The CEO Diary, hosted by Steven Bartlett, recently released a new podcast with Ivanka Trump where she talks openly about her life in a way she rarely does in public.
Ivanka doesn’t do many interviews. When they do, they are often monitored. This one is different and much longer.
As the conversation continues, he talks about growing up under a level of public scrutiny that many people don’t think about, a divorce that made headlines more than the OJ Simpson case, building a fashion business that reached $800 million in annual sales before leaving it to serve in the White House, while watching his father being shot on live television with his children standing next to him, grieving the sudden death of their mother. without bitterness or reaction.
He cried twice. He laughs. He is more open than most people in his position ever allow themselves to be. Here are some of the most important ideas from it.
In Underestimation
Many people thought that I would not be ambitious, ready, but my mother taught me that being looked down upon is not a bad thing. It’s a very powerful thing actually and it almost always worked against someone who underestimated me… I was underestimated twice. First, being a child of successful parents… most people thought I would call it quits… So I always worked twice as hard as everyone else… Being looked down upon is a very powerful thing and it almost always worked to the detriment of the person looking down on me.
In Trust, Walls, and Expanding the Heart
I grew up as a child of rich and successful parents, so I think there’s a natural barrier that goes up. You’re worried about people who love you for the wrong reasons… That guard has served me for a long time… I’ve learned that the purpose of life is to expand and not shrink the heart… Those walls are not helping you. The only way to have a relationship is to build it, and that requires trust. I have taught myself to trust each other more. If that means getting burned occasionally, I’m fine with that trade-off because it leads to more meaningful connections.
To His Grandmother
She taught me the kind of unconditional love and compassion… She took incredible care of me… Food for her was an expression of love… She is 99 years old now and her health has declined, but to be there for her, even in a small part of the way she supported me, is an incredible privilege… I have so much love for this woman.
On Divorce, School Journalists, and the Lesson of Trust
When I was 9, my parents divorced… reporters were waiting outside my school… This divorce had more headlines than the OJ Simpson case… It taught me not to trust anyone. You will never let go… The difference was that once I entered my home, it was a safe place… Today, parents cannot protect their children in the same way. Social media amplifies everything.
In Detecting Signal in Noise
In times of intense pressure and processing, I have learned to find the signal in the noise… I am not disturbed by external noise… If you know what you stand for, everything else is noise.
Okhozini and Kwaweni
The raven will attack the eagle, land on its back, and kill it. The eagle does not fight. It just flies up… The crow is not built for high altitude, so eventually it falls… You can fight back, or you can go up and make a noise.
Saying the Reason for Dissociating from Politics
Politics is a very dark world… It doesn’t match what I feel good about as a person… I care a lot about policy and helping people, but I don’t like politics… You just have to be yourself and win.
In Attempted Murder
I saw it immediately… My first reaction was to protect my children… I knew at that moment that he would be fine… In life, only you control how you react. I choose to focus on the positive outcome… His survival was an incredible blessing.
