Making It with Jess Ekstrom

Jess Ekstrom
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Making It with Jess Ekstrom is a top rated business podcast designed to help you amplify your ideas, influence and income. We have a special focus on amplifying women's voices, but this show is open to everyone. Tune in every other Tuesday to hear from Forbes Top Rated Speaker, Jess Ekstrom as she talks to speakers, authors and entrepreneurs who are crushing it in their own way.

  1. From the Locker Room to Oprah's List: How Cookie Society Built a Cult Following on Grit, Data, and Really Good Cookies

    3D AGO

    From the Locker Room to Oprah's List: How Cookie Society Built a Cult Following on Grit, Data, and Really Good Cookies

    Have you ever started something just to make people happy — and accidentally built a business? Have you ever landed your biggest dream moment (hi, Oprah) and found yourself on the other end of it crying... because the crates broke? Marissa Allen knows both sides of that coin intimately. She didn't set out to be a founder. She was an NFL wife, a former college soccer player, a stay-at-home mom of two tiny humans (one of whom was six months old, crawling around the kitchen), and someone who just really loved baking cookies for her husband's teammates on the Houston Texans. It was a teammate trying to buy those cookies that planted the seed. She was reluctant. Her husband wasn't. What followed wasn't a clean, linear launch story. It was a $5,000 website (the ancient kind where you still typed in your credit card), a rented commercial kitchen at $20 an hour, Sunday baking marathons, and Monday morning 6 AM flights back from Kansas City with two kids in tow. Today, Cookie Society is a multi-location, nationally shipping, Oprah's Favorite Things-certified, cult-followed gourmet cookie brand with 88 employees — and a breakfast-only March menu that people literally line up overnight to get. They didn't build it by throwing money at it. They built it by doing every single job themselves first, scaling incrementally, and trusting the data. Tune In For: How Marissa accidentally launched a business by baking for NFL locker rooms and getting an offer she almost turned downWhy opening during a global pandemic was actually grace — and what would have happened if they'd gone full send without itThe Taylor Swift ticket strategy: how Cookie Society created a holiday around scarcity, seasonal drops, and Cinnamon Roll Sundays to drive demand most brands only dream aboutDaily tears behind Oprah's Favorite Things — the collapsed wooden crates, the angry emails, the call from New York, and the lesson that even your biggest win can bring you to your kneesWhy Marissa knows less now than when she started — and why that's actually a sign you're scaling rightHow she went from hiring people to execute her vision to hiring people to expand it (and why she voluntarily demoted herself from CEO)The LinkedIn mirror strategy: how to find someone five steps ahead of you and reverse-engineer their path when you can't afford to hire yetWhy knowing your numbers is a power move, especially for women founders — and how data turns "maybe we can" into a hard yes or noComparing vs. Inspiring: the one question Marissa asks herself to figure out if she's in a confident season or an insecure one About Marissa Allen Marissa Allen is the co-founder of Cookie Society, a Dallas-based gourmet cookie brand with multiple brick-and-mortar locations, a national shipping operation, and a deeply loyal following built on bold flavors, seasonal exclusivity, and an authentic story. A former college soccer player turned NFL wife turned entrepreneur, Marissa bootstrapped Cookie Society from a rented commercial kitchen to Oprah's Favorite Things — and is now scaling toward 10 locations with a team of 88. She runs the business alongside her husband Jeff, who heads up marketing, while Marissa focuses on operations, systems, and the creative vision that started it all. Resources & Links Cookie Society: cookiesociety.comShip the breakfast box or classic bestsellers nationwideFollow Marissa on Instagram: @cookiesociety (and her personal brand!)Making It with Jess Ekstrom: Subscribe + leave a review wherever you listen Produced by Walk West - Making It with Jess Ekstrom 🍳 Soulful Sidebar: The Scarcity Mindset vs. The Abundance Play Most product businesses default to scarcity thinking — I need to keep selling what works. Cookie Society flipped it. By pulling their most beloved items off the menu seasonally, they didn't lose customers. They created a holiday. People mark their calendars. They show up overnight. They order more because they can't choose just one. The lesson? Abundance isn't about always having more available. It's about confidence that demand will be there when you're ready. That takes trust in your product, your team, and your ability to recreate the magic. Marissa and Jeff saw it first with Cinnamon Roll Sundays. Then they scaled the principle. Now it's a March tradition. That's not luck. That's a brand with a backbone. Visit walkwest.com to see more!

    43 min

  2. MAR 31

    The Power of Four Words: "Have a Nice Life"

    We spend our entire lives avoiding "goodbye." We trade Instagram handles, promise to "catch up soon," and say "until next time"—all to protect ourselves from the discomfort of a finished chapter. But what happens when you lean into the finality instead? In this reflective solo episode, Jess Ekstrom breaks down a chance encounter at a Colorado campground that changed her entire perspective on presence. When an older traveler told her, "You kids have a nice life," it didn't feel like a well-wish—it felt like a gut punch. Jess explores the beauty of impermanence and why acknowledging that a moment will never happen again is actually the secret to enjoying it. In this episode, we discuss: The "Until Next Time" Trap: Why our digital age makes it impossible to have true closure and how that prevents us from being fully present.The Japanese Tea Tradition: A lesson from a matcha bowl about noticing the "foam at the bottom"—the unique shapes that only happen once.Hurry Up and Relax: Jess’s struggle with "sprinting" through the day to get to the "good part," only to find her brain won't shut off once she gets there.The Turtle Pace: How walking with toddlers (who stop for every sidewalk flower and power-line bird) is the ultimate masterclass in noticing the extraordinary in the ordinary.Don’t Miss It: Why we shouldn't get so focused on creating a "good life" that we forget to actually have a "good day." Key Quotes:"The reality is, a 'next time' is never guaranteed. But the comfort in saying next time makes it easier to move on because there's a chance the story isn't over." "Impermanence isn't a sad thing. In fact, it's the opposite. It's a reminder that all we have is now. So we might as well just enjoy it." "Sometimes relaxing isn't the reward. It's the work itself." Featured in this Episode: John Acuff: Author and friend who provided the "Don't Miss It" mantra.Andy Bernard (The Office): For the bittersweet reminder about knowing you're in the "good old days." A Challenge for Your Week: Next time you're in a conversation or a beautiful moment, try to find your "matcha foam." Identify one tiny, specific detail about this exact moment that will never be replicated again. Visit walkwest.com to see more!

    9 min
  3. The SNL Exit Strategy: Lindsay Shookus on Trust, Fame, and Receiving the "Motherfing Data"

    MAR 24

    The SNL Exit Strategy: Lindsay Shookus on Trust, Fame, and Receiving the "Motherfing Data"

    Have you ever had a dream job—the kind people tell you is the "coolest job in the world"—only to realize that your identity has become so wrapped up in it that you don’t know who you are without the title? How do you walk away from a legacy to build something entirely your own? Welcome to Making It with Jess Ekstrom. This week, Jess sits down with Lindsay Shookus, the legendary former producer and head of the talent department at Saturday Night Live. After 20 years of discovering stars and managing the chaos of live television, Lindsey made the "wobbly" decision to leave 30 Rock and redefine what success looks like on her own terms. In this candid conversation, Lindsey opens up about the grit required to survive 20-hour days, the lonely reality of hyper-fame, and the epiphany that led her to co-found Women Work Fing Hard*—a community built on active support rather than just "mentorship." Tune in for: The SNL Hustle: How a girl from Buffalo with "Southern-adjacent" roots at UNC-Chapel Hill landed a job at SNL and worked her way from assistant to talent mogul.The Fame Pedestal: What Lindsey learned about success by watching the world’s most famous people up close, and why "street cred" isn't all it's cracked up to be.The "Wobbly" Transition: The identity crisis that follows leaving a high-profile career and how to navigate the "data" of who stays in your life when the power of your position is gone.Receive the Motherfing Data:* Lindsey’s viral-ready advice on relationships and business—how to stop "waiting to be chosen" and start looking at people's actions as objective information.Women Work Fing Hard:* The accidental origin story of her women’s community and why the goal is always "How can I help you?" rather than "Who can help me?"The Curse of the Good Girl: Why Lindsey normalizes "bombing" for her 12-year-old daughter and the importance of being uncomfortable to get better.Building a Boat: What it’s like for an ambitious woman to find a partner who asks, "How can I best support you?"The Art of the Question: Why being a curious mind is the most undervalued skill in networking and life. About Lindsay Shookus: Lindsay Shookus is an Emmy Award-winning producer, speaker, and coach. Best known for her two-decade career at Saturday Night Live, she now uses her expertise in talent and trust to advise hedge funds, produce documentaries, and empower women through her community, Women Work F***ing Hard. Resources & Links: Lindsay Shookus’s Website: https://lindsayshookus.comWomen Work Fing Hard:*Follow Lindsey on Instagram: @Shookusshookus The Curse of the Good Girl by Rachel Simmons:Making It with Jess Ekstrom is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop. How to "Receive the Data" in Your Career Lindsey talks about treating feedback-and even rejection-as objective data. This shift moves you from an emotional participant to a strategic scientist of your own life. Visit walkwest.com to see more!

    42 min
  4. Crop Tops & $210M Exits: Anne Mahlum on Radical Responsibility and Winning on Your Own Terms

    MAR 10

    Crop Tops & $210M Exits: Anne Mahlum on Radical Responsibility and Winning on Your Own Terms

    Have you ever felt like you had to mute your personality, change your style, or "fit the mold" just to be taken seriously in business? What if the very things people told you to tone down were actually your greatest superpowers for building a $100M empire? Welcome to the premiere episode of Making It with Jess Ekstrom. This week, Jess sits down with Anne Mahlum, the visionary founder of [Solidcore] and Back on My Feet. Anne famously raised $210 million from private equity while wearing see-through crop tops, proving that authenticity isn't just a buzzword—it’s a high-stakes competitive advantage. In this raw and uncensored conversation, Anne pulls back the curtain on her $100 million exit, why she refuses to be a "one-hit wonder," and how she transitioned from a "starving founder" to a fitness mogul. They dive deep into the "hustle muscle" fueled by early pain, the importance of "happy endings" in business, and the biological shifts of entering her next big chapter: motherhood. Tune in for: The story behind the see-through crop tops and why Anne refused to change her hair or style for private equity partners.Why "fake it till you make it" is bad advice and how trying to fit in actually makes you feel smaller and less confident.Anne’s three core values—Authenticity, Transparency, and Winning—and how they guided her through $100M negotiations.The "Chip on the Shoulder": Why many high-performing entrepreneurs are fueled by a need to prove themselves and the realization that achievement doesn't equal love.The $100 Million Exit: How Anne planned her last day years in advance to ensure a celebratory, "non-messy" transition.Financial Leverage: Why Anne advises founders to take money off the table early so they aren't "starving" when it's time to negotiate an exit.Radical Responsibility: Why claiming "it's my fault" for everything from low energy to a stalled career is the ultimate power move to regain control.Relationships and Polarity: Anne’s take on settling into a partnership with her husband as an ambitious, breadwinning woman.How to find a "game you can win" by sharpening your unique 8, 9, and 10-level skill sets. About Anne Mahlum: Anne Mahlum is a speaker, investor, and the founder of [Solidcore], a boutique fitness powerhouse she scaled to 100+ locations before a massive exit. She is also the founder of the non-profit Back on My Feet. Anne is a dedicated advocate for financial literacy and empowers founders to build businesses that reflect their truest selves. Resources & Links: Anne Mahlum’s Website: https://annemahlum.comFollow Anne on Instagram: @annemahlumBrene Brown’s Values Exercise:Making It with Jess Ekstrom is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop. A Note on Radical Responsibility & Starting Blocks In this episode, Anne and Jess discuss the reality of "starting blocks." While Anne emphasizes taking radical responsibility, she also acknowledges the statistical realities of the business world. For context, women-led startups received only about 2% of total venture capital funding in recent years, and for Black and Latina founders, that number often drops below 1%. As Anne notes, recognizing privilege or systemic hurdles doesn't mean you stop working; it means you use your position to "lift others up" and change the statistics for the next generation of founders. Visit walkwest.com to see more!

    40 min

  5. TRAILER

    New Name, New Season Coming March 11th - Making It with Jess Ekstrom!

    Making It with Jess Ekstrom

    7 min
  6. Should We Be “Like Men” to Get Ahead? with LauraAura

    11/11/2025

    Should We Be “Like Men” to Get Ahead? with LauraAura

    What if an algorithm could perfectly articulate the unfair advantages men have in business, and what if that knowledge was the catalyst you needed to completely change your career? In the season finale on Amplify, Jess sits down with LauraAura, host of the wildly popular Gutsy Podcast and an acclaimed speaker. Laura shares the moment a Taylor Swift song drove her to ask ChatGPT a provocative question: "How would my career look different if I were a man?" The AI's response—listing everything from earning more money to having faster access to "power rooms"—pissed her off, but also activated a plan. Laura breaks down the five core areas where women are often held back and details the specific, gutsy move she attached to each one, creating a powerful blueprint for other women to follow. Tune in for: The exact list of biases ChatGPT revealed, including:Earning more money (complete with stat ranges).Access to more power rooms.Boldness being seen as confidence, not a risk.Outsourcing and delegating faster.Less self-questioning.Laura's five "healthy spirals"—a practical, gutsy move for each bias to help women close the gap.Why "pitching full price" is the first gutsy move you need to make to fund outsourcing and regain your time.The power of "creating the room" or simply showing up in spaces like you belong there.The surprising secret to showing up as your full, bold self on platforms like LinkedIn (hint: it involves getting raw and authentic).The best advice for overcoming analysis paralysis and the constant urge to overthink your next step: "Do one thing."How to use your "evidence bank"—a track record of your past accomplishments—to eliminate self-questioning and own your worth. About Laura Aura: LauraAura is a speaker, brand strategist, and the host of The Gutsy Podcast, where she encourages thousands of women to stop overthinking and start doing the thing they can't stop thinking about. She is known for her bold, direct, and deeply encouraging approach to female ambition. Resources & Links: Listen to The Gutsy Podcast:https://lauraaura.com/the-gutsy-podcast/Follow LauraAura on Instagram & TikTok: @thatLauraAuraAmplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop. Visit walkwest.com to see more!

    30 min
  7. How to Communicate Clearly When Life Gets Chaotic with Caitlin Gardner

    10/28/2025

    How to Communicate Clearly When Life Gets Chaotic with Caitlin Gardner

    The world is constantly in a state of chaos—from an unexpected crisis at work to the personal high stakes of having a baby during a global pandemic. How do you find the calm confidence needed to navigate those moments when you feel most exposed? This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with Caitlin Gardner, a veteran crisis communications expert who is the founder of Blooming Communications. Caitlin's professional life involves helping Fortune 500 companies communicate with calm maturity during crises. Her personal life, however, includes having a baby at the peak of the 2020 pandemic while her husband lost his job—a high-stakes moment that uniquely prepared her for the work she does today. Caitlin shares how to apply the lessons learned in the delivery room to the boardroom, giving you the practical tools to handle unexpected public scrutiny, internal high stakes, and even the double-edged sword of going viral. Tune in for: Caitlin's incredible story of delivering a baby in April 2020, juggling a crisis communications job in the hard-hit cruise industry, and the power of focusing on one goal in a chaotic environment.The concept of the "Reputation Bank Account": making positive deposits so you have the benefit of the doubt when you need to make a withdrawal (like when you fumble publicly).The difference between good-intentioned feedback and negative trolling, and the importance of assuming good intent in professional communications.Caitlin's take on cancel culture, and why brands and people must define their core values to maintain clarity in polarizing times.Why it’s essential to be prepared for the worst-case scenario (the "tabletop exercise") so you can be agile and confident when chaos hits.How to handle the urge to jump on viral trends and why every piece of content—even your social media hook—needs a strategic rationale and intentionality.A key reminder for leaders: You don't get to choose when the stakes are high for others, so be thoughtful about how you deliver high-stakes feedback. About Caitlin Gardner: Caitlin Gardner is the Founder of Blooming Communications, a strategic communications consultancy. She is an expert in high-stakes communications, reputation management, and crisis preparedness, helping clients bring "calm confidence" to moments of unexpected chaos. Resources & Links: Follow Caitlin Gardner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlingardner/Blooming Communications: https://bloomingcom.comAmplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop. Visit walkwest.com to see more!

    26 min
  8. Negotiate Your Way to What You Really Want with Kathryn Valentine

    10/14/2025

    Negotiate Your Way to What You Really Want with Kathryn Valentine

    Have you ever confused a bigger salary with a richer life? What if the key to getting what you truly want isn’t a better tactic, but a deeper understanding of your own values?  In this Amplify episode, Jess sits down with negotiation expert Kathryn Valentine, a former McKinsey consultant with an impressive background featured in Harvard Business Review and The Wall Street Journal. Kathryn's journey started with a high-stakes failure—a negotiation so bad it ended with a security escort. Still, that experience led her to discover that proper negotiation is a valuable tool for life design, not just a means to secure a salary bump. Kathryn reveals how to identify your true currency (it’s often not money), the critical research that proves women significantly underestimate their market value, and the simple questions you can ask to strip away societal expectations and define your own "rich life." Tune in for: The shocking story of Kathryn’s first negotiation attempt that ended in her being escorted out of a large company.The "Rich Life Design" concept: how seeing the long-term impact of choices from her 70-year-old grandparents taught her to prioritize currencies like time, credibility, and autonomy.What you really want is often a promotion (for long-term financial gain) or credibility (for respect), not just a raise.The "Magic Wand" question helps strip away fear and societal expectations, revealing what you truly want.The "Ask Relationally" formula that virtually eliminates the risk of backlash and moves "no" from a rejection to a piece of information.Why assuming good intent is the key to overcoming the fear of being "annoying" when following up.Kathryn's personal thoughts on how motherhood has changed her perspective over time and why she now chooses to pursue only projects that bring her "good exhaustion."About Kathryn Valentine: Kathryn Valentine is a negotiation expert, speaker, and former McKinsey consultant. Her work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review and The Wall Street Journal, and she advises companies such as JPMorgan Chase. She is dedicated to equipping women with the tools to negotiate for their richest life. Resources & Links: Get the "76 Things You Can Negotiate" List: https://seventysixthings.comWatch Kathryn Valentine's TED Talk:Follow Kathryn Valentine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynvalentine/Amplify with Jess is produced by Walk West and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop. Visit walkwest.com to see more!

    32 min
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Making It with Jess Ekstrom is a top rated business podcast designed to help you amplify your ideas, influence and income. We have a special focus on amplifying women's voices, but this show is open to everyone. Tune in every other Tuesday to hear from Forbes Top Rated Speaker, Jess Ekstrom as she talks to speakers, authors and entrepreneurs who are crushing it in their own way.

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