories of coping with antenatal and postpartum depression, how having anxiety and OCD can affect your career path and the power of support groups through hard times. Morra gives her take on how mental health is approached under our current healthcare system, how small business owners can think about Obamacare, and asks Morgan about the difference between being an entrepreneur and an "in-trepreneur."

Morra sits down with April Reign, an attorney and activist who uses online platforms to create social change (#OscarsSoWhite). They speak about April's transition to being an online writer and activist after 20 years in the legal world, why Twitter still matters, racial tensions in today's viral society and the importance of self care in a 24-7 social media world.

Morra Aarons-Mele kicked off her first Podcast One show with a 2016 election special. She brought on Democratic campaign strategist, Joe Trippi, and PSB Research E.V.P. of Public Affairs, Margie Omero, to tackle "election stress disorder," voter anxiety, the disparity between conservative and liberal voters and the role of national media in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Have you ever done it? Gone to a work event or cocktail party, make sure the host or your boss sees you're there, put in your time...and then run for the exit? Today, we discuss social anxiety and perfecting your pitch with Silicon Valley executive Arvind Rajan, co-founder and CEO of Cricket Health, a health-care startup in San Francisco.

Award-winning journalist Jessica Bennett joins us this week to discuss her new book, Feminist Fight Club (available September 13th). We discuss dealing with implicit sexism, the new ways in which women can deal with sexism in the workplace, and how we can build other women up even when we feel pressured to compete.