Breaking Into Luxury: Secrets and Strategies for Success - A Mailbag Episode

This week, Doug answers a listener question from Jasmine in Washington, D.C. about breaking into the luxury industry. He explains that luxury has distinct culture and philosophy from fashion and operates within an unwritten hierarchy. He shares five tips for getting your foot in the luxury door, in…

Need to Improve Your AI Skillset? Create an AI Fingerprint. Here’s How - A Mailbag Episode

Everyone is talking about AI—but are you actually getting better at using it? In this mailbag episode of DM Me with Doug Melville, Doug answers a listener who wants to improve their AI skills but doesn’t know where to start. His answer: create your own AI Fingerprint. An AI Fingerprint is the uni…

How to Find Your Next (And Hopefully Last) Job - A Mailbag Episode

Doug answers a mailbag question from Janelle, a New York City professional who lost her corporate job and is struggling to find a new full-time role in this brutal job market. Sharing five practical tips drawn from his Stanford GSB reputation management teaching, Doug emphasizes that reputation pre…

Navigating Creativity in a Corporate Landscape - A Sit Down with Nancy Reyes, CEO of BBDO Worldwide

This week, Doug Melville interviews Nancy Reyes, president and CEO of BBDO Worldwide about creativity in a corporate environment, leadership in an age of AI, and the evolving role of the C-suite. Reyes argues creativity isn’t an output, but a way of thinking and problem-solving that must be “zoned …

DM Me with Doug Melville: The Architect of 90's Hip-Hop Fashion - How Andy Hilfiger Combined Music & Fashion with Snoop, Aaliyah and More 

Doug talks with longtime friend Andrew “Andy” Hilfiger about building culture at the intersection of fashion and music, from early retail lessons with his older brother Tommy Hilfiger, to creating Tommy Jeans, and his own brand, Andrew Charles. Andy recounts key moments in his career, including sty…

The Value of Mentorship at Scale and Building Your Personal Board - A Sit Down with Artis Stevens, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters

Today on DM Me, Doug interviews Artis Stevens, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, about scaling mentorship through group and workplace programs...including momentum supported by a $122.5 million MacKenzie Scott donation! Artis describes the act of mentorship as a practice coded in human DN…

How to Write and Publish Your Own Book - A Mailbag Episode

Doug hosts a mailbag episode explaining how to pivot from a corporate career to becoming a published author, answering listener questions about his path to writing Invisible Generals with Simon & Schuster. He stresses understanding the marketplace and your niche category, avoiding memoirs without n…

Modern Journalism, Substack vs Freelancing, and the Written Word - A Sit Down with Alyson Krueger

Doug welcomes freelance journalist Alyson Krueger, who has written thousands of pieces for outlets including The New York Times, and recently launched the widely acclaimed Substack The Great Conversation. They discuss what modern journalism has become, how freelancing works through pitching and edi…

Building Old Hillside Bourbon Through Connections and Storytelling - A Sit Down with Co-Founder Emmanuel Waters

Doug interviews Emmanuel Waters, CEO and co-founder of Durham, North Carolina-based Old Hillside Bourbon Company. Launched in 2020 and expanding across the U.S., Emmanuel shares his pivot from a Department of Defense and contracting career to entrepreneurship after a COVID-era “aha moment”. He talk…

Your Reputation Enters the Room Before You Do - Managing Personal Brand with Allison Kluger

Doug interviews Allison Kluger, a Stanford Graduate School of Business professor who teaches courses on reputation management, strategic communication, personal branding, and strategic pivoting. Kluger shares her AIM framework (audience, intent, message), discusses how Google and LinkedIn shape fir…