E!: You’ve spoken about how you remain on good terms with Dave Portnoy and Barstool and they supported you when you were taking meetings as your contract was coming to an end. I know you still have a merch deal with Barstool, but in general, what advice do you have for people who are trying to figure out how to pursue new opportunities outside of their current employers?
AC: Listen, it’s hard. It’s definitely a tricky situation because at the end of the day, there needed to be some loyalty to Barstool and I’m so grateful for them. I think when you know your worth and you know what you have to give in whatever industry you’re in, you do have to look out for yourself. At the end of the day, that’s what everyone is doing…I don’t want to ever burn bridges and business and I’ve learned that the hard way, but thankfully I really haven’t burned that many bridges now. And I think that if you are in a situation where you can be open with your employer, or whoever you are in a work environment with, and you present it in a way that shows that you want personal growth, I feel like people appreciate that more than being sneaky and not being upfront.
E!: Now that you’ve made it to the other side in a major way, you’ve had a seat at the table inside meetings that are of a caliber some women today may never see. What have you learned from being in those positions?
AC: I definitely feel like I’m still learning, but my brother and my family have been helpful in this. I sometimes still will feel in business meetings like, “Oh my God, I have to talk and I have to over talk.” And I think throughout these negotiations this time around, I’ve really learned the power of silence with regard to saying my statement and then being quiet and letting someone actually answer the question rather than basically giving them the out. Be direct, be completely silent and staring at someone is so f–king powerful. In business, I never knew that and then I finally started to do it and it’s wild to be on Zooms with the CEOs and I’m saying things and I just shut the f–k up after I say my statement and stare at them and it’s like, “The floor is yours.” I think anyone that is ever going into big business meetings, it’s like, “Alright, they’re a human being, too. You’re equal.” Maybe not actually structurally at the company, but you should try to feel that way because then you will exude that.