Alex Cooper

Company: Trending
Title: Co-founder
Industry: Culture, media, entertainment and sports
Hometown: Newtown, Pennsylvania
Notable in 2023: Launched a new Gen-Z focused media company and remains the most listened-to female podcaster in the country.

Alex Cooper may be the most successful woman in podcasting. For sure, she has become a cultural touchstone amongst Gen Z listeners. Through frank conversations navigating female sexuality, Cooper has created a space for young women to feel empowered in modern-day relationships, as influential today as Carrie Bradshaw and "Sex and the City" were for an earlier generation of dating women.

Cooper is best known as the host of "Call Her Daddy," a podcast that took off in 2018 and went on to land a $60 million three-year deal with Spotify in 2021. In a competitive and ever-changing media landscape – the exclusive deal with Spotify for her audio podcast just ended as the streaming giant shifts its podcast strategy – Cooper has created an enduring podcast for a wide audience of fans.

No topic is off-limits for Cooper — insecurities, breakups, and even grief are all discussed in great detail on her episodes. During 2023, Cooper shared her own personal experience of becoming engaged to film producer Matt Kaplan, and the highs and lows of wedding planning.

Cooper's ability to create personal connections with interviewees has landed her high-profile guests from the creative community, including singer and actress Reneé Rapp, as well as singer Zayn Malik in his first sit-down interview in six years in 2023. Cooper has also built an international audience, including through her interview with Brazilian pop star Anitta, who discussed her career and intimate details of her dating life.

In the past year, Cooper created a new company Trending, and expanded her media presence with her own podcast network, "The Unwell Network," announced last August. The burgeoning media platform aims to be a hub for content creation centered around beauty and lifestyle topics. The media platform has also gained increased visibility through gaining the talent of TikTok star Alix Earle as a podcast host.

In November, Cooper brought "Call Her Daddy" to audiences across six cities on her first tour, dubbed "The Unwell Tour," and featuring special guests including Chelsea Handler, Andy Cohen, and Kelsea Ballerini.