OOO by Bridges

Bella Malvini

You know that feeling when you leave a conversation thinking, Why didn't anyone tell me this sooner? That's Out of Office. Hosted by Bella Malvini, Founder of San Francisco's Bridges Social Club, this isn't your typical career podcast. No LinkedIn buzzwords, no polished soundbites, no pretending the path was linear. Bella sits down with women who've scaled companies, led teams, made pivots, and earned their seats — then pulls back the curtain on the decisions, doubts, and trade-offs behind the success. Zero gatekeeping. Because ambition shouldn't feel lonely.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Confidence Is Currency: Unspoken Rules That Will Actually Advance Your Career

    Confidence isn't loud…it's strategic. In the second Unspoken Rules episode, Bella breaks down why confidence is the most underrated form of currency in corporate America.  She shares why most women were never taught how to use it and how you can build up your confidence starting today.  Fresh off one of the most intense work trips of her career she reflects on everything she learned from: a major company rebrand, a 18K-person conference, and a 20+ person production she ran start to finish.  Bella gets real about why young women who know themselves deeply are rare, and that is exactly the advantage you need to thrive in corporate America. She redefines what confidence actually looks like in a corporate setting and the micro-actions that compound over time into undeniable presence. If you’ve been needing a little nudge to step into your most bada** gorgeous self, this episode will be the perfect watch for you.  Apply here to join Bridges.  Follow OOO by Bridges on: Instagram TikTok YouTube  Follow Bella Malvini on: Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Comment who you want Bella to interview next!  Produced by: GOGO STUDIOZ CHAPTERS:  00:00 Why Bella is talking about confidence today 2:45 The work trip that changed how she sees herself 5:30 Why young women knowing themselves is still rare  8:00 Redefining confidence: composure, reason, and strategic action  10:15 How to say more by actually saying less  12:00 What confidence is NOT (don't be the chaos)  13:30 EQ as your differentiating edge in the age of AI  14:30 Appearance as currency & how to work it on any budget  19:30 The intern who was never treated like one  23:30 Imposter syndrome vs. self-awareness  26:00 Confidence as a collection of micro-actions  30:30 What it really comes down to: knowing your worth

    31 min

  2. May 19

    The AI Wave Is Here. How Top Women Leaders Are Navigating Change

    If AI has you feeling behind, overwhelmed, or like everyone else already figured it out — this episode is for you. Bella sits down with Alyson Paine, Director of Microsoft 365 Consumer Apps & Services Marketing at Microsoft, for an honest conversation about what it actually feels like to lead through the AI era in real time. After more than a decade at Microsoft building teams from the ground up, Alyson shares what it looks like to navigate one of the biggest workplace shifts of our generation — while balancing leadership, motherhood, ambition, and the very human side of change. Together, Bella and Alyson unpack: • What people are getting wrong about AI • How ambitious women can stay relevant without burning themselves out • Why storytelling and human intelligence matter more than ever • The realities of leadership inside one of the world’s largest tech companies • How work, creativity, and career growth are changing in real time This is not another “AI will replace everyone” conversation. It’s a grounded, vulnerable, and deeply honest look at how smart women are adapting, leading, and building meaningful careers through uncertainty. Perfect for anyone navigating tech, leadership, ambition, burnout, or the pressure to constantly keep up. CHAPTERS:  00:00 Director at Microsoft 1:45 Why Alyson stayed in big tech instead of going startup 6:30 How the pace of work has changed inside Microsoft 7:00 How Alyson leads her team through constant change 8:45 Why oversharing context is a leadership superpower 10:45 AI is not a future state… it's happening now 11:15 "You're probably already in the top 5%"  11:45 Using AI to outsource the mental load of motherhood 13:30 Copilot vs. Claude vs. ChatGPT  15:45 Agentic AI  17:30 Analog habits in a tech world (yes, she has a wall calendar) 18:30 Where AI is headed in SF & beyond in the next 3–5 years 20:00 Why AI creates room for more senior individual contributors 22:00 The most valuable marketing skills 26:00 Advice for women who feel behind on AI 28:30 The decision to have kids in the Bay Area 29:45 How two senior-level parents make it work week to week 31:00 Childcare costs, daycare, & the 401(k) strategy that changed everything 33:30 Lifestyle creep & not inflating your cost of living with every raise 37:00 Postpartum reality: outsourcing, sleep training, & shifting expectations 39:00 Alyson’s hardest career moment 45:45 How to Detach Self-Worth From Career Achievement

    48 min

  3. May 12

    A Note From Bella

    Apply here to join Bridges.  Follow OOO by Bridges on: Instagram TikTok YouTube  Follow Bella Malvini on: Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Comment who you want Bella to interview next!  Produced by: GOGO STUDIOZ

    6 min

  4. May 5

    Job Search in 2026: How to Win When the Market Is Broken

    Sasha Leatherbarrow has seen your resume. She's also seen the thing that got it passed over before anyone finished reading it. As Director of Global Talent at Bansk Beauty - the PE firm behind amika, BYOMA, Ethique, and Eva NYC — Sasha has built her career on knowing exactly what separates candidates who get the call from the ones who don't. On this episode of Out of Office, she and Bella get into all of it. What actually moves the needle in beauty recruiting. Why EQ will take you further than your credentials. And how Sasha went from door-to-door sales in England to running global talent for some of the most recognizable brands in the industry. She also talks about holding down a demanding PE career, pro Solidcore coaching, and a Lululemon ambassadorship — and why she thinks work-life balance, as a concept, simply isn't real. Apply here to join Bridges.  Follow OOO by Bridges on: Instagram TikTok YouTube  Follow Bella Malvini on: Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Comment who you want Bella to interview next!  Produced by: GOGO STUDIOZ

    57 min

  5. Apr 28

    AMA: Career, Building Confidence & Finding Personal Identity

    Bella Malvini goes solo for a full Ask Me Anything (AMA) episode. No guest, no filter, and no topics are off limits. She shares how she ​​builds confidence from the inside out, manages her time across multiple jobs, all while still making time to learn Greek at 5 AM! This episode goes into what it actually takes to run a social club, hold down a full-time tech job, and build a podcast from scratch– all at the same time!  Questions like: Would she ever leave corporate? How can you develop personal style? And does fake it till you make it still apply today?? If you’ve ever wondered how Bella keeps it all together, and want the real answer, not the polished version, this episode will not disappoint. Apply here to join Bridges.  Follow OOO by Bridges on: Instagram TikTok YouTube  Follow Bella Malvini on: Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Comment who you want Bella to interview next!  Produced by: GOGO STUDIOZ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Why this Episode is Unlike Any Other  1:30 How to Find Hobbies Outside of Work 4:28 Tips for Developing Your Personal Style 6:34 THE Best Way to Build Up your Confidence  8:37 How to Make the Leap from Intern → Employee  9:50 Hot Take on “Fake it Till you Make It”  11:54 How to Prioritize Financial Security & Inclusivity in All Your Work 15:26 To Leave or Not to Leave Corporate (When is the Right Time?)  17:23 Why Bella Wants to Become the Female Joe Rogan (But Better!)  19:30 Time management with ADHD across Three Jobs 21:42 What is Admin Hour & Why Do You Need One? 25:39 How to Beat Laziness Using AI

    30 min

  6. Apr 21

    The Unsexy Truth About Building a Career in Fashion & New Tech That’s Changing the Landscape

    Stephanie Doiron did not take the clean, linear path to SVP — and honestly, that’s exactly why this is interesting. She started as a seasonal employee at Old Navy, made her way through Parsons School of Design, grinded through 100-hour weeks at Saks Fifth Avenue, and eventually landed at Clare V.. After nearly a decade of building Clare V.’s digital and tech function from the ground up, she’s now stepping into SVP of Digital & Technology — which, if you know anything about fashion, is not a small feat. Bella and Stephanie get into why chasing skills over titles is actually the career hack (even though nobody wants to hear that), and what actually works behind the scenes in fashion. We also get into what fashion companies consistently get wrong about technology — and it’s probably not what you think. This episode will give you a very real understanding of why the most important work in fashion and retail is the stuff no one’s talking about. Apply here to join Bridges. Follow OOO by Bridges on: Instagram TikTok YouTube  Follow Bella Malvini on: Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Comment who you want Bella to interview next!  Produced by: GOGO STUDIOZ CHAPTERS:  00:00 Introducing Stephanie Doiron, SVP of Digital & Technology at Clare V 2:35 The Zig Zag Career Lesson: Old Navy to Parsons to Saks to Clare V 5:00 Why Skills are More Important than Titles 6:10 The MBA Debate 7:45 How to Get your Foot in The Door (Fashion Industry Edition)  10:15 The unsexy reality of working in the fashion industry 13:00 What Role Does Personal Branding Play in Landing a Fashion Job?  15:30 Fashion vs. Financial Stability: How to Think About the Tradeoff 17:25 How to Level up as a Manager 22:00 Fashion Tech is Having its Moment — What's Driving It 24:30 AI in Retail 101 30:00 Fit Predictions & the Returns Problem 32:00 How DTC Brands should Approach Innovation 35:00 Digital FAILURES: The biggest mistake brands make with digital transformation 37:15 Career Advice for Ambitious Women in Fashion & Digital Commerce

    39 min

  7. Apr 14

    What Actually Gets You Hired (It's Not Working Harder)

    Your career doesn't move forward because you work harder, it moves forward because you position yourself differently.  Bella Malvini, Founder of Bridges Social Club, walks through her full career journey: from getting rejected to applying to 375 jobs before landing a role.  She spills the advice that landed her a job at one of the most successful tech companies in the world, and why being told no isn’t the final answer. You can keep yourself in the game and keep going. This episode will teach you about narrative, personal brand positioning, and how to understand exactly what you offer before you walk into any interview. Apply here to join Bridges.  Follow OOO by Bridges on: Instagram TikTok YouTube  Follow Bella Malvini on: Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Comment who you want Bella to interview next!  Produced by: GOGO STUDIOZ CHAPTERS:  00:00 Why Personal Brand Positioning Beats Hard Work 2:40 Landing Your First Job After College 3:45 The Importance of a F*** You Fund 5:00 Bella Dabbles In Freelance Work  6:15 Getting Work at Big Brands 9:00 How to Break into Tech  11:15 The 375 Job Applications 12:00 AI Tips to Prepare for Job Interviews 15:00 The Best Way to Redirect After Rejection 18:00 Negotiating Your Job Offer 101 20:37 Job Resources That Actually Work

    22 min

  8. Apr 7

    Your Guide to Financial Literacy

    Financial advice was never designed with women in mind, and Karen Tom is here to fix that.  Bella sits down with financial advisor Karen (SIE, Series 6, Series 7, Series 63, CFP candidate) to break down what personal finance actually looks like for ambitious women.  They explore the realities of thriving in high cost-of-living cities, especially when your income is variable, your rent just doubled, and your parents might need you too. Karen defines the difference between income and wealth, and how to navigate lifestyle creep, industry volatility, and other overlooked financial costs.  Karen translates traditional financial advice into something that actually fits your life. This is a no judgement episode designed to help you feel more confident about your financial future.  Apply here to join Bridges.  Follow OOO by Bridges on: Instagram TikTok YouTube  Follow Bella Malvini on: Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Comment who you want Bella to interview next!  Produced by: GOGO STUDIOZ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introducing Karen Tom, Financial Advisor & CFP Candidate 2:30 Why Financial Literacy Was Never Built for Women 5:00 Cultural Money Trauma: Hoarding, Distrust & Generational Patterns 9:30 Where to Start When You Have No Financial Blueprint 11:30 The Three-Step Financial Foundation  13:00 How to Save Differently Based on Your Industry's Volatility 15:00 Your Emergency Fund Is Meant to Be Used, Let’s Normalize That  17:30 Income vs. Wealth: What's the Actual Difference?  19:30 Lifestyle Creep: How to Avoid The Silent Wealth Killer  24:30 The Sandwich Generation & the Hidden Cost of Being a Caregiver  27:00 The One Financial Habit to Start Right Now!

    30 min

  9. Mar 31

    Why I Really Started Bridges Social Club (And the Networking Event That Changed Everything)

    Bella Malvini shares the awful networking event that sparked a movement, and changed her life forever.  We’re taking it back all the way to the unexpected inception of Bridges Social Club.  You’ll learn how a single TikTok video (~70K views) generated 1,000 applications in one day, and the real reason most professional networking events fail women.  Bella will detail exactly what she’s learned about perfectionism, building a team, and showing up for yourself while scaling a community for others. Apply here to join Bridges.  Follow OOO by Bridges on: Instagram TikTok YouTube  Follow Bella Malvini on: Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Comment who you want Bella to interview next!  Produced by: GOGO STUDIOZ CHAPTERS:  00:00 The Real Reason Why Bella Started Bridges Social Club 3:44 The Networking Event that Changed Everything  5:42 When Women Compete Instead of Connect… 7:00 The Moment She Decided to Build Something Better 10:00 Cofounders, Early Days & the First 200 Members 11:51 The Viral TikTok that Changed Everything (1,000 apps in a day) 13:53 Learning to Ask for Help & Building a Real (Kick A**) Team  18:08 Why she Finally Started Charging for Memberships 18:58 What It Means to be a Female Leader 20:59 The Biggest Lesson to Date

    23 min

  10. Mar 24

    How to Design Your Dream Career: From Content Creator, Corporate Employee & Columnist

    You don’t need to fit into SF culture to win here, you need to design your own lane. Bella is joined by SF’s very own Carrie Bradshaw. Su Yardimci, the photographer, writer, and SF-based creator behind @andeverything__nice sits down on OOO for her very first voice reveal.  What started as a childhood obsession with San Francisco has turned into one of the city's most trusted local voices. Su opens up about how she balances venture lending by day with content creation, a newspaper column, and an unwavering love for film photography. Discover who's actually behind those stunning SF recommendations, which metrics ACTUALLY matter in influencer marketing, and how you can apply Su’s community building strategies to your own life.   Whether you're new to San Francisco, obsessed with finding the best local recs, or just curious about what it takes to build an authentic community online you’ll leave this episode with plenty of gems.   Apply here to join Bridges.  Follow @OOObyBridges on: Instagram TikTok YouTube  Follow @andeverything__nice on: Instagram TikTok Substack  Comment who you want Bella to interview next!  00:00 How Bella & Su went from parasocial to IRL friends 1:45 Top SF Restaurant Recs  8:00 Su’s Content Creation Journey  9:45 The Moment Su Realized People were Actually Paying Attention  10:40 Why Engagement > Follower Count 12:15 Breaking into Venture Lending for Consumer Startups 17:30 Being First-Gen Turkish American & How it Shapes Taste 18:30 RAPID FIRE Q&A

    22 min

  11. Mar 24

    Everything You Need to Know About Unspoken Rules In Corporate

    Nobody hands you a playbook when you enter corporate America — but they do hand you a benefits package that quietly shapes your entire financial life. And most people never fully understand it. For her first solo episode, Bella Malvini — Founder of Bridges Social Club — introduces Unspoken Rules: a series built on the conversations we should have had earlier, but didn’t. This episode is about the benefits you already have… and the money you might be unintentionally leaving behind. From HSAs to FSAs to decoding deductibles, Bella breaks down the exact systems she taught herself over four years navigating corporate — not from theory, but from lived experience. The kind of knowledge you usually earn the hard way. And she did. What starts as a conversation about benefits quickly turns personal — from a spontaneous ER visit (triggered by a very questionable fish sandwich) to a $15,000 medical bill, to the moment she realized how insurance actually works… and how asking the right questions brought that number down to zero. This isn’t about being perfect with money. It’s about becoming someone who understands how to move through these systems with clarity, confidence, and intention. Because no one teaches you this. But you’re still expected to figure it out. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX, OR LEGAL ADVICE. NOTHING PRESENTED SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AS A RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT OF ANY SPECIFIC STRATEGY. ALL DECISIONS DISCUSSED ARE BASED ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. PLEASE CONSULT WITH A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS. ANY REFERENCES TO “RECOMMENDATIONS” OR “SUGGESTIONS” ARE INTENDED SOLELY AS PERSONAL OPINIONS BASED ON INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE AND SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED AS PROFESSIONAL FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVICE OR AS A DIRECTIVE FOR ANY SPECIFIC COURSE OF ACTION. This is not financial advice. This is the conversation your HR department probably never had with you!  Apply here to join Bridges.  Follow OOO by Bridges on: Instagram TikTok YouTube  Comment who you want Bella to interview next!  CHAPTERS:  00:06 What Are Benefits, Actually?  2:42 The HSA Breakdown: What It Is & Why It Matters  4:42 How Deductibles Work (And Why They're a Shock) 7:06 How Bella Maximizes Her HSA 08:06 FSA vs. HSA: What's the Difference?  11:06 Why Benefits Should Factor Into Your Job Search  12:48 The $2,000/Month Medication That Was Fully Covered  13:48 Bella's $15,000 ER Bill…  17:54 The Infamous Night Bridges Was Born

    21 min

  12. Trailer

    Welcome to OOO by Bridges

    You know that feeling when you leave a conversation and think, Why didn’t anyone tell me this sooner? That’s Out of Office. Hosted by Bella Malvini, Founder of San Francisco’s Bridges Social Club, this isn’t your typical career podcast. There are no LinkedIn buzzwords, no polished soundbites, and no one pretending the path was linear. Instead, this show is about what it actually takes to build a career and a life that feel aligned, sustainable, and still ambitious. Whether you’re commuting, working from home, or carving out a moment between meetings to invest in yourself, Out of Office is designed to meet you where you are — and help you think more clearly about where you’re going. You’ll leave each episode with perspective you can apply immediately, without burning yourself out in the process. Bella sits down with women who’ve done the thing — scaled the company, led the team, made the pivot, took the risk, earned the seat. But this isn’t the highlight reel. These are the conversations behind the success: the decisions, doubts, trade-offs, and moments no one puts on LinkedIn. You can also expect candid solo episodes where Bella pulls back the curtain on her own professional and personal experiences — unpacking the unspoken rules of work, the invisible dynamics that shape careers, and the lessons you need to learn how to actually read a room. At its core, Out of Office is about clarity, challenge, and connection. It’s a space for real conversations, shared knowledge, and zero gatekeeping. Because ambition shouldn’t feel lonely — and you don’t have to figure it all out on your own Apply here to join Bridges.  Follow OOO by Bridges on: Instagram TikTok YouTube  Comment who you want Bella to interview next!  CHAPTERS: 00:00 Welcome to OOO by Bridges 00:18 Why Bella Built Bridges Social Club 00:38 What This Podcast Is (& Isn't) 00:52 What to Expect Every Monday

    1 min

Trailer

About

You know that feeling when you leave a conversation thinking, Why didn't anyone tell me this sooner? That's Out of Office. Hosted by Bella Malvini, Founder of San Francisco's Bridges Social Club, this isn't your typical career podcast. No LinkedIn buzzwords, no polished soundbites, no pretending the path was linear. Bella sits down with women who've scaled companies, led teams, made pivots, and earned their seats — then pulls back the curtain on the decisions, doubts, and trade-offs behind the success. Zero gatekeeping. Because ambition shouldn't feel lonely.

Information

  • Creator
    Bella Malvini
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Bella Malvini
  • Show Website
    OOO by Bridges

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