MADWOMEN

Meet Ara Katz, Co-Founder of Seed, the microbiome science company pioneering innovations in probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics. Seed’s work spans from gut and skin health to coral reef restoration—and even microbes in space.Before founding Seed, Ara worked in media, design, and tech. After a personal health experience reshaped her perspective, she set out to reimagine how science is communicated.In this episode, Ara shares how she and her team transformed microbiome science into a cultural movement, bridging the gap between cutting-edge science and everyday life.In this episode, we get into:Why you can’t brand your way to trustSeed’s anti–gatekeeping approach to knowledgeM- The most underrated ingredient in product designLaunching the first vaginal synbiotic and evolving women’s healthWhy AI can be a tool for empowerment—not replacement.This is: The Science of TrustWelcome to the MADNESS.Connect w/ Ara Katz & Seedhttps://www.instagram.com/arakatz/https://www.instagram.com/seed/https://www.linkedin.com/in/arakatz/Connect w/ the MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.com💌 Subscribe for new episodes 💌

Meet Kristen Naiman, The RealReal’s Chief Brand Officer and the creative mind behind Kate Spade’s iconic Misadventure series with Anna Kendrick. Before The RealReal, she spent seven years at Isaac Mizrahi, styled Hanson (yes, the boy band), and began her career styling for Harper’s Bazaar, Teen Vogue, Paper, Nylon, The New York Times Magazine, and Rolling Stone.This MADWOMEN episode is about creativity. But it’s also about our roles in capitalism. Kristen’s philosophy? True creativity comes from noticing the world around you, surrounding yourself with diverse voices, and really listening.If you’re interested in…✨ Sharpening your creative instinct✨ Building the world you want to live in✨ Challenging consumption cycles✨ Creative leadership that lifts others up✨ How a brand creates real value✨ Why Misadventure became a viral phenomenon✨ A secret way to use the The RealReal…then join us for this week’s episode.This is: The Art of Listening in a Noisy World: Capitalism, Creativity, and the Stories We HearWelcome to the Madness.Connect w/ Kristen Naiman & The Real Realhttps://www.instagram.com/kristennaiman/https://www.instagram.com/therealreal/https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-naiman-26449528/Connect w/ the MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.com💌 Subscribe for new episodes 💌

Meet Natalie Holloway, Bala’s Co-Founder, the brand that turned dumbbells into design objects and redefined what it means to move.After a career in advertising, Natalie and her husband, Max, launched Bala with one goal: to make fitness delightful. From the cult-favorite Bala Bangles to collaborations with Ralph Lauren, Spanx, and Pucci. Bala has become a global symbol of play, color, and creativity in wellness.In this episode of MADWOMEN, Natalie shares how Bala reimagined fitness—proving that design-led products do more than just sell.Why you need to listen (even if you don’t have a physical product), because we get into:how design itself can be the product strategywhy rest and movement are essential to building something that laststhe power of building your roadmap with your community, not just for themknowing when to protect the vision—and when to walk awaysaying no to influencers and yes to collaborationsThis is: Designing for Delight: The Bala WayWelcome to the Madness.Connect w/ Natalie Holloway + Balahttps://www.instagram.com/natalieholloway/https://www.instagram.com/bala/https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-holloway-bab86521/Connect w/ the MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.com💌 Subscribe for new episodes 💌

Meet Bobbie’s Chief Brand Officer, Kim Chappell. She’s reimagining a culture that truly supports parents and kids, and the role brands play in it.The Bobbie brand has been honored by Time’s 100 Most Innovative Companies, the Webby Awards, and the Shorty Awards. Kim was named one of Forbes’ 50 Most Entrepreneurial CMOs.Before joining Bobbie, Kim was a journalist, and storyteller at Square, not a traditional marketer. That’s exactly why her approach works. She builds brands by making people feel, not by chasing metrics.From assembling her own desk in a basement to launching the first breastfeeding billboard in Times Square, Kim has helped turn Bobbie into a movement that’s redefining culture. Under her direction, Bobbie has launched bold campaigns featuring Meghan Trainor, Ashley Graham, Tan France and landed her product on Target shelves nationwide.If you want to shape where culture is headed, this episode will inspire you to:Build lasting trust with your audienceLaunch before you have a productTurn followers into a true digital villageAvoid performative marketingLead with empathy—not just KPIsAnd added bonus, we unpack what it means to lead with your gut—reflecting on authenticity, noise, and staying inspired in an algorithmic world.This is: How to Build a Brand That Shapes CultureWelcome to the Madness.Connect w/ Kim Chappell + Bobbielinkedin.com/in/kim-chappell-3599415https://www.instagram.com/kimgchappy/https://www.hibobbie.com/Connect w/ the MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.com💌 Subscribe for new episodes 💌

Meet Jason Ikeler, Hearst Magazines’ VP of Video and Creative Strategy. From Cosmo to Harper’s Bazaar to ELLE, Jason is likely the reason you can’t stop scrolling. He’s behind some of your favorite videos on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube—everything from celebrity interviews to fashion shoots. Jason has created hit series with stars like Billie Eilish, Julia Fox, and John Legend.In this episode, Jason takes us inside the chaos and craft of creating original content:How to balance personal taste, ad $$, & audience expectationsJason’s philosophy: “there are no new ideas”Originality > TrendsWhy Phoning It In became a viral hit w/ Billie Eilish, Julia Fox, etcThe role of failureWhere ideas come from (not from 15-person brainstorms)What it really takes to get celebrities off scriptThe secret sauce that keeps Hearst at the center of cultureThis is: The Chaos, Craft, and Cost of ViralityWelcome to the MADNESSConnect w/ Jason Ikelerhttps://www.instagram.com/jasonikeler/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonikeler/Connect w/ the MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.com💌 Subscribe for new episodes 💌

Meet Malena Higuera, CEO of NOYZ. Malena spent nearly two decades at L’Oréal shaping iconic brands like Urban Decay and Dermablend, after early roles at Maybelline and Avon.She embraced e-commerce marketing before anyone believed in it and went on to pioneer digital-first strategies at scale. And she continues to lead the charge, now by optimizing omni-channel experiences—spanning personal DMs, a hotline, and a California scent tour.What sets Malena apart? She blends an anthropologist’s curiosity, a marketer’s sharp instincts, and a mentor’s generosity, creating product experiences that are truly human-centered.In this episode, we get into:How to win the “Hunger Games” (hint, it’s using innovation)The community as “founder”Why constraints breed creativity, with examples from L’OréalThe future: how AI, science, and personalization are evolving the industryWhat she’s learned from 174 coffee datesThis is: Cutting Through the NoiseWelcome to the Madness.Connect w/ Malenahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/malenahiguera/https://www.instagram.com/malenahiguera/https://www.instagram.com/noyz_official/Connect w/ the MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.com💌 Subscribe for new episodes 💌

Meet Jordan Robin — Creative Director and Designer working at the intersection of fashion, art, design, and production. Jordan has shaped worlds at Calvin Klein under Raf Simons, led creative at Reformation, and now runs her own LA-based consultancy, JNR Studio. Jordan’s 360° vision and a talent for world-building blurs the boundaries of art, culture, and commerce.What makes the worlds Jordan builds so rich? She refuses to rely on Pinterest boards or Instagram trends. Instead, she looks to the physical world. That approach, paired with her intuitive sense memory and sharp creative instincts, gives her work a depth and originality that cut through the noise.In this episode, we get into:What it really takes to build a 360º brand world people want to live inWhy the best ideas live offlineHow to build up creative reservesHow collaboration becomes a craft and finding real partnersThe defense of rose-colored glassesThis is: 360 World-Building in Rose-Colored GlassesWelcome to the Madness.

Meet Ansley Williams, she’s been shaping influencer marketing since the days when influencers were called bloggers. As Head of Influencer Marketing, North America at Ogilvy, she has grown this division by 900 % working with brands like CeraVe, IKEA, IBM, and many more.Before Ogilvy, she built large-scale influencer teams and led everything from celebrity-driven commercials to social-first campaigns. Today, she's bringing her expertise to MADWOMEN and breaking down the strategy behind one of the most impactful influencer-led campaigns.In this episode, we get into:The influencer play that cut through the Super Bowl noiseHow 450 influencers, a pop culture prank, and Michael Cera turned skincare into a cultural obsessionThe backstage pass to Influencer MarketingWhy Human-First winsWhat happens when you rip up the playbookThis is: Feeding the FrenzyWelcome to the Madness.Connect w/ Ansleyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/answilliams/https://www.instagram.com/ogilvy?igsh=cXhxMTl5emtmdXRhConnect w/ MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.com💌 Subscribe for new episodes 💌

Meet Aila Morin, founding CMO at Merit Beauty, one of the fastest-growing beauty brands. Every product she’s launched has hit #1 in Clean at Sephora.In just three years, Aila has helped drive MERIT past $100M in sales, earning over 50 awards along the way—including VOGUE Business 100 Innovators and Allure Best of Beauty. Before MERIT she was the first Director of Marketing at Mejuri and now advises brands like Cameron Diaz’s Avaline Wine.This MADWOMEN episode is rooted in beauty, but it’s really about the anatomy of modern brand-building. Aila hands us the mirror and asks:Are you actually different—or just new?Can your customer intuitively use your product? If not, why?Just because it worked for your competitor (hi, Hailey Bieber pop-up), will it work for you?She makes a sharp case for why brand matters more than product, how Merit’s pivot away from discounts is rewriting the playbook, and why the traditional definition of CMO doesn’t cut it anymore. Aila leads holistically—across creative, product development, marketing, customer experience, digital, and retail strategy. Her full-spectrum approach cuts through the digital noise.This is: Anatomy of Modern Brand-BuildingWelcome to the Madness.Connect w/ Alia https://www.linkedin.com/in/ailamorin/Connect w/ the MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.com💌 Subscribe for new episodes 💌

Meet Karina Kogan, one of the sharpest marketing minds behind some of the most behavior-shifting brands of the last decade.As the former CMO of Oura Ring and SVP at Peloton, she helped turn fringe products into must-haves and built brands that embed into people’s everyday lives. Now at Napster (formerly Infinite Reality), she’s creating a more human internet: one that’s 3D, conversational, and deeply personal.In this episode, we explore how Karina turns emerging products into household names and why leading with empathy might be the real unlock for driving behavior change.You’ll learn:Real lessons from how Oura went from a biohacking tool to a lifestyle brand everyone knowsThe behind-the-scenes story of Peloton’s pandemic boom and the marketing playbook that made it a household nameHow to build campaigns that spark real behavior changeWhere the internet is headed (hint: it’s shifting from 2D to 3D) and how to stay ahead of itThis is How the World’s Top Brands Change Your BehaviorWelcome to the Madness.Connect w/ Karinahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kogankarina/Connect w/ the MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.com💌 Subscribe for new episodes 💌

Meet John Norman, the creative behind some of the most iconic brand campaigns of the last two decades, from Nike and Adidas to Coca-Cola and Pepsi.John has held the highest creatives titles at Wieden + Kennedy, The Martin Agency, and more and is now the Global Design Partner at Dentsu Creative. But it’s not just his resume that sets him apart — it’s his belief that the best work starts with human truth.In this episode, we talk about the difference between storytelling that sells and storytelling that sticks.We get into:Launching Nike’s first global campaign celebrating women in sportThe strategy behind rebuilding trust in Walmart after 8 consecutive quarters of declineThe origin story of Coke’s iconic Open Happiness campaignWhat most creatives get wrong about strategy and how to course-correctThis is Human vs. Brand Truths.Welcome to the Madness.Connect w/ Johnhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/johncnorman/https://www.jno.site/Connect w/ the MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.co

✨ Use https://wenatal.com/madwomen for a free month’s supply of WeNatal’s Magnesium with your first subscription (worth $35!). It's a premium magnesium supplement designed to support relaxation, digestion, and overall well-being. Formulated with four bioavailable forms of magnesium.---Meet Vida and Ronit, the powerhouse co-founders of WeNatal. After personal losses and dismissive doctors, they set out to rewrite the script around fertility, becoming the first company to equally center women AND men in the conversation.From Nike execs to bootstrapped founders, they turned their grief into grit—launching a science-backed supplement company rooted in education, storytelling, and systems change. WeNatal is trusted by top doctors, like, Dr. Mark Hyman.In this episode, we get into how they applied what they learned at Nike to build a brand that cuts through the noise—and how you can, too. We also talk about their unwavering commitment to their customers by creating a product experience that’s as emotionally resonant as it is medically credible.This is: Proof is in the Product.Welcome to the Madness!Connect w/ WeNatalhttps://www.instagram.com/we_natal/https://www.tiktok.com/@wenatalConnect w/ the MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.com💌 Subscribe for new episodes 💌

Join us for a conversation with the founder and CEO of @Kin Euphorics, Jen Batchelor. Yes, she launched a cool new beverage company, but she also created an entirely new drinking category, euphorics!Jen has built a cult-like brand that lives on top shelves, earns headlines, and invites people into an intentional way of living.With Bella Hadid as cofounder, a Fast Company innovation award, and sold at Erewhon and Target, Kin has become a masterclass in emotional branding and cultural relevance.In this episode, we explore the power of world building in brand strategy.This is Crafting Desire.Welcome to the Madness!Connect w/ Kin Euphorics & Jen Batchelor https://www.instagram.com/kineuphorics/https://www.tiktok.com/@kineuphoricshttps://www.instagram.com/jenofkin/Connect w/ the MADWOMENhttps://www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/https://www.tiktok.com/@madwomen_studioshttps://www.instagram.com/miapokriefka/ https://www.instagram.com/elissaodell/www.madwomenstudios.com💌 Subscribe for new episodes 💌

Welcome to MADWOMEN. The conversation series featuring those mad enough to shape culture, not chase it.We started MADWOMEN because we were tired. Tired of recycled strategies dressed up as innovation. Tired of the sameness. We went viral before virality had a name, but building two companies taught us that “build it and they will come” doesn’t cut it in the algorithmic age. Attention isn’t given. It’s earned. Not with noise, but with guts. MADWOMEN is for those who do it differently. Hosted by Mia Pokriefka and Elissa O’Dell, each episode explores the method behind the madness with the boldest minds shaping what we see, share, and buy.Learn the philosophies and strategies of bold marketers, from the RealReal's CCO, to founders from Bala and Kin Euphorics, to leaders at Oligvy and Hearst, who are shaping our world.At MADWOMEN, we’re asking:What’s the cost of playing it safe when the culture is moving fast?How do you stay original when algorithms reward repetition?And who’s still making work that actually makes people feel something and do something?We’re MADWOMEN. We’re mad at the sameness of it all. And we’re mad for the ones doing it differently. New episodes drop every week. www.instagram.com/madwomen_studios/