Second Life

Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan have been writing together since they founded their witty celebrity fashion blog, Go Fug Yourself, back in 2004 as a way to procrastinate from their day jobs. Today, not only are the “Fug Girls” pioneers in the space, but they’ve also received rave reviews as novelists with the best-selling The Royal We—loosely based on the courtship of Prince WIlliam and Kate Middleton—and the highly anticipated sequel, The Heir Affair, which just hit bookshelves on July 7. But before they were writing novels, the ladies were working as TV series recappers, writing about shows such as Judging Amy and Making the Band, before parlaying that experience into working in the world of reality TV. Hear how the pair pivoted from digital to print and ultimately found their stride in balancing the two on today’s episode of Second Life.

Aminatou Sow is the co-host of Call Your Girlfriend, the “podcast for long-distance besties everywhere,” alongside her Big Friend and collaborator, Ann Friedman. On July 14th, the pair released their first book together, Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close, which has already amassed praise by everyone from Hillary Clinton to Roxane Gay to Vogue. But before Aminatou was a literary thought leader and media legend, she had a previous life in tech where she worked for Google and co-founded the Tech LadyMafia, a network for women who work “in and around tech.” And before that? She worked at a social media agency as an analyst and at a think tank in DC. Hear how all her experience has converged into one impressive and admirable career path on this episode of Second Life. To order Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close, head to www.bigfriendship.com

Karen Young, Founder and CEO of Oui the People, is building an entirely new shaving experience for women and non-binary people. By creating a stainless-steel safety razor designed specifically for sensitive skin, luxurious personal-care products, and a brand that speaks to women intelligently and relatably, it’s no surprise that her products keep selling out time and again and have over 400 5-star reviews on the brand’s site. But there have been many twists and turns along the way. On this episode of Second Life, hear how Karen went from working as an account executive for brands like Dolce & Gabbana to founding her own home interiors line to managing packaging operations at Estee Lauder, before she turned the shaving industry on its head.

Lauren Chan started her career as a plus-size model alongside women like Ashley Graham and Candice Huffine at Ford Models. With a foot in the fashion industry’s door, she parlayed her career into writing and freelanced for publications such as Vogue and Interview before becoming a fashion features editor at Glamour, where she had her own column on size inclusivity. In her latest pivot, she’s taken body inclusivity activism to the next level by founding Henning, a high-end workwear brand for sizes 12 and up. Hear how Chan’s career in fashion led her to solve a problem she was experiencing firsthand in the latest episode of Second Life.

Brett Heyman is the founder of Edie Parker, the vintage-inspired acrylic handbag and accessories brand seen on virtually every red carpet ever. But just last year, Brett pivoted the brand in an unexpected way: into a cannabis accessories and private label flower company named Flower by Edie Parker. Find out how working in PR for brands like Gucci and Dolce and Gabbana led her to create an iconic brand of her own.

From signing on as Victoria’s Secret’s first Australian Angel to walking the Balenciaga runway while five months pregnant, Miranda Kerr cemented her status as an international supermodel years ago. On this episode of Second Life, hear how she used her experience in a surprising way: to found certified-organic skincare and beauty brand Kora Organics.

Alison Cayne is the founder of Haven’s Kitchen, a brand on a mission to make home cooking more enjoyable via a NY-based cooking school, café, event space, and line of all-natural refrigerated sauces available across the U.S. at grocers like Whole Foods. But before she set out to change the way people feel about cooking, she was busy raising five children. In this week’s episode, hear Cayne’s personal journey to finding professional alignment.

Shelley Gibbs Sanders worked in the jewelry industry for over 15 years designing for brands like House of Harlow 1960, A.L.C., and Rachel Zoe before she set out to create The Last Line, a direct-to-consumer brand that turned the traditional fine-jewelry model on its head. Find out how she finally took the leap to found her own game-changing brand on this week’s episode of Second Life.

Prolific makeup artist Gucci Westman has one of the most influential careers in the beauty world. She’s responsible for the makeup on countless magazine covers (Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar) and in ad campaign and runway looks for the likes of Dior, Proenza Schouler, and Oscar de la Renta, and has a celebrity client list that spans the past two decades. Now, she’s the founder and creative director of Westman Atelier, a line of clean, high-performance, and luxurious beauty products. Hear how she made the leap, plus incredible behind-the-scenes stories from her famed career, on this episode of Second Life.

Joy Cho is the founder of Oh Joy!, a design studio, lifestyle brand, and creative hub where she brings her signature aesthetic to the masses. Oh Joy! has licensed product lines in home décor, kids apparel, pet products, and so much more at retailers including Target, Anthropologie, Calpak, and Petco. As if that weren’t enough, Joy has also authored three books for adults, and most recently, a three-part book series for children. On this episode of Second Life, hear how Joy leveraged her education in graphic design and killer marketing skills to accomplish it all. 

Multicultural beauty brand Carol’s Daughter has retained a cult-like following since the ’90s, with brand evangelists including Halle Berry, Jada Pinkett Smith, and yes, Oprah. But when founder Lisa Price started dabbling in aromatherapy oils out of her Brooklyn apartment, her days looked quite different. She worked as a production coordinator on television programs like The Cosby Show, and it wasn’t until Price’s mother, Carol, pushed her to sell her products at a local flea market that her hobby became something much more. Tune in to hear what Price finds particularly valuable about her early career in television production and how she built her company from the ground up.

Catherine McCord, founder of healthy-eating destination Weelicious.com, author of three cookbooks, and co-founder of the family-friendly food-delivery service One Potato, has built a healthy-living empire. Not exactly the career path you might expect from a former Calvin Klein and Victoria's Secret runway model. Find out how McCord made the pivot and the best skills she’s using from her modeling days on this episode of Second Life. 

Sali Christeson, the founder and CEO of the brand revolutionizing women's workwear, Argent, is creating professional, practical and vibrant pieces to equip women with the confidence they need to shatter the glass ceiling. On this episode of Second Life, find out how Christeson used her past career as a finance and tech exec as a tool to pivot into creating a brand that provides a solution for women around the world.

Designer, artist, best-selling author and founder of bohemian-inspired design blog and online shop Jungalow, Justina Blakeney, is known for her unique style which is full of color, patterns and plants. On this episode of Second Life, find out how Blakeney manifested a career in the belief of the importance of creative self expression. 

After numerous years working in the beauty industry at multinational beauty businesses, including L'Oreal and Benefit Cosmetics, Sharon Chuter started her own beauty brand, UOMA Beauty, dedicated to re-writing the rules of inclusivity, representation, and diversity within the industry. On this live episode of Second Life, find out how Chuter's past career experiences and forward-thinking has pushed the beauty industry forward. 

Influencer, entrepreneur, author, and designer, Danielle Bernstein, has established herself as an influential voice in the fashion/blogger community by transitioning her street style blog into a burgeoning business. On this episode of Second Life, find out how Bernstein has grown her brand beyond fashion, all on her own terms. 

Cook, writer, and author Alison Roman is renowned for her best-selling cookbooks, column in The New York Times, and internet-famous recipes like #TheStew, #TheCookies, #TheDip. Prior to becoming the internet’s favorite culinary celebrity, however, she worked in pastry in L.A., SF, and NYC (where she helped Christina Tosi open the Milk Bar empire). On this episode of Second Life, find out how Roman transitioned into a career of recipe writing and culinary acclaim.

As one of the most iconic supermodels of this generation, KarolÍna Kurková has made a name for herself in the fashion industry. However, what most people don't know is Kurková's other passion lies within holistic health and wellness. On this episode of Second Life, find out how Kurková found inspiration in her passion to create an extremely successful wellness brand. 

Entrepreneur, social media influencer, body positivity advocate and animal activist, Katie Sturino has created a career dedicated to empowering women to find confidence and feel comfortable in their own skin. On this episode of Second Life, find out how Sturino found her voice in the industry and realized it was a time to make a change.

While Kristen Bell is renowned for her lead acting roles in critically-acclaimed series including Veronica Mars and The Good Place and box office hits like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the Frozen franchise, she has a passion beyond the film screen. On this episode of Second Life, find out how Kristen Bell has established not one, but two companies devoted to giving back.