pretty smart

• Forever Chemicals Are Everywhere—How Do We Stay Safe? with EWG President Ken Cook

  Ken Cook is the President and co-founder of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and has spent his life fighting for safer food, cleaner water, and tougher regulations to protect us—and our kids—from toxic chemicals. He’s reshaped U.S. food and farm policy and pushed back against the industries putting profits over people. In this episode, he shares: What the EWG really does—and how their site can help you make safer, smarter choices for yourself and your family. Why EWG chose to make science “buzzy”—and how it changed everything. The wild difference between U.S. and European product regulations (and why so many harmful ingredients are still legal here).The Dirty Dozen & Clean 15: the simplest way to know what produce to buy organic. How to find out what’s actually in your tap water—and what to do about it.What you need to know about PFAS (aka “forever chemicals”). Why “legal” doesn’t always mean “safe”—especially when it comes to beauty, cleaning, furniture, and home goods. How toxic chemicals are impacting kids—and why you should care.His go-to tips to make safer swaps without feeling overwhelmed. Why cracking a window might be one of the healthiest things you do today. How EWG is fighting to make organic food and safer products more accessible and affordable for everyone.The real reason companies are finally making cleaner, healthier options—and what role you play.   Book Rec: The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes   Check out the EWG here and their consumer guides (safer beauty, tap water, sunscreen etc) here.   Check out Ken’s Podcast “Ken Cook is Having Another Episode” here!  

  --------  

  53:50
• How 21Seeds Became the It-Girl Tequila—And Changed An Entire Industry: The 21Seeds Story (Kat Hantas + Sarika Singh)

  Danielle sits down with the powerhouse women behind 21 Seeds Tequila—Kat Hantas, Sarika Singh, and Nicole Emanuel—to reveal how they built a $160+ million brand from their kitchen. This is also happens to be Danielle’s FAVORITE (infused) tequila!  The journey from infusing tequila at home to becoming the No. 1 flavored tequila in the U.S. Why traditional tequila marketing missed the mark for women—and how they flipped the script The moment they knew 21 Seeds was bigger than just a fun side hustle Behind-the-scenes of their first disastrous production run and how they turned failure into momentum How they caught the attention of  Oprah, and the entire spirits industry. What it was like to have celebrities like Jessica Alba and Katie Couric organically fall in love with their brand How being outsiders in the spirits industry gave them an advantage over legacy brands The strategy that helped them land on the shelves of Whole Foods, Target, Trader Joe’s, and major liquor stores nationwide The lessons they learned from selling their brand to Diageo, the parent company of Casamigos and Don Julio Why moms make the best entrepreneurs and how motherhood prepared them for building a business The future of 21 Seeds and their advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to break into competitive industries If you love entrepreneurship, tequila, brand-building, and female founders shaking up male-populated spaces, this episode is a must-listen. Find out how these women called the shots—and changed the industry. Grab your limited edition Shot Callers card game here. Follow 21SEEDS here

  --------  

  51:26
• The Art of Walking Away (Before You Lose Yourself) with Ashlyn Harris

  Ashlyn Harris—World Cup champion, activist, mother, and the goalkeeper with the most saves in U.S. Women’s National Team history—opens up about the reality of high-performance culture, the addiction that almost consumed her, and why she walked away from everything she built to start over. Now, she’s in a new chapter—one that includes radical self-work, protecting her peace, and an unexpected love story. In this episode, Ashlyn shares: The moment she realized she was living a life that wasn’t hers & what she did about it How Adderall addiction almost derailed her career—and what pulled her out The moment she realized she was living a life that wasn’t truly hers What it really took to leave her marriage and start over The price of protecting your peace—and why it’s always worth it The shocking truth about women’s soccer’s pay gap (and why she was done fighting) How her friendship with Sophia Bush turned into something more What the media gets wrong about their relationship—and why she doesn’t care The hardest lesson she learned in therapy—and the question that changed everything Why she refuses to settle for an “average” life (and how it shapes her relationships) What elite athletes and Hollywood actors really have in common How she’s rebuilding her life—on her own terms The problem with hustle culture, and why true success is about more than just winning Her new podcast “Wide Open” – how she named it and the one episode she thinks everyone should start with! This is a conversation about reinvention and the radical act of choosing yourself—even when the whole world is watching. Follow Ashlyn Harris here Listen to her podcast “Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris” produced by iHeart Women’s Sports. New episodes drop weekly on Mondays, on the iHeartRadio app and anywhere you get your podcasts. 

  --------  

  1:23:59
• A Royal Bloodline, A Rebellious Spirit: How Asma Khan Changed the Culinary World

  Asma Khan—Michelin-starred chef, activist, and the woman who turned rejection into revolution sits down with Danielle Robay. Born into an Indian royal bloodline, Asma was told from birth that she was a disappointment—too dark, too fat, too unworthy. The extended family dismissed her. She was never meant to be a leader. But that’s exactly what she became. Now, she is the force behind Darjeeling Express, a London restaurant run entirely by South Asian immigrant women—home cooks, nannies, and housewives who had never worked in professional kitchens before. In this episode, Asma shares: The one sentence her sister told her as a child that changed her life forever Why she refuses to scream in the kitchen—and what male chefs get wrong about food How Darjeeling Express began in her home and became an international success The painful truth about losing friends after success (and how she knew it was time to walk away) How she convinced a banker to fund her dream—after getting laughed out of the room The surprising person who saved her when she hit rock bottom Why she chose to hire only South Asian immigrant women—and how they built something powerful together Why her scars are her greatest source of power The Hollywood A-lister who surprised her with bagels and became an unexpected friend\ Follow Asma Khan here  

  --------  

  1:13:38
• The Audacity to Want More: with Bozoma Saint John

  What does it really take to build an urgent, bold, uncompromising life? In this unfiltered conversation, Bozoma Saint John—former marketing executive at Apple, Pepsi, Uber, Netflix, and Endeavor, and now founder of Eve—shares the hard-earned lessons in life, love, and career. From working with Spike Lee to making the career-defining call that helped launch Beyoncé’s solo superstardom, Bozoma opens up about the tough decisions, defining moments, and the mindset shifts that changed everything. In this personal episode, Boz shares: The cost of ambition—and why some sacrifices are unavoidable. Why chutzpah and naivete might be the secret formula for success. How to balance urgency and patience when building a meaningful career. The power of saying no and setting boundaries that protect your vision. Navigating grief, reinvention, and major life pivots—from marriage and loss to career shifts. The moment that changed Beyoncé’s career—and how it applies to you. Why being an outsider can be your biggest advantage. What it was like working alongside Spike Lee, Jimmy Iovine, Ari Emanuel, and Reed Hastings. Why she built her company, Eve, in Ghana instead of following the traditional playbook. Her unfiltered take on mentorship, money, and living without regrets. This episode is about making bold choices, owning your power, and refusing to play by anyone else’s rules. If you’ve ever questioned whether success is worth the sacrifice—or wondered how to build a career and life that’s fully yours—this conversation will change the way you think.Press play. You won’t forget it. Follow Bozoma here. Sign up for the Badass Workshop in your city here. Buy Eve by Boz hair here.

  --------  

  1:11:17

More Arts podcasts

Trending Arts podcasts

About pretty smart