Key Moments
Karlie Kloss Interview | The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim FerrissKey Moments
Supermodel Karlie Kloss discusses modeling, coding, and life lessons, advocating for education and empowerment.
Key Insights
Early exposure and a supportive family environment were crucial in navigating the modeling industry's challenges.
Passion for coding led to founding Kode With Klossy, aiming to empower young women in tech.
Maintaining perspective and grounding is achieved through strong support systems and embracing discomfort.
Continuous learning, whether through books, podcasts, or acquiring new skills like coding, is vital for growth.
Exercise and self-care, particularly mental well-being, are essential for high-level functioning and balance.
The ability to ask for help and to be a creator, not just a canvas, transforms one's perspective and impact.
THE UNEXPECTED JOURNEY INTO MODELING
Karlie Kloss recounted her serendipitous entry into modeling at 13 after being scouted at a mall fashion show. Initially focused on ballet, academics, and sports, she never anticipated a career in fashion. Her family, especially her doctor father and artist mother, provided a stable Midwestern upbringing that grounded her. Despite the glamour, her parents' emphasis on discipline and normalcy helped her maintain balance while pursuing a demanding international career from a young age.
NAVIGATING THE PITFALLS OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY
The modeling industry, like entertainment, can be notoriously challenging. Kloss highlighted that while she's had a positive experience, the high competition and focus on physical appearance can be difficult. She credits her success partly to luck, timing, and a strong support system, including her family and close friends. These pillars helped her avoid common pitfalls and maintain a sense of self-worth beyond her measurements or body image, especially during her teenage years.
THE INSPIRATION AND FOUNDATION OF KODE WITH KLOSSY
Kloss's deep curiosity about how the world works, particularly the transformation of industries by technology, led her to explore coding. After taking a bootcamp, she was fascinated by code as a form of language and a tool for creative expression and problem-solving. This passion fueled the creation of Kode With Klossy, a nonprofit offering free two-week summer camps to empower young women aged 13-18 with coding skills, fostering the next generation of tech leaders.
THE POWER OF CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND PERSPECTIVE
Kloss emphasized the importance of lifelong learning, often through podcasts and audiobooks, to stay engaged and grow. She advocates for embracing discomfort and challenges, referencing the idea that growth lies outside one's comfort zone. This mindset applies to learning new skills like coding, which she sees as a new literacy, offering a different lens through which to understand the world and its technological underpinnings, regardless of one's professional background.
MAINTAINING BALANCE THROUGH SELF-CARE AND HABITS
To function at a high level amidst a demanding career, Kloss prioritizes self-care. This includes daily meditation, using apps like Headspace, and a consistent exercise routine combining cardio and strength training. She stresses the importance of mental and emotional balance, especially in a volatile industry. Her travel routine always includes exercise, whether it's running, swimming, or hotel room workouts, demonstrating that movement is non-negotiable for her well-being.
INVESTING IN ACTION: THE BEST DECISIONS AND PURCHASES
Kloss identifies several key investments: her first pair of affordable heels that helped her early career, a KitchenAid mixer that sparked a vegan cookie charity project donating over a million school lunches, and returning to NYU to continue learning, which led to her coding endeavors. She also values journaling, using notebooks to brain-dump ideas and set action steps, and relies on apps like Wunderlist and her team to translate these thoughts into tangible results.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ASKING FOR HELP AND BEING A CREATOR
A significant realization for Kloss was the power of asking for help and collaborating. She learned from figures like Casey Neistat that she could be a creator, not just a subject. This shift in perspective, aided by social media's democratization of voices, enabled her to share her own ideas and experiences. She values mentors and advisors, recognizing that building businesses and impact is a collaborative process, often involving leveraging her network effectively.
EMBRACING CHALLENGES AND GIVING YOUR BEST
Kloss shared that failures are part of growth, especially in the public eye. Experiencing moments where clothes didn't fit or jobs weren't secured taught her to see herself as more than her physical appearance. Her father's advice to 'give it your best' and 'be present' is a guiding principle, emphasizing self-compassion and focusing on personal effort rather than external comparisons. This philosophy fuels her drive to continuously learn, grow, and help others.
Mentioned in This Episode
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Navigating a Successful Career with Grounding
Practical takeaways from this episode
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Common Questions
Karlie Kloss was scouted at a local mall at age 13. She initially walked in a charity fashion show and was later discovered by agencies, leading to opportunities with major designers like Calvin Klein.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
A successful model mentioned as an example of those who transitioned into business or impactful roles.
A friend of Tim Ferriss who has achieved significant success in venture capital.
Musician whose book helped Tim Ferriss learn to ask for help.
Co-founder of Instagram, who Karlie Kloss learned could code early on.
Host of the podcast 'How I Built This', which Karlie Kloss enjoys listening to.
A YouTuber and filmmaker whose work inspired Karlie Kloss to become a creator.
Martial artist and actor, mentioned for his dedication to exercise even while traveling.
A successful model mentioned as an example of those who transitioned into business or impactful roles.
A former model who successfully transition into building businesses.
Mentioned as someone who also gifts 'The Four Agreements'.
Co-founder of Netscape, credited with the quote 'Software is eating the world'.
Retired Navy SEAL and podcast host, known for his discipline and exercise routines.
A successful model mentioned as an example of those who transitioned into business or impactful roles.
Four-time world champion obstacle course racer who was a guest on the podcast.
Someone who taught Tim Ferriss the basics of Ruby coding.
Professional wrestler and executive mentioned for his exercise habits while traveling.
Karlie Kloss's partner who is helping her build Code with Classy.
The real name of Triple H, mentioned for his exercise habits while traveling.
A communication platform mentioned as a tool for organizing actions with a team.
A programming language taught at Code with Classy.
A programming language that Karlie Kloss learned and that is taught at Code with Classy.
A list-making app mentioned as a digital alternative to journaling.
A meditation app Karlie Kloss uses.
A programming language taught at Code with Classy.
A programming language taught at Code with Classy.
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