The longer bio
Sarah Wilson is a multi-New York Times and Amazon best-selling author, podcaster, social philosopher, international keynote speaker, philanthropist and climate change advisor.
Sarah is known globally for founding the I Quit Sugar movement – a digital wellness program with 13 award-winning books that sell in 52 countries – which saw millions around the world transform their health. In 2022 Sarah sold the business and gave everything to charity.
Sarah is an experienced journalist and broadcaster. She was previously the editor of Cosmopolitan Australia at age 29; host of MasterChef Australia; was a News Corp journalist and columnist; and has hosted ABC’s Compass, Ten’s The Project and has been a regular panellist and news commentator on Australian, UK and US screens for two decades.
Her New York Times bestseller First, We Make the Beast Beautiful is described by bestselling author (The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck) Mark Manson as, “The best book on living with anxiety that I’ve ever read”, and was featured as the book of the year on NBC’s Today Show. It’s published in 27 countries. Sarah’s most recent title, This One Wild & Precious Life, won the 2021 US Gold Nautilus Prize.
Sarah is full of expert advice while remaining grounded and incredibly human. Her vulnerability is her strength.
Sarah now hosts a thought-leading podcast Wild with Sarah Wilson, is a keynote speaker and advisor to corporations and universities on social media, anxiety and existential risk. She’s guest lectured for the University of Cambridge’s Sustainability and Leadership masters course and partnered with organisations such as the Climate Council, Harvard University and Intelligence Squared on campaigns.
Over her career, Sarah has interviewed two Australian Prime Ministers, Beyonce, Brene Brown, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and dozens of moral philosophers, effective altruists and existential risk experts. Sarah has been variously described as “the climate queen”, “an expert on misinformation” and “f*cking wild” (by Russell Brand) and has been ranked in the top 200 most influential authors in the world (two years in a row). She also won Foster Parent of the Year 2022 (NSW; kids’ choice).
Sarah now lives nomadically between Paris and Sydney, hikes weekly and rarely says “non” to an adventure.
Some granular details
(should you have read down this far)
In a “previous life” Sarah was an award-winning journalist. Her first gig was in the Press Gallery in Canberra. Her second was as a restaurant reviewer for News Ltd.
Sarah became the youngest opinion columnist in the News Ltd stable at 24 (she shared a page in The Herald Sun with Andrew Bolt for five years). She was a columnist for dozens of international mastheads and magazines for more than 11 years.
She “accidentally” became the editor of Cosmopolitan Australia at the age of 29. She had never read the magazine – nor worn makeup or heels – before landing the gig.
Her I Quit Sugar digital business was the largest wellness site in Australia and employed 25-plus staff, based out of offices in central Sydney. But, in February 2022 she sold off the business and all its assets and gave everything to carefully researched charity projects that target inequality, indigenous issues and the climate crisis.
Sarah consumes essentials only, has never owned a handbag, doesn’t own a car and is generally photographed in the same outfits for decades at a time.
Somewhat in paradoxical contrast, Sarah regularly consults to large corporates, such as Woolworths, Blackrock and a major Australian bank, on sustainability and minimalist values.
She is an experienced keynote speaker and MC who has presented to the New York Times, Microsoft USA, Google, Apple, the National Press Club in Canberra, National Australia Bank, IKEA, Monash University, RMIT, Harvard University and more.
Sarah is also a globally recognised thought leader and commentator. She has presented on conspiratory theories for the New York Times, The Guardian’s Full Story and ABC’s This Much is True podcast. She has appeared on ABC’s QnA to talk about the anxiety epidemic, was a guest presenter on ABC’s Compass for a special on minimalism and gave an address to the National Press Club in Canberra on resilience.
Sarah released an Audible Originals series into the US market in 2021 titled Make Anxiety Your Superpower.
Sarah now dedicates all her resources to driving a global conversation on sustainability and climate change, living a life of value and hope in a fractured world.
Sarah shows us how possible a better world is if we’re willing to roll up our sleeves and get to work building it."
Sarah Wilson has an uncanny ability to look over the horizon and see where the world is going. She is a true pioneer.”
Podcast appearances
Interviews and Articles
Sarah has contributed to or been featured in the following publications. (Click the tile to read).
