Second Life Podcast: Sarah Fennel

Welcome to Second Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who’ve made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder 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.

Molly Sims has been a household name for decades. But it feels like every time we hear from her, she’s up to something new. The model, actor, podcaster, and YSE Beauty founder has been a master of reinvention and exploration for years.

She originally studied political science at Vanderbilt, until a friend suggested she take some modeling shots with a photographer she knew. Sims was hooked; she sent her photos to agencies across the country and signed with the first agency she met with, Next Model Management, which is her agency to this day. Sims spent the next few years rising through the ranks of the modeling world, transitioning from catalog to editorial and eventually landing a cover of Vogue France.

Looking to expand her world, Sims transitioned into the world of film and TV. She quickly landed several hosting gigs before being cast as Delinda Deline on the hit NBC drama Las Vegas. What she thought would be a few-month gig ended up lasting five seasons and over 100 episodes.

Over the last decade, Sims has continued to expand her résumé, acting in countless other film and TV projects, writing two books, and in 2021 launching a podcast, Lipstick on the Rim, with her best friend Emese Gormley. Their goal? To have the hard, TMI, or nitty-gritty conversations about being a woman that they wish someone would talk about. Over the last three years, they’ve covered topics from body positivity and burnout to pregnancy skin and anxiety, building a following of dedicated listeners who love their frankness and sense of humor.

But Sims wasn’t done there: In 2023, after struggling with hyperpigmentation, melasma, and other skin issues for years, she launched YSE Beauty. Her effective, unfussy formulas have become cult favorites. (The Wide Awake eye cream is currently sold out with a waiting list!)

Sims is constantly up to something new, whether it’s developing new products for YSE that help women with their skin concerns or cooking up new and exciting projects through her production company, Something Happy Productions. Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear more about how perseverance has always served her well, and shop below for some of our YSE Beauty favorites.

Next: Meet Baker Extraordinaire, Author, and the Visionary Behind Broma Bakery: Sarah Fennel