Here’s Why Alex Cooper Actually Doesn’t Listen to Any Other Podcasts

For Alex Cooper, being unwell and owning it is a way of life. It’s been her mantra on her hit podcast Call Her Daddy for years and the name of her media company. It’s splashed across her merch. And it’s also the perfect word to describe how she’s been feeling after a hectic 2024.

“When I was on tour this past year specifically, I was so exhausted,” she says. Along with a nationwide tour, Cooper got married and added several new shows to her podcast network . The fatigue inspired her to create Unwell Hydration, a functional beverage that will be exclusively hitting Target shelves Jan. 1.

The idea came to Cooper when she realized how many common wellness issues can be linked back to a lack of hydration. “Whether you’re overworked, you’re so stressed, you’ve been exercising, you had a long night out,” she says, drinking fluids can be a quick fix. “I kept looking for a hydration drink that was not filled with sugar but would make me feel good but also tasted good. And it’s kind of a really hard concoction to get perfectly right.”

She noticed a gap in the market when it came to hydration beverages, and she wanted to fill it. “So much of what’s on the market is made by men for men. Yet again, women are underserved,” she says. “I’m sure if I want it and I need it, then a lot of other women could want it too.”

Unwell Hydration is less bro-coded than Prime and an easy grab-and-go option compared with similar drinks in packet form. It’ll be available in strawberry, mango citrus, and orange hibiscus flavors with 700 milligrams of electrolytes in every bottle.

Below, Cooper shares how she’s stayed confident as a female entrepreneur, her advice for women in the workplace, and why she thinks you need to put your phone down.

What’s your advice for asking for what you want in the workplace and knowing your value?

If you don’t believe in yourself and you’re not going to advocate for yourself, who the hell will? I think that I would rather be rejected time after time but know I actually advocated for myself and I went for something rather than sitting in my room stressing out about how I’m not getting what I want.

Keep going for what you want. You’re not going to get it unless you try. And I get that asking for a raise is really scary. It’s terrifying, because you’re like, “Well, what if they say no?” You’ll never know if you don’t try.

Have you ever felt underestimated as a female entrepreneur?

Oh, all the time. The beginning is always the hardest. I can sit here now and I have my show and my deals, and now people listen to me, but back in the day, it wasn’t like that.

What I’m really proud about is that I am able to publicly share a lot of the things that I’ve done in business to help other women feel like you can do the same thing, girl. Whatever you want, you can go get it. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s definitely worth it.

You’ve had deals that have made headlines; you’ve been on the cover of Forbes; you’re launching this new product. What’s on your business-plan bucket list?

I’m always trying to think of what’s next. But I think a reason I’ve been able to have success is I’, very patient. The idea for Unwell Hydration came over a year ago.

So as excited as I am for the future in 2025, I think it’s also just about continuing to grow what I’ve already built, because then naturally new things come from it. I focus on the main thing, and then if I’m ever inspired, I jump at something, and I go for it.

“Unwell” has been a part of your brand for what feels like forever. What’s your advice for someone who wants to find their own personal brand?

Trying to be authentic and original is really hard these days. Sometimes people are copying each other because you just happen to see something subconsciously on social media that you’re then integrating into your own content.

That’s why I don’t listen to other podcasts except for the ones that are on my network and my own show. I’ve never listened to other podcasts, because I try really hard to make sure that I’m doing my own thing and I’m keeping it original. Map it out on an actual piece of paper. I love whiteboarding. Get off your phone, because all of a sudden you’re going to create your own world, and it’s not going to be dictated by anyone else.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.