My second act didn’t start with a business plan. It began with a phone, a ring light I still can’t use, and thousands of women joining me online. But let’s rewind.
I launched my jewelry company at the age of 22. My designs were featured on “Friends” and “90210,” in major magazines, sold nationwide, and even worn by a young Taylor Swift.
After decades of go-go-go, I hit a wall. The recession hit, too, and suddenly the stress and creative burnout felt impossible to ignore. I needed a break—mentally, creatively, emotionally. So I stepped away. No exit plan, no big announcement—just a deep breath and a long exhale.
Of course, women like us don’t exactly slow down. Do we even know how? So I dabbled in creative projects, picked up a glue gun, and probably glued a few too many things to other things (hence my handle, @BellaBranchDIY, where I started sharing my crafty detours).
I threw myself into being a full-time Momager for my two incredible kids, now grown and thriving in their own creative careers. One’s a model and designer, the other a screenwriter and producer. Jewelry was behind me, but creativity never left—it just took new shapes.
Then, at almost 58, I got curious. Could I reinvent myself? Could I take all this lived-in wisdom and turn it into something completely new? Spoiler: heck yes. So I became… an influencer.
Just saying that makes me laugh a little. But I started posting outfits, little life moments, and thoughts about this chapter—and to my surprise, women over 50 started showing up. That’s when I realized something important: just because we’re over 50 doesn’t mean we’re done. We’re just getting started.
This is the most “who cares what anyone thinks?” phase of my life, and I am loving it. There’s such freedom in dressing for yourself, living out loud, and not dimming your sparkle for anyone.
But I didn’t feel super confident at first. I was smack in the middle of menopause, still figuring out who I was after stepping away from my career at 42, and feeling like my own body was turning against me. The shedding hair, the thinning skin, the 3 a.m. wake-ups, the hot flashes that make you sweat through your blouse before coffee. Some days, I didn’t even recognize myself.
That’s why I share my story—not because I’ve got it all figured out, but because I know how lonely this stage of life can feel. Being visible in your 50s isn’t always easy. There are days when it feels like the world would rather look past us. But every time I show up, another woman tells me: “You reminded me I still matter.”
Midlife is a weird, wonderful chapter. It’s full of surprises, but also a new, solid sense of self. So if you’re wondering whether it’s too late to be louder, bolder, and more yourself than ever, let me be your proof. It’s not. This is your second act.
