Phillip Picardi: Building a Brand, Becoming Fearless, and Finding Calm in Chaos

Gamma Project

Phillip Picardi is one of the fastest-rising stars in media. At just 26 years old, he was recently named Chief Content Officer of Teen Vogue, and earlier this year launched Them, an LGBTQ-focused digital title and the first new brand to be launched by Conde Nast in 14 years. If his name rings a bell, there’s a chance you may have seen Forbes’ latest "30 Under 30." Phil and I met last year while training for the Hood to Coast team relay race, a 199-mile race that takes place each year in Portland, Oregon. We were two editors out of a group of 11 that Nike invited to run the race as a team. Over the course of seven weeks of training together and one week spent traveling to and from Portland for the race itself, I got to know Phil and became fascinated by not only his unparalleled success in the most competitive media landscape in the world—New York City—but also his energy, selflessness, and overall outlook on life. So, a few months later, when I started to consider whom I might want to interview for this podcast, Phil’s name was on the list before I even had to think. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about the keys to succeeding in a competitive environment, how to successfully launch and develop a brand, strategies for mental health, advice for anyone considering coming out as gay, tips for a lasting relationship between two people with crazy schedules, and much, much more.