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Hello stars, What a treat to see so many of you tune into my live this morning! Anyone who couldn’t make it, catch the recording here and on my YouTube. My biggest pet peeve with building “personal brands” is that most people compare themselves to the wrong person. You’ve been holding yourself to some invisible content standard: a podcast a week, a YouTube a week, three TikToks a day, two Instagram posts, a LinkedIn. I did this too, when I had maybe four hours a week to actually spend on content. It’s a setup for shame! When you create a content strategy without a vision, goals, or capacity constraints, you will BURN OUT and resent it. But then you’ll miss out on the good parts, too! SCALE is the framework I use to help busy professionals, founders, and creatives get clear on what they want to do and what they CAN do to show up online without getting a second personal job. Here’s the refresher, catch the live or the YouTube for the full breakdown: Skills — what you’re actually good at. Mine is live, workshops, writing. Not short-form trends, so I stopped forcing them. Capacity — your real hours in a bad week and a good week. Set an honest floor and ceiling so falling off doesn’t spiral into quitting. Affinities — what you genuinely like making and watching. Everyone can tell when you’re posting out of obligation. Nobody cares. You’re more interesting than that. Lifestyle — what your days actually hold. A doctor in the office all day has to batch. A freelancer can film anytime. Build content into your life, don’t bolt it on. Energy — the way you show up. Teacher, curator, operator with receipts. Stop comparing yourself to the metrics of a niche that was never yours. A dermatologist and a B2B founder should not have the same content plan. One posts once a week, one posts fifty times. SCALE is what makes it yours! But none of it works without the step WAY TOO MANY people skip: a vision. Where are you on a random Tuesday three years from now? What are you doing, who are you talking to, how are you making money? Get specific. If you don’t know why you’re building this or who it’s for, you won’t stick with it. Creator Essentials is the program for moving through all of this with support, frameworks, and other women doing it just like you. We start Tuesday and there’s still room to join! The opportunities don’t come until the clarity does. Believe me, I’ve been there! xx Alexis Thank you Dr. Alysia Lillian, MD, MPH, Angelica Councilman, Jessica Onne, bre, Karen Manga, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

In 2023, on my very first trip to Paris, a man I loved leaned across the bar at the Ritz and told me I didn't have the resilience to be an entrepreneur. I cried. Three years later I walked back into that same bar after speaking at Cannes Lions, took the last seat, ordered a French 75, and toasted a year with multiple six figures, 50+ women coached into their own brands, and a second book underway. This episode is the how. Seven shifts I made over the last six months that took me from burnt out and doubting myself to happy most days and certain of my work. The throughline is the part nobody tells you: you don't wait until you feel resilient to act. You act before you're ready, the proof stacks, and one day you notice the validation you used to cry for is beside the point. I recorded this one live and unfiltered, with a long audience Q&A at the end. Pour a coffee, or a French 75, and let's get into it. In this episode (00:00) The DM that stopped me at a Paris bus stop: "how does it feel to be living your dreams?" (00:01) What Cannes Lions actually taught me, plus the food poisoning, blisters, and lost voice it came with (00:05) Why I retired the word "manifest," and what actually moves things into your life (00:07) Shift 1, Listening. The thing everyone already comes to you for is the business you're avoiding. (00:12) Shift 2, Act before you're ready. Action creates data, data creates better action. (00:16) Shift 3, Reframe your resources. Name the one big constraint, then count everything else you have. (00:21) Shift 4, Experimentation and detachment. Hold the goal loosely enough that it can get good. (00:25) Shift 5, A new feeling is just a new feeling. Discomfort is your body clocking a new normal. (00:30) Shift 6, Get your desire back. Say the outrageous want out loud. (00:33) The Cannes moment that made me expand my money capacity on the spot (00:37) Shift 7, Value and service-based creation. Your why is what gets you off the floor. (00:47) The seven-shift recap (00:49) Audience Q&A: selfish eras, building an audience versus building an offer, and figuring out what you're actually built for Mentioned in this episode Dr. Suzy Welch's Becoming You and the Values Bridge exercise, the room that gave me permission to start teaching The Too Smart For This journal, wherever books are sold (Amazon, Barnes & Noble). A good place to start planning your H2. My newsletter, where the written version of this story lives. Subscribe on Substack: alexisbarber.nyc Come scale with me We have enough well-documented women on the internet. We need more well-rounded ones, the kind building their content around an actual skillset instead of a camera roll. The Authority Edit, my small-group advisory, is for the six- and seven-figure girls, and the ones scaling fast toward it. Over the last four years I've helped women gain hundreds of thousands of followers and make multiple six figures from their content, the same thing I've built for myself. If you're truly serious about scaling your impact, and scaling it fast, comment or DM me AUTHORITY on my latest IG post and we'll see if it's the right fit: https://www.instagram.com/p/DabPkAuNoem/?hl=en This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

a year after walking across the wharton stage, all three of us ended up somewhere we didn't expect: in a portfolio career, in the creator economy, and nowhere near the linear corporate path we were sold. so we went live on substack to talk about it honestly. hannah, simmi and i covered why we went, what we actually got, what we'd do differently, and the moment near the end where we each named the best thing we got out of business school. completely unprompted, none of us said the network. what we get into: why each of us decided to go (and the on-paper answers vs. the real ones) whether wharton ended up being the silver bullet we hoped it would be the moment the first wave of google layoffs convinced me loyalty was a lie why the entrepreneurial resources at top business schools are still built for ai founders, not media founders budgeting for double what they tell you it will cost whether entrepreneurship is actually good for business school the highs (the people, the time, the city) and the lows (the optionality cost, the lost income, the pedestal effect) who should go to business school, and who absolutely shouldn't how to operate at the level of someone with an mba without going (hannah's husband's line: people at the very top don't go) the part you'll want to clip: hannah said her partner. simmi said her friendships. i said my relationship with myself. simmi caught it in real time and said you really covered all of it. and that wasn't planned. featured guests: hannah zhang & simi shah xx, alexis a programming note before you go. this thursday, may 21st, i’m in brooklyn at jess williamson’s million dollar personal brand workshop, sitting on the empire builders panel at 1pm to talk about the marketing, sales, and socials behind seven-figure brands. if you’ve been thinking about how to actually turn a personal brand into a business, this is the room. ticket link is here. come find me after! xx, alexis This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

Monique Rodriguez went from being a registered nurse to building Mielle Organics, an organic multicultural haircare brand that was acquired by Procter & Gamble in a 9-figure, non-controlling deal — making her the first Black woman to secure this type of investment. And she did it with no business background, no MBA, and years of bootstrapping. If you're trying to figure out how to start something when you don't have a business degree, if you're bootstrapping and wondering when or if funding will come, or if you're afraid of what people will say when you make moves they don't understand, this conversation is for you. Monique shares about the grief that catalyzed her pivot to entrepreneurship, the unglamorous reality of building without resources, how she finally secured investment after constant rejection, and why the P&G acquisition wasn't selling out, it was selling up. What You'll Learn: How Monique went from registered nurse to founder with no business backgroundWhy grief and loss became the catalyst for starting Mielle OrganicsHow to bootstrap a business and the unglamorous reality of it all How she raised investment after getting rejected by dozens of investorsWhat the 9-figure P&G acquisition actually means for Black foundersHow to deal with criticism from your community when you "sell up"How she uses social listening to develop products her customers actually needWhy setting boundaries with social media is essential for mental health EPISODE CHAPTERS [00:35] - From registered nurse to 9-figure founder with no business background [04:30] - Why she chose nursing over her real passion [08:15] - How grief became the catalyst for starting her business [12:45] - How do you know when to quit your job and go full-time? [16:20] - How to bootstrap a product business [19:30] - What bootstrapping actually looks like  [23:15] - How do you raise investment for your business? [27:40] - What happens when investors keep saying no [31:20] - How the 9-figure P&G acquisition happened (how to  [35:50] - How do you deal with criticism from your community? [39:15] - What's the difference between selling out and selling up? [43:30] - How to use social listening for product development [47:20] - How do you protect your mental health as a founder? [50:45] - Why she limits social media and avoids doom scrolling [53:30] - What's next: longevity science and health equity WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected] This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

If you're tired of waiting for the right job, the right opportunity, or the right moment to finally feel powerful — this episode is your wake-up call. The truth is, power isn't something you build from scratch. It's not waiting for you at the next job title, the next salary bump, or the next milestone. The power is already within you — you just need to stop giving it away to circumstances, external validation, and the need to be chosen. In this episode, Alexis walks through 6 frameworks for standing in your power: taking inventory of resources you already have, using capability transfer to unlock new areas of your life, first principles thinking to find creative solutions, building alter egos to activate powerful energy, dressing like the woman you want to be, and metabolizing chaos instead of letting it derail you. If you've been playing small, waiting for permission, or giving your power away without realizing it — this one's for you. What You'll Learn: Why power isn't something you build from scratchHow to take inventory of your actual resources instead of focusing on what you lackThe capability transfer technique: how to apply your natural strengths to new areasWhat first principles thinking is and how it unlocks creative solutionsHow to use alter egos and music to activate powerful energy on demandWhy metabolizing chaos – not avoiding it – is the key to staying grounded EPISODE CHAPTERS [00:00] - Why you're already powerful, you just don't realize it yet [04:15] - How to stop waiting for external validation to feel worthy [08:30] - The resource inventory: what you already have that you're not using [12:45] - Capability transfer: how to apply your strengths to new areas of life [16:20] - What is first principles thinking  [20:10] - How to build an alter ego and use music to activate power [23:40] - Why powerful women dress however they want (enclothed cognition) [26:50] - How to metabolize chaos instead of reacting to it [30:15] - Your bounce back rate matters more than never getting triggered WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected] ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life. Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more. ABOUT YOUR HOST Hello, love! I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan. This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

Ladies, grab your notebooks, this episode is an absolute masterclass. This week’s guest is Pauline Brown, the former Chairman of LVMH North America, a board member who's worked with companies like Estée Lauder, Carlyle Group, and Neiman Marcus, and now an author, professor, and entrepreneur building a life and career entirely on her own terms. She's also one of the most thoughtful people you'll hear talk about power, taste, and what it actually takes to build a life that's aligned with who you are. If you're feeling stuck in a role that looks good on paper but doesn't feel right, if you're trying to figure out your non-negotiables, or if you're tired of optimizing for everyone else's definition of success, this episode is for you. Pauline shares the exact exercise that helped her identify what matters most, how to recognize when something is deeply misaligned and being brave enough to walk away, what aesthetic intelligence actually is and why it's your competitive advantage in the age of AI, and how to stop giving your power away to hierarchies, proving energy, and other people's expectations. People pay thousands of dollars to learn from Pauline at Columbia and Harvard, and we're getting this wisdom for free. Let's dive in. What You'll Learn: The 100 cards exercise that helped Pauline figure out her non-negotiables 30 years ago What aesthetic intelligence actually is and why it's your superpower in the age of AIThe 4 steps to developing taste Why work-life balance is a mythHow to redefine wealth when you're no longer optimizing for moneyWhy being yourself is the only thing you do better than anyone else EPISODE CHAPTERS [06:30] - What it was like being an ambitious woman at Wharton in the 90s [12:15] - How to find your career non-negotiables using the 100 cards exercise [18:45] - Why she left consulting for products, creativity, and New York [24:30] - Watching entrepreneurs get rich from her expertise while she stayed on salary [31:20] - The decision to leave Carlyle Group [38:15] - What happened when she stopped defending "what do you do?" [44:50] - Aesthetic intelligence: the other AI [52:30] - How to develop taste in 4 steps  [58:40] - Why partnership as an ambitious woman requires the right plant [65:20] - Why work-life balance is a myth and what actually works [71:45] - Ambitious material girl rapid fire WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected] ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life. Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more. This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

This episode is about power, and we're not apologizing for it. Ambitious women are taught to serve everyone else, be the good girl, and never admit they want to be powerful. But your power is already within you, and this episode is about how to stop accidentally giving it away and step into your full power as a woman. Power isn't the money, the titles, or the degrees. It's not even the relationship or the job. Those things can amplify your power if you let them, but they can also mute it if you're not careful. Your power lives in your energy, and wherever your energy goes, that's where your power flows. So if you're constantly exhausted, resentful, or feeling like you're performing for everyone else, you're leaking power somewhere. In this episode, Alexis walks through the 5 ways ambitious women give their power away, and the one question to ask yourself this week: where has my energy gone that I didn't consciously send it? That's where your power is — and it's time to go get it back. What You'll Learn: What power actually isThe 5 ways ambitious women accidentally give their power awayWhy you're giving your power to your circumstances and how to stopLocus of control: internal vs external validationWhy smart girls have nothing to proveThe one question to ask yourself this week to reclaim your power EPISODE CHAPTERS [01:30] - Welcome: Why we're talking about power this month [03:15] - What power actually is and what it's not [06:30] - Power leak #1: Following rules you've never questioned [09:45] - Power leak #2: Proving energy and auditioning for approval [13:00] - Power leak #3: Giving your power away to mirrors [16:15] - Power leak #4: Your circumstances don't define your ceiling [19:30] - Power leak #5: Keeping yourself small to avoid responsibility [22:45] - Everything you want is on the other side of Cringe Mountain [25:00] - The one question to ask yourself this week WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected] ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life. Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more. ABOUT YOUR HOST Hello, love! I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan. This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

If you want to build a powerful network without draining your social battery or working the room like a used car salesman, this episode is for you. Phoebe Dodds is a global connector, ecosystem builder, co-founder of Social Capital, and the woman Harvard Business Review, Vogue, and Forbes turn to when they want to talk about the future of relationships and business. She's built connections across companies like Apple and Airbnb — not by hustling harder, but by understanding how human connection actually works. This conversation is full of concrete tools you can use immediately. From what to actually say when you're meeting someone for coffee and why you should network at your level instead of only reaching for the C-suite to how one message a week can completely change your trajectory. Phoebe breaks down her approach to moving across continents and boardrooms while building a network that genuinely opens doors without feeling like a second job. What You'll Learn: How Phoebe got hired from one cold message on LinkedInThe 100 new connections challenge and why it worksWhy you should network at your level, not just C-suiteHow to use jealousy as a tool for your vision boardNetwork stacking: bringing people together strategicallyLow-lift conversation starters that actually workHow to keep networking organic without tracking systems Find Phoebe here: Substack: Social Currency | @phoebedodds1 LinkedIn: Phoebe Dodds EPISODE CHAPTERS [01:39] - Welcome: Phoebe Dodds on networking without the sleaze [06:15] - How every cool thing Phoebe's done came through her network [12:30] - The cold LinkedIn message that led to a year-long contract [18:45] - Why networking is your safety net in an uncertain economy [24:20] - The 100 new connections challenge [36:40] - Jealousy as a vision board tool [42:15] - Moving across continents and building networks everywhere [48:30] - Network stacking and making it easy on yourself [54:20] - Low-lift conversation starters that work [56:00] - Rapid fire Q&A WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected] ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life. Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more. ABOUT YOUR HOST Hello, love! I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan. This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

Happy Valentine's Day my beautiful friends! Jodie Taylor is back, and this episode couldn't have come at a better time. Jodie is a Senior Director of DEI at Sony Music Group, Northwestern alum, and one of the most followed voices in the ambitious women space. She's been featured in the New York Times, Vogue, and The Cut — and she's one of the first people Alexis has seen put into actual words what it feels like to navigate dating and career as a successful woman. This episode is full of the big sister advice we all need to hear — dating as an ambitious woman, the two types of men you attract, why physical capital matters more than most high-achieving women want to admit, and why a bias towards action is the only thing standing between you and the life you want. Find Jodie: @jodyktayl (IG) | @jodyktay (TikTok) | glowupmasterclass.com What You'll Learn: The two types of men ambitious women attract (and why both are exhausting)Jodie's dating framework: pacing, time boundaries, and filtering out love bombersHow to find your non-negotiables (look at your childhood, not TikTok)Why physical capital is one of the most underrated investments you can makeWhat "visible currency" means and why a stylist changes everythingHow to map your social network and create proximity with the women you want around youWhy you need to be 70-80% of the way there before reaching out to a mentorWhy alignment will always outperform effortWhy having a bias towards action is everything EPISODE CHAPTERS [00:00] - Welcome back Jodie Taylor [05:30] - Mindset shifts for becoming visible [11:45] - Alignment vs effort: zone of genius [17:20] - Dating as an ambitious woman [23:40] - The dating framework: pacing, boundaries, vetting [30:15] - Non-negotiables as an ambitious woman [36:50] - Physical capital and why women undersell it [49:10] - Networking: mapping your social circle and creating proximity [55:30] - Bias towards action: the big sister advice you need to hear WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate? Email Alexis at [email protected] ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life. Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more. ABOUT YOUR HOST Hello, love! I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan. This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

Hiiii angels, surprise! I'm back with a bonus episode with the one and only Julia Cabral, Senior Director of Product Marketing at LinkedIn. We chat about her career pivot from finance to marketing, why today's job market requires you to take agency over your own career path, and how building your personal brand on LinkedIn isn't optional anymore whether you're a creator, corporate girly, or entrepreneur. Julia breaks down the exact LinkedIn profile upgrades you need to make, how to start creating content even if you're not a "content person," and why the question "what energizes you vs what drains you" changed her entire career trajectory. If you want to build your dream career and launch your personal brand in 2026, this episode is your guide for getting started and how to leverage LinkedIn to your advantage. What You'll Learn: Why reflecting on what energizes vs drains you can change your careerHow Julia pivoted from finance to marketing and understanding transferable skills Why the job market has shifted to skills-based hiring instead of title-basedThe importance of building your personal brand online even if you're not a creatorEasy LinkedIn profile upgrades:3 low-pressure post ideas to get started on LinkedIn todayWhy "personality over personal" is the rule for LinkedIn content ABOUT THE GUEST Julia Cabral is the Senior Director of Product Marketing at LinkedIn, where she leads marketing strategy for LinkedIn's feed and video products. She's also a content creator herself, sharing career advice and marketing insights on LinkedIn. Before pivoting to marketing, Julia spent years in finance at LinkedIn, and she's been a spin instructor on the side for nearly a decade. She's all about multifaceted careers, owning your narrative, and helping people put themselves out there authentically. Follow Julia on LinkedIn: Julia Cabral Flavin WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Follow along with Alexis: Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate with Alexis or Too Collective? Email Alexis at [email protected] ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life. Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more. ABOUT YOUR HOST Hello, love! I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan. This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

ABOUT THIS EPISODE We’re back for Week 5 of the Alignment Edit and this week is allll about your look. And before you think this is going to be some superficial beauty standards thing, it's not. Well, mostly. This is about the mental energy you're spending every single day either actively criticizing how you look or passively not showing up the way you want to because you haven't figured out what actually works for you. When Alexis talks about "your look," she's not just talking about clothes. She's talking about the entire vibe you give off – your style, your beauty routine, your accessories, your hair, and the way you show up when you walk into a room. Two people can wear the exact same thing and have completely different looks. This episode is about removing the friction between who you are right now and who you want to be, getting back the time and mental energy you lose when you spend three hours deciding what to wear, finding your signature pieces, your color palette, and your style words. Listen ladies, you’re allowed to care about how you look! And this is your permission slip to do just that.  What You'll Learn: Why your appearance affects your confidence more than you thinkHow to find your style words and color paletteGetting rid of fantasy self clothes and the 20% ruleDressing for your proportions and body typeHigh maintenance to be low maintenance beauty philosophySkincare routines, laser hair removal, body care, and treatments that actually workWhy caring about your appearance isn't vain and is actually about getting time and energy back EPISODE CHAPTERS [00:00] - Welcome to Week 5: your look  [07:30] - Finding your style ethos [13:45] - Style tips: style words, color palette, and signature pieces [21:20] - Fantasy self clothes, proportions, and the things you actually wear [26:50] - Beauty and appearance: laser hair removal, body care, skincare routines [32:15] - Deciding your personal commitment to beauty  WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Follow along with Alexis: Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here:  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate with Alexis or Too Collective? Email Alexis at [email protected] ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life. Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more. ABOUT YOUR HOST Hello, love!  I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan. This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

ABOUT THIS EPISODE  Hii angels! Welcome to Week 4 of the Alignment Edit, where Alexis is talking about your space and why the environment you live in matters more than you think. Alexis has been obsessed with beautiful environments since she discovered a Pottery Barn catalog in her aunt's bathroom at age 6 (she’s obviously been an aesthetic icon ever since). Growing up in chaotic, difficult spaces made her hyper-aware of how much your environment affects everything. Your space isn't just about aesthetics. It's about signaling to yourself that you're worth taking care of, and creating an environment that supports your actual habits instead of the ones you think you should have.   In this episode, Alexis breaks down how to organize your space based on who you actually are, why small investments matter more than you think, and how to create flow instead of friction in your daily life. Plus: feng shui tips, the closing shift ritual, romanticizing winter with candlelight, and why folding your clothes is grown woman behavior. This one's for the girls who know their space is affecting their mood but don't know where to start. SEE YOU AT THE ALIGNMENT EDIT IRL: https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/6829649?c=.pi129.pkpartner_social_host_experiences_alexis_barber&utm_campaign=T2  What You'll Learn: Why your space signals to yourself (and the universe) whether you deserve to be taken care ofHow to organize based on your actual habits, not the ones you think you should haveWhy everything needs a place and how to declutter without guiltFeng shui basics: money corners, mirrors, and why you should never live somewhere with a 5 in the addressHow to use scent to anchor different activities (work candles vs. relaxation candles)Small luxuries that make a huge difference How to romanticize winter and make your space feel like a safe haven EPISODE CHAPTERS  [00:00] - Welcome to Week 4: Your space  [06:15] - Why your space signals to yourself whether you deserve to be taken care of [11:30] - Organizing based on your actual habits (the ADHD-friendly approach) [18:45] - Taking inventory of what bothers you daily  [24:20] - Feng shui, scent anchoring, and defining spaces for specific activities [29:50] - Small luxuries that make a huge difference: bedding, bathroom, kitchen, and taper candles [34:10] - Wrapping up WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Follow along with Alexis: Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here:  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate with Alexis or Too Collective? Email Alexis at [email protected] ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life. Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more. This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Hello Angels! Alexis is calling in from Miami (at the EDITION hotel, living her best life, obviously) to talk about the hardest part of the Alignment Edit: money. Money has been the biggest thing in her life since she was a kid — growing up on food stamps, being the scholarship kid at boarding school, then taking out six figures in student loans at Wharton. After graduating into a completely different financial reality than she expected, all the old scarcity patterns came rushing back: the anxiety, the shame, the feeling like a failure. So she had to take money off the pedestal, stop making it mean things about her worth or safety, and interrogate every belief she had, including why she was so afraid to say out loud that she wants to make a million dollars this year. This episode breaks down the five shifts that completely transformed her relationship with money: separating worth from net worth, stopping the overwork cycle that made her think she had to earn safety, letting herself want a lot without apologizing for it, stopping the judgment of people who have money (because that judgment blocks you from making more), and getting strategic about actually making more money instead of just saving harder. PLUS, the Alignment Edit is coming to you IRL!!!! Alexis is launching in-person workshops at Bon Studio in Williamsburg — first session is January 25th! Learn more and grab your tickets here: ALIGNMENT EDIT IRL https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/6829649?c=.pi129.pkpartner_social_host_experiences_alexis_barber&utm_campaign=T2  What You'll Learn: How to take money off the pedestal and stop making it mean things about your worth The 5 shifts that transformed her relationship with money: Shift #1: Your worth is not your net worth Shift #2: Stop making money do emotional jobs (overworking doesn't equal safety) Shift #3: Let yourself want a lot of money without apologizing Shift #4: Stop judging people with money (it's blocking you from making more) Shift #5: Get strategic about making more money instead of just saving harder Why wanting material things doesn't make you greedy (and why women moralizing money keeps us small) How to normalize wealth in your nervous system and reframe greed as generosity EPISODE CHAPTERS [00:28] - Hello from Miami [01:44] - Announcement: The Alignment Edit IRL workshops at Bon Studio in Williamsburg [04:36] - Week 3: Money (and why this was the hardest alignment edit to write) [05:47] - How money became everything [12:26] - Graduating Wharton with six-figure debt and falling back into scarcity [10:04] - The core shift: taking money off the pedestal [13:50] - Shift #1: Stop assigning your worth to your net worth [16:28] - The graduation story [18:12] - Shift #2: Separate money from men, work, and protection [19:19] - Why overworking doesn't equal deservingness [21:18] - Shift #3: Let yourself want a lot of money  [22:59] - Why women are better with money and why wanting things isn't shallow [25:03] - Shift #4: Stop judging people with money [27:04] - The influencer overconsumption conversation and moralizing money [28:11] - Shift #5: Make more money (get compensated, build visibility, take initiative) [31:53] - Reframing greed and why not all rich people are bad [34:41] - Wrapping up + journal prompts WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Follow along with Alexis: Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate with Alexis or Too Collective? Email Alexis at [email protected] ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life. Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more. ABOUT YOUR HOST Hello, love! I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan. My career TLDR: Bounced from Google Marketing to YouTube creator strategy before getting my MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania. Started and ran a premium bathrobe brand that collaborated with Rare Beauty & Bumble, and I'm the author of Too Smart for This: A Journal to Build Self-Trust and Stop Settling for Less Than You Deserve, published by Tarcher Books. Been a lifestyle influencer for 5 years, collaborating with 75+ brands across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and was named by the American Influencer Council as a Trailblazer in the microinfluencer category. This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit toocollective.substack.com/subscribe This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Welcome to Part 2 of the Alignment Edit, where we're tackling health and wellness. But this isn't about becoming an Olympic-level athlete or a wellness queen, this is about shifting from viewing wellness as punishment to seeing it as a practice that protects your mind, your energy, and your ability to show up for the life you're building. After all, we are nothing without our health. In this episode, Alexis gets honest about her relationship with her body — from being diagnosed with MS at 15 and deprioritizing her health for years, to finally learning how to nourish herself from a place of love instead of control. We're talking winter wellness routines, the alter ego effect for stubborn habits, eating patterns that need major editing (hi, entire box of Ritz crackers for dinner), and why scheduling your preventive health appointments is an act of self-trust. This isn't about perfection, angels, it's about building a better baseline so your health can hold the big life you're dreaming of. What You'll Learn: Why wellness needs to shift from punishment to practice The alter ego effect: how to embody a different version of yourself for stubborn habits Why your eating habits might be stuck in an old identity (and how to edit them) The importance of scheduling preventive health appointments as an act of self-trust How to approach wellness from a place of nourishment, not optimization Winter wellness essentials: steps, supplements, and small rituals that actually work EPISODE CHAPTERS [00:30] - Welcome to Week 2: why health is the foundation that holds everything else [03:22] - You are nothing without your health (and what MS taught me about control) [05:25] - Shifting from punishment to practice: reframing your wellness why [07:58] - The alter ego effect: embodying a different version of yourself [12:55] - Eating habits that need editing (those Ritz crackers for dinner are doing nothing for us, sister) [15:02] - Letting go of old identities around food and movement [16:40] - Preventive health appointments: gynecologist, dentist, blood work, and more [18:15] - Winter wellness essentials: steps, supplements, and small upgrades [20:07] - Week 2 wrap-up: finding alignment without becoming a wellness perfectionist WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Follow along with Alexis: Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate with Alexis or Too Collective? Email Alexis at [email protected] ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life. Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more. ABOUT YOUR HOST Hello, love! I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan. My career TLDR: Bounced from Google Marketing to YouTube creator strategy before getting my MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania. Started and ran a premium bathrobe brand that collaborated with Rare Beauty & Bumble, and I'm the author of Too Smart for This: A Journal to Build Self-Trust and Stop Settling for Less Than You Deserve, published by Tarcher Books. Been a lifestyle influencer for 5 years, collaborating with 75+ brands across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and was named by the American Influencer Council as a Trailblazer in the microinfluencer category. This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit toocollective.substack.com/subscribe This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe

ABOUT THIS EPISODE Your problem isn't that your life is a disaster. Your problem is that you have a pretty good situation, and you want a great one. Welcome to Week 1 of the Alignment Edit, where we're tackling personal systems — the foundation for everything else. Most of you are already killing it. You're smart, you're capable, and you're checking all the boxes. But you're stuck in what Gay Hendricks calls the "zone of excellence" — doing what you're good at instead of what you're meant for. You've got the curse of competence, and it's keeping you comfortable but not fulfilled. In this episode, Alexis breaks down why "good enough" is the real enemy, how to do an energy audit on your life, and the practical systems you need to clear out the mental clutter and make room for what you actually want. We're talking digital decluttering, building a second brain (yes, even if you think Notion is too hard), and creating routines that make your day feel as good as it possibly can. This is for the ambitious material girls who are ready to turn their B+ life into an A+. Let's get aligned. What You'll Learn: Why the enemy of great is good — and how "pretty good" keeps you stuck The difference between operating in survival mode vs. contributing to greatness How to conduct an energy audit and identify what's draining you Practical steps to clear your digital space and refresh your brain How to build a second brain (even if you're not a Notion girlie) Why the curse of competence is blocking your next level The ambitious material girl commandment: you work hard so you can enjoy your life EPISODE CHAPTERS [1:01] - Welcome to the Alignment Edit: why you're already killing it (but want more) [2:02] - The enemy of great is good — Melody Hobson on choosing greatness over "getting it done" [5:50] - Good vs. great: when things feel functional but not fulfilling [7:44] - The curse of competence and the zone of excellence [11:44] - How to do an energy audit on your life [17:29] - Personal systems 101: clearing your digital space [17:52] - Building a second brain (yes, even if Notion scares you) [19:09] - Wrapping up Week 1 + what's coming next in the Alignment Edit WHERE TO FIND ALEXIS & TOO COLLECTIVE Follow along with Alexis: Instagram: @alexisbarber: https://www.instagram.com/alexisbarber/?hl=en @toocollective: https://www.instagram.com/toocollective/?hl=en Substack: Too Smart For This Newsletter: https://toocollective.substack.com/ TikTok: @alexisbarber_: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexisbarber_ YouTube: Subscribe here: http://www.youtube.com/@alexis_barber Shop the Episode: https://shopmy.us/shop?Curator_id=250549 Book Office Hours: Work with Alexis Here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=22112790&appointmentType=79833937 Get the Journal: Too Smart For This: A Guided Journal Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761193/too-smart-for-this-by-alexis-barber/ Questions, thoughts, or want to collaborate with Alexis or Too Collective? Email Alexis at [email protected] ABOUT TOO SMART FOR THIS You're ambitious. You're overwhelmed. And you're definitely too smart to keep sacrificing your well-being for someone else's definition of success. Too Smart For This is the show for ambitious material girls just like you who are learning how to channel their chaotic energy into a more intentional and fun life. Join your host, Alexis Barber (author, Wharton MBA, former Google/YouTube strategist, and certified ambitious material girl), every Monday for the frameworks, authentic conversations, and tangible tools you need to build a life that's both driven and deeply enjoyable. Because self-care is part of the business plan—and you're too smart to settle for anything less. Subscribe now and follow @alexisbarber and @toocollective for more. ABOUT YOUR HOST Hello, love! I'm an ambitious material girl obsessed with wellness, business, consumer culture, and the creator economy. I write from New York City, where I'm busy enjoying being young, gifted, and Black, oversharing online, and remembering that self-care is part of the business plan. My career TLDR: Bounced from Google Marketing to YouTube creator strategy before getting my MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania. Started and ran a premium bathrobe brand that collaborated with Rare Beauty & Bumble, and I'm the author of Too Smart for This: A Journal to Build Self-Trust and Stop Settling for Less Than You Deserve, published by Tarcher Books. Been a lifestyle influencer for 5 years, collaborating with 75+ brands across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and was named by the American Influencer Council as a Trailblazer in the microinfluencer category. This show is supported by Other Kind Media — otherkindmedia.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit toocollective.substack.com/subscribe This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.alexisbarber.nyc/subscribe