They say it takes several streams of income in order to be wealthy. Which got me thinking about other models who have done more than modeling to create more revenue streams. I like to think of it as Business Models Minding their Business. (cute right?! :-D)
As a model, you should always conduct yourself as a business and these models have done that plus created seprate businesses that have generated more for them in addition to their modeling. Click the next page to check out my short list.
Welp, summer is over according to the calendar. Labor Day marks the unofficial end of fun in the sun. For me, today marks the start of a fresh new month. What I usually do at the start of a month is plan out my bookings and figure out how to fill it a bit more or if its packed, how I’m going to survive such busi-ness! Lol I also take the time to review goals that I have set for myself in the past and think about new ones or keep the old ones and try my best to achieve them all. Some of my past goals have included:
If you have been following my blogging habits (or lack thereof), that first goal that I mentioned was a failure lol but it only failed because I became busy with more client and model bookings. Even though it was a failure other goals were a great success and there’s more time for me this month for me to modify that goal, among others, and of course set new ones to achieve.
With that being said, I wanted to take a different approach to my goals. I’m a firm believer in “The Secret” and I noticed that a few people that I follow on social media following the law of attraction and I’ve been watching their goals come to pass. The way I see it, if they can bravely put their goals out there and I can watch it unfold, I should have no problem doing the same. So here I go, my goals for September 2014:
So now that it’s out there, I’m going to work on making it all come my way!
Be sure to follow me on social media to watch it all unfold!
Facebook – facebook.com/AleanElston
Instagram – instagram.com/completebeauty
Twitter – twitter.com/completebeauty
Pinterest – pinterest.com/AleanElston
![Want Success? “You gotta Jump off that cliff…” according to #SteveHarvey [VIDEO]](https://aleanelston.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Steve-Harvey-660x400.jpg)
Sometimes it can be a bit hard to make it in business, but Steve has a point when he tells you you have to jump…
It can be a bit scary and I experience this everyday. Sometimes I don’t jump and I remain safe, but then I realize I’m missing out on soaring. So with that I’m learning to take more jumps…I’ll tell you how that all works out for me.
What are some of the things that you need to jump for?
Today so far has been a very interesting day.
Its the last week of the month, of which I am usually preparing to pay bills and organize my budgets for the following month, and after looking at a few receipts and invoices I noticed, things just keep going up and up and up!
I personally hate the fact that things keep going up, like my car insurance…smh Not only did I not have any incidents or claims, but my insurance increased! When I asked why despite having no issues or claims, they said it costs more to repair cars nowadays.
Really…
So because, I never filed a claim and everyone else drives like idiots, and messes up cars and property, I’m paying for it… its not fair. (currently searching for new car insurance by the way.)
Anywho, the point of my blog post is this, everything in the world is increasing for me to handle business but I don’t want to have to pass my expensive costs on to my clients/customers.
Currently seeking ways to keep business moving without reasonably raising costs for customers.
How do you cope when your expenses get higher every year?
(The video, fyi, just illustrates general costs of being in business, whether you are a photographer or not. Plug in what applies to you)
For those that follow me on Twitter you know that Thursday nights I’m usually tweeting up a storm during Scandal. This week’s episode “Say Hello to My Little Friends” started out with Olivia Pope and Associates needing money since her client base had dried up after her scandal being outed on being with the president. With that they began to take on a client that they didn’t seem to happy to take on and justified taking it solely because they needed the money.
I’ve been there before, at slow time in my business where bills needed to be paid and there were no clients to pay me or funds had come in late. There comes a time where things get down to the wire where you worry about paying staff and keeping the lights on etc. etc. and then someone comes along that wants your services but you aren’t really willing to take it on because either its not what you like to do or its not an industry or area that you would like to work in, or you don’t see how this type of client can take your business to another level. But, they have something you need… and that of course is money. What do you do? Do you take on the project and try to get over it as quickly as possible so you can pay those bills and move forward or do you refuse the project and move on to another that may not come along for another few weeks or months?
Decisions, decisions…
When I think about this, I sometimes think, you gotta do what you gotta do, do the work and move on. But for some reason when I took on clients that I normally wouldn’t during these times, they were the worst clients for me to have, they always seemed to cause me more stress than the projects and clients that I wanted to work on. Maybe its because I didn’t want to work on those projects but I just sucked it up and got the bills paid so I could keep on moving.
Usually after a lot of those projects were over it seemed like more of the same type of work came along. I would get tons of the type of work that I didn’t want to do, and for a while I would take it on, then I realized there comes a time where you have to draw a line where you won’t do things that don’t have anything to do with where you are trying to go with your company. You have to enjoy what you are doing in order for it to be great and make sure it aligns with your brand.
What about you? What do you do when you have tons of the types of clients you don’t want, that want your services but the types of clients you do want seem to be coming to you in a slow drip? Do you take projects that don’t align with your company in order to pay the bills or do you refer them to someone else? How do you deal with those projects/clients?
Before I get into this post, I wanted to mention that I am still looking to feature exceptional models on my site! If you would be interested in being featured, email me [alean@aleanelston.com] 2 – 3 professional pictures, a brief list of the work that you have done, and tell me a little about yourself and why you would make a great feature. Now on to the post!
So I’ve been wanting to write this for a LOOOOONG time.
I’ve been doing fashion shows for a long time both as a model and as a producer and one of the things that I have NEVER understood is when shows expect models to sell tickets to the show!
There have been shows that I have auditioned for that tell the models there is compensation for modeling in the show. Then to find out in order to be paid, you either have to sell over a certain amount of tickets or you make a percentage from every ticket you sell?
HUNH?!
I am not ticket master! Why am I selling tickets to your show…that is the producer’s job, NOT the model’s! All a model should be doing is MODELING! It shouldn’t be a requirement for me to have to sell tickets in order to get paid. The way I see it, I am doing a job as a model, and for modeling, I should be paid. You want me to sell tickets then hire me to sell tickets, and you’ll have to pay for that too!
Lets break down the fashion show process, shall we?
Think about it, The venue got their money for the producer to have the show, the makeup artists have to pay for their supplies and time and they need to be paid, a quality photographer need to be paid for their time to be there and edit pictures, and I MIGHT get paid depending on the tickets I sell…
…I’ll pass
I am not TICKETMASTER, I’m a MODEL.
#justsayin
Follow me on Twitter – @CompleteBeauty
It has come to my attention that a lot of models don’t understand that professionalism goes a long way in this business. Maybe its because, a lot don’t think of it as a business, but more so as something to do because they find it to be fun for them and love the attention and the way they look and feel in a photo-shoot. While all of that is fine, one must understand that it may be fun for you, but for others, its a business, lifestyle, and a way of supporting their families. You mess any of that up or you rub someone the wrong way, you can be sure that your fun career will not move and prevent you from moving forward.
Here’s a list of 3 things that models do that industry insiders say can prevent them from working with that model again:
and…
Did you wear all of the make up you own to the casting, complete with hot pink eye-shadow and lipstick, and lashes that make you look like a puppet? Casting agents don’t want to the “All Made Up” you, they want to see the natural beauty that you really are. Castings are meant for the decision makers to see what they’ll have to work with from scratch, they’ll make you over to what they want you to look like. The most amount of makeup you should be wearing is a light application of concealer to cover up problem spots (or a sheer application of foundation all over your face), mascara, and a neutral lip gloss.
In the words of Iman, “If you want to survive as a model, you have to be a good businesswoman and understand that your pictures are your currency.” Loosely interpreted, if your pictures aren’t on point, or they don’t exist, you don’t have anything to use to help further your career and make you money! It takes money to make money people! Invest yours in QUALITY photography (stay away from Guys with cameras aka “GWCs” who just want to see you for reasons other than professional ones and take a bunch of “booty” flicks) and watch your return increase. Another note to this: GET YOUR PICTURES PRINTED! I cant tell you how many models I have met that have said, “You can see my port on model mayhem, or on “abc dot com” here’s my account number.” If they wanted to select you based off your pictures on a website, they would have done so! When you meet someone in person, especially at a casting it is expected that you leave something behind (a comp-card or a picture from your port with your info on the back). If you have nothing to leave behind, guess what? You won’t have to worry about getting booked! Be a professional and get your pictures in a portfolio book and make sure you have various looks please!
A rule of thumb I use when selecting photographers: If their portfolio of work doesn’t look like something that should be in a magazine, I will not work with them. Also, if they are new photographers I’ll consider working with them considering they have grasped certain concepts. i.e. lighting and not cutting off vital limbs and great photo elements to a shot.
Well, I have been to castings and on jobs where models have lost the gig SOLELY because they had tattoos that they didn’t/couldn’t/wouldn’t cover up. Granted that tattoo of Winnie the Pooh on your shoulder blade might look cute to you, but to a fashion designer and her strapless or backless gown, they wont find it as the right complement to their look and thus can result in you not getting booked. Best way to get around this in case you do have tattoos is to invest in Dermablend. Its a brand of makeup that can cover up tattoos and large scars very well. Get in the habit of applying it if you don’t want to be turned down for jobs!
Are there any reasons why you have been turned down for modeling jobs? Let me know, comment below or tweet me with the #modeltip hashtag. 3 MORE reasons will be coming soon!
Rapper 50 Cent continues to amaze me, and I hope he never stops. He’s definitely one of my favorite business men to follow. If you didn’t know he recently announced the launch of his new energy shot called Street Kings. With every shot sold, a meal is purchased for someone in need. His goal is to feed 1 billion people. Help him out by watching the videos below and like the facebook page. ONE LIKE = ONE MEAL. Like SK on Facebook to give a meal to a hungry child: facebook.com/StreetKing
No your eyes are not playing tricks on you, you are reading this correctly. Trey Songz will be in the 3D remake of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. As if the singer, rapper, crooner, model, spokesman, and ladies man didn’t have enough to add to his list of titles actor is another that the R&B star is proud to add to his growing business empire.
Those of you that know me personally know what a Trey Songz fan I am, but to be honest I can’t help but to think that this role if gonna be straight comedy for me when I see this in the theaters! Why you might ask? Well, first off the movie is in 3D, i’m expecting a lot of bloodyness and gore being tossed at the camera… Second Trey has one of the LEAD ROLES and his name is RYAN (like why Ryan out of all of the names, It so does not fit him lol)… I know we have seen him on a few walk-on roles on the small screen but #cmonson are his skills that up there to be in a lead role?! I guess we’ll see next year…and third, its a horror movie, and because its Trey in the movie… I don’t think I’m gonna be too scared, and his facial expressions in the movie are gonna be priceless! LMAO… me and my girls couldn’t take his facial expressions serious in the “Yo Side of the Bed” video when he found out Keri wasn’t coming home… watch the video for yourself and you’ll see what I mean!!! – http://youtu.be/xPd4Qp-Pdew I love him best when he flashes that winning smile!! Lets keep that for a while 😀 Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D is scheduled for release October 5, 2012.
Sidebar: I wonder if he’ll die first in the movie…. (you all know the black people in horror movie facts, lol, don’t act like you weren’t thinking it!!!)
But on another note, Mr. Songz has announced the release of his upcoming album which will be released around the same time as the movie, Chapter 5. I’m so curious as to where he is gonna take us with this album. From “Just Gotta Make It” to “Passion Pain Pleasure” you can see how he as grown musically and how many times he has switched up his musical style, but reinventing his brand each time. From my observation of Trey from beginning until now he’s come to understand his business. From the music, to the endorsements, to the deals and collabos with companies and other top brands, I think he realized that there is very little money in music nowadays and in order to keep it going financially and musically, you have to pair your music with other aspects of business and in turn both will grow…
Just my opinion tho…
Check out what he had to say for himself about it all as he talks with Black Enterprise Magazine: