Not Alone

Choosing Between Career and Motherhood: Is That Even Possible? with Cass DiMicco

In this episode of Not Alone, Valeria sits down with content creator, entrepreneur, and Aureum co-founder Cass DiMicco for a deeply relatable conversation on ambition, creativity, and the evolving meaning of success. Cass opens up about the early signs that hinted at her creative future, her leap from fashion buyer to full-time influencer, and the vulnerability that came with putting herself online. She shares how Aureum was born from intuition, grit, and a little bit of impulsiveness, and opens up about what it took to run the business during its first year ‘til now, and how she stays connected to her “why” while navigating pressure, growth, and creativity - all while trying to start a family. Cass and Valeria also dive into the truth behind the “Girl Boss” era, the myth that women need to choose between career and motherhood, and the importance of carving out solitude to stay grounded and creatively aligned. From delegation and leadership to letting go of control and imagining what’s next for Aureum, this episode is an honest look at womanhood, work, and the freedom that comes from paving your own path. Follow Cass on Social Media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassdimicco/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/cassdimicco/?hl=en] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cassdimicco?lang=en [https://www.tiktok.com/@cassdimicco?lang=en] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CassDiMicco [https://www.youtube.com/@CassDiMicco] Shop Aureum Collective: https://aureumcollective.com [https://aureumcollective.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopumtI2IjA-w-WftfNFrg8WPRtEa3D1Qsp71TkIuU81kqULvsIC] Shop my look from this episode: https://shopmy.us/collections/2984674?tab=collections [https://shopmy.us/collections/2984674?tab=collections] Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/ [https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/]  What we talked about:  0:28 - Debrief on Valeria’s Nashville Girls Trip 2:56 - Cass DiMicco intro 4:10 - Start of interview 4:23 - Their inspiring female entrepreneur event with Emma Grede 9:10 - Childhood signs that led to Cass’s creative future 12:02 - Early days as a buyer  13:09 - Starting her blog 13:35 - Quitting her job, influencing full time 16:14 - The difficulty of putting herself out there 19:45 - The “no plan” plan 21:00 - Starting Aureum 25:07 - The need to delegate  30:38 - Huge success the first year 32:32 - Pressure to scale the business 35:45 - “Connected to my why” 36:27 - Being ready for motherhood 37:48 - The “Girlboss” Era 39:10 - Career & Motherhood, no right answer 41:35 - Being creatively vulnerable 43:58 - The importance of being alone with your thoughts 45:00 - Using her environment to level herself up 48:04 - Ready to loosen the reigns  49:16 - What’s next for Aureum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Why My Face Looks Different: Answering Your Questions

In this solo catch-up episode, Valeria invites listeners into a candid life update that is messy, honest, and a little chaotic in the best way. She recaps her recent trip to Nashville and the inspiring female entrepreneur event she attended before diving into a wide-open Q&A. From beauty procedures and where she stands on lip filler to the latest on her nose job and why she doesn’t wear her engagement ring, nothing is off the table. Valeria also talks about reconnecting with her body, the importance of intentional time with girlfriends, and the perspective that keeps her from living with regrets. She shares a therapy update, her best advice for keeping a marriage thriving, and why she believes there's no single “right” way to live, especially in a place overflowing with possibility. Shop my looks from this episode: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/2924722 [https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/2924722] Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/ [https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/]  What I talked about:  0:06 - Why this episode might be a rough but fun one 0:26 - Debriefing her Nashville trip 2:55 - Female entrepreneur event with Emma Grede 8:00 - Start of Q&A portion 8:23 - Recent beauty procedures 15:29 - Update on her nose job 16:02 - Not wearing her engagement ring 17:18 - Tips for connecting to your own body 19:17 - Spending intentional time with girlfriends 21:09 - Why she wouldn't change any part of her past 24:27 - Therapy update 25:49 - Advice for keeping your marriage alive & well 29:35 - Never being set in a right or wrong way to do things 31:45 - The abundance of living in Miami / The U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Celebrity Scandals, Modern Romance Debates, and a Not So Serious Convo with Gary Lipovetsky

This episode is brought to you by Furtuna Skin: Italian, olive oil–based skincare that’s pure, potent, and transformative. Try their LXR06 Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Olive Leaf Botanical Tea at https://www.furtunaskin.com [https://www.furtunaskin.com], and get 20% off your first purchase with code VALERIA20. In this week’s episode of Not Alone, Valeria is joined by Gary for a fun, unfiltered, not-so-deep chat about the latest pop culture headlines, and a few real-life reflections along the way. Fresh off Valeria’s dream trip to Peru, the two unpack everything from “Nobody Wants This” Season 2 and Kristen Bell’s Instagram backlash, to Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s surprising split. They debate modern marriage, from separate bedrooms to taking your spouse’s last name, and share their thoughts on chivalry, “the princess treatment,” and who should pick up the bill. Valeria challenges Gary on talking about pop culture (who proudly doesn’t keep up) and why sometimes, it’s okay to care about the “dumb stuff.” It’s a light, honest, and hilarious peek into how two very different minds see love, fame, and everyday life.  Shop my looks from this episode: https://shopmy.us/collections/2843418?tab=collections [https://shopmy.us/collections/2843418?tab=collections] Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/ [https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/]  What I talked about:  0:18 - Start of the episode 0:25 - Follow @notalone.pod on TikTok 0:38 - Dream trip to Peru debrief 2:09 - Trying something new in today’s episode with Gary 4:05 - “Nobody Wants This” season 2 6:30 - Converting to Judaism 8:33 - People criticizing the show 10:58 - Fortuna Skin Ad 12:35 - Kristen Bell IG post backlash 16:20 - Married couples with separate bedrooms 20:11 - Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban ending 19-year marriage 21:30 - “Babygirl” Movie 24:30 - Defining a successful marriage 27:29 - Thoughts on Katy Perry & Justin Trudeau dating 29:44 - Husbands taking wives’ last name 31:15 - Gary’s vintage kick 32:38 - Confusion around Katy & Justin 34:59 - Is Chivalry dead? 36:39 - Splitting the bill 39:15 - Bringing back the “Princess Treatment” 41:29 - Landlines are back 43:08 - Dumb phones vs. smart phones for kids 45:15 - Not easy talking to Gary about pop culture 47:10 - Advice from Amanda Hirsch 47:33 - Caring about dumb stuff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The Hidden Lessons Paris Taught Me About Modeling and Womanhood

In this solo episode of Not Alone, Valeria takes listeners on a journey through her past and present, from celebrating her 35th birthday and Rosh Hashanah with family, to reflecting on the early days of her modeling career in Paris and Japan. She opens up about the lessons learned from those formative years, from living in cramped model apartments to finding her voice and standing up for herself in an often unforgiving industry. Valeria also shares how she’s been reconnecting with joy and confidence lately, discovering new passions like dance, heels classes, and even a few unexpected finds (like smut & Quinn). It’s a nostalgic, funny, and refreshingly honest episode about growth, self-expression, and feeling empowered at every stage of life. Shop my looks from this episode: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/2723615 [https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/2723615] Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/ [https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/]  What I talked about:  0:30 - Start of the episode 1:00 - The decision to throw a birthday party 3:20 - The family birthday dinner 4:00 - Rosh Hashanah & family traditions 5:50 - Early modeling days in Paris 8:13 - The hard lessons learned 11:25 - Living in a model apartment 13:15 - Standing up for herself and others 16:00 - Living in Japan & enjoying life 17:06 - Being part of the golden era of modeling 18:11 - Discovering smut & spreading the word 21:00 - Stumbling upon Quinn & loving it 22:20 - Taking a heels class 24:50 - Dancing in the Russian culture 25:59 - Feeling herself & learning new things Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Speaking My Truth: Brittany Xavier on Online Hate, Her Faith & Her Family

This episode is brought to you by Floatley - A bra brand offering feel-good basics that combine cloud-like comfort with reliable support. Try our bestselling Cozy Adjustable Bra at https://www.floatley.com/products/cozy-adjustable [https://www.floatley.com/products/cozy-adjustable] and get 20% off your order with code VALERIA20, plus free shipping on US orders over $50. In this revealing episode of Not Alone, Valeria sits down with an OG digital creator, entrepreneur and mom Brittany Xavier, for an honest conversation about faith, motherhood, and staying grounded in a rapidly changing online world. Brittany opens up about her early start on social media, the business behind her brand, and the journey from being a young single mother to one of the most recognizable figures in the influencer space. She shares how trusting in God’s plan guided her through life’s biggest turning points, from choosing to keep her baby and balancing school, work, and motherhood, to navigating a difficult custody battle and ultimately finding her voice through content creation. Together, Valeria and Brittany explore what it means to live authentically online, the lessons she’s passed down to her daughter about social media and technology, and how her family’s move from California to Tennessee brought both public scrutiny and peace. It’s a conversation about growth, resilience, and choosing faith and family over everything, and a reminder that the most powerful influence comes from being true to who you are. 📱Follow Brittany: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittanyxavier/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/brittanyxavier/?hl=en] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brittany.xavier?lang=en [https://www.tiktok.com/@brittany.xavier?lang=en] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/brittanyxavier [https://www.youtube.com/c/brittanyxavier] Website: https://brittanyxavier.com/ [https://brittanyxavier.com/] Brittany’s Book Recommendations: The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus: https://amzn.to/4o4sZ4B [https://amzn.to/4o4sZ4B] I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist: https://amzn.to/4ob6B9S [https://amzn.to/4ob6B9S] Shop my looks from this episode: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/2702040 [https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/2702040] Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/ [https://www.instagram.com/valerialipovetsky/]  What we talked about:  0:29 - Valeria’s upcoming trip to Peru 0:47 - Introducing Brittany Xavier 2:12 - Start of interview 2:45 - Brittany’s start on social media 4:39 - The business behind the posts 6:33 - Brittany’s early motherhood days 7:30 - The decision to keep her baby 13:02 - Being a young mother 15:06 - Floatley Ad 16:15 - Balancing school, work and motherhood 18:42 - The decision not to pursue law school 20:42 - Trusting her faith in God and his plan for her 22:25 - Her custody battle 23:14 - Signs from God 24:33 - Her community 25:26 - Her daughter and social media 27:25 - Children and technology 28:22 - Teaching her daughter the business side of TikTok 29:31 - Brittany’s shift in content  32:16 - The shifting of priorities 33:52 - The decision to leave California 36:26 - Backlash on their move to Tennessee 39:49 - Dealing with the online hate 43:36 - Being her most authentic self online 48:13 - Bringing faith to the forefront  49:50 - Brittany’s book recommendations 52:22 - Her biggest regret Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]