Proper Talk By Tonje

This Her Platform live event recording features Tonje in conversation with powerhouse entrepreneur Jaclyn Johnson and founder of Maed, Denise Vasi on how we can make young women aware, give them tools and a language that can advance their financial interests, how best to lay a foundation for their own financial future, how to achieve greater equality, how to influence the transitional gender role pattern and more      Jaclyn Johnson is a powerhouse entrepreneur. By the age of 28, she had sold her first business, invested in multiple female-owned startups, and launched her second multi-million dollar company, Create & Cultivate – the wildly popular social media platform for female millennial entrepreneurs. Her latest endeavor, New Money Ventures, is a venture capital firm and brand studio that funds the next generation of female-led companies.     Denise Vasi Is the founder of Maed, a digital community and editorial website focusing on clean beauty, self-care, and conscious living. She has been mentoring other digital entrepreneurs on brand-building, creating community, and work-life balance. Denise has been named one of 2020's Boss Women of the Year and was named to Create & Cultivate's Top 100, in 2018. Recently, she has become a passionate investor in cryptocurrency, an avid NFT collector, and a leading educator for Web3 and the metaverse.    

In this episode of The Her Platform Podcast Tonje talks to critically acclaimed two time primetime Emmy award-winning filmmaker Marina Zenovich about her films, the search for a good story and what makes a story worth searching for, her love for drama and complicated characters, the desire for creative connection, her journey as a female filmmaker, and what motivates her.   Marina Zenovich's recent films include LANCE, a psychological portrait of cyclist Lance Armstrong (Sundance Film Festival 2020); Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind (Sundance Film Festival 2018); Water and Power: A California Heist (Sundance Film Festival 2017) and Fantastic Lies — about the Duke Lacrosse scandal (SXSW Film Festival 2016).   Previous films include Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic (Tribeca Film Festival 2013); Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals 2008 / Emmys for Outstanding Directing and Writing) and Roman Polanski: Odd Man Out (Toronto and New York Film Festivals 2012), among others.   Recent series credits include Roku's What Happens in Hollywood which focuses on gender, sex, and power in Hollywood, and HBO Max's The Way Down: God, Greed and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin, which became the most viewed docu-series on the platform's history. Season two will debut this spring.   She is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Director's Guild of America, and the International Documentary Association.

Erin Falconer is an author and digital entrepreneur who has been heralded as one of the most influential female voices online. In 2018, she released the critically acclaimed self-improvement/female empowerment book, 'How To Get Shit Done: Why Women Need To Stop Doing Everything So They Can Achieve Anything'. Since 2008, she has been the editor-in-chief and co-owner of PickTheBrain, a self-improvement blog and podcast. Erin is also the co-founder of LEAFtv, a video lifestyle brand for the Millennial woman. She is a Canadian living in Los Angeles, with her new baby, George. Friends hold an especially valuable role for women- few relationships have such power to fuel and inspire us. Yet even though we pride ourselves on our large networks, we tend to be afraid of rocking the boat and asking for what we really need. As a result, we end up accepting mediocrity in ourselves and our friendships far too often. we are celebrating the launch of Erin Falconer's new book ‘How To Break Up With Your Friends', exploring the astounding importance of modern friendships and how to be a truly great friend yourself. This recording also marks the first Her Platform live event in two years and the launch of season two with the new name “ The Her Platform Podcast”

We're back for Season 2 under the new name 'The Her Platform Podcast'. We have cultivated a platform for inspirational, innovative, and mold-breaking women to share their stories, on everything from personal breakthroughs to professional triumphs, as a way to inspire people in their own lives. We believe that this type of interaction between women is more crucial than ever in today's political climate and increasingly isolated environments in which we live. There are many ways in this world to be a woman, and it is through sharing these experiences that help us feel less alone. We can find the extraordinary rooted in topics that seem ordinary. We can find common threads that connect women in communities across the world. By getting together, we can see glimpses of ourselves in each other's stories.

In this season's final episode Tonje talks to manifestation coach, certified yoga instructor, and co-founder of the lifestyle platform How You Glow about upgrading your software, redirecting your thinking process, how suffering can propel us forward, becoming a magnet for love, and how to vibrate at your highest frequency.    Manifestation Coach, Certified Yoga Instructor, and Co-Founder of How You Glow, an influential lifestyle and wellness platform Jessie De Lowe provides life-enriching, experiences to clients across the globe. Through one-on-one Manifestation Sessions, Relationship Coaching sessions, and group Manifestation Workshops De Lowe inspires people to live the most vibrant life possible and step into alignment with themselves. With a Masters degree in Art Therapy from New York University, Jessie has always been intrigued by the power of alternative healing and passionate about helping others.  Jessie is also the host of a podcast entitled Madly Forever, in which she explores the secrets to fulfilling relationships, Jessie lives (and loves!) in Montecito, California with her husband Brian and two daughters. 

In this episode, Tonje talks to Swedish entrepreneur, former COO, and CEO of kids app company Toca Boca and the CEO of Leap Caroline Ingeborn about the love of the unknown, risk-taking, the importance of play, her goal to create a social context amongst people and the creation of meaningful connections and conversations. Founder and CEO of Leap. Swedish entrepreneur Caroline moved to San Francisco back in 2013 when she joined the kid's app company Toca Boca (25mn Monthly Active Users). After 8 years as COO and later CEO, she flipped her focus to a different demographic with the launch of Leap, a social learning platform for people over 55. Driven by Caroline's passion to unite people via meaningful experiences, Leap hosts small-scale conversations and classes, designed to connect and inspire users.

In this episode, Tonje talks to visual artist, entrepreneur, and surfer Keegan Gibbs about finding purpose in something bigger than yourself, the balance in between looking after your family and your own creative endeavors, the ability to release your ego, the difficulties within making art, his work with VICE, fire prevention and raising awareness to reduce the risk of wildfires and how homeowners in California can be more proactive and understand how to live responsibly to reduce the risk. Born in Los Angeles, Keegan Gibbs', introduction to visual arts was through photography, initially as photojournalism, which then parlayed into documentary films, then back into using photography as his medium for the exploration of conceptual art. His work does not only incorporate photography but also, shaping surfboards sculpture, mixed media, and painting. He owns and runs a beer company, House Beer. Keegan also works with fire prevention by raising awareness to reduce the risk of fires. He works to change the habits of homeowners in California, and how we can better be proactive and understand how to live responsibly. Keegan lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.

In this episode Tonje talks to CEO and Creative Director of Pellicano Hotels Group, Marie-Louise Sciò about how to think outside the box, the desire to create joy, how behind every challenge there's an opportunity, finding your calling, the importance of losing control, and emptying your mind, her biggest life lessons and the story behind the hotels and their strong identities.

In this episode, Tonje talks to Architect Noah Walker about the desire to be authentic, the process of creation and the energy you get from it, what separates architecture from other art forms, how a space can elevate your life and change your perspective(s) how his work went into overdrive during Covid and how his background has shaped him to live modestly. Noah Walker is an American Architect and the founder of Walker Workshop, a design-build firm based in Los Angeles CA that is known for creating modern structures that are warmly minimal and deeply rooted in the context of their location. One of Walker's first projects, the Oak Pass House went on to gain international acclaim including winning “Home of the Year” in 2016 as well as inclusion in the Arch Daily 100, a list of the 100 most important works of Architecture in the United States. Noah was a finalist for HGTV's Fresh Faces of Design in 2017. Walker received his Master in Architecture from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in the Growth and Structure of Cities from Haverford College, in Philadelphia PA. He has over fifteen years of experience on both coasts with a specific focus on design-build methods of project delivery. Noah is both a Registered Architect and a licensed general contractor in the state of California.

In this episode Tonje talks to Mariel Hemingway about staying present and having faith, the difference between what we need and what we desire, the tragedies and troubles of the Hemingway family about mental health awareness and feeling disconnected, finding love and purpose, and how all solutions lie within you to create the life you want. Mariel Hemingway is an advocate, activist author, and actor. She is considered an expert in both mental and physical health — and is a longtime advocate of personal power, life balance, authenticity, and finding peace of mind through a devoted practice of healthy living. Mariel co-executive produced the Emmy-nominated Running From Crazy, a documentary about the Hemingway family and a collaboration with Oprah Winfrey. The film documents her boundless advocacy for mental health awareness. In 2015, Regan Arts Publishing released two new books including her memoir, “Out Came The Sun” and a diary form project entitled “Invisible Girl. Mariel also co-wrote the book, Running With Nature, where she and her life partner Bobby Williams share their insights about the importance of nutrition, meditation, mindfulness, and movement. Mariel is a regular keynote speaker at conferences, conventions, and academic panels.

In this episode, Tonje talks to television writer, producer, and playwright Sarah Treem about how the war on aging is incredibly anti-female, the male hero's journey versus the female hero's journey. About falling apart and rebuilding. The freedom in not trying to justify yourself, creative control, and how the most valuable space is the space of the mind and more. Sarah Treem is a television writer, producer, and playwright. Treem is the co-creator and showrunner of the Golden Globe-winning Showtime drama THE AFFAIR. The series received four Golden Globe nominations during its run, including wins for Best Television Drama, Best Actress in a Television Drama, and Best Supporting Actress in a Television Drama. She recently developed a limited series based on the life of actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr for Apple. She is currently adapting Rodham, Curtis Sittenfeld's best-selling novel, into a series with Hulu. Additionally, she is working with Pagan Kennedy and Claire Danes on a project centered around Kennedy's celebrated NYT article about Marty Goddard and the invention of the rape kit. She holds a B.A. from Yale University and an M.F.A from the Yale School of Drama. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her fiancé and two children.

In this episode Tonje talks to author and editor Ondine Cohane about Co-writing ‘Always Italy’ with Frances Mayes, growing up quickly, being and becoming a writer, the process of creating and designing a Tuscan boutique hotel, overcoming anxiety, and traveling the world finding your golden place under the Tuscan sun.   The author of Always Italy with co-writer Frances Mayes (Under the Tuscan Sun), Ondine Cohane is a Contributing Editor at Conde Nast Traveler, a frequent writer for the New York Times travel section, as well as the London Telegraph newspaper and other international publications. In 2006 she moved to Pienza in Southern Tuscany and with her ex-husband designed and opened two boutique hotels, La Bandita Countryhouse and La Bandita Townhouse, which includes a destination restaurant. She has been on camera with the PBS Conde Nast Traveler’s Insider Guide and shows like Good Morning America and The Today Show, and is now working on a memoir as well as other book projects. She lives with her son Jacopo in the UNESCO protected Val d’ Orcia Valley and travels all over the world for articles when Covid isn’t around. Always Italy won the Robert Lowell award for the best guidebook of 2020.

In this episode Tonje talks to actress Marissa Ribisi about all that is beautifully out of control, growing up in LA, her film career, getting rid of preconceived ideas and relearning, unexpected new love after divorce, restarting your career, changing your attention units, and utilizing your struggles Marissa Ribisi performed in films such as Dazed and Confused, True Crime directed by Clint Eastwood, The Brady Bunch Movie, Pleasantville, Don’s Plum, Kicking a Screaming directed by Noah Baumbach, and such television as Friends, Grace Under Fire, Watching Ellie, original mini-series Tales of the City, regular roles on the Tracy Ullman Show, Grown Ups with Jaleel White and untitled HBO pilot starring Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, Hollywood Confidential Pilot with Charlize Theron as well as many other pilots.  She is the twin sister of Giovanni Ribisi.  Marissa took time to raise her kids and upon returning to her acting career she was cast as the recurring role of Helen in Julie Delpy’s new Netflix series On The Verge starring Julie Delpy, Elizabeth Shue, and Giovanni Ribisi.  This show is set to air in summer 2021.

In todays episode Tonje talks to Nora Zehetner about the freedom of not worrying about social obligations, tackling uncertainty, re evaluating your values, the challenges of being a female actress, going with your gut and the lack of dependability in finding happiness only in work. Raised in Texas, Nora Zehetner discovered a passion for acting and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 18 to pursue her career. She shot to fame in Rian Johnson’s debut film “Brick” Her television career , includes NBC “Heroes” “Mad Men” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” She will next be seen on “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and is currently shooting the role of “Annie Glenn” in the National Geographic series “The Right Stuff.” The series focuses on NASA’s Mercury space mission based on the bestselling novel by Tom Wolfe.

In this episode Tonje talks to the founder of AHLEM eyewear Ahlem Manai-Platt about, being unapologetic about who you are, building teams with compassion, the curse of being passionate about all things, American curiosity, judgment, and fear.

In this episode Tonje talks to creative director and filmmaker Michael Goldberg about creative risk-taking, questioning the status quo, the origins of ideas, the importance of being truthful about who you are so that others may take consolation from your work and how one of the worst aspects of capitalism is being defined by what you do and not who you are.

In this episode Tonje talks to author and digital entrepreneur Erin Falconer about finding the time for inner contemplation, proactivity in relationships, letting go of what doesn’t serve us, and how female empowerment is not exclusively for women. Erin Falconer is an author and digital entrepreneur who has been heralded as one of the most influential female voices online. In 2018, she released the critically acclaimed self-improvement/female empowerment book, 'How To Get Shit Done: Why Women Need To Stop Doing Everything So They Can Achieve Anything'. Since 2008, she has been the editor-in-chief and co-owner of PickTheBrain, a self-improvement blog and podcast. Erin is also the co-founder of LEAFtv, a video lifestyle brand for the Millennial woman. She is a Canadian living in Los Angeles, with her new baby, George.

In this episode, Tonje talks to Designer Sean Knibb about synthesizing your surroundings into your creative work, the blockage of fear, and the freedom of letting go. From his native Montego Bay, Jamaica, Sean’s informal training began at the age of five while cultivating anthuriums in the garden behind his grandparent’s flower shop. The interplay between the nature of the tropics and the colonial formality of his childhood home has cultivated a refined understanding of the juxtaposition of the wild, organic beauty of nature, and the restrained geometry of the man-made. As the leader behind Knibb Design Corp., one of Los Angeles’ most prominent and progressive design studios, Sean Knibb’s projects range from restaurants to bars, corporate and commercial interiors, residential estates, resort grounds, furniture, gardens, and art. throughout his career Sean has remained true to his roots.

In this episode, Tonje talks to Kay Montano about observing, being, and discovering who we are personal growth within adulthood, and the revelations of surrendering to a new reality, being forced to sit with ourselves. Kay began work as a fashion make-up artist at 16, got a record deal at 19, sang until 23, then went back to makeup, spending the next 15 years between London and New York. While seeking more of her own voice, Kay started her own blog, then joined Thandie Newton to form an online platform centering brown women and girls- called ThandieKay,  which used beauty as a trojan horse to represent, encourage, celebrate and explore themes around diversity. Kay now jokes that she is a semi-retired make-up artist, as she prefers to only work for a select group of actresses for the red carpet and for Chanel, with who she has a contract.

In this episode, Tonje talks to Ben Taylor, MSc PhD pharmacoepidemiologist and healthcare executive about how the last year has been for him both professionally and personally, about lessons in consequence, failure and success creativity and science, about systems and building teams and longing for the sparkle outside of it all. Ben is the Vice President at Aetion, Inc, a New-York-based health technology company. His work at Aetion has been instrumental in the fight against COVID19 since March, from understanding the effectiveness of early drug combinations in hospitalized patients, to now designing long-term safety studies in the US as vaccines roll out to our population.

In this first episode Tonje talks to Shelley Kleyn Armistead, Partner & Chief Operating Officer of The Gjelina Group about going above and beyond for what we care about and how the ultimate creative goal is to create an experience that reflects love, passion and purpose.    Born in South Africa, Shelley left Cape Town at the age of 23 - She made her way to California via London, where food sourcing, food politics, and the social justice aspect of her love of hospitality formed deep roots while working with Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers of The River Cafe.    Additionally, Shelley worked for Terrance Conran, and Soho House for 12 years. In 2008 she moved to LA to open Cecconis West Hollywood, and Soho House West Hollywood. All these experiences shaped Shelley's passion for space, product design, and the care of humans, as it all relates to hospitality.   “I believe my journey within this industry, and myself, is to find the interconnectivity of all components of it. In some cases that means dissecting your philosophy and seeing if it applies in all areas of your work: celebrating humans who do the work, and seeing hospitality in all acts not just the traditional.   Dissecting it has meant really looking at how this industry has contributed to the abuse of people, and what systems are in play within my own company.”

'Proper Talk by Tonje’ gathers notable, interesting, and innovative women and men to discuss a wide range of topics and tell their life stories. Inspired by her international community of friends, her life in LA combined with her Norwegian upbringing, Proper Talk by Tonje creates a platform for creative and intimate conversations where she highlights the kind of art, ideas, and revelations people are capable of creating, even in the direst of times.