Woman turns into dog content creator after layoff, earns more: ‘Luckiest person in the world'

Isabel Klee said that now she has more freedom, financial stability and impact than she did before being laid off. (Image credit: @simonsits/Instagram)

A New York-based writer and dog fosterer has built a thriving digital career after being laid off right before her 30th birthday, turning her long-standing love for rescue dogs into a full-time profession that now pays more -- and reaches millions.

Isabel Klee, a Brooklyn resident, told CNBC Make It that losing her job after seven years working for a dog photographer forced her to make a difficult choice: find another role or try to build something of her own. She chose the latter.

"The choice, for me, was simple. I had to at least try to make a name for myself, doing what I loved most, which was helping dogs," Klee told the publication.

Career revolved around animals

The 32-year-old's career has long revolved around animals. While studying English and creative writing in college, she volunteered at an animal shelter in Manhattan, a routine she describes as essential to staying grounded. After graduating, she worked with a professional dog photographer, travelling across cities and countries while documenting rescue dogs. The work paid little, but she said it aligned closely with her purpose — telling stories about animals in need.

That purpose became central after her layoff, which coincided with a major life change: moving into a new apartment with her fiancé, Jacob, and their special-needs rescue dog, Simon.

A few months later, Klee welcomed her first foster dog, a heeler mix named Ken. Videos of the dogs and up to Ken's eventual adoption drew tens of thousands of likes, comments, and followers. Encouraged, Klee leaned into fostering and documented the realities of rehabilitation.

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Since then, Klee has fostered nearly 30 high-needs dogs, raised over $500,000 for animal welfare organisations, and grown an audience of more than two million followers across platforms. She has partnered with brands including Toyota, Chewy, The Farmer’s Dog and Williams Sonoma.

"I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have made a career doing exactly what I’ve always dreamed of: helping dogs and telling stories," Klee told CNBC Make It. "I have more freedom, I make more money, and I’m making a bigger impact."

Above all, she credited dogs for making the connection possible. “When you tell their stories,” Klee said. “People can’t help but listen.”