CANDID Interview: Carly Zakin & Danielle Weisberg

Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg are co-founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm, a membership company dedicated to helping millennial women live smarter. The former news producers launched theSkimm from their couch in 2012 and have built a brand that continues to be a trusted source for more than seven million daily subscribers. theSkimm’s first book, HOW TO SKIMM YOUR LIFE, was released in June 2019 and quickly debuted at #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list. Carly and Danielle have been featured on a number of prominent lists including: Forbes 30 Under 30 in Media, Vanity Fair's The Next Establishment, Fortune’s 40 Under 40, Variety’s Power of Women and Adweek's Young Influentials. They still prefer to work from a couch.

Carly Zakin & Danielle Weisberg are Co-Founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm, headquartered in New York City.

*Photographer credit: Sharon Suh. Danielle (left) and Carly (right).*

“What has to get done will get done. My mom always says that and I try to keep that in the back of my mind.” -Carly

“Ask for what you want. Whether you ask for 15 minutes of someone’s time or negotiate a raise, the worst thing someone can say is no.” -Danielle

My personal style...

Danielle: Is an easy-to-wear outfit. You can often find us literally sitting on the floor in a meeting and brainstorming and then going to an event after work.

Carly: We sometimes have long work days so we really value versatile pieces.

The best piece(s) of fashion armor in my closet...

Carly: A good pair of jeans and a nice blazer. It’s a really easy look.

Danielle: A great pair of flats. I always have an extra pair in my bag so I can change into them to walk around the city.

I’m making my mark by…

Carly: Creating a membership to living smarter.

Danielle: We are empowering millennial women and helping them navigate all the big moments in their lives.

A professional/personal challenge that keeps me up at night…

Carly: Navigating the challenges of growing and scaling a business.

Danielle: Continuing to build the best team.

In moments of self-doubt I build myself back up by...

Danielle: Having perspective. One of our company values is to always consider the bigger picture.

Carly: Seeking advice from advisors and mentors. I really value getting perspective from those who have faced similar challenges and decisions.

My version of self-care...

Carly: Is sleep. I find I can actually think through problems in my sleep. Our new book “How to Skimm Your Life” includes a whole section on sleep--how much you should get, what to do when you can’t get to sleep, how to avoid pressing snooze, and how to survive the work day if you didn’t sleep well.

Danielle: Is working out. I recently started going to yoga twice a week. I’ve normally liked faster pace workouts so this is a change. It has really helped me to slow down and think through whatever challenges I’m facing. I look forward to that one hour of my day when I’m not tied to my phone.

Words of wisdom that resonate with me are...

Danielle: Only we can define our own happiness. You can’t rely on other people to do it for you.

Carly: What has to get done will get done. My mom always says that and I try to keep that in the back of my mind.

I stay true to my passions by...

Carly: Scheduling time to disconnect. We are very protective of our weekends and try to use this time to de-stress and re-charge.

Danielle: Catching up with family and friends.

I’m most proud of...

Danielle: The team that we have built. Every day when I walk into Skimm HQ, it’s surreal to see more than 100 people working to make our vision a reality.

Carly: Our No Excuses campaign. We activated our audience to get involved in the political process by getting 110,000 people registered to vote in 2016, and 200,000 to the polls for the 2018 midterm election. And now we’re committed to getting 20 million millennial women to vote in 2020.

The one thing I would like to say to every woman in the world is...

Carly: Build a network. We relied on our own network of amazing women to help us navigate the everyday challenges of starting something new. One of our podcasts--‘Skimm’d from The Couch’--features successful women from all different industries and highlights the challenges and tough days that come with navigating your career.

Danielle: Ask for what you want. Whether you ask for 15 minutes of someone’s time or negotiate a raise, the worst thing someone can say is no.

Shop Danielle’s power pieces!