The Rachel Hollis Podcast

910 | HIKING with Nate Berkus | Getting organized, Working with Oprah, Parenting, Love and PTSD. Chatting about ALL the things!

November 18, 2025

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  • Authentic, layered design reflects the people who live there and should evolve over time, rather than following fleeting trends. 
  • Maintaining relevance in media requires a strong work ethic and treating every interaction with grace and respect. 
  • Significant life traumas, like the tsunami, can lead to profound shifts in perspective, often increasing empathy and connection to others. 

Segments

New Podcast Format Introduction
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(00:00:22)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘hiking’ format aims to replicate the casual, comfortable conversations that naturally occur before or after traditional studio interviews.
  • Summary: Rachel Hollis introduces a new podcast format where she walks with guests, believing that facing the same direction reduces pressure and fosters more real-life, insightful conversations. This concept was developed after years of trying to capture the candid pre-show chats. The guest for this inaugural walk is Nate Berkus.
Podcast Subscription Request
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(00:02:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Subscribing to a podcast is one of the most effective ways to support the host and staff, ensuring consistent episode delivery.
  • Summary: Rachel asks listeners to subscribe to the podcast, noting it supports the show and staff. Subscribing ensures listeners never miss a new episode. Listeners are encouraged to subscribe immediately, with the option to easily unsubscribe later if they dislike the content.
Working with Oprah
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(00:03:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite initial intimidation, Nate Berkus found that working with Oprah Winfrey involved a quick return to a comfortable, trusting friendship dynamic.
  • Summary: Nate Berkus notes it takes about 45 seconds to re-establish comfort with Oprah after initial meetings, recognizing she is fundamentally a person who has good and bad days. Being on her show significantly changed his career trajectory, and he maintained respect because his actions reflected on her. Many people from that era still associate strongly with the show’s impact.
Nate Berkus’s Early Career Start
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(00:05:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Nate Berkus opened his design firm in Chicago at age 24, initially operating out of a small office before expanding to a gallery space.
  • Summary: He started his design firm very young, describing the initial move out of his basement into a Chicago office as ‘pretty stupid’ naivete. He later opened a store and gallery, which led to his first TV opportunity after hosting a successful art show for Greg Lauren. He had zero prior TV experience when he first appeared on the Oprah show.
TV Makeovers vs. Client Work
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(00:08:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Early television design work required pioneering efforts to secure product deals, and the timelines were highly accelerated compared to standard client projects.
  • Summary: Nate describes the TV process as very accelerated, occurring before the internet when securing product donations from manufacturers was difficult. The greatest reward from TV work was the high of seeing someone step into a life bigger than they dreamed, which he compares to a powerful natural high. He worked with the same production team for over 12 years, forming close friendships.
Design Philosophy and Trends
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(00:09:37)
  • Key Takeaway: A home’s physical space should reflect the best version of the occupant, and true design success comes from creating layered environments assembled over time, not from chasing trends.
  • Summary: The environment a person inhabits tells you who they are, and a home should ‘rise up to greet you.’ Nate advises listeners to ruthlessly edit their belongings, keeping only what is beautiful or necessary, as following trends causes people to lose their identity quickly. The best rooms feel layered and assembled over time, reflecting the inhabitants rather than current fads.
Editing Clutter and Scarcity Mindset
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(00:13:40)
  • Key Takeaway: The difficulty in editing possessions often stems from an underlying emotional scarcity mindset, believing one might not have access to good things in the future.
  • Summary: Both hosts agree on the love for editing and getting rid of stuff, though Nate notes his husband struggles with the idea of scarcity. The first step in design, regardless of budget, is defining the desired home. A practical first step is cleaning and organizing what one already owns to truly see what is needed or wanted.
Balancing Personal and Professional Life
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(00:15:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Nate Berkus and his husband, Jeremiah, maintain their fitness through dedicated routines, and their relationship thrives because their professional passions align.
  • Summary: Nate and Jeremiah are both dedicated to self-care, with Jeremiah being particularly strict about diet. They met after Rachel Hollis, who worked with Nate, hired Jeremiah and predicted they would end up together. Their shared passion for design is described as part of their ’love language,’ and they are not competitive because they were in different career stages when they met.
Maintaining Relevance and Reputation
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(00:22:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Longevity in media is secured by unwavering work ethic, the grace to treat people well, and building a strong, positive reputation.
  • Summary: Nate attributes his longevity to his work ethic, noting he was always the last person on a makeover site ensuring every detail was perfect. Grace goes a long way, ensuring people enjoy interacting with you, which is crucial when many opportunities are now accessible to newcomers. Having a good reputation is essential, as simply being skilled is no longer enough to stand out.
Personal Evolution and Legacy
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(00:25:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Nate Berkus’s personal evolution is marked by maintaining gratitude and shifting focus from chasing career highs to building a legacy for his children.
  • Summary: Nate states he was happy then and remains happy now, driven by gratitude rather than chasing the next big thing, though he continues to sign new product collaborations. His work now is primarily for his children, aiming to support them in thriving in whatever they choose. He emphasizes the importance of showing up authentically as a visible gay family.
Identity and Coming Out
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(00:27:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Hiding one’s sexuality during formative years can lead to a lifelong need to undo dishonesty, while supportive environments allow children to celebrate their identity immediately.
  • Summary: Nate discusses the responsibility of being visible as a gay family, noting that hiding one’s sexuality creates a level of dishonesty that must be actively undone later in life. Rachel shares the story of her son coming out during COVID, crying because he wanted his own story of acceptance, which she celebrated by immediately connecting him with supportive queer friends.
Coping with Trauma and PTSD
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(00:33:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Experiencing extreme trauma, such as the tsunami, forces an individual to choose between retreating inward or moving outward with increased empathy for others’ unseen struggles.
  • Summary: The tsunami was a massive change that made Nate more empathetic because it highlighted that everyone has survived unseen challenges. Following a later robbery where his children were home, Nate experienced severe PTSD symptoms, including an inability to sleep, feeling he had failed his family. He is now a therapy advocate, learning that the real work happens when not in crisis.
Self-Improvement Methods
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(00:41:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Nate Berkus is planning to attend the Hoffman Process, a week-long retreat focused on unpacking childhood influences, after a previous ayahuasca experience proved unsuccessful.
  • Summary: Nate is a situational therapy user but is now embracing continuous work, encouraged by his therapist. He has heard about the Hoffman Process repeatedly, which involves a week without technology to work on childhood issues, and he is scheduled to attend this summer. He views the process as a way to address how one is a reflection or reaction to their parents.
Creating a Practical Design Book
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(00:46:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Nate Berkus’s third book is designed as a comprehensive ’thank you note’ to his audience, providing both philosophical guidance and practical, actionable design instructions.
  • Summary: The book aims to encapsulate 30 years of learning, offering practical and philosophical knowledge to anyone who has used his products or watched his shows. A unique feature is the inclusion of overhead photography to specifically teach readers how to style surfaces like coffee tables and bookshelves. The book provides concrete details, such as the correct distance between a sofa and a coffee table.