Carly Zakin & Danielle Weisberg (TheSkimm)

Carly Zakin & Danielle Weisberg (TheSkimm): Biography at a Glance

Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg are co-founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm, a mission-driven media company dedicated to giving millennial women the information they need to live their smartest lives.
theSkimm's book, How to Skimm Your Life, became an instant #1 New York Times bestseller.
The two former news producers launched theSkimm from their couch and have built a brand that continues to be a trusted source to their more than 7 million daily subscribers
Carly and Danielle have been featured on Forbes 30 Under 30 in Media, Vanity Fair's The Next Establishment, Fortune’s 40 Under 40, Adweek's Young Influentials, TIME’s Most Influential People, Marie Claire’s New Guard and were named one of the most 100 Intriguing Entrepreneurs by the Goldman Sachs Builders and Innovators Summit.
The company's civic engagement campaign – No Excuses – activated theSkimm’s audience to get involved in the political process by getting over 300,000 people registered to vote.
In 2025, theSkimm was acquired by Everyday Health Group, expanding its reach in women’s health and wellness. Carly and Danielle remain at the helm.
Both Carly and Danielle will share their experience and advice on “The Entrepreneurial Journey”, “Connecting with Your Consumers” and their trademark “How to Skimm Your Life.”

Media

Biography

As the visionary co-founders & co-CEOs behind the acclaimed media startup theSkimm, Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin have redefined how millions of millennial and Gen Z women engage with essential information. Having recently sold their company to Everyday Health Group (a division of Ziff Davis) in 2025 while retaining leadership, they bring unparalleled insights into scaling a successful venture from a couch to a powerful media empire.
Named among Forbes' "30 Under 30", Fortune's "40 Under 40", and The New York Times bestselling authors of How to Skimm Your Life, Weisberg and Zakin are sought-after speakers who captivate audiences with their candid accounts of entrepreneurial resilience, innovative audience engagement strategies, and leadership in navigating dynamic industry shifts. They offer actionable takeaways on building brand trust, fostering community, and understanding the evolving consumer landscape.

With a proven track record of creating highly engaged communities and driving significant cultural impact, Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin are primed to share their expertise on:

The Entrepreneurial & Intrapreneurial Journey: From startup to successful acquisition, lessons in leadership, risk-taking, and building a multi-platform media company, applicable to both founders and innovators within established organizations.
Connecting with the Modern Consumer: Strategies for building deep trust, fostering highly engaged communities, and understanding the evolving habits of millennial and Gen Z audiences.
Resilient Leadership in a Changing Media Landscape: Navigating industry disruption, leading through uncertainty, and empowering teams for sustained growth.

Prior to founding theSkimm, Carly graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2008 before stints at CNBC and MSNBC, and NBC’s Peacock Productions. Carly is a Henry Crown Fellow with the Aspen Institute.
Danielle graduated from Tufts University in 2008 before starting her career in broadcast and digital media at NBC News DC Bureau, Nightly News, Today, and MSNBC. Danielle sits on several nonprofit and start-up boards.

About theSkimm
At the forefront of digital media, theSkimm has emerged as a leading source of concise and accessible information for millions of millennial and Gen Z women. Known for its authentic voice and connection, the brand has cultivated an exceptionally loyal and engaged community, empowering its audience to make informed decisions. Central to its robust business model is a data-first strategy, built on owned data and intelligence on its audience, allowing for continual audience growth without reliance on third parties. This emphasis on harnessing zero and first-party data enhances its diverse ecosystem, encompassing newsletters, podcasts, a commerce arm performing at 3x above industry standard, and an in-house creative agency. Following its strategic acquisition by Everyday Health Group (a division of Ziff Davis) in 2025, theSkimm continues to innovate, expanding its reach and influence across various platforms.

Topics

The Entrepreneurial & Intrapreneurial Journey: From Concept to Acquired Powerhouse

Learn from Carly and Danielle's "all-in" launch (quitting jobs, no safety net) through its strategic 2025 acquisition by Everyday Health Group (a division of Ziff Davis). Gain critical insights into building and scaling an innovative venture from the ground up, and lessons from their challenging path.

Visionary Leadership & Scaling: Principles to transform ideas into thriving enterprises, managing growth and teams in dynamic markets.
Strategic Risk-Taking & Disruption: Calculated risks, from initial leaps to challenging norms and building unique, data-first models with gut in mind.
Building a Diversified Value Ecosystem: Strategic diversification of revenue and offerings, while also managing a mission-driven team.

Applicable to any entrepreneurial mindset, this topic offers actionable takeaways on fostering innovation, driving change, scaling initiatives, and leading for value.

Resilient Leadership: Cultivating Success Through Any Challenge

Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg, the trailblazers behind theSkimm, share their empowering journey of demonstrating exceptional leadership through dynamic periods. As co-founders, they've positively shaped their organization by mastering challenges, both personal and professional. From successfully pivoting to remote and hybrid work environments during unprecedented times, to proactively addressing the evolving media landscape, Carly and Danielle provide firsthand accounts of failures, triumphs, and invaluable lessons from over a decade of leadership. Their strategies effectively supported parents and fostered flexible, high-performing teams.

This talk offers a powerful playbook for any leader committed to driving results and cultivating a thriving team, even amidst uncertainty. Attendees will gain practical insights into embracing diverse challenges, making impactful decisions with confidence, and strategically empowering a dynamic, collaborative team poised for lasting success.

Connecting with the Modern Consumer: Engaging the Next Generation

In today's dynamic market, understanding and connecting with millennial and Gen Z audiences is paramount. This session illuminates strategies for building deep trust and fostering highly engaged communities, especially with female audiences who drive the majority of spending. Drawing from over a decade of success, Carly and Danielle will share how theSkimm leveraged a data-first approach and owned audience intelligence to decode evolving consumer habits, focusing on what truly works for your brand versus simply chasing the latest trends. Discover actionable insights for creating authentic content and experiences that build lasting brand loyalty and drive meaningful engagement with the consumers who shape today's economic landscape.

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