The Messy Parts

From Fired to Fashion Powerhouse: Jeweler Marla Aaron

At what point does a side hustle stop being a hobby? On this episode of The Messy Parts, Marla Aaron tells Maryam the exact moment she realized she could no longer hedge her ambition. What began as a creative outlet eventually became a full-fledged business, but not without years of doubt, rejection, and financial anxiety. In this episode, Marla and Maryam explore the tension between security and risk, why waiting to feel “ready” is a trap, and how fear can coexist with clarity. They also talk about loneliness, creativity, social media as an unexpected unlock, and what it really takes to start over later than planned.Key Moments“So Happy. Not Scared at All.” 😮Marla describes the emotional moment she finally quit her corporate job and why relief outweighed fear.Becoming Comfortable With Discomfort 🌍Marla connects her childhood independence and studying abroad at 17 to her lifelong willingness to take risks.Graduating Into a “Bad Job Market” 📉Why Marla believes focusing on opportunity matters more than economic doom narratives for young professionals.“I’m Scared of Everything.” 😬A candid conversation about fear, impostor syndrome, and doing hard things anyway.Choosing Money Over Passion (At First) 💼Marla explains walking away from journalism due to low pay and financial anxiety.Fired, Divorced, and a Single Mom 💥The emotional and financial rock bottom that forced Marla to keep moving forward.The Boring Job That Funded Creativity 🔄How working a job she didn’t love gave her space to build her dream at night.A Hobby With a Dream 💭How Marla quietly built her jewelry business at night while working full-time and raising a child.“Everyone Told Me I Was Insane.” 🔥The Cannes turning point: burnout, injury, rage, and the final decision to quit.“This Is Not a Hobby.” 🚨The pivotal boardroom moment when a CEO unknowingly pushed Marla to fully commit.Instagram Unlocks the Business How learning social media from her kids helped Marla grow a global direct-to-consumer brand.The Loneliness of Building Something Alone 🧍‍♀️Marla opens up about the isolation that comes with entrepreneurship and leadership.Send us a textEmail us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts.Thank you for listening.

Becoming the CEO of Me: Communications Icon Sally Susman

Is it possible to be successful, exhausted, uncertain, and stuck — all at the same time? In this episode of The Messy Parts, former Pfizer communications chief Sally Susman joins Maryam on the blue couch to get real about fear, ambition, burnout, and what it really takes to grow. From being told she’d never have a career after coming out, to leading Pfizer during COVID, to leaving corporate life behind, Sally shares the messy, human moments that shaped her leadership. She talks about the risks of playing it too safe, losing identity when a job ends, and why breakthrough moments rarely arrive when you feel “ready.” This isn’t a highlight reel — it’s a real conversation about pressure, reinvention, and learning to trust yourself through change. If your career looks good on paper but feels heavy inside, this episode will help you feel less alone. Key Moments“Be Ready — You Don’t Know When It’s Coming” ⏳Sally reflects on COVID and shares her core career philosophy about preparation and unexpected breakthrough moments.Growing Up With Privilege AND Pressure 🎭Sally explains what it was like being raised in an ambitious, high-expectation household.“You’ll Never Have a Career” 💔Sally shares the moment she came out to her parents — and the sentence that reshaped her entire life trajectory.“Nothing Scared Me After That” 🔥How that painful family moment became the foundation of her courage and leadership confidence.Leaving Government for Corporate America 🏛️➡️🏢Why Sally walked away from politics — and what frustrated her most about “doing good” in government.“My Heart Was in My Throat” 😰➡️💪Sally explains why fear is her signal for growth — and how discomfort became her career compass.Walking Into Pfizer’s Reputation Wall 🧱The moment Sally realized just how deep public distrust of Big Pharma really ran.COVID Changed Everything 🌍Inside Pfizer’s pandemic pivot — opening labs to media, sharing trial protocols, and racing against time.Finding Her Voice on the Global Stage 🎙️How Sally went from behind-the-scenes operator to public-facing leader during the crisis.Hiring a “Senior Intern” After Watching a Movie 🎬The unconventional idea inspired by The Intern that became a Fast Company cover story.Leaving Corporate Life Was Harder Than She Expected 🚪Sally opens up about identity loss, comfort traps, and preparing for her off-ramp.“I Was Too Transactional” — Career Feedback That Stung 🪞The tough 360 review that changed how Sally approached relationships at work.Advice to 35-Year-Old You: “Worry Less” 🌱Sally’s direct message to stressed professionals navigating pressure and self-doubt.Send us a textEmail us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts.Thank you for listening.

The Best of The Messy Parts: Humor, Resilience & Rewriting the Rules

This week, we are looking back at some of the most powerful, hilarious, and vulnerable moments from The Messy Parts. We created this episode with Hark Audio, gathering the standout clips that define what this show is all about: embracing the chaos and finding strength in the struggle.Whether you are new to the podcast or a day-one listener, this compilation features the wisdom you need right now. We revisit these conversations and more:Negin Farsad on finding the humor in social justice and the "messy" side of comedy.Fede Garcia on navigating communication and the power of perspective.Vanessa Barboni Hallik on the complexities of sustainable fashion and ethical leadership.Cindi Leive on redefining power structures and her journey through the media landscape.Ana Gasteyer on how you make your aspirations your identityTune in for a dose of inspiration, laughter, and real talk.Links: Check out Hark Audio: https://harkaudio.com/ Send us a textEmail us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts.Thank you for listening.

Katie Sturino on Building Megababe, Owning the Mess, and Dreaming Big (Re-Release)

We're going back to our first episode: Katie Sturino is no stranger to reinvention—from fashion PR hustler to viral dog-momager to founder of Megababe and author of the new romcom Sunny Side Up. In the premiere episode of The Messy Parts, she joins Maryam to talk about building a self-funded brand, the real struggles behind the Instagram gloss, and how letting the "messy parts hang out" can be your superpower. They talk all things Ozempic, Oprah, body image, revenge-fueled motivation, and working with family. Katie also opens up about her purpose: helping women stop feeling bad alone—and start feeling powerful together.Show Notes: Guest: Katie Sturino – Entrepreneur, Author, Founder of MegababeFollow Katie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiesturino/?hl=enFollow Katie on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katiesturinoTopics Covered:Why revenge is her greatest motivator: "Success is the ultimate revenge"Moving to NYC and relentlessly pursuing her dream job at ChanelMaking her dog Toast Instagram-famous and recognizing unexpected opportunitiesStarting 12ish Style blog after discovering the power of body representationCreating Megababe: solving problems no one talks about (thigh chafe, boob sweat)Working with family: benefits and challenges of business partnershipsWriting "Sunny Side Up": transforming pain into a romcom after 9 yearsMeeting Oprah and sparking a national conversation about weight stigmaThe messy reality of entrepreneurship that podcasts don't shareDreaming big without limits and trusting your gutMentioned:ChanelDolce & GabbanaMegababe ProductsToast (her famous dog): DogMeetsWorld12ish Style blog"Sunny Side Up" (her novel)Today ShowOprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss RevolutionTargetWeight WatchersOzempicIna Garten’s book, Be Ready When Luck HappensThe Longest TableSend us a textEmail us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts.Thank you for listening.

Ana Gasteyer Gets Real About Wicked, SNL, and the Hustle of Showbiz (Re-Release)

What does it really take to build a career across Saturday Night Live, Broadway’s Wicked, network TV, and music? In this re-release of one of our favorite episodes of The Messy Parts, Ana Gasteyer joins Maryam Banikarim to reveal the messy, unglamorous parts of showbusiness — like rejection, insecurity, and feeling like an outsider. Ana turned those realities into fuel for her creativity, and tells Maryam about the power of radical preparedness in auditions, why naming her goals out loud shifted everything, and how Martin Short's life-balancing method helps her navigate the chaos of life. Whether you’re an actor, artist, writer, or anyone chasing a creative dream, Ana’s insights on resilience and reinvention will resonate deeply. A warm, hilarious, and refreshingly honest conversation about ambition, belonging, and showing up for the life you want.Send us a textEmail us: hello@themessypartspodcast.com To stay up to date with The Messy Parts and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts.Thank you for listening.