Ivanka Trump: Most People Can’t Tell Signal From Noise

She was extraordinary. [snorts]. Um, my mother taught me a lot about just. like [snorts]. bringing intention to what you do. Bringing sorry. and being the child [music] of. accomplished parents. Most people. thought that I would lack the ambition, the preparedness, [music] but my mother. taught me that being underestimated is. not a bad thing. It's very powerful.

thing actually [music] and it almost. always worked to the detriment of the. person who underestimated me. >> From real estate to her own. multi-million dollar fashion line, Ivanka Trump continues to carve her own. path into the business world, succeeding. at every turn. >> And then you learn 2 weeks before he. announces your father decides he wants. to be president of the United States. Did you have any sense that this was at. all on the horizon? >> Not really. And then when he pulled the. trigger, it was full steam. Well, most. people wouldn't give up an $800 million. annual business to go into government.

Why did you? >> He asked us for help. He's like, "But I. have to warn you. They're going to come. at you hard. They're probably going to. hate you." But one of the things I've. learned in moments of tremendous. pressure and scrutiny where any slip up. is completely weaponized against you is. to find the signal in the noise. I just. don't get distracted by [music] the. outside noise. That's probably the thing. that has been most helpful to me in. terms of performance and success because. you have a choice only in how you. respond. >> You've said politics [music] is a pretty. dark world. This is quite a difficult.

question to ask, but when you heard the. news that there was an assassination. attempt on your father's life, do you. remember where you were and like what's. that like as a daughter? This is super interesting to me. My team. given me this report to show me how many. of you that watch this show subscribe. And some of you have told us according. to this that you are unsubscribed from. the channel randomly. So favor to ask. all of you. Please could you check right.

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to hear. I've stayed true to that. promise since the very beginning of the. D of Sio, and I will not let you down. Please help us. Really appreciate it. Let's get on with the show. [music]. >> Ivanka, you um you don't do many. interviews, do you? >> Not really. No. >> Why don't you do much media stuff or. podcasting or interviews? >> I actually don't know. I think I'm I get. sort of really locked in and heads down.

on what I'm working on. >> that. I tend to kind of put on blinders and. just go, but I like to have. conversations in longer form with people. that I admire. >> I think the reason why I um I do this is. because I see I naturally see everybody. as like a jigsaw puzzle. >> And you've lived an extraordinary life. you've lived an extraordinary atypical. >> life that I mean it's safe to say almost. nobody on planet earth has has ever. experienced and so I think I asked that. question just to be completely honest at.

the top because the life you've lived. that we'll get into is is one that would. have shaped you in a number of ways and. one of them is I think from what I read. things that you had said and different. experiences you had as a child is just. like trusting people [sighs]. >> you know it's interesting I I grew up. the child of wealthy and accomplished. parents. >> And so I do think there's like um a. natural barrier that goes up. You're.

you're worried about people, especially. when you're a kid, um liking you for the. wrong reasons. I see this now with my. son. You know, he wants to be loved by. his friends, and I appreciate that. That's that's good for who he is, not. for who we are, and certainly not for. what we have. So I do think being the. child of of of famous um parents and. living such a privileged life, I had. this. guard and um that guard served me really.

well for a long time. Like I I didn't. have any friends despite the. really tumultuous. life that I've had, ups and downs, who. really disappointed me. meaning close. close close friends who who didn't show. up for me or or who changed because of. my circumstances or. >> what was happening around me and I've. learned for me I mean you were saying. the purpose of life for me it's you know. the expansion and not contraction of the. heart and that's hard as you get older. you know how do you live a life of of.

service and rooted in and love and. connection and I've learned more and. more that those walls. they don't serve you and the only way to. have connection which is so fundamental. to the human experience is to [gasps]. um is to build it and that requires. trust. >> So I have to trust people. Now I have a. good radar. I'm not foolish. I'm. >> I think I'm a very good read of people.

and I think it's one of um my strengths. >> and I think it's why I haven't been. surprised by a lot of people. Um, so I. read pretty quickly, but I also have had. to teach myself rather than grow sort of. cynical as one tends to as they get. older. I've really actually taught. myself to be more trusting. And to the. extent that means periodically I'll be. burned like that's I'm okay with that. trade-off because I think it will lead. to more meaningful connections in my.

life. >> Probably nets out better right in the. long term. >> I think so. I have this photo here of a. very smaller and [clears throat]. >> so funny. I look at this and I see my. daughter. >> Really? >> That was like the first thing when I saw. that photo. >> At what age did you realize that life. for you was slightly different from the. average person? Like when does a child. realize that? >> H. I think there was always a lot of. media attention and scrutiny. You see.

it, you experience it very early on. And. I think my parents did a really good job. trying to shelter us from it. And it was. different then without social media. You. know, not everyone I think the. experience our children have where. anywhere they go people have a recording. device in their hands, their iPhone um. and can take pictures of them and you. know it's so um you're [clears throat]. so exposed during um during your. formative years and thankfully I did not. have that growing up but there were.

times I felt it. I remember. I wanted to be a dancer, a ballet. dancer. And you know, my mom um was an. incredible skier. She skied on the. national team for then Czechoslovakia, now Czech Republic. And so she really. believed in the importance of of sport. for cultivating discipline and um so she. really encouraged this. And I was. dancing at Giuliard, the school of. American Ballet here in New York. I was. in the Nutcracker and I remember I was. probably eight and I was, you know, like.

some small role in the Nutcracker. I was. a party girl and an angel. Those were. like the entry roles where you like. dance at the party, uh, where the the. man with the Nutcracker arrives and then. you're in that angel scene. And I. remember being so excited and was my. first Nutcracker. And, um, Michael Jackson had just moved. into Trump Tower [laughter]. and was literally our neighbor in Trump. Tower. And my father sees him one day, you know, passing in the lobby. I'm with. him. I said, 'You know, my daughter's in.

the Nutcracker. You should come. You. should come see a performance. So, he. comes to the Nutcracker with my father. at the height of his fame to watch me. dance. And now this in retrospect could. be like, wow, what a cool experience. But I was horrified. [laughter]. I'm like, this is I was so embarrassed. I thought we had ruined the Nutcracker. Everyone was dancing with one glove. people who produced the show were, you. know, hysterical that everyone was. dancing with one glove. I thought it was.

all my fault and this was like just a. wild childhood experience. I had things. like that happen that were so far from. normal that it's actually like comical. in retrospect, but I think the the. dayto-day was like really grounded. My. grandmother and uh and grandfather. before he passed on my mother's side. really raised us. My grandmother cooked. every meal we ate for, you know, most of. my childhood. >> And uh Bubby. >> Bubby Bubby. >> Yeah. So she taught me um.

[clears throat] a type of unconditional. love and tenderness and um I think more. than anything she was just this un. that's her. She's um unbelievably. nurturing. I'd come home from school. and, you know, before I'd be out of the. shower, she would have laundered my. clothes and folded them and put them. back on my bed. She was always feeding. me and food for her was very much like. an expression of love. I remember when I. became a teenager and I'd sleep later.

and later, she'd wake me up for lunch, you know, [laughter]. just like, god forbid I wasn't being fed. at all at all hours. But. >> I can see she means the world to you. >> She does. She's 98 years old and um you. know her health has suffered and you. know it's it's been a little bit of a. difficult time for her but I I feel so. strongly for for me and my children to. have the experience to be there for her. in just like a small fraction of the way. that she was there for me is such an. extraordinary privilege. and for them to.

grow up with her at our table every. single meal um each night and her. [clears throat] telling her stories and. stories of my mother who they sadly. didn't get to know. Um. >> are you okay? I can see [laughter]. >> No, I'm Yes, I'm great. I I have a lot. of um I have a lot of love for this. woman. So,

This doesn't happen to me often. >> What is that um mixture of emotions that. you're experiencing? >> Um. she taught me so much just about love. and we were talking before about. connection. Um, and uh, you know, it's it's been hard to. see her now as she as she struggles, but. um,

but she's uh, it's a blessing to have. her in our home and living with us and. [sighs and gasps]. very special person. Maybe I'll have a tissue. [laughter]. Thank you. It's a real credit to her. >> Yeah. >> It's often a testament um to the person. and the value that they've added to your. life and how they were there for you. that you would feel.

feel the way you do about her and that's. so like visible in your face. You know, she must have been quite formative. >> Oh, for sure. Um for sure. So, she's been. she's an amazing person. You said that she she was really taking. care of you. >> and and sort of at the age of 10. Mother. and father, I'm assuming very very busy. >> Yeah. >> Explain that to me. >> You know, my mother was an incredible.

trailblazer. Um an amazing example for. me of. strength and resilience and glamour and. um determination and ambition. And she. was a great mother, too. But she would also say like she couldn't. do it alone and she wasn't pretending. she could. So she surrounded us with. people who loved us. We had um two. amazing nannies. One of them worked for. my mother until the day she died. The.

other um is worked for my mother until. the day my mother died um and still. works with us today. She worked as after. we grew up she worked as my mother's. personal assistant. So they were very. much part of our lives and and part of. our extended family and of course my. grandmother who she trusted completely. with us. So so she showed me a lot at a. time when. you know not many women were doing what. my mother was doing um inside the. boardroom and on the construction sites.

all the time by the way with 5-in heels. and like perfectly caught hair. So she. made it look incredibly easy, but it was. and continues to be very challenging to. balance work and life like that, especially at a time where what she was. doing was so singular. So she she really. and my mother served as an unbelievable. role model for me for what is possible. How to be an amazing mother who is.

loving and nurturing and fun and. provides for her children and and also. to be unadashedly. um. and doggedly pursuing one's. goals in in a professional capacity. So. she did that when she was married to my. father. she did that [gasps] um. following their divorce and um and. really was just an amazing an amazing. mentor for me. You're growing up in a. context where your family are.

privileged, they have um they have no. notoriety and the both parents are quite. absent by way of them being so busy and. they're also kind of. >> I wouldn't say absent but. >> you know my mother wasn't home cooking. us meals. my grandmother was. >> Mhm. >> But [clears throat] my mother was home. when we ate them and then she'd go out. again. You know, her and my father were. actively building their life and. pursuing their passions. And for my mom, much like me today, you know, one of her. creative expressions came in the form of.

design and architecture. She wasn't. absent and and you know, neither was my. father. So, he was filled more typical. of that generation male role where he. was less like present. But there was. never a doubt in my mind that I was his. top priority and that he was available. to me. So I used to call him from the. pay phone at uh at Chapen. It was in a. broom closet and never once did he not. pick up and sometimes his office would. be filled with people of um you know.

he'd be in the middle of a deal or a. negotiation or some politician or. whatever it was and he'd always put me. on speaker phone and then start the. conversation by telling everyone how I. got great grades and I'd start to blush. Um but he always picked up. >> They weren't absent. Did I what? >> Miss him? >> No, because I didn't feel like they I. didn't feel like he was absent. it was. just different like he wasn't attending. [snorts] all of our sports games but by. the way few parents were um you know. four decades ago there's a lot more sort.

of active participation like the way I. am in my kids' life the way my husband. is I I think it is you know a little. different especially um for fathers. today than than 30 years ago. >> if I sat Avana your mother here next to. us at the same age you are now what. would be the the the fundamental. differences in in those individuals. >> [sighs and gasps]. >> You know, it's funny. I think back now. and um my mother.

and I are both incredibly similar and. very different. So, she had like. over-the-top style and glamour, you. know, and I think in some ways it was a. reaction to the austerity and the. control of growing up in a communist. country in in then Czechoslovakia. Like, nobody was going to tell her what. to do. nobody was going to tell her what. to say. So, she actually would make my. father look pissy and was hysterical. I. mean, I spent much of my childhood being. like, "Oh, mom, please stop." You know,

it was really interesting. Um, I feel. like today [sighs]. because my mother passed away um. unexpectedly um from a fall a few years. ago, there were just like I had a lot of. questions and um and I really dug into. her story and her history and. um and really studied her almost in a. way that I wish I had done when she was.

living and I could speak to her. directly. [gasps and sighs] And I think. I understand her a because I'm at a. level of maturity and I've have some of. the same issues, you know, having young. children. And I think I understand her. though better today than I did in some. ways in in her life. [clears throat]. Like I see her more fully. >> And what did you understand more about. her that you didn't understand while she. was here after she passed? She wrote a. book in the final years of her life that.

talked a lot more about her childhood. and I think not uncommon um for people. who have experienced you know a lot of. hardship sometimes they compartmentalize. and it's like forward only and this. whole part of her life she never talked. about and I think when you're younger. you ask a lot less questions like now I. would tell everyone who's listening like. really ask the questions especially if. people are a bit of a vault and are less. inclined to to look back in the past.

because I you know all of her life. experience very much shaped her. >> This was a beautiful photo that I found. of of you and I. >> That was in uh in Mara Lago on my uh. childhood bed. Very uh ornate. [laughter and gasps]. Um, yeah, she was really I mean she was. impossibly glamorous. >> Yeah, I couldn't find a photo where she. didn't like incredible photos. >> 9 years old, your mother and father.

split up, divorced. >> It was quite well publicized. Um, that. your father had an affair with somebody. And this is actually where the quote. that I referenced earlier about trust. comes in because. >> quite remarkably reporters were waiting. outside of your school to take photos of. you and ask questions about your your. father's affair. And the quote that I. read in GQ said this is a quote from. you. If I didn't have that lesson, I. don't know that I'd be tough. It taught. me not to trust anybody. You can never.

let your guard down. And I never really. have since that time. >> [sighs]. >> So that's probably the 25year-old. version of me [laughter]. >> as as you know there's a lot of truth in. it and I think certain defense. mechanisms we create for ourselves are. actually healthy. >> because it was healthy for me not to be. trusting before I had honed my own. instincts and had learn to understand. people and read people. So I think there. was nothing wrong with a 25 or.

27year-old. with my lived experience answering that. way. But um but I do like. >> I completely understand though like. every part of me completely understands. that reaction to that event at like 9. years old. >> Yeah. >> I mean reporters being at your school or. just generally you know how that must. have been as as a kid in school. Well, there was a level of aggression that. like even today wouldn't exist with the. paparazzi then, like to be shouting. things and like reading um quotes from.

from tabloids to me as I'm leaving. school. To put this in context, this. divorce apparently garnered more. headlines than the OJ Simpson trial. So, that was a lot. The difference is that. once I stepped into my home, it was a. safe place. you know, unless the TVs. were blaring, which obviously they. weren't during that period of time. So, I think the difference today for parents. and that I think about a lot with my.

kids is you just can't protect them in. the same way. Like social media. amplifies everything. So, while that. experience with those reporters was. extremely combative and aggressive and. like totally unacceptable in a way that. I don't think society would allow today, today it's very much more in children's. faces. you know, they can acquire the. information they need. And obviously, when you're young, you're curious. >> Again, I'm trying to like world build in. my head because I think understanding.

that early context helps us understand. everybody. And if that was my early. context, I think you'd be you'd see the. fingerprints on me today, >> you know? >> Well, I think we're all, you know, I. think about it with my own children. like I. I grew up with a lot of privilege and um. and [clears throat] I've lived an. extraordinary life and [sighs]. you know I never worried where my next. meal came from. I never worried about. being able to pay for the best school. that I was able to get into. And so by. so many metrics my life was extremely.

comfortable and easy. And I do think. back like some of the challenges the the. moments that were disgusting or. uncomfortable or you know even just the. fact of um my parents' marriage being to. torn apart. [sighs and gasps]. I think those create the pressure that. turns you into who you become. >> Did you know what it meant at 9 years. old? Cuz I again I transport myself. back.

>> I probably then you couldn't look things. up as easily. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. [snorts]. Newspaper, >> you know, I I don't know what I thought. I I think I was probably more scared. than anything of like the mob and the. lights and um the surprise of it all. Um. >> do you know what them separating me? Like did they have a conversation with. you and say, you know, we're we're. splitting up or was it. >> They did. And I think the experience I. had, albeit. it was televised. Um, but it was very. much like any other child who's dying. whose parents are separating. You start.

to wonder, [snorts]. you know, will I be loved? Will I be. forgotten? What does this mean? Um, you. want them to get back together. You're. hoping. You're trying to create peace. between them. Um, rekindle the love. All. the things that I think are like deeply. normal and and [clears throat] human. And you found out about the divorce by. seeing a newspaper on your way to school. one day. >> Um, yes. [laughter].

That wasn't the plan. Um, they used to. have uh the big news boxes with the. newspaper. So, >> what did it say? >> My parents had sat me down that. afternoon. That's when they had intended. to, but it had it had come out in the. morning. >> What did the newspaper say? >> I don't remember. I remember the photo. There was a picture of them with a rip. down the middle. It was not an easy. situation for a child. But um that. experience I always look for like what. is the positive in any situation and you. know the positive for me and my siblings.

were we really like bonded in a. different type of way because we were. going through it together. >> It must be so interesting being in your. shoes because you look me and you're. both aware that people they want to. drive a a wedge between you and your. father. They want a headline. They want. you to say something. I can see it. within you that you have a real desire. to be like open and transparent, but if. I was in your shoes, I'd be thinking. like everyone's trying to trip me out. Everyone's trying to make a headline um. on on me and my life. They want to drive. a wedge between me and my father. It's.

difficult. It must be difficult. Like. even I think about it as a podcast. The. podcast, you know, the podcast gets big. I say the wrong line, >> you know. You know, I think one of the. things I've learned under moments in my. life of tremendous sort of pressure and. scrutiny is um to like find the signal. in the noise. And that's probably the. thing that has been most helpful to me. It can become quite turbulent. I find. myself sometimes literally like dancing. in the eye of the hurricane. It's been.

many years of my life, but there's a lot. of like peace within me. So I just don't. get distracted by by the outside noise. and um and I think if you know what you. stand for then it really is just noise. >> When did you have to learn this? Because. am I right in thinking you this is the. first time that I saw the Trump family. during the apprentice. So obviously you. know growing up as a kid big fan of. business we had the UK apprentice but. the US one was much more interesting in. my in my opinion. >> So this is when I first understand who.

your father is and who you are. What was. the sentiment around you as a family at. this point? Because again, people can't. remember. >> pre vortex. >> It was the biggest show in the world at. one point. Um, it was this massive. phenomenon. you know, he had been very. famous in sort of New York and in real. estate and in business circles, but this. kind of like expanded awareness of him. beyond those New York circles onto.

um a global stage. So, there was a lot. of attention and a lot of excitement. You know, he was very similar to how he. is now. He said exactly what he was. thinking, which could be polarizing at. times, but it's part of what people. loved about him. I think the thing about. my father and my mother is they're like. deeply authentic. So you can disagree, but there's a certain amount of like. respect for the cander of it. Um, and. the lack of fear to say what you're. thinking because so many people are sort.

of afraid to be them true, their true. selves. >> You're more delicate with your words. >> Yeah, but I know exactly who I am. That's why the noise doesn't affect me. I'm [clears throat] really proud of the. fact that, you know, I've lived through. some incredibly intense times where. people are taking cheap shots and. swinging and [sighs and gasps]. I don't punch back because I don't. believe in. sort of spending my time and focus like. being combative like jumping into that.

particular arena and like the nasty. swirl of social media. It's just it's. not for me and I've been consistent in. that my whole life and I feel like that. sets an amazing example to my children. >> Where did you learn that? What is it. that you've read? What are the sort of. >> you just have to be yourself and you. have to be true to yourself and like I. don't allow that noise to distract me. We were talking um earlier about. stoicism. I think like Marcus Aurelius's. meditations is so informative on so many. levels. I mean here you have somebody. who was literally an emperor and he's.

writing this journal in a tent in a. battlefield. So his perspective is. amazing and he once wrote that the soul. becomes dyed the color of its thoughts. and I think about that all the time. The. cost to me of living in a way that's. inconsistent and not aligned with what. feels right, what models the right thing. for my children, what feels inherently. true to me. It's too expensive. it's too.

expensive for for my soul, so I won't do. it. So, you know, there there have been. times when the incoming and I say, well, but that isn't right or this isn't right. or I want to correct it. And then I say. like, what's the cost of doing it? Theo. has another great quote. It's something. paraphrasing to the effect of, you know, the cost of anything is the amount of. your life you're willing to exchange for. it. I focus on those things that like. elevate my soul, um my my joy, my.

happiness, my connection to the people I. love and care about. >> Have you always been there? Because you. seem more stoic now, but you know, >> I have like I'm much more naturally like. this. Like I feel things like a lot of. things. >> You're a bit of an empath, right? >> Oh, for sure. >> Okay. Yeah, that makes sense. >> Uh so I have not always been like this. It's like I had to work to be like this. and I had to I think mature and I. [clears throat] had to gain like. confidence and it took me a while to. really let people in. And I think it was. after my children were born that I.

really experienced a different type of. love. It like cracks you open. [clears throat] and you're never the. same, you know, and and you want more of. that feeling. Like I I'm very. intentional about everything that I do. even sitting here today like I I have. zero interest in spending two hours. having a conversation with somebody I. think is like a bully um because they. get good podcast you know like I I like. having conversations with people I think. are interesting and curious but in. business as well like I'm I'm you know I.

do less things and I do them with a lot. more focus and intention. You've lived. an extraordinary life and it's a very. anomalous one. But actually the lesson. there about being intentional. in every sense of the word, not just. with what you do every day, but also. what you let occupy your mind is one. that I think everybody listening. >> might derive a lot of value from because. we live everybody lives on a spectrum of. the world clawing at them. >> to deviate from who they are. um some.

you know one end of the spectrum if I. take myself back to when I was I don't. know 16 years old the world you know. other than my mother telling me she. wanted me to go be doctor lawyer. whatever the world wasn't really pulling. me away from myself but then on the. other end of the spectrum you know I'm. 33 now you know every time I have a. podcast guest on someone's mad at me. >> and everything I say can be spun in. whatever so you also on this side of the. spectrum you have to get really really. clear as you said on like who you are. and what matters. >> well I think that's key like if if you. don't know who you are the mob wins.

>> Oh, 100%. >> Because they tell you who you are and. then you start to believe it. [clears throat]. >> Once you know who you are, >> you feel sorry for the people who are. like screaming at each other on on. social media. It takes like a beat to. get there. Like I think it it takes a. lot of work to to really understand. yourself. And I think sometimes. modern society it praises sort of speed. [snorts] and fast pace and um you know. accessibility and being available and.

responding quickly then people wonder. like why don't they know themselves like. why aren't they connected to something. bigger and they're not taking the time. I [clears throat] take time to shut down. and like really go inward and ask myself. every time I have a big decision like. what feels right and even if it's hard. to make a decision like whether it's a. no or a yes if it feels aligned with. your values and who you are like it. never is a mistake ever. >> You grew up in the uh you know with a.

with a family and a father that are very. prominent. at some point do you have to. make the decision to become your own. person like because I was wondering if. in that context you there's a there's a. pressure to kind of like be the same. person in every regard. >> to believe all the same things to live. the same life to go the same path. >> is there some point in your journey. where you where you go do you know what. I've actually got to like figure out I. can see a little smirk in the corner of. your mouth. >> well no I think about it with my own. children because as a parent it's very. easy to see them as.

you know a lot of parents they they view. their children as extens ions of. themselves and I really try not to do. that. Like they are their own people. just like I'm my own person sometimes in. the context of a broader public. narrative. Everything's sort of comingled and. related. But we're all our own people. We obviously have conditioning. We have. learned behaviors. We have um some of. which are great. Some of which we spend. part of our adulthood um unwinding.

But we're all like fundamentally unique. and special. And I work really hard to. make sure my kids see themselves, each. of them individually, that they know how. much I love them as like perfect, complete human beings, not I love you. because of this accomplishment or. because of this sort of external. validation that you've received because. you're sort of perfect as as you are and. like in your essence. So, so my parents.

taught me a lot a lot. I love them so. much. I'm like them in some ways. I'm. very dissimilar to them in other ways. But even though I was like the. peacemaker in our house, I was also like. very like true to myself. And they. created and I give them credit for this, they created an environment where like. disscent was okay. And so I could agree. or disagree and share it with each of. them and um do so respectfully and and. privately. and that was our home.

>> Um, you started off in real estate. You. you worked in a It sounded like to me. you were basically an intern at a a a. different real estate company before. moving into the the family business and. in the family business, you know, heavily male-dominated space. I heard. you talk about how actually being a. woman in that context proved to be in. your mind an advantage of sorts. What is. the the context there? And I'm in 2026. right now, so I don't have the. perspective of what it was like to be a. young woman in the real estate industry, presuming in New York. Yeah.

>> Some sort of 20 years ago. >> Well, I think I was like underestimated. twice. First, being the child of. accomplished parents. There was an. expectation that I on one hand some. people thought I was like a savant. because I was their child but most. people. thought they would be um that I would. phone it in that I would lack sort of. the thought process, the ambition, the. preparedness. So, I I always worked like. twice as hard as everyone else to sort.

of prove my worth and prove um my. ability to to be in these rooms where. truthfully often times I was in them. before I was prepared to be in them. So, that was, you know, on my mind. But I. think being underestimated is is not a. bad thing. I think it's like a very. powerful thing actually. And it almost. always worked to the detriment of the. person who underestimated me. So, I. think if you're somebody who's prepared. and somebody underestimates you, well, guess what? They're not. So, when you're.

dealing with people who are extremely. accomplished, like do the work. Like, know what you're doing because probably. they haven't done the work when they. know they're dealing with you. And I. think as a young woman in real estate. especially, you know, there were there. were women in sales and there were women. in marketing, but there were very few. women in development and construction. and finance and acquisitions. And. I think um I harnessed both the belief.

some of it may be stemming from my own. insecurity but the belief that the. people would underestimate me. I. harnessed that like sort of fear, that. sentiment and I used it to sort of. propel me and I used it to give me. motivation and and drive and then I also. would use it against the people who. underestimated me just because I I was. always prepared. I was overprepared. I I. always did the work. I heard you. described as um from people that worked. with you at the time a naturalb born.

deal maker. And this kind of overlays. with what you're saying there that if. someone underestimates you, they're. actually setting themselves up to be. surprised or. >> Well, I'd prefer to be underestimated. than overestimated any day of the week. >> Give me specifics on what what. environment that creates for you to then. win in a deal. I think in in negotiation. it's like incredibly important to. know what the other person wants. Sometimes you can learn that through.

research. Very infrequently though, like. you have to listen. Like you're probably. a great negotiator because you're an. incredible listener. Silence can also be. a weapon. People get very uncomfortable. in moments of silence and then they. start talking. And I think the more you. can get a person to share with you. what they consider to be a win, the more. you can potentially accomplish something. where you give. where you really have like a mutual. win-win. Like I've seen negotiations.

where you give up very little, but the. person feels incredibly happy because. it's what they wanted. >> Yeah. >> Right. Now, when you're dealing with. like a negotiation that's purely price, that's kind of different. That's like a. very simple transaction. It's, you know, but very few negotiations are purely. that, you know, one of first and. foremost in a negotiation like like make. sure you understand what the other. person wants because you may be able to. give it to them at at very little cost. and then everyone's happy. And I also. think there's a lot of value in like.

authentically building relationships. though, you know, some of the the best. deals I ever did were uh derivatives of. really like getting to know someone like. authentically and genuinely. And um they. want you to win, you want them to win. And those are are like really beautiful. types of transactions. And you know, I. believe in you know, a lot of the. projects I'm working on now are about. like creating things. Like I like. building tangible things. I like. creating things that um that uplift. to.

like solving challenging problems and um. and you don't do that alone. You do that. [clears throat] through partnership. You. do that through coalitions of people who. share your passion and interest and um. and that's very rewarding. >> When you hire people, what are you. looking for for your businesses? Are. there I mean, everyone's got their own. hiring bias and it often stems from. their past experiences who's burnt them. in the past. when you're looking to hire.

someone for one of your organizations or. for some of the projects we'll talk. about in a second, what what are the. like the key characteristics? >> I think first and foremost, you want. someone with a strong sense of self and. a strong like orientation towards like. agency, like somebody who has agency. It's very hard to teach people, you. know, you could have a brilliant person, but if they don't have like good. judgment or if they're not like a. self-starter, it's very hard to give. them that. It's very hard to sort of. give them good judgment. And some of. it's like street smarts, right? We.

talked before about, you know, how can. you both be trustworthy. and not be disappointed or burn too. often? You have an instinct about a. person. >> and you can read a room and and that's. like EQ skills and those are those are a. little bit harder to teach. So, I look. for that. >> I look for good people at the end of the. day. like I don't want to do a deal with. I don't want to work with people I don't. enjoy that I don't think are like good. people um because I don't want to spend. my time with somebody who I don't trust.

or who I don't respect. So that's like. really core and fundamental for me. you. know, for somebody who's working with. me, I actually tell my kids this all the. time because I think so much of the. outside world is like, "Impress me by. what you do." Like, "Impress me by what. you accomplish. The grades, the. trophies, the the badges of like. external validation and success." Like, our whole life is oriented towards that, the validation that comes from the.

outside world. So like I always want my. kids to know like how I'm going to. validate them is like be a good person. Like you want to impress me like be a. good person. >> Was that the case for you? Cuz when I. look at. >> Probably not. >> I [laughter]. look at the Trump family for me as an. outsider looked like a competition. between siblings and even when I think. about your father. >> I think because we're so competitive and. hard. Yeah. No, I think um I think it. all like worked out and we're all I I. like to think you know my my siblings.

and I grew up with um like good values. and uh but no like we were in a more. like I was like very competitive with my. siblings like you know my mom was like a. disciplinarian there was like a high. expectation of like performance and. success um. >> and when you're in that when you're. calling collect your father he's. reciting your great grades to the room. of people He's in. No, no, no. That was. >> That mattered. And And it matters to a.

lot of parents. And by the way, it's not. bad like having an incredibly high. standard. And to some degree, >> Yeah. And I think look, I I think it's. >> a lot of parents like I think especially. like my mom was an immigrant to this. country, there's like a high standard. Um and uh and she didn't like humor. fools, right? One of the things I'm most. proud of, I look at my daughter and. there's no bar I could set for her that. the bar she sets for herself isn't. higher. So like I actually view my job. as a parent with her is to like give her.

permission to not like strive for. perfection. >> You [snorts]. go on to build a business in the jewelry. industry and fashion industry. Um there. was I was reading about there was a. point in your career where you were you. were offered a job by Anna Wintor. Yeah. >> At Vogue. And your I think your father. did kind of want you to go in that. direction, but you wanted to go in the. real estate business direction. >> She called me actually on the day I. graduated from university. I went to. Warden School of Business at University.

of Pennsylvania and she offered me a job. at Vogue and I was like incredibly. honored and flattered and groggy because. she called me at 8:00 in the morning. which calling a college student at 8:00. in the morning, you might as well call. them at 4:30 in the morning, you know? like that was that I was like deeply. aware from when I was a young girl that. like I wanted to go into real estate. Life has taken me in different. directions and and interestingly now I'm. returning with some amazing projects. back to my real estate roots. But I love.

architecture. I love design. I love it. as an expression of self. If you look at. a city skyline and it's an expression of. like a vision for. um of hope and optimism and the amount. of courage that took to build each of. those buildings and it's it's. extraordinary. >> But you did go into the fine jewelry at. 26 years old and then at 33 you launched. Ivanka Trump.com and you were in a huge. amount of major retailers including. Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and that's.

really also that's what I knew you first. for. I knew you for running a fashion. business which was doing exceptionally. well. I think from what I read it was. making hundreds of millions of dollars. and then you shut it down. >> Yeah. [gasps]. Yeah. It was kind of like lightning in a. a bottle. I caught a moment. So, I was. um still sort of leading the charge at. our family real estate business. I had. young children at home um or was just. starting to have uh children when when I.

first launched Fine Jewelry. Ultimately, we ended up having 11 different. categories, apparel, footwear, sunglasses, fragrance. Um, but we created an accessibly priced line. that was feminine and beautiful, but for. like a multi-dimensional woman. Like, at. the time when I was coming up, the. outfits that women were buying for work. were so far from aspirational and they. couldn't transition with the woman to.

the date night. they would have that. evening or after work drinks with their. girlfriends. It was like nobody was. posting on Instagram like what they were. wearing to work. And so we thought like. let's bridge the gap and create. something for a modern woman. And it. caught fire. And it was. >> how big an amazing success. We were. doing um close to $800 million in sales. annually um when I shut it down when I. went into government. It was great. But. >> you were doing 800 million in sales.

annually when you shut it down. >> Yeah. >> Why did you shut it down? >> I went into government and you always. have to sort of be moving forward and I. had built a team of women who were. oriented towards forward momentum and I. had to put it on ice and this was all. just part of the rules of complying with. the office of government and ethics. So. they basically look at everything you. have and they say sell this, put this. into a trust, do this, do that, do this. So you do that and and for my own. business, they weren't allowed to use my. image. They weren't allowed to grow the.

business in terms of new accounts or. internationally. And that was fine for a. moment, but at the end of the day, you. need like growth. And so I thought it. would be easier to end on a high note. than to um allow the business to sort of. stagnate. And I also felt like for. myself, I'm always looking forward like. I don't like to look back. And I feel. the. experience of of this new experience, I. mean, serving was so expanding.

>> Most people wouldn't give up an $800. million annual business to go into. government. >> Why did you, >> you know, I I. >> It's your baby as well. You know, it's. like. >> Yeah. I, you know, I thought about the. version of me in 40 years that when. asked the question to serve by my. father, who at the time knew no one in. in Washington DC at all, said no and. just proceeded with life as usual. And. that didn't like sit right with me. So,

I had no intention of serving. And a few. weeks after he won, he asked Jared and. me to go with him and sort of help him. navigate this new environment. And my. eyes grew big. And he joked with me. He's like, "But I have to warn you, they're going to come at you hard. They're probably going to hate you. You're too young. You're too." And he. like, [laughter] I'm like, "Oh my god.". I'm like, "What?" That was like the. anti- sale. But, you know, he asked us. for help. Um, and I feel incredibly.

privileged that he gave us the. opportunity to serve a country we love. so much. We hadn't been expecting it. We. hadn't set up our lives for it. We were. loving the path we were on and and the. work we were doing. But you also, you. know, can't put your head in the sand. and like life had changed. As much as. I'd like to say like, oh, he wins. business as usual, there is no business. as usual. Your life has changed. >> You didn't choose this though. In fact, you didn't choose most of these things. I look at your life and I go that from a. very young age you've not chosen the.

context which you've been thrust into. because of your your father's ambitions. and I mean I can see it in your face. that it kind of rings true. >> but I think that's true for all of us. right to some degree like our path is. determined by our circumstance I. >> not really not really in the same way. >> this is a little bit different with. [laughter] politics and the presidency. but. >> but even from 9 years old you know. you're not choosing to leave school and. have reporters uh treat you like that. and you're not choosing these other.

things along the way and then your. father decides he wants to be president. of the United States. It's not like he. had a political career where he like. built up slowly. It's like he woke up. one day and was like. >> was drinking water from a fire hose for. all of us. It was a lot. Normally you. cut your teeth on, you know, some local. election as a family have the. experience. The first time he ever run for office. was president and he won. So, it was a. radical adjustment period for um for all. of us. But. >> did you think you would. >> Boy did it. Oh, yeah. I did.

>> I mean, it was it was hard to believe. myself because everyone was saying that. he wouldn't. And I'd say, "Well, these. people probably know what they're. talking about, but it felt like he. would." And, you know, so for me, that. time was extraordinary because I really. believed, you know, I lived in New York. City. I thought I was around surrounded. by diverse minds and opinions and. perspectives and viewpoints and I really. thought I had sort of a lot of exposure. to ideas and.

his campaign like ripped it open for me. and that I realized like the bubble that. I was in and suddenly I got out into the. country and I heard from people who had. very divergent views on a number of. issues. Some of it reinforced my. existing beliefs. Other times it. completely changed my perspective and. and orientation. So it was extremely. mindexpanding. So when you ask like, "Oh, why didn't I go back to what I was. doing?" I think like, you know, you you.

get thrown into something and you learn. and you grow and you change. And um and. I felt as challenging it was as that. moment in my life to um to say yes when. when my father asked us to to go help. him. I felt like it was an amazing. privilege to be able to serve. So new. year always has a strange energy to it. because people start talking about their. goals, fresh starts and new habits. But. the reality is that most people carry.

the same ideas they had last year into. the new year. I'm guilty of that too. and they still don't end up doing. anything with them. And I get why. starting something new, especially if. it's a business or a project, is. overwhelming. Before you start, you're. looking for the perfect moment and to be. the perfect version of yourself when. really what matters most is taking that. first step. If you've had an idea for a. while, a product, a store, something. you've been sitting on, our sponsor, Shopify, makes it easy to get started. because you can build your store, sell. on socials, take payments, use AI tools, and manage everything all in one place.

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interview that's subsequently gone viral. of him saying that um if it got so bad. in the US he would never rule it out. totally. He thought he would win because. he's never gone into anything to lose as. I think you said and even 1980 in an. interview with Rona Beret can't. pronounce that name he said maybe I'd. run for president I don't know. Did you. have any sense that this was at all on. the horizon in. >> Not really. >> That's interesting. >> No, it was, you know, it was actually.

where we discussed things that weren't. sort of the normal how was your day at. school. It was we spoke a lot about real. estate and about. um and about building and we were going. to go into the family business and and I. do think he sort of toyed with it in his. mind um for a while. I I do remember. once thinking it was real. I was 16 and. I was at boarding school and I called. him up. I go, "Oh my god, I read that. you're going to run for president. This. is going to ruin my life." [laughter]. I think I was like hysterical and he's.

like, "Don't worry about it. Not. happening." You know, I think he was he. was thinking about the options he was. given as a voter [snorts] and he was. dissatisfied and I think he was. beginning to formulate his perspective. on what he would do differently. But it. was not my childhood that was not an. ambition of his that was at least. articulated to to us. You know some of. the ideas you mentioned that Oprah. interview he was talking about [sighs].

um trade policy being deeply unfair to. American workers. you know, his. viewpoint remained consistent over time. and remains consistent to this day on. exactly that about trade policy and and. many of many of the things he. articulated then are very true for him. to this day. >> And then in 2015 when you're 33, my age, you learn two weeks before he announces. that he's going to announce that he. wants to run for president.

>> again. How do you receive that? is in. like an existential panic like you have. >> we came together as a family in. Bedminster. Um and he shared with us his. intention and he asked me to introduce. him and I said to him I'm like well are. you really doing this [laughter]. um are you really going to do this? He. was coming down the escalator and I'm. trying to like introduce him and give. this speech. I'm like, is he going to. get up here and actually? It was so. quick. But I think, you know, I think he. had debated it in his mind for a long.

time and then when he pulled the. trigger, it was. full steam. >> Life hasn't been the same since in many. respects. >> Mm- [clears throat] No, it hasn't. But. it's been I mean, it's been an. extraordinary ride. There have been. highs and there have been lows, but um. we've done a lot of living. So, [laughter]. >> a lot of living. >> A lot of living. >> Of which you spent four years working in. the White House. >> Mhm. Some of your sort of key headline. achievements are doubling the child tax. credit from $1,000 to $2,000, benefiting. 40 million Americans with an average of.

$2.2,000 $2,000 per year, helping secure. paid family leave for federal workers, helping pass the Great American Outdoors. Act, which is one of the largest. Conservative bills since the National. Park System was created, leading efforts. to modernize career and technical. education, providing 1.3 billion. annually to over 13 million students, and helping to pass nine pieces of. legislation combating human trafficking. and child exploitation. And then it ended. >> Were you happy it ended? cuz I saw it.

with Michelle Obama. She seemed happy. >> I left it all on the field, you know? I. I don't look back and say. like I I I don't have regrets. Like I. worked as hard as I could and I'm. incredibly. proud of what I was able to accomplish. in in those four years. and um like I. don't regret it in any way, but it's you. know it's a sacrifice um to my children. and it's um and it's it's it's hard work.

you know so I feel both incredibly. privileged for the opportunity but also. I don't have what they refer to as PTOIC. fever you know there's some people that. once they have the experience of of. being in those rooms and and close to. that type of power they just like hang. around the hoop [clears throat]. constantly like cycling back in. I feel. like I wasn't expecting to serve in this. capacity, at least not at this stage of. my life. My father asked me to help him.

We uprooted our lives and went and did. just that and scored a lot of wins. I. mean, you think about something like the. child tax credit. 40 million American. families benefited from that policy. An. average of $2,400 in their pockets. That's extraordinarily meaningful and. consequential and I'm so proud to have. been able to do that. nine pieces of. human trafficking legislation, the work. that I did around vocational education.

and skills training, which is all the. more relevant as we sort of surf the. oncoming tsunami that is AI. you know, the fact that we were able to um get the. private sector to commit to skilling or. res-killing 16 million American workers, the fact that we were able to facilitate. the creation of a million apprenticeship. opportunities in in the United States, like these are are deeply meaningful. So, I. I'm so proud of my service. I I feel.

deeply honored that. he trusted me to pursue these different. verticals and and to work alongside of. him. And I also know that it's really. hard and for my children, you know, my. first responsibility is to be their mom. It was true then as well, of course. And. and I did the best I could every single. day to be everywhere I needed to be. But. my kids are a different age now and.

there's a finite period of time before. they leave our home. I think, you know, I look at at my teenage daughter, she's. 14 and even if like a quarter of my. interactions with her through her closed. bedroom door, like I need to be present. and I need to be there. It's not. theoretical for me because now I know. the sacrifice. that they would have to bear the cost to. them of if I went back into service and. I'm not willing to let them pay that.

price. So for me it's like actually a. rather easy decision. I made it. immediately. You know that in this. moment I'm where I need to be. It's also. a different time. You know, now my. father has a deep bench of people. raising their hand who want to help and. participate. That wasn't true [laughter]. before. He's really refined his. policies, his beliefs, and has a lot of. conviction in terms of what he wants to. do. So, so I feel like for him, it's. amazing. He's got the team he needs and.

um and for me, I think, you know, my. priorities are are my family, and that. just feels really good and right for me. >> What weren't you prepared for? I asked. the same question to Michelle when she. was here about, you know, you get that. phone call from your dad and he says, "Come, come help. One has a vision of. what that might look like, but there's. surprises." Michelle talked to me about. so many of the things she had no idea. would be the case. >> I wasn't prepared for you're not. prepared for any of it. There's nothing. that trains you for the experience. And.

I think one of the things you realize. pretty quickly is like power, just like. money, makes people more of what they. already are. And you see that very much. in playing out in in politics and and in. life, right? I also think you realize. people are just people. Like you look at. and I'm you know I had exposure to some. of the great leaders of business and now. I was being exposed to um to leaders on. a global stage of countries. Um, sometimes they were monarchies, other.

times they were elected democracies and. then all sorts of varants of of that, you know, were and and you realize at. the end of the day like people are. people, you know, some of [laughter]. them their their kids don't speak to. them. They got in a fight with their. wife that morning. They're, you know, they're just people. And now some of. them feel extraordinarily historic. You. meet a person and say, "This person. feels consequential." others of them you. leave and say, "I wonder how this person. ever got elected to to this, you know,

high office." But, um, but I think it it. removes the veil and and the mystery and. I think it removed for me a lot of any. of like intimidation I may have in like. interacting with another human being. >> Your security situation must have. changed quite considerably. So, >> it did. Yeah. >> You know, and because politics is a. dangerous game. I think I I heard. something that said being president is. the most dangerous job in the world when. you look at the fatality rate and. obviously we've seen political. assassinations in this country even in.

recent times but your father was also. shot at hit in the ear when he was on. the campaign trail more recently. What's that been like and what does it. actually can you give me any specifics. on what that actually like means when. you become involved in politics? How. does life change from a security. perspective? Yeah, [sighs and gasps]. I think. well it changes radically. Now we're. protected by US Secret Service and I'm. so grateful to to the men and women who. who take care of my family um took care.

of my father, protected him and uh. risking their own lives to do so and now. do so for for me and and my children. So. very grateful uh to all of them. But. it's it's it's scary. We live in um very. troubling times and like you know the. fact that there is a correlation between. service and violence is um. is uh terrible in and of itself. But but.

that's the the world we live in. So, you. know, I have to acknowledge that reality. and defend my family as as best I can. and make sure they're protected. And I'm. very fortunate. The the Secret Service. are the best in the world at doing that. Where were you in 2024 in July when you. when you heard the news that your father. had been shot in the ear? There was an. assassination attempt on his life. Do. you remember where you were? Like what's. that like as as a daughter? What are all. the feelings and thoughts? >> I was in Bedminster, New Jersey, and um.

there was a lot of commotion and um the. televisions were on so I saw it almost. immediately. Not in my house. I actually. don't love watching television. [laughter]. Um but out by the pool in the beastro. and um it was almost real time. It was. before he had stood back up. that I had seen um what was transpiring. and um two of my children were there. Um.

so you know my first reaction was to. turn them away. Um, but. it was incredibly difficult. Interestingly, I knew real time in that. moment that he was fine. Like, I had I. just knew that. like it wasn't his time. So, I was. horrified and I was scared and I was.

protective of my children, but I also. I didn't believe like the worst possible. outcome had transpired. Thank God. And. um and thank God it it hadn't. And then I saw him that night when he. came home from the hospital because he. was also staying. That morning he had. left from Bedminster. And that evening. he he returned after he left the. hospital and um it's late 1 2:00 in the.

morning and Jared and I stayed up and we. [clears throat] met his his car as he. was pulling in and um I just feel. feel like just incredibly lucky that he. was protected on that day. But it's, you. know, when. you can't take things for granted in. life, and I've learned that in numerous. ways, that being one of them. Um, when. my mom passed prematurely, when my husband had a scare with cancer,

you know, all of these challenges that. remind you how finite and how precious. every moment of this life we live are. make you realize you just can't take. anything for granted. And I think as you. move through them and you know, God. willing, you're able to. And we were so. fortunate that day that. that this was a failed attempt to take. his life. Um, not a realized one. But.

you just I think you you recommmit. to sort of love and connection and to. a recognition of um how short our time. here on earth is and how you have to. value it. >> Someone shooting at your dad um and. trying to kill your dad. This is quite a. difficult question to ask, but it's like. if if um most of us will never be able. to relate to the fact that.

members of the public want our parents. to be deceased and that's the reality of. the the situation for your father is. someone shot at him was trying to. execute him publicly. And um I wonder. how that again doesn't make you negative. to the world. >> because I don't allow it to. What does that accomplish being negative. towards the world? I think that brings. more negativity into the world. Even for.

the person that shot at your father, >> there's a lot of sickness there. And. I, you know, I think that. forgiveness is a difficult thing in in. this regard, but I think you have to. um.

his living. was a blessing. So I could look at what happened and be. rightfully traumatized by the experience. and nobody could really argue with that. But. you have to you have to move through it. And and on the opposite side of that is. the fact that he's with us today, that. he didn't die, that my father is alive. And that is an extraordinary blessing.

for me as his as his daughter. In life, you have a choice only in how you. respond. And I choose to. see the positive outcome that. that transpired and dwell there. >> The mind plays out scenarios, right? The. mind plays out the scenario that where. he he didn't make it, where the he. turned his head in the other direction, the bullet hit him. >> and you presumably played out that. scenario of what how different life.

would have been. Well, seeing it on. repeat for months on television on the. news was certainly like not the easiest. thing and you know that's part of why I. just even before I didn't I never loved. watching the news. I'll read the news. but but no I mean he's here you know. really felt like um a miracle and a. blessing and and that's what I focus on. I can see the emotion again in you which. is again it's fascinating to me because. I've you know I've heard you know people.

around you speak about it but the the. emotional toll seems to be more still. sort of present in you about that. incident than it does about other people. that I've heard speak about this. >> well he's my father he's my father and. he almost lost his life that day but he. didn't and I feel truly grateful for. that. >> and in this second season of his. presidential career you decide that you. want to pursue um many other things, many other things, many other business. developments and um real estate. developments. You step away from.

politics in 2022, I believe. You. announced that you would not be. returning for the third election. campaign. [snorts] Uh you said, "This. time around, I'm choosing to prioritize. my young children and the private life. we're creating as a family. I do not. plan to be involved in politics." You. also said on Lex Lex's podcast, "Politics is a pretty dark world. There's a lot of darkness, a lot of. negativity, and it's just really at odds. with what feels good to me as a human. being. I was thinking this earlier on. about 30 minutes ago. I was thinking,

your nature, as I've known you, seems to. be the antithesis of this type of world, like fame. >> Totally true. You know, >> there's this like gladatorial aspect of. it that's just like not for me. I care. deeply about policy, about helping. people, and I think there's all sorts of. ways to do that. and and and I'm doing. that now in in the private sector, but I. don't like politics, but I I do care. about policy um quite deeply and I've. tried to focus on on that element of.

service. >> And do you feel the need to express you. never do because you don't punch back at. the world publicly, which is I think. something to be admired. And I I've. learned actually quite a lot from. everything you said there about not. feeling the need to like punch back at. the world. >> It takes training. >> It like takes real training. I was. actually reading uh recently uh. about the crow and I thought it was like.

a great metaphor for life. So crow is. like a highly intelligent animal, extraordinarily so in some cases, but it. can get aggressive and territorial and. it's one of the only animals that will. actually attack an eagle. Like a crow. will go and just sometimes because it's. being territorial and other times for. fun. And the crow will actually like mob. the eagle and it will land on its back. and it will start pecking it. And the. eagle's response to this, which.

naturally the eagle's. many times over larger than the crow, isn't to like twist and turn and knock. the crow off or um defend itself and and. and then go on the offense. It's just to. fly up. And it flies up while the crow. continues to like just peck at its at. its back. It flies up and up. And the. crow is not built for high altitude. flight. So at a certain point as the. eagle flies up, not expending any energy. in the counterattack, the crow just.

falls off. >> It can't sustain the altitude. So I and I kind of love that analogy for. life because you have a choice. You. know, you can turn around, you can fight. back, probably the eagle would win or. you can just, you know, play the game on. your own terms. And I I think about that. sometimes and I thought it was like a. brilliant metaphor for dealing with the. noise. >> And you trained that muscle. >> for sure. >> So there was a time when you did care.

>> For sure. Because I there was a time. when I was just like confused. I'm like. well but I didn't even do that. Like. what are you talking about? Like I don't. even know what you're and and then. there's a sense of well that's unfair. Like that's an unfair attack. And then. you realize like a lot of it's unfair. especially in politics. It's like it's. just like a team sport and people attack. and you know and and people also, you. know, put you up on a pedestal and you. just can't get distracted by either. You. just have to be yourself and uh you have. to fly up, let the crows fall off and um.

and that's it. That's all you can do. >> Do any of you remember a conversation I. had on this podcast with anthropologist. Dr. Daniel Lieberman? It was one of the. most viewed conversations of all time on. the Diary of a CEO. And interestingly, the most replayed moment of that entire. conversation was when I talked about a. specific pair of shoes that I wear. They're called Barefoot Shoes, and. they're made by a brand called Vivo. Barefoot, who have become one of the. sponsors of this show. Now, all of their. shoes have significantly reduced. support, which gives my feet the.

opportunity to strengthen just by. wearing them. And research from. Liverpool University backs this up. They've shown that wearing Vivo Barefoot. shoes for 6 months can increase foot. strength by up to 60%. So if you want to. start strengthening your feet, which are. the foundation for the rest of your. body, head to vivobarefoot.com/doac. And if you do that, I'll give you 15%. off when you use my code Steven B15. Use that code at checkout. And I'll also. give you a 100day money back guarantee.

Steven B15. Enjoy. We have finally caved in. So many. of you have asked us if we could bundle. the conversation cards with the 1%. diary. For those of you that don't know, every single time a guest sits here with. me in the chair, they leave a question. in the diary of a CEO and then I ask. that question to the next guest. We. don't release those questions in any. environment other than on these. incredible conversation cards. These. have become a fantastic tool for people. in relationships, people in teams, in.

big corporations, and also family. members to connect with each other. With. that, we also have the 1% diary, which. is this incredible tool to change habits. in your life. So many of you have asked. if it was possible to buy both at the. same time, especially people in big. companies. So, what we've done is we've. bundled them together and you can buy. both at the same time. And if you want. to drive connection and instill habit. change in your company, head to the. diary.com to inquire and our team will. be in touch. You are very different from. your father. Now listen, I know you you.

know you love your father deeply and. I've watched you in every interview. you've ever done to talk to that love. and I have zero exactly zero desire to. to ask you any questions or ask anything. that's going to try and drive a a wedge. or get you to say something that I think. you know is is is not fair. But the. thing I find interesting is that like. how you make your way in the world and. like become your own person. >> when you do have this derivative noise. that's trying to define you through. things that you have never even actually. done.

>> Yeah. >> And I just find that fascinating like. how and life has clearly made you a. stoic for this very reason because you. have to deal with I guess to some degree. being characterized in a certain way for. actions that you yourself haven't taken. So one has to become a stoic or else how. could one possibly survive [laughter]. >> like we all deal I think on microscopic. levels with like. >> the eye of the hurricane. [laughter]. >> Yeah. >> I think but like I I sometimes like feel. a lot of gratitude for it because I I. think sometimes you. keep being taught a lesson until you.

learn it. And I think as somebody who. always wanted peace and harmony and I. think I needed to like maybe it took. this level of intensity to be like okay. you know like peace and harmony within. the context that I can help facilitate. you know like I can't control something. so much um bigger than that. So so. sometimes like maybe that was my. medicine you know. >> Did you go to therapy? not in my childhood in actually as an.

adult I um I I have a lot of um friends. who are unbelievable either teachers, professors, therapists and um and I have. like a very growthoriented mindset as. you could probably tell like I'm always. looking to learn about myself and about. the world and uh so they've provided. unbelievable perspective for me over the. years. I asked that because I imagine. there's lots of people watching now who. contend with their own struggles. Yeah.

>> Similar to that, dealing with the. outside world or. >> I think therapy can be amazing. Um I. think you have to have the right. therapist. Um and somebody who helps you. sort of process and move through. I. don't think it's like healthy to linger. too long. Um like I think you have to. move forward. >> When did you decide to start seeing a. therapist? um. in my adulthood like as an adult and it. was more just as like another tool for.

me in the same way that I meditate you. know I view it as as an opportunity to. like. to do an internal inventory. >> was there a catalyst there's often a. catalyst when I interview people. something happened they realized that. they needed more tools. >> you know I I think um some of the. challenges es around um Jared's health. >> I [clears throat] just left Washington. Our life was in flux. Jared um was.

diagnosed with thyroid cancer for a. second time. Um and uh and then my. mother passed and I wanted to make sure. I'm I'm really good at like being tough. and I'm really good at kind of. compartmentalizing. So it was more just. like a check with myself that I was also. taking time to like you know sort of. like look inward and uh and like nurture. myself. So it was not it was not.

particularly like formal um but it was. more you know and I think when you can. speak to people you trust who are. knowledgeable and just make sure you're. like taking time to like really heal and. not just move forward. You strike me as. someone that spent a lot of time being. tough. >> on the outside. >> Um because. >> I like tough and super soft at the same. time. [laughter]. >> But I see that. >> But I' I've kind of But that's like. where you know I have to like watch.

myself from because my life has always. had such intensity like I can like move. through things like I sometimes have to. pull myself back and say like process. because I don't believe that you ever. put something in a box. I think that. thing that you're hiding from yourself. is with you every time you make a bad. decision and like driving the bus, you. know, like it's you may not be like. fully conscious of it, but it's it's. like there so you better unpack it um. and as close to real time as possible, I.

think the better. >> Yeah. And in your context, I imagine as. well, you can't just offload like the. average person does in every context. like Yeah. because there's consequences. to that. Whether it's trusting people, whether it's the media trying to get. something on you, what, you know, whoever it might be. So, and then, you. know, you're in a family where, you know, it's important to keep a. straight face, especially in public a. lot. And I was watching the footage from. >> Yeah. people think I'm like have like. sort of like a stoic look in public. I'm. very like,

>> but I but I [laughter] spent time with. you behind the scenes. You do you have. this sort of bit of a dichotomy in the. sense that you're there's a real. like pure. um. soft. empathetic. soul. And then it appears to me that. life is. demanded for the survival in the context. you've been in that you pop a mask on in. front of that to keep a straight face.

and a tough demeanor and to not punch. back and to to suppress that in certain. contexts because frankly you kind of. have to if you're in the shoes that. you've had to fill. And I guess one can. keep that that mask that tough exterior. on too long. >> Yeah. Yeah. To the point. >> Well, I think you actually see it with a. lot of politicians. They feel inauthentic because they are, you know, they've experienced so much. that they they never allow the mass to.

slip. >> Yeah. >> I think one of the things that makes my. father so unique is how is he so. authentic in a world where so few people. are like in that profession, that realm? And they're like almost like you look at. they feel like they're robots. the way. they speak, the way they interact, the. way they engage. Oftentimes you see that. when you're with them one-on-one as as. you do as it comes across like on a. debate on a television set. Um, so I. think there's a balance. Like I I don't. think you need to be.

[snorts]. like your most vulnerable self in the. public. Like why? like what is I think. you want to be authentic but I think. like you should like you have to guard. things about yourself about your family. and I think that's like healthy and and. good and I do think there is a part of. me that's like there's never been like. uh there's no room for error you know. like even as a child like growing up in. the public eye was always nervous about. doing something and embarrassing my. parents and then politics and you have.

to be perfect and any slip up is. completely weaponized against you so you. become very careful publicly. I think. the mistake though is people. get confused and they lose a sense of. themselves and. they bring that into their relationships. like off um the public stage and and I. think that's really unfortunate. >> You mentioned um one of the catalyst.

moments for you seeking out some sort of. more professional support was the death. of your mother. 2022. >> Another beautiful photo of her wonderful. hair as well. Try not to cry again. >> It's okay. >> She's extraordinary. She was extraordinary.

>> It's [snorts] okay. She lived a good life though. You know, I tell myself with my mom, she like. really lived she had fun. Um, so she. taught me a lot about just like, you. know, the presence I talk about about. just like [snorts]. bringing intention to what you do. Bringing Sorry.

>> [snorts]. >> Um. she uh. she was very herself and she was very. joyful and she loved to dance and she. loved to play and so um she lived uh she. lived a good life. It's a really it's a unbelievably tragic.

way to lose a parent is suddenly and. unexpected when they are. >> sure. >> strong. I mean it says a lot that your. grandmother which is her mother. >> still alive. >> still alive almost 100 years old and she. lost her life at 70 to falling down the. stairs in her her. >> By the way I said my grandmother was 98. she's 99. >> Wow. Okay. [laughter]. >> Crazy. It's amazing. [snorts]. Yeah. No, it's it very challenging and. you know grief is just.

losing a parent. It's it like hits. different you know um especially. unexpectedly especially sort of postco. which like kind of robbed so many of us. of so many years you know some for some. people they. >> sort of sheltered together um and it. actually created connection between. generations and you know unfortunately I. was she was in New York and I was in. Washington so [snorts]. >> um there was the.

there was distance there just. geographically. Um. but um but you know I I really like we. really I was telling you before we. really keep her memory alive like I. really took the time to think about her. not through the eyes of the child who. idolized her fully but through the eyes. of an adult who saw her clearly. her strengths, her challenges, and like.

I think about like my role as a parent. to my own children is. to sort of stand guard against like to. to make sure they're exposed to all the. elements of her that were amazing and. and share the stories and remind them. Um, and also to like kind of like a lionist. and guard against the passing on of of.

you know challenges she had and and. struggles and um and so I try to do that. with my own family. >> Have you grieved properly? >> Yeah, >> because you're [clears throat] very. busy. >> I think it's no I think it's super. important and that's part of the reason. I really got introspective. I think. wherever there's discomfort, that's. where you have to go. >> And you know, I would talk about her and. start to cry just like I'm still doing. um but in a different kind of way, you. know, like I I was avoiding.

for a moment, a very short moment. because I recognized in myself like the. discomfort and like you [snorts] have to. like unlock that and you have to really. make the time to think about and talk. about and and process. On the business. side of things, you have started in. 2023, I believe, at 41 years old, you. co-founded Planet Harvest with one of. your friends, Melissa Akerman, inspired. by your experiences creating the USDA's. farmers to families food box program.

during COVID 19. When I look at all that. you do, you know, there's you're doing. this incredible project in Albania to. develop the land there. You are. investing in technology companies. you. you've got this planet harvest project. with which is incredible and then you've. got you know um a family which you know. you talk about standing in guard in. front of them and so on and so forth. How how do you balance all of this. stuff? How does one balance it?

>> You don't like balance is elusive. Like. I think of balance it's like a scale. It's going to tip. You're one child's. flu away from like complete imbalance, right? where you get the call from the. school nurse and your son has to come. home unexpectedly or um or there's like. a roadblock in a project you're working. on or you know you can't striving for. balance is not. like a practical pursuit. I think what I.

strive for is to live a life that aligns. with my priorities and to have more days. than not that I feel like I've done just. that. And I think if you get that right, most of the time you're doing pretty. well because balance doesn't work. It's. just like our lives are too hectic and. there's too much outside of our control. to to maintain. that equilibrium. I'm so curious as to where you've um you.

know I know you've read a lot of. stoicism and you read a lot of books and. you've you've been to therapy but you. know you've you contend with a lot. businesses investing the real estate. projects all the family stuff the. broader noise. >> Yeah. >> Um and you've really much of what I've. learned about you is that you've really. managed to center yourself on yourself. >> You've managed to sort of pull yourself. inwards in a world that pulls all of us. outwardly. And is is there a particular. book you might advise people to. [laughter] read about this or is there. or they just have to have life hit them?

>> Well, I think you know religion for many. people provides a beautiful framework um. whether it's the Bible, the Torah, the. you know of of like be a good person. [laughter] like really [gasps]. um live a purpose- driven meaningful. life. Um, so I I think there's so much. wisdom there and I I think, you know, we. talked about the Stoics. I think they're. some of the great guides. I also love. some of the Eastern philosophies. Like I.

love lu and the taq ching is an amazing. it kind of reminds me of like the it was. like similar to the philosophy of of. jiujitsu around just sort of presence. and and not sort of fighting what is you. know so much of suffering comes from a. rejection of like what is um like. fighting something that it just is fact. um as opposed to sort of that which is. within our control. So I I'm actually.

very drawn to sort of Buddhism and. Dowoism and um I personally feel um like. very alive. Like I think. you look at if you if you think back. over the last week and I don't know what. this is for you but you think back over. the last week maybe even the last month. or the last day like when you were in. like a flow state when you fel felt most. alive like that's your medicine like. that's like you in your essence. But so. I try to also like put myself in those.

situations as much as possible and and. um and make sure to like bring that into. my life. >> I'm fascinated by Planet Harvest. >> because you could have done so much with. the leverage and and experience that you. have and you chose to build a business. called Planet Harvest, which you can. find at planeth harvest.com. [clears throat] that is helping to. reduce food waste and creating change. for farmers across the country. why of. all the things that you could have aimed. at um and I know you're aiming at many. at once, but why is Planet Harvest so.

central to your mission at the moment? >> Thank you. I mean, this is truly like a. missiondriven. um passion and and pursuit of mine and. um I think I told you before that like. there's nothing better than. being obvious by being contrarian. And. and that's sort of how Planet Harvest. was born. saw through the co pandemic. Um, I got really close to the farmers. because I created this farmertof family. food box program that created grants.

that would enable farmers to sell their. perishable produce um to third parties, distributors, NOS's, churches who would. then get it to the last mile of needs, ensuring that when people needed food, the food in the fields wasn't going to. waste by being tilled under as we saw in. the early days of the pandemic. You. know, the supply chain shut down. So the. restaurants were closed, the airlines, the hotels. Um, so the farmers had no. place to to send their food and couldn't. afford to take it out of the fields. So.

we created a grant program to enable. that connection. But it really got me um. very [clears throat] close at a at a. farm level to to the farmer and and and. their experience. And obviously that was. a catastrophic time when there was just. zero demand. But but I started seeing. even in a normalized situation the. amount of waste that happens on a food. on a on a field level and the amount of. food beautiful nutritious perfect food. that's left to rot in the fields while.

so many communities want for for that. form of nutrition. and um and I I met a. woman um who's uh CEO of the company and. we decided to co-found an effort. together to utilize this excess and. create demand for it and and get it into. the ecosystem supporting the. environment, supporting um these great. American farmers. Like I'll just give. you one example. I mean, strawberries, 400 million pounds of strawberries every.

year get left in the fields, not even. taken out and and given. Not because. they're imperfect. They're just don't. meet a really rigid. cosmetic specification that's defined by. retailers oftent times 20, 30, 40 years. ago so that everything's very. standardized. It's just a great way to. solve a problem, provide incremental. revenue for farmers, which is so needed. in such a tough business. So, we're. really proud of of the work we're doing. there.

>> It's a beautiful, beautiful cause. I'm. going to link link below if anyone wants. to learn more um as many details as they. can about the project and ways others. can get involved, whether they're. retailers or farmers or anyone that's. interested in getting involved. Um, Avanka, we have a closing tradition. where the last guest leaves a question. for the next guest, not knowing who. they're leaving it for. And the question. that has been left for you, it assumes. you are a parent, so thankfully you are, um, is if your oldest child came to you. and said they wanted to follow in your. footsteps, what are the three pieces of.

advice you would give them that would. increase their probability of happiness. and success? >> Oh, that's a great question. Um, I think first and foremost, >> that's your eldest. >> Yes. [clears throat]. >> Arabella, is it? >> Arabella. So what would you say to Arabella? She. says she wants to be an entrepreneur and. an investor. And. >> I think first you have to love it. I think especially if you want to be an. entrepreneur like the amount of work and.

dedication and grind, the challenges, um the responsibility as you build a. business for other people's livelihoods. Um it's it's enormous and it's you know. this I mean it's it's it can be very. heavy um to carry and I have never seen. someone. at the peak of their game who doesn't. absolutely love what they do and I've. seen a lot of brilliant people I went to. school with many of them who were way.

smarter. >> than anyone else in the class who flamed. out. >> by going in a direction that they were. capable and proficient. but not passionate about. So, it has to. you have to want it because if you. don't, somebody who's less um perhaps. less capable, perhaps less smart, they'll work twice as hard and like you. can't compete with that. >> Mhm. >> So, that's number one. I think number. two. is um.

you can't imitate anyone. You have to be. yourself. And we've talked a lot about. like knowing thyself, but um actually uh. Naval who's a friend of mine who's who's. great um he talks about like as an. entrepreneur the importance of. authenticity and how. it's like it's the key like when you're. copying you're losing like you have to. be yourself and then nobody can compete. with you. Um, and so I think you you.

have to sort of find yourself, be. yourself. You can't be derivative of. anything else. Of course, you can learn. from others, but um, but you have to. blaze your own course and um, and as an. entrepreneur building something new, you. have to have also like a tremendous. amount of resilience through that. process. [sighs]. And. you know it's um that's nuanced in and. of itself because that doesn't mean like. you have to wear blinders and go when. you know it's right but you have to also.

I mean they talk about the famous pivot. right like in like you also have to. pivot sometimes right so it's not not. like a fault you have to still be. receptive to um to sort of incoming. information but for the most part like. you have to go and um and I think for a. young person I would tell my daughter, you know, you're going to have to. believe in yourself before the world. believes in you. Like, you can't wait. for the world to believe in you. >> because if you haven't believed in. yourself, you'll never get there. So,

you have to start. And that's why like I. love talking like one of the things I've. I've been doing a lot of is investing in. technology businesses, AI, robotics, um, incredible founders and entrepreneurs. doing building generationally defining. products. um and and developing these amazing. ideas and I love seeing the belief and. the conviction they have in themselves. and sometimes like it's like their. experience doesn't match like their.

confidence but like you have to start. somewhere and if you don't like believe. in yourself you'll never get out of the. gate. So, so believe in yourself, charge forward, and um and then when you. start putting up some W's and getting. some wins, like the rest of the world. may or may not um start to believe in. you as well, >> thank you. >> Thank you. >> YouTube have this new crazy algorithm. where they know exactly what video you. would like to watch next based on AI and.

all of your viewing behavior. And the. algorithm says that this video is the. perfect video for you. It's different. for everybody looking right now.