Katie Sturino: Building Megababe, Owning the Mess, and Dreaming Big

Katie Sturino is no stranger to reinvention—from fashion PR hustler to viral dog-momager to founder of Megababe and author of the new romcom Sunny Side Up. In the premiere episode of The Messy Parts, she joins Maryam to talk about building a self-funded brand, the real struggles behind the Instagram gloss, and how letting the "messy parts hang out" can be your superpower. They talk all things Ozempic, Oprah, body image, revenge-fueled motivation, and working with family. Katie also opens up about her purpose: helping women stop feeling bad alone—and start feeling powerful together.

Show Notes: 

• Guest: Katie Sturino – Entrepreneur, Author, Founder of Megababe
• Follow Katie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiesturino/?hl=en
• Follow Katie on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katiesturino

Topics Covered:

• Why revenge is her greatest motivator: "Success is the ultimate revenge"
• Moving to NYC and relentlessly pursuing her dream job at Chanel
• Making her dog Toast Instagram-famous and recognizing unexpected opportunities
• Starting 12ish Style blog after discovering the power of body representation
• Creating Megababe: solving problems no one talks about (thigh chafe, boob sweat)
• Working with family: benefits and challenges of business partnerships
• Writing "Sunny Side Up": transforming pain into a romcom after 9 years
• Meeting Oprah and sparking a national conversation about weight stigma
• The messy reality of entrepreneurship that podcasts don't share
• Dreaming big without limits and trusting your gut

Mentioned:

• Chanel
• Dolce & Gabbana
• Megababe Products
• Toast (her famous dog): DogMeetsWorld
• 12ish Style blog
• "Sunny Side Up" (her novel)
• Today Show
• Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution
• Target
• Weight Watchers
• Ozempic
• Ina Garten’s book, Be Ready When Luck Happens
• The Longest Table

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