#MAKEITHAPPEN

Call it talent, experience or hard work, or call it the magic of all three—Alina Cho is a master of the interview. The award-winning journalist knows what to ask, and how to ask it, and does it in an engaging, authentic and exciting way. The former National Correspondent for CNN has covered it all, including hard-hitting news stories—she was part of the team that covered Hurricane Katrina, winning the network a Peabody along the way. Then there’s fashion—Cho has interviewed the best of the best, from beauty trailblazer Bobbi Brown to Anna Wintour to supermodel Naomi Campbell. Today, the CBS Sunday Morning contributor and host of The Atelier with Alina Cho at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art is busy producing an upcoming Netflix documentary on Martha Stewart and continuing with Cho & Tell, a twice-weekly newsletter focusing on fashion, food and the arts. Here, we got the chance to put Cho in the hot seat. She gives us the scoop on everything from her morning musts to her three secret work weapons—and we know you’ll be just as inspired as we are.

My hustle…
24/7, 365 days a year.

What got me started...
Love what you do—I love telling stories—and you’ll never work a day in your life.

What clears my head…
Meditating for 20 minutes.

When in doubt, I…
Call my mom.

Greatest challenge—and how I overcame it…
Leaving TV full time and realizing that doing multiple things I love simultaneously is equally fulfilling.

3 morning musts…
1. Coffee with steamed oat milk.
2. The New York Times (the actual newspaper).
3. iPhone check.

3 life hacks…
1. Never go to bed without washing your face.
2. Eat two meals a day, not three.
3. Use the 48-hour rule: If you want to buy something, think about it for 48 hours—if you still want it after 48 hours, get it.

3 secret work weapons...
1. When conducting an interview, remember that you can ask anything with a smile.
2. Answer texts and emails right away.
3. Be nice.

Personal talisman…
My Cartier Tank Française watch—a 30th birthday gift from my parents.

Best advice received…
NO is just the first answer… on the way to YES—never give up.