Welcome to Nice Talk, hosted by Marie Claire Editor in Chief Nikki Ogunnaike. Each week, Nikki will sit down with fascinating women—entertainers, entrepreneurs, creators, athletes, and changemakers—to discuss money, power, and style. “Well-behaved” women have long been discouraged from speaking on these topics—style should be effortless, and conversations about money or power aren’t “proper,” “ladylike,” or “nice.” But Nikki’s definition of a Nice Talk is one where all parties walk away feeling empowered. Nikki’s guests are getting candid about how they navigated their come-ups, what makes them feel both powerful and powerless, and of course, how they use personal style to communicate with the world.
Rerelease: How Host & Creator Tefi Pessoa Found Her Calling on the Internet by Being Professionally Herself
Today, we’re revisiting one of our earliest episodes with host, media personality, and creator Tefi Pessoa. Pessoa has forged a career—and amassed 2 million followers on TikTok—by being “professionally [her]self.” Her online presence is equal parts hilarious and authentic: One moment she’s doing a deep dive on celebrity relationship timelines and the next talking about her own mental health journey. On this episode, we dive into Pessoa’s financial ups and downs throughout her career, the surprising Kardashian/Jenner family member she would trade closets with, and how she sets boundaries online.This episode was originally released in July 2024.
Lindsay Hubbard on Filming In the City, Navigating Scandal, and Building a Career on Being Herself
Lindsay Hubbard is a reality TV legend known for her 10-season tenure on Summer House and the debut season of the spin-off show, In the City. Before she was leaning into being “Lindsay from Summer House,” she was a PR executive with her own firm. On this episode, Hubbard discusses why the only thing worse than breaking someone’s heart is messing with someone’s money, the power dynamics at play in reality TV (including what it’s like filming with an ex), and her collaborative work with her stylist, Emily Men.
Micaela Erlanger on Styling the 2 Biggest Press Tours of 2026
Micaela Erlanger is the Emmy-nominated stylist behind some of Hollywood's most talented stars, including Meryl Streep, Lupita Nyong'o, and Kelly Clarkson. On this episode, Erlanger takes us behind the scenes of all of Nyong'o 20+ looks for The Odyssey press tour and the mythological details she pulled from to create the ensembles. She also reveals her Mount Rushmore (aka her four favorite looks) from her work with Streep on the recent The Devil Wears Prada 2 tour. Plus, she shares the difference between "meta dressing" and "method dressing" in her styling.
Author Jessica Knoll on Power Dynamics in Her New Novel Helpless
Jessica Knoll is the best-selling author of the novels Luckiest Girl Alive, Bright Young Women, and The Favorite Sister. On this episode, Knoll discusses how her own relationship with money and power informed the writing in her newest novel Helpless, which hit shelves on July 7. She also delves into what true success as a novelist would look like to her and how she feels in retrospect about her 2018 New York Times opinion piece "I Want to Be Rich and I'm Not Sorry." Order Helpless here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Helpless/Jessica-Knoll/9781668062302
Michelle Buteau on Why It Feels "So Good" to Release Survival of Thickest Season 3 Right Now
Comedian Michelle Buteau is the star and co-creator of the hit series Survival of the Thickest, which dropped its third and final season today. On this episode, Buteau discusses not knowing if she had enough trauma to be a comedian, why she started making money as soon as she leaned into being herself, and the deliberate decision to make her main character in Survival of the Thickest a stylist. Plus, she shares everything she’s excited about for this new season of the Netflix series, including her directorial debut.
Maria Sharapova's Best Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Maria Sharapova is a five-time Grand Slam tennis champion, but after retiring from the sport in 2020, she pivoted into the world of entrepreneurship, taking on business roles for companies such as Supergoop!, Bala, and Therabody. On this episode, Sharapova shares her tips for creating a strong business pitch (hint: shorten your deck!), how she learned everything she knows about money, and details about her style evolution from the court to the boardroom. Plus, she takes us behind the scenes of her new podcast Pretty Tough, which airs weekly on Wednesdays.
Author Tia Williams on Why Writing Personal Fan Fiction Is Her Favorite Writing Hack
Tia Williams is the best-selling author of books such as Seven Days in June and The Perfect Find, and her most recent novel, The Missed Connection, just came out on June 9. In addition to her career as an author, she also spent over 15 years as a beauty editor at magazines including Glamour, Lucky, and Essence. On this episode, Williams discusses what it was like working in print magazines during the Devil Wears Prada era, the financial decision to continue working her corporate job while writing novels, and why penning fanfic about her own life trained her to become a career author. Plus, she shares everything that went into the research process for her recent romance and detective novel.
Laverne Cox on Why Her Memoir Feels “Divine” in This Political Moment
Laverne Cox is an actress, producer, and LGBTQ+ advocate, and as of June 9, she’s also the author of her memoir, Transcendent. In this episode, Cox discusses how her childhood love of thrifting has evolved into a vintage Mugler obsession, why it feels "divine" for her memoir to come out in this political moment, and what it was like being “broke and fabulous” in New York City before she booked Orange Is the New Black. Plus, Cox shares some of her greatest writing inspirations, including bell hooks and Walt Whitman.
Whitney Leavitt on Unapologetic Ambition, Her Style Evolution, and Being a Breadwinner
Whitney Leavitt first rose to fame as a member of the TikTok group "MomTok" and as a star of the subsequent reality show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Since then, Leavitt has evolved her entertainment career time and time again, competing on Dancing With the Stars and making her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago. Now, she's embarking on yet another new chapter in her career with her production company, Leavitt Media House. On this episode, she candidly discusses her career ambitions, why leaving Secret Lives feels different this time, and what she’s learned about style from her move from the Utah bubble to New York.
Dr. Becky Kennedy on Sturdy Leadership at Home and Work
Becky Kennedy, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, best-selling author, founder of the parenting platform Good Inside, and a social media creator with over 3.5 million followers. Today on the show, she’s bringing us all the methods, strategies, and mindsets people can use to become sturdy leaders in their lives—whether that’s at home with their kids or at work with their teams. She shares how she approaches her calendar, why a “same team” mentality is helpful for navigating challenging situations, and her thoughts on the concept of weaponized incompetence.
Ego Nwodim on Finding Power in a “We Gonna See” Mentality
Ego Nwodim is an actor and comedian known for her seven-year tenure as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, as well as projects like Mr. Throwback and Mindy Kaling’s Not Suitable for Work. On this episode, Nwodim discusses her time at SNL—including the casting process, why it felt like a really cool corporate job, and the deep friendships she formed with colleagues, including Heidi Gardner. Plus, she shares her online shopping method and why her motto when it comes to Solidcore is, “But did you die?”
Poet Cleo Wade on Building Community, Beating Writer’s Block, and Not Caring What Other People Think
Cleo Wade is a poet, artist, and New York Times best-selling author whose latest book, In a World of Sunrises: 365 Days of Heart, Soul, and Hope, debuted this April. On this episode, Wade shares insight on what she's learned from her early career in fashion, the influence growing up in New Orleans had on her style, and how she’s navigated her money anxiety. Plus, she shares the one prompt she always uses when she doesn’t know what to write and her advice for anyone trying to build community and make friends as an adult.
WNBA Stars Rickea Jackson and Kiki Iriafen on the Future of Women’s Sports and the Importance of the Mental Game
Rickea Jackson and Kiki Iriafen are two of the WNBA’s brightest young stars. Today on the show, they each sit down with Nikki to discuss how they’re preparing for the upcoming season, the future of the league, and why they view the mental game of basketball to be just as important as their physical training. Jackson also lets us in on how she creates and styles her tunnel outfits, and Iriafen shares what it was like guarding Brittney Griner in her first two games as a rookie. Plus, they both discuss what partnering with Skechers—a new official sponsor of the WNBA—means to them. Note: this episode was recorded prior to the 2026 WNBA draft deadline so while we mention Rickea Jackson is a player for the Los Angeles Sparks, she will be playing for the Chicago Sky this coming season.
Haley Sacks AKA Mrs. Dow Jones’s Guide to Becoming a “Future Rich Person”
Haley Sacks, or Mrs. Dow Jones as she’s known on the internet, is on a mission to demystify personal finance and turn everyone into a “future rich person.” After realizing in her early career that she didn’t know much about finance, she set out to educate herself and now shares that knowledge with her 1.3 million Instagram followers. Her new book, Future Rich Person: The New Rules for Building Wealth (Even If You’re Stuck, Broke, and That Billionaire Won’t Text You Back…), is a juicy and engaging step-by-step guide to setting yourself up for financial success. In this episode, Sacks explains exactly how to audit your finances on your monthly “money date,” the smart way to travel this summer, and the necessary elements everyone should have in a prenup. Plus, she shares the financial step everyone can take today to help their future self—and it only takes 15 minutes. Preorder her book here, out May 12: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/787317/future-rich-person-by-haley-sacks/
Anna Cathcart on Learning to Be Messy, Social Media Pressure, and Filming XO, Kitty
Anna Cathcart is an actress best known for playing Kitty Song Covey in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before franchise and her character’s own spin-off series, XO, Kitty. On this episode of Nice Talk, Cathcart dives into everything she’s learned about herself, her style, and what it means to be a leader on set after playing Kitty the past eight years. Plus, she shares the details behind attending her first Academy Award ceremony this year and what she’s most excited for in the new season of XO, Kitty—including her reunion with on-screen sister Lana Condor.
Emma Grede on her Unpopular (But Not Untrue) Work and Life Philosophies
Emma Grede is the serial entrepreneur behind massively successful businesses including Skims, Good American, and Off Season. She’s also the author of the new book Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work and Life, which released on April 14. On this episode, Grede discusses how her East London background shaped her career, perception of power, and relationship with money. She also shares the nuance behind the many “hot take” headlines that have been written about her in the media. Plus, she divulges about splurging on fashion and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the closet she’s curated over the years.
Women and Guns: A Marie Claire Investigation
Ten years ago, Marie Claire released a series of stories investigating the relationship between women and guns. A decade later, our team decided to return to this topic to see how that relationship has evolved over the years. Today on the podcast, Marie Claire Executive Editor Andrea Stanley and Deputy Editor Noor Ibrahim join Nikki to discuss the 2026 version of "Women and Guns: A Marie Claire Investigation." They dive into why they chose to write each story in this package, their research and journalistic process, and the impact the pieces had on them. This episode deals with sensitive topics including gun violence, so please listen with care. Resources:https://everytownsupportfund.org/everytown-survivor-network/resources-for-victims-and-survivors-of-gun-violence/https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/resources/ways-to-help/help-for-victims-survivors-gun-violence/ ___ Nice Talk is nominated for a Webby! We'd be so appreciative if you'd vote for us: https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/shows/lifestyle
Padma Lakshmi on Returning to the Culinary Competition World Through Her Own Lens
Many people first came to know Padma Lakshmi during her 19-season tenure as host of Top Chef, but now she’s returning to the world of competition cooking shows as the the host, creator, and executive producer of America’s Culinary Cup. The new CBS series features some of the biggest names in the food industry and boasts the largest monetary prize awarded in culinary competition show history. Today on Nice Talk, Lakshmi discusses how the one-million-dollar prize pot came to be, what it’s like to create a show from scratch, and how she approaches getting dressed for on-screen appearances. Plus, she shares her dinner party hosting tips and her favorite restaurants in New York.
Fashion Correspondent Lauren Sherman on Fashion Month: The Best Shows, Most Interesting Front Rows, and What People Will Actually Buy
Lauren Sherman is a fashion correspondent for Puck, host of the podcast Fashion People, and author of the must-read fashion newsletter Line Sheet. Today, she’s here to discuss all things fashion month. Not only do Nikki and Lauren chat about their favorite moments from attending the fashion shows this season, but they also dive into what the collections say about the overall culture and economic trends within the industry right now. Lauren brings such a nuanced, unique perspective on fashion month, and you won’t want to miss this episode.
Comedian Yvonne Orji Makes the Case for Being Both "Sexy and Funny"
As soon as Yvonne Orji performed her first stand-up set during the talent portion of a pageant, she knew comedy would be her calling. Today, she’s a comedian with two HBO specials under her belt and an actor, known for playing beloved characters like Molly in Insecure. In this episode, Orji discusses how her Nigerian American background informed her view on money, why she likes to get dressed up to do comedy, and how she navigates her nerves before she goes on stage. This episode is nonstop laughs, so be sure to tune in.
