Mel Robbins is one of the world’s most listened-to podcasters, and the woman behind the “Let Them” theory — the simple idea about relinquishing control over others that led to her chart-topping namesake podcast, a number one New York Times best-selling book, and a phrase that has taken on a life of its own across social media.Robbins attended the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity for the very first time last month — a rare step outside of the empire she’s built. “I’m so focused on running my business, I don’t often extract myself out of it to go to big events.” But having been asked to attend with her ad sales partner, SiriusXM, 2026 was the first opportunity that could work in the schedule.
Digiday sat down with Robbins to discuss AI’s impact on the media ecosystem, why podcasting has been miscategorized by marketers, and how she plans to stay on top without chasing what’s next.
Here’s what she had to say.
The importance of Cannes to someone of Robbins’ scale
Before attending Cannes, Robbins had a view that it was just another big event. And to someone that’s so focused on building their business, it can be hard to see the value, or even justify taking time away for what appears to be a glossy week in the French Riviera.
