Introducing “How She Does It”—a new Corporate MomSense series celebrating women who are building remarkable careers while raising families, and offering an authentic look at what it truly takes to make it all work.
Up next: we are so excited to feature one of the media industry's most influential leaders, Nancy Berger.
Nancy is a media and branding powerhouse whose career has spanned more than three decades at the intersection of innovation, culture, and business. Throughout leadership roles at Condé Nast and Hearst, she helped shape iconic brands including Allure, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, Gourmet, and Women's Health, creating industry-defining initiatives like Allure's legendary Best of Beauty seal and the Marie Claire Power Trip. Recognized as one of Ad Age's Publishers of the Year and among the industry's Top Women in Media, Nancy has built a career around turning bold ideas into cultural moments.
Today, as the founder of SWAG (Start With a Good), Nancy advises culture-defining organizations such as Art Basel, Tribeca Film Festival, Katie Couric Media, and HearstLab, while hosting biannual Power Retreats that bring together female leaders to connect, innovate, and recharge. A passionate champion for women in business, she continues to mentor founders, serve on numerous nonprofit and industry boards, and create spaces where women can grow together. She's also the proud mom of two sons, Matthew and Jakob, and credits the support system she built throughout her career as one of the greatest keys to her success.
Nancy Berger, Founder of SWAG (Start With a Good)
What is one practical tip you swear by for advancing your career without losing yourself?
Learning when to say NO is a big one. I used to say yes to everything… but there is real power in drawing the line and saying NO to things you are being asked to do that you just don’t have the bandwidth for. Very empowering!
How do you structure your week—what is your approach to planning, protecting, and prioritizing your time?
I block out periods during the day that are either reserved for working out (most mornings before 8am) and blocks of time throughout the week which are “thinking time”… to organize, to work on projects, etc. I keep a running to-do list for home and work, and love more than anything when I get to check things off the lists!
Nancy was an honoree at the 2025 CEW Cancer and Careers Beauty of Giving luncheon, with her sons, Matthew and Jakob, there to cheer her on.
What is one belief about working motherhood that you had to unlearn to reach the success you have today?
When I was starting out, I didn’t know many working moms and I didn’t have a roadmap on how it could be done.
What I quickly learned was building support systems is the most important. Having a supportive spouse/partner and family of course. I always had a tight knit group of friends at home, with kids the same age that I could lean on to keep me up to date on news I needed or could drive my kids to activities and birthday parties. When they say it takes a village, that is true! At work, I also surrounded myself with other executive moms so that I had a network of advice and sounding boards. And a hug when needed. As a result, I have been on a committee which honors Outstanding Mother Awards for 18 years (I was honored for an award 3 years ago which was incredible)… and there is an annual luncheon where we honor 4-5 incredible executive moms who share their advice and perspectives. I always invite younger moms to this lunch as it is very inspirational, with practical advice and great mom networking.
What are your rules for high-stakes days, and how do they help you save time and energy?
I really try not to over schedule my days. Sometimes its impossible, but over the course of the month I am successful more than I’m not. I love client breakfasts the most. Lunches can be good but eat up a lot more time than breakfast. I am a believer in building relationships through meals and experiences… it’s how to really get to know someone. I make it a habit not to do client dinners, but often have evening events which I try to minimize to no more than 1, sometimes 2 per week. When my kids were young, I had a rule that if I had 2 late nights in a row, I would come into the office later the following morning so that I could make them breakfast and drive them to school.
