Lorenza Cocco’s career journey has taken her from the fast-paced world of global finance to the heart of her family’s 400-year-old legacy business, and she's here today to tell us all about her whirlwind life and career. After years in finance, Lorenza felt the pull of something more personal. She took a year to travel across Asia, volunteering in rural India with the Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project—a pioneering school providing world-class education to children from India’s lowest castes. There, she taught economics and commerce to high school students preparing for competitive college entrance exams. Today, she serves as Chief Operating Officer of La Bella. Drawing on her international business experience, she has been instrumental in steering the family enterprise into the future while honoring its extraordinary history.
Lorenza candidly talks about feeling like an imposter at work, jumping into new things, and listening to her body to guide her to her next step. We get into the intricacies of working with family, creating a legacy for her kids, and what "having it all" means to her. Overall, this conversation left me feeling so inspired, and I hope it will do the same for you!
xx
Johanna
Find Lorenza on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/goldenkokonutz/?hl=en
And La Bella Strings at https://www.labella.com/
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
My guest today is Pamela Bell, a mother, teacher, advocate, fashion activist and fearless feminist who joins us to discuss how she's managed to wear a thousand different hats in her one incredible lifetime while doing good for the world. She has done SO MUCH, but you'll have to listen in on our conversation to discover everything that Pamela has done with her creative power - she believes we are all more than a list of our professional achievements.
Our discussion goes deep - we dive into how fashion and creativity can support entire ecosystems of people traditionally overlooked by larger industries. She talks about finding supporters early on, letting creativity appear and surprise you no matter where you are in your life, and supporting the causes you believe in. Pamela shares her advice for figuring out what your causes are and how to begin your own advocacy, both for yourself and for others.
Something I'm taking away from today? Running into NO is an opportunity to ask what else is possible. What's sticking with you?
xx
Jo
Find Pamela on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pamelabellcollageworks/?hl=en
Find her art at https://pamelabellcollageworks.com/
Find prinkshop at https://prinkshop.com/
Her recommendation to stay on top of women's news: https://jessica.substack.com/
Organizations prinkshop supports:
Seeds of Peace
National Institute for Reproductive Health
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
Allison Henry Aver has a penchant for building brands full of charm, style, and charisma and taking them from static to spirited, and she brings all her magic and energy to our conversation today. Her expertise in branding grew from leading in-house creative marketing teams and executing global content and campaigns for premier fashion and beauty brands such as Vogue, kate spade new york and Bumble and bumble. She was also the founding Creative Director for the cult brand, Kate Spade Saturday. She joins us to talk about the different eras of her creative communities, being a busy bee and GETTING jobs, and not waiting to be asked.
Allison talks about staying top of mind and not feeling bad about keeping in touch with people. She also highlights the importance of thinking of yourself as an asset to those you admire and being the help that they need when they need it. We also discuss finding your niche and what makes you, you, and just being up for a good adventure!
I'm inspired - and I hope you are too,
xx
Jo
Find Allison at https://www.lettera.xyz/
And on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/allisonhenryaver/
And on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonhenryaver
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
Anyone who knows me knows two things: I love to gather people, and I love horses. Having Emmie Strommen join me today is truly a dream - Emmie is the founder of Calling All Horse Girls, a lifestyle and media company dedicated to celebrating horse girls of every kind. Listen in for her experience building her company from the ground up - sending out dms, asking questions, and bringing her vision to life one step at a time. We talk about how she balances her creative and business side, how she sustains her passion for her work, and staying centered while working multiple jobs at once.
Then we get into family - how her son has given her a completely different perspective on life, the sleep depravation no one warned her about, and how she considers her family her generational wealth. She shares the advice she lives by: leaning into the parts of life that give you energy, and most importantly, "you're not better than anyone else, and no one else is better than you."
As always, thank you for being here, and keep in touch,
xx
Jo
Find Emmie at https://callingallhorsegirls.com/
And on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/heyhihowwedoing/
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
I'm joined by none other than Jeanette Limas today, a phenomenal fashion designer who's graduate collection received the Young Designer of the Year Award, allowed her to present her designs at Dominican Republic Fashion Week, and won her a scholarship to Parsons School of Design. In New York City, Jeanette refined her techniques at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and gained valuable experience working on the design teams of Urban Zen by Donna Karan and couturier Jolibe Atelier and launched her namesake brand in 2019 and presented multiple successful collections at New York Fashion Week.
In 2022, Jeanette earned a coveted place on the Amazon Prime show Making the Cut, hosted by fashion icons Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, an experience she shares with us today, along with the happy accidents that led her there, the magical powers of clothes, and how she strives to always show up with authenticity and enthusiasm. We also get into building a business, understanding the promise of a new season through fashion, and the importance of coming from a place of learning when approaching new challenges.
Thank you for listening,
xx
Jo
Find Jeanette at https://www.jeanettelimas.com/
and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jeanettelimas/?hl=en
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
I'm joined by the incomparable Deborah Lloyd today to talk about her incredible career in fashion and what she learned from working as the Chief Creative Officer of Kate Spade. We talk about her transition from overworking to a slower lifestyle focused on finding the rhythm of the seasons in her garden and doing all the things she wanted to do but never had time to due to work commitments.
I ask her about how she used to spot talent and what she looked for in the people she hired. Through her stories, we experience life as a fashion executive traveling around the world, adapting to what her work required. She tells us about picking people who can do what we can't, and realizing that everything over the course of life is additive - "when the moment's right, things happen." Finally, Deborah shares what she's learned beyond work: to enjoy the journey, and let go of the tunnel vision when it's coming at the cost of too much life.
Join us for this fun, insightful conversation that left me feeling inspired and reinvigorated - and wishing I had a beautiful English garden!
xx
Jo
PS: Check in here after you listen for Deborah's updated dream dinner party guest list ;)
Guest listI would just like to be a fly on the wall!
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
I've been looking forward to this episode for a long time. Jackie Giannelli - a board-certified nurse practitioner with over two decades of clinical experience, specializing in hormonal health, menopause, and women’s sexual wellness - joins me to discuss finding our secret sauce when it comes to managing our health. Jackie says it best: "This isn’t about managing symptoms. It’s about rewriting the story. Midlife isn’t a crisis—it’s a power shift. And I’m here to help women not just survive it, but own it, redefine it, and rise through it with confidence, clarity, and agency."
And does she ever help! We get into it and talk learning by doing, no longer considering hormones a taboo topic, and demystifying menopause. We explore the work of our ovaries, how they don't operate in a vacuum, and the importance of understanding our symptoms rather than pushing through them. The more we know about ourselves, the more health providers can help us figure out our hormonal trajectory - and I share how important this journey has been in my life.
Let me know how you're doing,
xx
Jo
Find Jackie at: https://jackiegiannellinp.com/
and on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/jackie.giannellinptalks/?hl=en
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
Thyme Sullivan and Denielle Finkelstein are the powerhouse Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of UNICORN, the company redefining modern workplaces by making period care as ubiquitous as toilet paper, in EVERY bathroom stall, everywhere. With unmatched passion and vision, Thyme and Denielle are not just building a company, they are creating a movement. Today, they join me to discuss their path to and through entrepreneurship. We talk about partnership, being open to feedback, always learning, and that doing serious things doesn't mean having to take yourself seriously. They celebrate tuning into your gut, redefning success over time, and hey, if you make a mistake, keep going and find another way!
We get into the nitty gritty of fundraising as a woman, gaining clarity through perspective, and the different types of money to look out for when funding your business. Join us for a conversation full of humor, energy and most of all, deep intelligence and expertise that inspired me, and that I hope will inspire you. To sum up Denielle and Thyme's ethos: "a rocket ship doesn't have rearview mirrors."
xx
Jo
Find Denielle at https://www.linkedin.com/in/denielle-finkelstein-5637baa/
and Thyme at https://www.linkedin.com/in/thyme-sullivan/
UNICORN at https://www.linkedin.com/company/unicorn-in-every-stall
and https://www.everystall.com/
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
Today I'm coming in solo to talk about what I learned from my summer of nonstop action (self-imposed and not)! Is it possible to find new ways to be present when so many things are fighting for my attention?
Join me, and most importantly, share how this lands with you! I want to know - has this summer shown you anything about yourself? what are you hoping for as kids go back to school and a new season begins?
xx
Jo
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
Beginning her career in magazines, notably W Magazine and Lucky Magazine, Julia Kalachnikoff has over 20 years experience in the fashion industry. She joins me today to talk through her journey through the pre-computer fashion world. We start with reflecting about our changing visions of our lives, how what we wanted at twenty is different to what we wanted at thirty five - and that's ok. She shares her experience becoming a mother while working in very important, high pressure roles.
On the back half, Julia candidly shares her experience with sobriety and finding alternate ways to relax and enjoy more quiet moments, breaking generational trauma cycles to talk about the real life stuff and prepare for the messy conversations.
This one's a goodie - join us
xx
Johanna
Find Julia at https://juliakalachnikoff.com/
and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/juliakalach/?hl=en
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
Today is FASHION day! Laura Pritchard is a super talented stylist and an amazing brand consultant. She joins us to talk about her professional journey through New York City's incredibly fast paced and high stakes fashion world. We dive into stories about THE (Vogue) Closet, break down trends, and talk about how to build a solid wardrobe - Laura walks us through the TWELVE staples every woman should own and solves all of our style problems!
We talk about our infamous years of schlepping all around town while trying to make names for ourselves in the fashion world, figuring out that we are all insecure at heart, and that "no." is an answer. As a B student with an A student mentality, Laura shows how her career was built on more than talent: to make it in the fashion world, hard work and kindness go a much longer way.
This is a FUN one! Put on your favorite T - if you don't have one, listen up because Laura dishes on where to get it - and let's get into it!
Find Laura on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/laura_pritch/
online at https://www.seemanagement.com/artists/laura-pritchard
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
Let me know what your closet staples are!
xx
Jo
Sydney Price is an award-winning merchant and the founder of The Knew Purpose, a conscious leadership company with the vision to advance sustainability and innovation in business. She is a dynamic force at designing, developing, and implementing social and environmental focused impact programs while creating new revenue channels and profitability for companies, and she joins me today to talk about what happened once she chose the fashion industry as her vehicle to see and experience the world.
Through The Knew Purpose, Sydney works with leaders, companies and communities to create a better world. In our conversation, she shares what led her to create her own company at an inflection point in her successful career, and the importance of learning on the job. We also talk about intentionality through life's different chapters, the bad decisions that lead us to gentler ways, and making mind movies - yes, you read correctly, listen along to hear Sydney's brilliant manifestation strategies!
Find Sydney and The Knew Purpose at https://www.theknewpurpose.com/home-1
and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/theknewpurpose/
Find Women for Women here: https://www.womenforwomen.org/
Find Doctors Without Borders here: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/what-we-do/where-we-work/afghanistan
Find Afghan Women's Fund here: https://www.vitalvoices.org/afghanwomensfund/
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
Thank you for being here,
xx
Jo
My guest today is Alexandra Kohl, an incredible and awe-inspiring painter and weaver who is interested in new perspectives created from human interaction with natural materials. Drawing inspiration from the healing spirit, elegance and strength of horses, she hand-places strands of horsehair into forms that juxtapose organic and geometric structure, and her work is currently at the Manitoga Design Center in Garrison, NY.
Today she shares what life is like as a full time artist - how she has dealt with rejection, putting herself out there as a naturally shy person, and being open to full circle moments. We talk about navigating the uncertainty in her career, balancing a part time job with her creative practice for inspiration, and letting uncreative days happen.
Find somewhere comfy and listen as Alexandra takes us into her dreamy creative world.
Let me know where you get your creative inspiration,
xx
Jo
Find Alexandra at https://www.alexandrakohl.com/
And on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/alexandrakohldesign/
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
We are beyond thrilled to have Danielle Prescod joining the table today! Author of The Rules of Fortune and Token Black Girl, Danielle is a fifteen-year veteran of the beauty industry and cofounder of 2BG Consulting, which aids fashion and beauty brands and influencers on their anti-racism journeys. Danielle and I dive right in to their experiences with the fashion world and let us in on just how accurate The Devil Wears Prada really was. We talk about finding the energy and motivation to accomplish creative goals, letting someone else say no rather than being the one saying it to yourself, and the importance of fitting important things into our busy lives.
Throughout our discussion, Danielle also shares about her belief in attention as currency, the invisible surveillance that keeps us locked in old patterns, reclaiming her time, and the intricacies of self care - is a face mask ever enough?
The conversation flowed, and I hope you'll enjoy listening - let me know if you do!
xx
Johanna
You can find Danielle on her website http://www.danielleprescod.com/
On instagram https://www.instagram.com/danielleprescod/
Token Black Girl here: https://www.amazon.com/Token-Black-Girl-Danielle-Prescod/dp/1542035163
The Rules of Fortune here: https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Fortune-Novel-Danielle-Prescod/dp/166252014X
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
The time has come for another edition of Girl Dinner - this week, Johanna sits down one on one to talk about TURNING 50! She shares 5 things she knows for sure as she crosses this incredible milestone!
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
The legendary Eva Scrivo joins us today and Drops. Some. Wisdom. She talks about building her incredible business by connecting with one person at a time and investing in them having a really amazing experience. She shares her artistic process - focus on what you do well! - the gift of working with her hands, and attracting a lot of what you give out. Eva invites us in on her twenty three year business partnership with her husband, and talks about the invaluable lessons she has learned along the way. Her keys to success? Having boundaries with time, treating business as an ongoing conversation, staying present in your continuous learning process, and being comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Eva is a highly acclaimed hair and makeup artist, and the owner of two eponymous salons - on Fifth Avenue in New York City and in Pound Ridge, NY. Her approach to beauty as a whole and each person as an individual has led her to working with a long list of celebrities and legendary photographers such as Patrick Demarchelier, Bruce Weber, Albert Watson, Norman Jean Roy, Nigel Parry, and Elliott Erwitt, and brought Eva to the editorial world’s top tier of fashion and beauty. She also has extensive television experience, including several years as resident beauty expert on NBC's Martha.
It is always a good time for a hairapy session (thank you for the new word, Eva)!
xx, Jo
Find Eva at https://evascrivo.com/
or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/evascrivosalons/?hl=en
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
The magnificent Mary Buri joins Eat My Words today 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
This week, Sarah Gaboury joins our table! An LA-based acting coach known for her no-bs meat and potatoes acting technique, Sarah has worked with renowned theatre companies and many hit TV shows - This Is Us, PARADISE and Dr. Odyssey to name a few! Sarah also owns and operates Real Actor's Lab, and discusses the challenges of being a mother while finding more and more success in her career. We talk about our journeys with acting, what to do when you don't want to want what you want, and how sometimes not accomplishing a dream can actually be a great relief. We also dive into motherhood and the surprisingly physical realness of the Tug (iykyk, if you don't, tune in!).
The discussion veers into finding boundaries around work, opening up to moments of delight that feel easy and soft, the importance of taking the time to step back and look at what you've accomplished, and the little talked about promise of repair.
Talk to us in the comments, on Instagram, Tiktok - heck, email us at hello@eatmywordsthepodcast.com! Let's dig in!
xx
Johanna
Find Sarah Gaboury on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realactorslab/?hl=en
And at Real Actor's Lab: https://realactorslab.com/
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
This Tuesday, we have a soulful, intimate conversation about unlearning fear to reunite with your creativity. Johanna sits down with Cece Liu, founder of CECILIA, a brand created with the intention to create more access to horses, horse culture, and their healing power; and a culmination of deep passions, artistic need, and industry experiences coming full circle. Cece shares her lessons in glamour and burnout as a fashion executive with over fifteen years of experience working with brands like Kate Spade New York, ESPRIT, Burberry and Calvin Klein. Her advice? "Start as a receptionist!"
The conversation flows from parental expectations to conquering her fear of the unknown to honor her creativity. She also brings us along her journey starting her own brand, getting back in the saddle (literally!), and listening to the moment when you need to jump in: "Sometimes all you have to see is that it's possible."
So join us and get INSPIRED for the Summer.
xx
Johanna
Find Cece on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearcecilia__/
Shop: https://dearcecilia.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaeGEUoyE8aZfs3v9fga-6krMr8tz7yQoDbwQ7KR_gZoBXy3vHbQmiHu13kaJA_aem_D7vm-vk6H2tp7UabL6yw7Q
Substack: https://hippology.substack.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAafb331lgMqlPK-qegsyh0qU3TvbUrAGuVvpTtL0u2jHZHQWdqxpyZWn0VSw2g_aem_0v6UI8H3vhPsbILMUztXMQ
Eat My Words Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatmywordsthepodcast/
Eat My Words TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eatmywords_thepodcast
The vibes are LIVELY this Tuesday! We are joined by 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