Welcome to Second Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who've made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, cofounder and chief content officer at Who What Wear, each episode gives you a direct line to women who are game changers in their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts to stay tuned.
Isabel Klee, content creator and New York Times best-selling author, has built a thriving career around her lifelong passion for dogs. Klee's love for dogs began early. While attending college in New York City, she began fostering dogs regularly, opening her heart and home to animals in need. After graduating with a degree in English language and literature, she channeled her passion into a full-time role as an assistant to a prominent dog photographer. For seven years, she lived and breathed the world of canines—capturing their personalities by day and sharing her own experiences with her dog and foster pups through budding social media content on the side.
Unexpectedly losing her photography job became a pivotal turning point. Rather than seeing it as a setback, Klee leaned into her growing online presence. She transitioned into freelance content creation while continuing to document the emotional and rewarding process of rehabilitating foster dogs. Her honest, heartfelt videos resonated deeply with her audience, striking a chord with pet lovers who related to the joys, challenges, and occasional tears of rescue work.
Today, Klee boasts over a million followers on TikTok, where her content continues to inspire and educate. She eventually stepped away from freelancing to dedicate herself fully to her personal platform and a new creative endeavor: writing. Her debut book, Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About, was released in April 2026. The memoir blends humor, vulnerability, and wisdom, weaving together stories of canine companionship, personal growth, and life's messier moments.
Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how Klee was able to turn her love for dogs into meaningful content creation and beyond.
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