The Reality of a Million Followers and the Power “NO”

Corri Yee has had tremendous success as a model, but she wants people to know there’s more than meets the eye. 

When Yee was only 18 years old, living in a small town in New Mexico, a plastic surgeon reached out to her, wondering if she would model to advertise for botox and fillers, despite her lack of them. She happily agreed but didn’t know the arrangement would spark an addiction to modeling and that it would be the first of thousands of professional experiences behind the camera. “I felt like a little doll or princess,” she said, reminiscing on the moment. 

From there, doors to opportunities began to open, and Yee seized them all. She flew to Paris by herself, modeling, staying in five-star resorts, and turning strangers into colleagues. Even though it was her first time traveling alone and no one spoke her language, she was able to thrive in this unfamiliar setting, surprising herself with her ability to adapt and establishing a newfound sense of confidence. 

Yee’s work later took her to Bali, Indonesia, an experience she never thought would happen. There, she met and worked with beautiful and fascinating women from all over the world. 

“It was like a dream come true,” Corrie continued.” We were doing photo shoots with elephants and monkeys. I saw beautiful waterfalls and rice fields. I remember sitting out on the beach with the girls one day and looking at the sunset. I was like, ‘wow. I think I finally made it; it was a perfect feeling.” For Yee, traveling the world has been the highlight of her professional career and when she feels most grateful. 

Recently, she’s been pouring her time into Yee Enterprises, an agency for model talents such as herself. Yee has built this brand to form a supportive resource to help women find success in the industry. At the beginning of her modeling career, she was put into many uncomfortable situations and wanted to act as the guide she never had. 

“I love my girls; we are like a little family,” Yee said warmly. 

Yee deeply appreciates her fans, her success, and her access to opportunities. However, she wants her followers and clients to know that modeling is not always the fantasy it’s trying to sell. For example, she refers to a photo of herself in Dubai on top of a camel. The scene is picture-perfect. However, you can’t see that she was running a high fever, sweating, and fighting nausea. 

“I want people to understand that it’s not all glitz and glamor. It can be quite the opposite,” Yee explained.

Additionally, she wants people to know that despite her luxurious Instagram photos, she is a little nerdy and profoundly loves the natural world. 

“I’m into anime, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter,” she states. “I love video games and the whole nine.” She enjoys watching Animal Planet on her days off, and if she won the lottery, she would spend the money to preserve the environment and help endangered animals. 

With modeling and running a business, Yee makes sure to set aside little moments for self-care and relaxation. 

“My schedule is insanely crazy, especially now with this agency I’ve started,” Yee explains,” My days are nonstop from morning to night. So, I turn my phone off when I need ten minutes to myself. I do my yoga. I meditate, and I get my workout in. Then, I’m refreshed and ready to get back into the game. Or I’ll have a nice fat glass of wine or two alone at an Italian restaurant.” 

Yee draws inspiration from Angelina Jolie and Reese Witherspoon. Despite being known for their beauty, these two women dedicate their time and fortunes to helping others. 

“Both these women want to make a difference in this world, bring other people up, and educate them along the way; something I respect and aspire to do.” Looking to these women for inspiration, Yee feels strongly that one needs more than a pretty face to build a legacy. 

Yee is excited about the future and sees her business growing in five years and her ability to help others find success. She wants to invest in real estate for content creation and cut back on her own modeling to focus on her agency while supporting her family and those close to her along the way so they can enjoy the same lifestyle. 

Yee loves what she does and can’t imagine doing anything else. Her success now looks like a lavish lifestyle and over a million followers on Instagram. With this notoriety comes some haters, but Yee focuses on what is important and blocks out the negative energy. Helping her fight the monsters along the way is her favorite tattoo on the inside of her finger. It says “NO.” This allows her to remember to say no and stand her ground in a challenging industry so she can be the powerful model and entrepreneur she is.