Welcome toSecond 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 PodcastsSpotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts to stay tuned.

Madison Utendahl, the founder behind the all-female, Black-owned, anti-trend branding, and design agency Utendahl Creative, makes her own rules. In fact, she founded Utendahl Creative with the mission of becoming the antidote to the modern creative studio by creating a company that uplifts brand voices through emotionally-engaging narratives. At her core, Utendahl is a storyteller, and through her brand agency, she is helping others tell their story through the power of authenticity and self-worth. Utendahl’s perspective is fresh and unapologetic in an evolving industry and has garnered attention from many sharing the same vision as she has been invited to speak at Inbound, Vidcon, and Yelp’s Women in Business Summit.

Utendahl Creative works with a dynamic repertoire of esteemed brands like Simon Huck’s Judy, Halsey’s About-Face, and Chris Paul’s Good Eatn, among others. Yet,  before she began to define a new narrative within the creative industry, she was helping to create viral sensations like The Museum of Ice Cream and Refinery’s 29 Rooms. She was also a creative associate and video producer for Refinery29, where she created multiple series for the notable publisher. And before her career in media, she was a production assistant for HBO’s acclaimed series Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. Along the way, she made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, won two Webby Awards, and eventually experienced a serious work burn-out.

Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how Utendahl was able to fully walk away from her former — and highly successful — career and found the inspiration to found a company of her own.

Next: How Home Décor Expert Alexandra Gater Curates Luxurious Yet Attainable Spaces.