
Ashley Graham on shattering boundaries with a smile
07/30/20 • 37 min
2 Listeners
The multi-hyphenate talent Ashley Graham has innovated a career that has spread across fashion, beauty, television, and podcasting. Ashley started modeling when she was just 12, but it wasn’t long before she was breaking boundaries — and changing the face of — the size-obsessed industry, becoming the first curvy model to cover Vogue and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (among others), to walk Michael Kors, and to land a major beauty contract (Revlon). On this episode of Back to Biz with Katie and Boz, the model, entrepreneur, TV host, and producer talks to her friend Bozoma Saint John about pushing for more inclusivity and fewer labels at every step of her career. “There was always a label kind of looming over me,” she tells Boz. “Nobody wants to be labeled, yet people still put you in a box for who you are and who you stand for and who you’re rooting for and who you’re not rooting for. And all I simply wanted was to just be accepted for who I was.” Boz and Ashley also talk about motherhood, the need for diversity in all industries, and what it has been like quarantining with her family in her hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. “We must be very abnormal,” she says, “because it’s working!”
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The multi-hyphenate talent Ashley Graham has innovated a career that has spread across fashion, beauty, television, and podcasting. Ashley started modeling when she was just 12, but it wasn’t long before she was breaking boundaries — and changing the face of — the size-obsessed industry, becoming the first curvy model to cover Vogue and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (among others), to walk Michael Kors, and to land a major beauty contract (Revlon). On this episode of Back to Biz with Katie and Boz, the model, entrepreneur, TV host, and producer talks to her friend Bozoma Saint John about pushing for more inclusivity and fewer labels at every step of her career. “There was always a label kind of looming over me,” she tells Boz. “Nobody wants to be labeled, yet people still put you in a box for who you are and who you stand for and who you’re rooting for and who you’re not rooting for. And all I simply wanted was to just be accepted for who I was.” Boz and Ashley also talk about motherhood, the need for diversity in all industries, and what it has been like quarantining with her family in her hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska. “We must be very abnormal,” she says, “because it’s working!”
For more, subscribe to Katie Couric’s morning newsletter, “Wake-Up Call,” at KatieCouric.com.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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La La Anthony on the power of reinvention
This week on Back to Biz with Katie and Boz, Katie Couric is on book deadline! While she’s busy writing, Bozoma Saint John sits down for an intimate conversation with her good friend and all around entertainment renaissance woman La La Anthony. La La shares her career journey from radio personality to MTV VJ (hello, “Total Request Live”) to producer, actress, entrepreneur and activist. They touch upon the ups and downs of quarantine life, but also dive deep into the current state of social and racial unrest and its emotional toll. Although the country’s racial injustices are amplified now, it is a reality both women have dealt with their whole lives and now have to watch their children go through, too. La La shares how she is preparing her 13-year-old son Kiyan for the world he has to live in: “We have a 13-year-old Black son and we live in New York City,” La La says. “My son walks around with a hoodie ... he plays basketball, he’s in the gyms, he’s on the courts outside. So we tell him ‘this at any moment could be you.’” It’s a deeply personal conversation about their struggles, as well as their hopes for what can change. “There’s still so much work to do,” La La says, “and you don’t stop just because a hashtag isn’t trending anymore."
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Christine Michel Carter on parenting in the age of COVID
You don’t have to be a parent to recognize that parenting during COVID is a struggle. When the coronavirus shut down daycare facilities and schools across the country in March, parents became not only full time caretakers, but also teachers, coaches and playdates for their suddenly isolated kids. And working parents — those lucky enough to be able to keep their jobs or work remotely during the shutdown — have had to also find time in the day to do the job that pays the bills. For single working parents, or black or brown parents, that impossible situation, that non-existent work-life balance, is an even heavier burden to bear. But this isn’t new for Christine Michel Carter. In fact, the marketing strategist, working-mom advocate and best-selling author has been “Chicken Little” for the past five years, running around telling everyone the work-life balance sky was falling. COVID just exacerbated the reality. “The world is exposed to the fact that even in married two-income households — unlike mine — women are three times more likely to be the spouse who carries the additional burden of the mental load of just everything that’s going on,” she says. On this episode of Back to Biz with Katie and Boz, co-host Bozoma Saint John talks with Christine about about how to build a better employer-employee relationship, one that doesn’t compartmentalize mothers and fathers, but allows people to bring their whole selves — kids, school mishaps, doctor appointments, birthday parties and all — to the office (or the zoom meeting). Christine and Boz share their own struggles of being a parent in the corporate world, how communities of color are disproportionately affected, and what that so-called work-life balance could look like on the other side of this pandemic.
Check out Christine Michel Carter’s book, “Mom AF.”
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Back to Biz with Katie and Boz - Ashley Graham on shattering boundaries with a smile
Transcript Summary
In this episode titled "Ashley Graham on shattering boundaries with a smile," Boma St. John interviews Ashley Graham, a fashion and beauty icon known for her disruptive career in the industry. As they delve into Ashley's journey, they highlight the strength of motherhood, the power of taking action, and the importance of representation. Ashley's numerous accomplishments, including book launches, a Barbie, a workout series, being a podcast host, and a Revlon ambassador, demonstrate her relentless pursuit of change. She shares personal experiences of starting a lingerie line to break free from labels and emphasizes the need to push boundaries for personal growth. Throughout the conversation, they discuss the value of hard work, kindness, and the support of the right people. With both Boma and Ashley embracing the multigenerational living situation during the pandemic, they express gratitude for the time spent with their families. This episode offers an inspiring and engaging perspective on breaking down barriers and making a meaningful impact.
Transcript
Hi, everybody. I'm Boma St. John and you're listening to Back to Biz with Katie and Bows. Except I am vibe my damn self, okay, because Katie is sprinting towards her book deadline and so she's left me all by my lonesome. But today I'm not by my lonesome. You know why, because I've got the fabulous Ashley Graham with me.
Speaker 1I'm so happy to be here. Thank you so much for having me on, Ashley. I lov
Ashley Graham on shattering boundaries with a smile Top Questions Answered
How many different launches has Ashley Graham had?
Ashley Graham has had various launches including clothing, a book, a Barbie, a workout series on YouTube, a show on L en Tube, and a podcast called Pretty Big Deal.
Who is interviewing Ashley Graham on the podcast?
Boma St. John is interviewing Ashley Graham on the podcast.
What is Ashley Graham known for?
Ashley Graham is known for being a fashion and beauty icon, a TV host, producer, activist, and entrepreneur.
Where is Ashley Graham currently staying due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Ashley Graham is currently in Nebraska staying in the same house she grew up in.
Who taught Ashley Graham the value of hard work and kindness?
Ashley Graham's mom taught her the value of hard work and kindness, which she believes has helped her in her career.
Who is Ashley Graham living with during the pandemic?
Ashley Graham is living with her mom, her boyfriend, and her baby during the pandemic.
When did Ashley Graham start modeling?
Ashley Graham started modeling at the age of 12 and moved to New York at 17.
What inspired Ashley Graham to start a lingerie line?
After feeling stagnant in her career, Ashley Graham's husband encouraged her to pursue what would make her happy, leading her to start a lingerie line.
Why did Ashley Graham face labeling as a plus-size model?
Ashley Graham faced labeling as a plus-size model but wanted to be accepted simply as a model.
How did Ashley Graham overcome initial resistance to her lingerie line idea?
Ashley Graham took the initiative to speak directly with CEOs and presidents of companies, got guidance from attorneys and advisors, and emphasized the importance of getting uncomfortable to find growth.
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