The Messy Parts

with Maryam Banikarim
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  • CAREERS
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New career advice and messy stories, every Monday.  Whether you’re at the top, or striving to get there—you may have noticed the one thing people rarely talk about: how hard it is to achieve success. The Messy Parts is the answer—a podcast where you’ll hear about the twists, turns and pivots that shape extraordinary careers. The real messy parts along the way. Host Maryam Banikarim has been through it, so she gets it. Maryam has been a transformative leader across media, hospitality and tech. Her powerhouse resume features more than 20 years in the C-Suite at companies like Hyatt, NBC, and Nextdoor—and she has a vast, influential network to match. On The Messy Parts, she brings you unparalleled access to that network. Deeply honest, vulnerable conversations with Maryam—who is never afraid to ask the questions on everyone's mind. Join us as we get real, unfiltered, and messy.

  1. 3D AGO

    Driven by Love and Addicted to “What’s Next”: Fashion Insider Sojin Lee

    Sojin Lee has built startups, helped scale Net-a-Porter, won fashion industry awards — and watched businesses collapse. In this candid conversation, she opens up to Maryam about public failure, ambition addiction, and choosing love over everything else. From early executive days in luxury fashion to launching ahead-of-its-time ventures, Sojin shares hard lessons about risk, ego, shame, and survival. She talks about losing major clients, navigating market crashes, and confronting identity when success disappears. This episode is for entrepreneurs, founders, and professionals facing career pivots, burnout, or reinvention. If you’ve ever tied your worth to achievement — or wondered who you are without the title — this conversation is for you. Key Moments 00:00 – The Myth of Growth Through Failure 💥 Sojin reacts to the idea that “growth comes from failure” — and why that’s easy to say but brutal to live through. 02:12 – Raised to Be Responsible, Not Seen 🌏 Growing up Korean, the eldest of four, constantly translating and adapting — and how that shaped her identity. 05:18 – The ‘Joy Luck Club’ Leadership Complex 🍽️ Why giving away the biggest piece can turn into over-functioning at work — and quiet resentment. 08:05 – Control, Data & the Need for Certainty 📊 Why Sojin gravitated toward analytics in fashion — and how control became her survival strategy. 13:42 – The Love Story That Changed Her Career ❤️ Choosing Net-a-Porter wasn’t just ambition — it was a move driven by love and personal priorities. 19:55 – From 5th Row to Front Row at Fashion Week 👠 The scrappy early days of Net-a-Porter and the moment the industry finally took them seriously. 30:38 – Ahead of Its Time… Then It Collapsed 📉 Launching Fashion Air (early live shopping + UGC) — and watching it fall apart during the recession. 34:05 – The Shame of Public Failure 😶‍🌫️ Why she couldn’t read the press coverage about her startup’s collapse — and the saving-face instinct. 36:45 – When Success Becomes Addictive 💰 How financial wins and big exits unlock a hunger for more — and why that can be unhealthy. 38:52 – COVID, Market Crashes & Losing It Overnight 🌪️ Winning the LVMH Innovation Award — then losing major clients and investor backing during global chaos. 41:08 – “200 Coffees”: The Comeback Strategy ☕ Her practical reset plan: set a mourning deadline, ask for help, and book 200 coffee meetings. 45:05 – Adapt or Fall Behind: Why AI Is Non-Negotiable 🤖 Sojin’s blunt advice for professionals and founders navigating the next wave of disruption. Send a text Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening.

    50 min

  2. FEB 16

    The Man Who Dressed America: Fashion Legend Mickey Drexler

    Mickey Drexler built the Gap into a $15 billion empire, created Old Navy, helped redefine J.Crew, and shaped American retail culture. And then? He was fired. No warning. No thank you. Just a card, a sentence, and a door. In this episode of The Messy Parts, Maryam sits down with Mickey to talk about what actually happens when you do everything “right” and still get pushed out. They go deep on instinct vs. pedigree, why big companies break good people, how to recover from a public exit, and the price of loyalty in a system that doesn’t always return it. This conversation is for anyone who’s ever felt underestimated, overlooked, or like they were building something real while everyone else chased politics. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What do I do now?” — you’re in the right place. Key Moments From $400 Million to $15 Billion How Mickey Drexler scaled Gap into a global powerhouse — and why he still hates the word “turnaround.” 📈 “Adversity Is the Advantage” Growing up in the Bronx, losing his mother young, and how hardship shaped his drive. 💔➡️🔥 Why Mickey Trusts People With Hard Stories Why he’s drawn to people who’ve struggled — and what today’s work culture gets wrong. 🧠❤️ “Business School Is a Waste of Time” Mickey explains why he thinks degrees, grades, and pedigrees don’t equal instinct or success. 🎓🚫 The Shy Kid Who Became a CEO Mickey opens up about insecurity, introversion, and growing into leadership later in life. 😶➡️👔 The $500 Salary Moment That Changed Everything The quiet injustice early in his career that taught him how systems really work. ⚖️💸 “You Feel It Before It Happens” Mickey describes the instinctual moment he knew he was about to be fired. ⚠️🧭 Fired After 18 Years… With a Card How Mickey Drexler was let go from Gap — no warning, no thanks, just a sentence. 🧾💥 “It Was a Gut Punch” Processing rage, humiliation, and self-worth after a public corporate exit. 🥊😞 Is There a Right Way to Fire Someone? Mickey explains how leaders should handle endings — and why most fail. 🪑🤝 Betting on People: Why Jenna Lyons Mattered How choosing the right creative partner helped rebuild J.Crew — and what talent really looks like. 🎨✨ Advice for Anyone Starting Out Today “Hire your boss. Trust your instinct. If it doesn’t feel right — walk.” 🚪➡️🌱 Send a text Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening.

    34 min

  3. FEB 9

    From Fired to Fashion Powerhouse: Jeweler Marla Aaron

    At what point does a side hustle stop being a hobby? On this episode of The Messy Parts, Marla Aaron tells Maryam the exact moment she realized she could no longer hedge her ambition. What began as a creative outlet eventually became a full-fledged business, but not without years of doubt, rejection, and financial anxiety. In this episode, Marla and Maryam explore the tension between security and risk, why waiting to feel “ready” is a trap, and how fear can coexist with clarity. They also talk about loneliness, creativity, social media as an unexpected unlock, and what it really takes to start over later than planned. Key Moments “So Happy. Not Scared at All.” 😮 Marla describes the emotional moment she finally quit her corporate job and why relief outweighed fear. Becoming Comfortable With Discomfort 🌍 Marla connects her childhood independence and studying abroad at 17 to her lifelong willingness to take risks. Graduating Into a “Bad Job Market” 📉 Why Marla believes focusing on opportunity matters more than economic doom narratives for young professionals. “I’m Scared of Everything.” 😬 A candid conversation about fear, impostor syndrome, and doing hard things anyway. Choosing Money Over Passion (At First) 💼 Marla explains walking away from journalism due to low pay and financial anxiety. Fired, Divorced, and a Single Mom 💥 The emotional and financial rock bottom that forced Marla to keep moving forward. The Boring Job That Funded Creativity 🔄 How working a job she didn’t love gave her space to build her dream at night. A Hobby With a Dream 💭 How Marla quietly built her jewelry business at night while working full-time and raising a child. “Everyone Told Me I Was Insane.” 🔥 The Cannes turning point: burnout, injury, rage, and the final decision to quit. “This Is Not a Hobby.” 🚨 The pivotal boardroom moment when a CEO unknowingly pushed Marla to fully commit. Instagram Unlocks the Business How learning social media from her kids helped Marla grow a global direct-to-consumer brand. The Loneliness of Building Something Alone 🧍‍♀️ Marla opens up about the isolation that comes with entrepreneurship and leadership. Send a text Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening.

    42 min

  4. FEB 2

    Becoming the CEO of Me: Communications Icon Sally Susman

    Is it possible to be successful, exhausted, uncertain, and stuck — all at the same time? In this episode of The Messy Parts, former Pfizer communications chief Sally Susman joins Maryam on the blue couch to get real about fear, ambition, burnout, and what it really takes to grow. From being told she’d never have a career after coming out, to leading Pfizer during COVID, to leaving corporate life behind, Sally shares the messy, human moments that shaped her leadership. She talks about the risks of playing it too safe, losing identity when a job ends, and why breakthrough moments rarely arrive when you feel “ready.” This isn’t a highlight reel — it’s a real conversation about pressure, reinvention, and learning to trust yourself through change. If your career looks good on paper but feels heavy inside, this episode will help you feel less alone.  Key Moments “Be Ready — You Don’t Know When It’s Coming” ⏳ Sally reflects on COVID and shares her core career philosophy about preparation and unexpected breakthrough moments. Growing Up With Privilege AND Pressure 🎭 Sally explains what it was like being raised in an ambitious, high-expectation household. “You’ll Never Have a Career” 💔 Sally shares the moment she came out to her parents — and the sentence that reshaped her entire life trajectory. “Nothing Scared Me After That” 🔥 How that painful family moment became the foundation of her courage and leadership confidence. Leaving Government for Corporate America 🏛️➡️🏢 Why Sally walked away from politics — and what frustrated her most about “doing good” in government. “My Heart Was in My Throat” 😰➡️💪 Sally explains why fear is her signal for growth — and how discomfort became her career compass. Walking Into Pfizer’s Reputation Wall 🧱 The moment Sally realized just how deep public distrust of Big Pharma really ran. COVID Changed Everything 🌍 Inside Pfizer’s pandemic pivot — opening labs to media, sharing trial protocols, and racing against time. Finding Her Voice on the Global Stage 🎙️ How Sally went from behind-the-scenes operator to public-facing leader during the crisis. Hiring a “Senior Intern” After Watching a Movie 🎬 The unconventional idea inspired by The Intern that became a Fast Company cover story. Leaving Corporate Life Was Harder Than She Expected 🚪 Sally opens up about identity loss, comfort traps, and preparing for her off-ramp. “I Was Too Transactional” — Career Feedback That Stung 🪞 The tough 360 review that changed how Sally approached relationships at work. Advice to 35-Year-Old You: “Worry Less” 🌱 Sally’s direct message to stressed professionals navigating pressure and self-doubt. Send a text Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening.

    48 min

  5. 12/22/2025

    The Best of The Messy Parts: Humor, Resilience & Rewriting the Rules

    This week, we are looking back at some of the most powerful, hilarious, and vulnerable moments from The Messy Parts. We created this episode with Hark Audio, gathering the standout clips that define what this show is all about: embracing the chaos and finding strength in the struggle. Whether you are new to the podcast or a day-one listener, this compilation features the wisdom you need right now. We revisit these conversations and more: Negin Farsad on finding the humor in social justice and the "messy" side of comedy.Fede Garcia on navigating communication and the power of perspective.Vanessa Barboni Hallik on the complexities of sustainable fashion and ethical leadership.Cindi Leive on redefining power structures and her journey through the media landscape.Ana Gasteyer on how you make your aspirations your identityTune in for a dose of inspiration, laughter, and real talk. Links: Check out Hark Audio: https://harkaudio.com/  Send a text Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening.

    43 min

  6. 12/15/2025

    Katie Sturino on Building Megababe, Owning the Mess, and Dreaming Big (Re-Release)

    We're going back to our first episode: Katie Sturino is no stranger to reinvention—from fashion PR hustler to viral dog-momager to founder of Megababe and author of the new romcom Sunny Side Up. In the premiere episode of The Messy Parts, she joins Maryam to talk about building a self-funded brand, the real struggles behind the Instagram gloss, and how letting the "messy parts hang out" can be your superpower. They talk all things Ozempic, Oprah, body image, revenge-fueled motivation, and working with family. Katie also opens up about her purpose: helping women stop feeling bad alone—and start feeling powerful together. Show Notes:  Guest: Katie Sturino – Entrepreneur, Author, Founder of Megababe Follow Katie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiesturino/?hl=en Follow Katie on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katiesturino Topics Covered: Why revenge is her greatest motivator: "Success is the ultimate revenge"Moving to NYC and relentlessly pursuing her dream job at ChanelMaking her dog Toast Instagram-famous and recognizing unexpected opportunitiesStarting 12ish Style blog after discovering the power of body representationCreating Megababe: solving problems no one talks about (thigh chafe, boob sweat)Working with family: benefits and challenges of business partnershipsWriting "Sunny Side Up": transforming pain into a romcom after 9 yearsMeeting Oprah and sparking a national conversation about weight stigmaThe messy reality of entrepreneurship that podcasts don't shareDreaming big without limits and trusting your gut Mentioned: ChanelDolce & GabbanaMegababe ProductsToast (her famous dog): DogMeetsWorld12ish Style blog"Sunny Side Up" (her novel)Today ShowOprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss RevolutionTargetWeight WatchersOzempicIna Garten’s book, Be Ready When Luck HappensThe Longest TableSend a text Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening.

    46 min

  7. 12/08/2025

    Ana Gasteyer Gets Real About Wicked, SNL, and the Hustle of Showbiz (Re-Release)

    What does it really take to build a career across Saturday Night Live, Broadway’s Wicked, network TV, and music? In this re-release of one of our favorite episodes of The Messy Parts, Ana Gasteyer joins Maryam Banikarim to reveal the messy, unglamorous parts of showbusiness — like rejection, insecurity, and feeling like an outsider. Ana turned those realities into fuel for her creativity, and tells Maryam about the power of radical preparedness in auditions, why naming her goals out loud shifted everything, and how Martin Short's life-balancing method helps her navigate the chaos of life. Whether you’re an actor, artist, writer, or anyone chasing a creative dream, Ana’s insights on resilience and reinvention will resonate deeply. A warm, hilarious, and refreshingly honest conversation about ambition, belonging, and showing up for the life you want. Send a text Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening.

    45 min

  8. 12/01/2025

    Rafat Ali Plays the Long Game: This Internet Pioneer Says You Should Stop Rushing Your Career

    Is your path too messy for success? In this episode of The Messy Parts, Maryam talks to Rafat Ali, founder of Skift and one of the most quietly influential figures in digital media. This feels like a personal conversation, Rafat opens up about the parts of his journey most people never hear: stuttering as a teenager, feeling like an outsider in America, breaking down during intense life changes, and rebuilding through resilience. Maryam guides Rafat through the unexpected threads that connect his life — curiosity, delayed gratification, instinct, and the belief that nonlinear careers often lead to the most meaningful destinations. From surviving the collapse of his industry to navigating the COVID shutdown and a banking crisis, Rafat offers real insight for anyone struggling with uncertainty. Show Notes:  ✍️ Stammering to Storytelling: How Writing Became His Superpower  The childhood stutter, expanding vocabulary, and discovering writing as expression. 🌍 From India to Indiana: Culture Shock, Baywatch & Belonging  Rafat’s honest story of early loneliness, identity, and adjusting to America as a Muslim kid. 🎙️ Why Push Through? Rafat on Life Phases & the “Two-Year Rule”  How he decides when to persist vs. pivot — a core framework for careers and reinvention. 💼 B2B Influence > Fame: Choosing a Niche and Owning a Sector  Why Rafat sought influence over money—and how niching down fueled his career strategy. 🧭 Contrarian Thinking & Global Lens: Seeing What Others Miss  How being an outsider shaped his instincts, travel philosophy, and entrepreneurship. 🔁 Career Compounding: Staying Put to Accelerate Growth  His philosophy on long careers, loyal teams, and why job-hopping kills momentum. 🌐 Influence Over Money: Why Rafat Chose Impact, Not Income Rafat reveals the driving force behind his entire career: the pursuit of influence—not wealth 👨‍👩‍👧 Family, Legacy & Belonging: The Emotional Skift India Forum  The powerful story of bringing his mother to his Delhi conference and finally being “seen.” 💥 When Everything Breaks: COVID, SVB Collapse & Leading Through Panic Inside the near-death business moments—money running out, tears, resilience, and action.  🧠 Mental Health, Compartmentalizing & the Breakdown That Changed Him  Rafat opens up about his recent mental health crisis, adopting a baby, and learning limits. Send a text Email us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening.

    37 min
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About

New career advice and messy stories, every Monday.  Whether you’re at the top, or striving to get there—you may have noticed the one thing people rarely talk about: how hard it is to achieve success. The Messy Parts is the answer—a podcast where you’ll hear about the twists, turns and pivots that shape extraordinary careers. The real messy parts along the way. Host Maryam Banikarim has been through it, so she gets it. Maryam has been a transformative leader across media, hospitality and tech. Her powerhouse resume features more than 20 years in the C-Suite at companies like Hyatt, NBC, and Nextdoor—and she has a vast, influential network to match. On The Messy Parts, she brings you unparalleled access to that network. Deeply honest, vulnerable conversations with Maryam—who is never afraid to ask the questions on everyone's mind. Join us as we get real, unfiltered, and messy.

Information

  • Creator
    with Maryam Banikarim
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Messy Parts
  • Show Website
    The Messy Parts