In June 2002, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart was taken from her bedroom at knifepoint and held captive for nine months, enduring abuse that would have broken most people beyond repair. Against extraordinary odds, she survived, and then she decided to step fully into the public eye; not in spite of what happened to her, but because of it. She has testified before Congress, helped author a Department of Justice handbook for kidnapping survivors, and founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation to dismantle the shame culture that compounds survivors' trauma. In this powerful episode, Elizabeth walks us through the night that changed everything, how she held onto hope during nine months of captivity, what justice looked and felt like after nearly eight years of waiting, and why she believes that being seen is one of the most radical things a survivor can do.

Chapters:

00:00.199 Content Warning

00:10.748 Welcome to She Pivots

01:32.239 Elizabeth Smart's Early Life

07:10.879 The Night Elizabeth was Abducted

12:08.120 Captivity and Torture

17:57.063 Elizabeth’s Will To Survive

20:16.221 A Sign of Hope

22:41.463 Why Elizabeth Didn't Run

26:17.125 The Rescue

28:45.230 The Return Home and Aftermath

35:32.764 Navigating the Justice System

41:01.070 Advocating for Change & Raising Her Children

45:22.942 The Elizabeth Smart Foundation

46:17.746 Low Point to Launch Point

49:26.239 Unasked Questions and Final Thoughts

50:58.725 Closing Remarks and Resources

51:39.187 Podcast Credits

Learn more about Elizabeth’s work at elizabethsmartfoundation.org

If anything in today's episode brought something up for you and you need help, please reach out to someone you trust or visit rainn.org 

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com

Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates. 

She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

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Today's guest is someone pretty special to Emily Tisch Sussman—it's her mom, Laurie Tisch. Laurie grew up as the only girl in a big, loud family full of brothers and cousins, navigating public scrutiny while quietly figuring out who she really was. She navigated the complexities to become a woman carved out an identity that was entirely, unmistakably her own. 

On this special Mother's Day episode, Laurie sits down with Emily to talk about founding her own philanthropic foundation, becoming a force in New York's arts and education world, and ownership of the New York Giants.

Chapters:

00:00.160 Welcome to She Pivots

00:30.560 Laurie Tisch Guest Introduction

01:46.573 Childhood and Early Life

05:14.523 Finding Her Own Path

09:20.254 Laurie Returns to New York City

13:18.880 Laurie's Entrance to Philanthropy and Culture

17:02.562 The Impact of The Children's Museum

22:17.107 Definitions of Success

24:32.977 The Illumination Fund: A New Chapter

28:54.791 Sports and Family Legacy

34:44.022 Low Point to Launch Point

35:27.726 My Mom's Favorite She Pivots Episodes!

37:00.210 Closing Thoughts and Happy Mother's Day!

37:26.519 Podcast Credits

Check out the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund at thelmtif.org

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com

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Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster probably helped raise you, and the woman now leading Sesame Street traces her path there back to one transformative act: adopting her daughter Lily from China. Before joining Sesame Workshop, Sherrie Westin had already built a remarkable career at ABC News and as one of the highest-ranking women in George H.W. Bush's White House. On this episode, Sherrie shares how adopting Lily in 1995 sparked a profound pivot, and how that personal transformation shaped her 26-year journey at the helm of one of the most beloved nonprofits in the world. She opens up about leading the creation of Julia, Sesame Street's first autistic Muppet, securing a landmark $100 million grant to bring early education to refugee children across the globe, and navigating the financial uncertainty that ultimately led to a groundbreaking new deal with Netflix.

Chapters:

00:00.00 Welcome to She Pivots

00:25.836 Guest Introduction: Sherrie Westin

01:58.259 Childhood and Early Life

03:28.160 Communications and the White House

09:44.959 The Transformative Power of Motherhood

12:53.840 From ABC News to Sesame Street

17:56.682 Representation and Global Impact

23:48.774 The Experiment of Sesame Street

25:20.535 The Power of The Arts on Children

27:55.460 Making a Difference To Communities in Need

31:44.265 Financial Challenges and Becoming CEO

36:00.269 What I Learned From Mom

36:53.572 From Low Point to Launch Point

37:20.029 Do You Think You'll Pivot Again?

38:09.920 Children and AI

39:20.765 Closing Thoughts and Credits

Learn more about Sesame workshop’s mission at Sesameworkshop.org

Check out Sherrie’s new book: What I Learned From Mom: 27 Celebrated Individuals on How Mother's Wisdom Shaped Their Lives. 

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com

Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates. 

She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kerry Docherty has spent her life being two things at once: the good girl the world expected, and someone far more complicated underneath. Co-founder and Chief Impact Officer of beloved B-Corp clothing company Faherty Brand, Kerry had a winding path, moving through Yale, human rights law, a mindfulness business, and a beach trailer selling swimsuits before landing somewhere she never quite planned. In this episode, Kerry opens up about the tangled dynamics of building a family business with her husband and his twin brother, her struggles with motherhood, and her own affair, all of which she recounts in her new debut memoir, Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming, and Telling the Truth, a book her loved ones didn’t want published.

Chapters:

00:00.320 Welcome to She Pivots

00:29.680 Introduction to Kerry Docherty

02:08.319 Growing up in Buffalo

07:43.720 From Yale to Thailand, from Law to Mindfulness

15:48.960 The Birth of Faherty: A Family Affair

21:53.920 Marriage and the Business

25:20.148 The Friendship, The Letter, The Affair

32:59.905 Truth-Telling and Writing Selfish

38:11.600 Reception of Selfish

39:57.680 The Power of Writing and Self-Discovery

42:39.800 Reflecting on the Low Points of Motherhood

44:48.080 Do You Think You'll Pivot Again?

45:03.194 Closing Thoughts and Credits

If you liked Traitors, you’ll love Kerry’s book. Get a copy of it here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2242030/kerry-docherty/ 

You can follow Kerry on Instagram @kerrydocherty 

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com

Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates. 

She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At just 25 years old, Ali Truwit has already lived several lifetimes' worth of pivots. A Yale graduate and competitive swimmer, Ali was on the cusp of launching her consulting career when a shark attack during a celebratory beach vacation changed everything, costing her part of her leg and forcing her to reimagine her future. In this episode of She Pivots, Ali shares how she fought her way back to the water and earned a silver medal on one of the world's biggest stages, all while still starting her career in consulting. She also opens up about running a marathon and the deeply personal mission behind her work supporting women and girls with limb loss and advocating for water safety.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to She Pivots

01:02 A Young Athlete's Journey Begins

01:47 Swimming: A Lifelong Passion

06:20 College Dreams and Career Aspirations

10:29 The Shark Attack: A Life-Changing Moment

13:46 Facing Fears and Setting New Goals

18:40 Answering Questions: Setting Boundaries

24:25 The Road to the Paralympics

29:23 Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Change

33:41 Ali on Team USA at the Paralympics

35:06 Using Her Story for Good

36:30 You Are Stronger Than You Think

39:28 From Swimming to Running

41:15 Ali's inspiration for her Nonprofit

42:39 Pivoting and Embracing Change

43:20 Low Point to Launch Point

45:29 Do You Think You'll Pivot Again?

46:01 Closing Thoughts on Ali's Impact

46:47 She Pivots Podcast Production Notes

You can find Ali on Instagram @AliTruwit

www.StrongerThanYouThink.com

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com

Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates. 

She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve ever watched Top Chef, you may know Carla Hall and her signature catchphrase, Hootie Hoo! But Carla didn’t start her career in kitchens. Before she became a beloved TV personality and celebrated chef, Carla was a CPA at Price Waterhouse who quickly realized her destiny was not in spreadsheets. What followed was a series of bold, joy-fueled pivots: modeling in Paris, launching a lunch delivery service out of her kitchen, competing on Top Chef, co-hosting ABC's The Chew, and now taking the stage in her own one-woman show. In this episode, Carla opens up about the courage it took to keep betting on herself at every turn—from enrolling in culinary school at 30 to building a platform for women over 50—and what she's learned about cooking, performing, and living with love at the center of it all.

Chapters:

00:00.240 Welcome Back to She Pivots

01:53.240 Little Carla

05:15.520 Sunday Suppers at Grandma's

09:11.840 Beginning with Accounting

14:44.160 Moving to Paris for Modeling

19:34.200 The Birth of Lunch Bunch

21:36.960 Culinary School and Alchemy Caterers

27:41.200 Finding Love

31:36.480 Top Chef Audition and Experience

36:23.120 Food meets Performance on The Chew

41:10.840 Restaurant Venture and Saying Yes

44:23.640 Please Underestimate Me: Manifesting A Dream

47:15.480 Embracing Life's Transitions and Future Plans

48:48.134 Closing Questions

49:58.440 Closing Thoughts and Upcoming Projects

Carla’s instagram: @carlaphall 

Carla’s website: carlahall.com

thememenu.com

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Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com

Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates. 

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NEW YORK PIVOTERS: Come see us do a live podcast recording with Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez at the Museum of the City of New York next week on April 15th! Tickets on sale now. PS– She Pivot listeners can use the code MCNY10 for a discount.

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She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

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Huma Abedin has spent decades at the center of American power, as Hillary Clinton's closest aide, Deputy Chief of Staff at the State Department, and Vice Chair of a historic presidential campaign. But when her personal life collapsed in the most public way possible, she faced a reckoning that had nothing to do with politics. In this episode, Emily talks with Huma about her remarkable rise through the highest levels of government, the very public unraveling of her marriage, the decision to reclaim her story through her New York Times bestselling memoir, Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds, and finding love again on her own terms. 

Chapters:

00:29 Introduction to Huma Abedin

01:52 Growing Up in Saudi Arabia

06:38 Returning to the United States

09:48 Stepping into the Political World

13:16 Public Service, Public Scandal

17:08 2016 Presidential Election and Aftermath

25:05 Telling Her Story: Public Reinvention

30:08 Embracing Change and Future Plans

35:27 Reflections on Huma's Journey

36:08 Credits

Huma’s Instagram: @humaabedin

Huma’s website: huma-abedin.com

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com

Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates. 

She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She Pivots is back for Season 5! If you’re new here, She Pivots was created by Emily Tisch Sussman, who made a major career pivot out of politics after having three kids in three years. She Pivots is dedicated to telling the stories of women who have pivoted in their careers due to a personal life event. And now we’re back with honest conversations about career pivots, personal reinvention, and the choices that shape our lives, so that you can be inspired to make your own pivots with confidence.

Right in time for Women’s History Month, we’re starting with one of the most iconic feminist leaders of all time: Gloria Steinem. Gloria has spent her life bringing people together across generations, identities, and movements to imagine a better future for everyone. In this special episode - launching on Gloria’s 92nd birthday! - Emily talks to Gloria about what inspired her activism, her early travels in India, her belief that change happens in inclusive circles and through storytelling, and the legacy she hopes to leave.

And big news– Gloria’s new memoir An Unexpected Life just announced today! Check out the Vanity Fair article all about it here.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome back to She Pivots!

00:31 Emily's Pivot and Inspiration for the Show

01:42 Season Five Introduction

02:13 Gloria Steinem: A Living Legend

03:08 Gloria's Early Life

06:44 Gloria's Abortion and Her Fellowship in India

08:45 Early Career and the Playboy Bunny Exposé

15:24 The Birth of a Feminist Journalist

23:16 The Rise of a Feminist Leader

25:06 Gloria's Pivot Into Marriage

27:40 Talking Circles and the Future of Democracy

33:27 Gloria's Home as an Hub for Activism

40:18 Will Gloria Pivot Again?

42:54 Reflections on Gloria's Legacy

44:11 Closing Thoughts and Credits

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

Gloria’s Substack: https://gloriasfoundation.substack.com/ 

Gloria’s Instagram: @GloriaSteinem 

She Pivots was created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight women’s voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with inspirational narratives of how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: https://shepivots.substack.com/

Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website www.shepivotspod.com for resources and updates. 

She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every woman has a moment when everything changes. But what does it actually take to pivot?

Season 5 of She Pivots premieres March 25th and we are SO excited bring you honest conversations about career pivots, personal reinvention, and the choices that shape our lives, so that you can be inspired to make your own pivots with confidence.

Hosted by Emily Tisch Sussman, She Pivots is the podcast where women share the bold career moves and personal turning points that changed everything. This season, we’re diving even deeper into the stories behind success, the risks, the doubts, and the moments that redefine what’s possible.

We’re launching with a very special guest and a season full of powerful insights you won’t find anywhere else.

Follow now to be the first to listen when Season 5 drops, and join our community of women who support each other's pivots, great and small!

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week marks a special moment on She Pivots—it’s our season finale, and Emily is joined by the incomparable Paloma Faith. On this episode, Paloma opens up about her boldest reinvention yet: pivoting from chart-topping singer and actress to author of her raw and bestselling memoir, MILF: Motherhood, Identity, Love and Fckery*. With her trademark candor and wit, Paloma shares the unfiltered realities of IVF, miscarriages, postpartum depression, fractured relationships, and the messy, complicated truths of motherhood and womanhood that are too often left unsaid. She reminds us that embracing imperfection is not only liberating but essential—and that every reinvention can be an expansion of who we are.

Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share with your friends if you liked this episode!

She Pivots was created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight women, their stories, and how their pivot became their success. To learn more about Paloma, follow us on Instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast or visit shepivotsthepodcast.com.

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julie Wainwright’s career (and personal life) is a masterclass in resilience and reinvention, having seen Pets.com collapse on the very same day her marriage ended. On this episode of She Pivots, Julie opens up about the highs of leading companies at the forefront of the dot-com boom, and the devastating lows of reaching a personal professional rock-bottom on the same day. Rather than letting failure define her, she rebuilt from the ground up, ultimately founding The RealReal and taking it public—becoming one of the few women to lead a company she created all the way to IPO. Julie reflects on what it means to move through public scrutiny, personal heartbreak, and professional betrayal, and how each so-called failure became the launchpad for her next chapter. Now, with her latest venture AHARA and her memoir Time to Get Real, she is proving once again that reinvention is not only possible but powerful.

Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share with your friends if you liked this episode!

She Pivots was created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight women, their stories, and how their pivot became their success. To learn more about Julie, follow us on Instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast or visit shepivotsthepodcast.com.

Support the show: https://www.shepivotsthepodcast.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.