What is your job at Colby models and what does that entail?

I am the Woman’s Booker at Colby Models New York.  I organize the girls’ charts and develop new faces and new talent.  I take girls from point a to point b, and getting there might include needing girls to lose weight or cut their hair.  It’s a skill that comes over time.  90% of my job is being able to market people.

How long have you been working at Colby Models?

I’ve been here for 3 months, but I’ve known Ryan Colby for about 10 years and have known him to be a really great manager.  When I left my fashion director job, this was a good fit for me.  Ryan needed someone to book the women and I really wanted to build the women’s division.  I wanted to use my knowledge and experience in the industry to build upon the men’s division with the women’s division and faces that were equally as strong.

What do you like most about working at Colby Models?

It’s a relaxed environment, but we get things done.  We’re very driven, and it’s a very driven company.  The company is growing and it’s not at a stand-still.  We’re expanding, as new people are always coming in and it’s a company that I can stand behind.

How did you get started in the modeling and fashion industry?

I started as a fashion model when I was 17, and that was when male models were just coming around at Boss and they invented male supermodels.  They were my mentors in the city when I was young, and I’ve evolved with the times.  In the middle of my career, Ryan was my manager so that is how met him and got to know him.  As I grew as a model, I always had a passion to be on the back-end side of modeling.  When it came time for me to transition, I went to my friends and since I knew the modeling industry was more geared towards women, I took it upon myself to become a women booker about 5-6 years ago.

Who is the most interesting person you’ve met from being in the industry?

I’ve met some really big designers and some small designers who I thought had a lot of potential.  It’s about fashion for me, not who is the most interesting.  Most everyone I meet has some kind of interesting story to tell and they are all interesting in their own aspect.

Have you been to any of the VIP Talent Connect networking summits before?

No, but I’m always looking for new talent, so I would be willing to participate in them.  I have participated in several other events though, and I always am able to find new talent.  There is always a fresh new face out there.

Do you have any hobbies that you enjoy?

I like to run, but I work so much, I don’t have time for hobbies.

What is your favorite type of music you like to listen to?

I like House music.

Do you have a favorite job that you sent models to or wish you could have gone to?

I don’t wish I could have gone to any, because I’ve worked for big designers before, so that part of my life has come and gone.  I take myself out of the equation and there is nothing that I want to be a part of.  This industry is bigger than me and just the models; it’s about the fashion and showing the clothing.  The misconception is that the models think it’s about them, but it’s not.  It’s about the clothes-advertising and marketing the clothes.  Models are the mannequins and hold minimal relevance in the grand scheme of the fashion community.  It’s about putting clothing on people’s backs and selling it to the masses.

What are some of the most recent jobs or castings that you sent models to?

We’ve sent models to so many different places, from Rag and Bone to Oscar De La Renta.  During fashion week, we sent girls to so many castings.  Each day is different.  One day girls might be sent to a hair casting that pays well, and the next day they could be going on a job for a look book.

What advice would you give to models who are trying to break into the industry?

For a new face, they need to know that the business is a work-in-progress.  It takes many years and a lot of time to build up to becoming a top working model.  Even if you are a top working model, doesn’t mean that you’re a highly paid model.  I’ve had friends at IMG who were in the top 50 models, but were broke.  Being at the top doesn’t mean you make a ton of money.  Fit models make a ton of money but you never see their face.  Their relevance is the most important because the clothes have to fit them.

What advice would you give to current models?

Being a successful model, you HAVE to go on everything and you have to do everything.  You have to do the things that suck and the things that are great.  You have to go through the motions in order to become successful.  You never know who you’re going to meet being an extra or standing at the MAC counter.  You have to put yourself out there as a new face as much as possible.