The title for today is, "Make Your Future Be Your Future."

You might be scratching your head again, wondering where I'm going with these topics, but trust me, there is a process in building a cake, and the same goes for building a modeling and photography career. You can't put the pan in the oven with the dough not prepared yet. Some of you do certain steps too early and fail, instead of letting the steps mature properly. Some of you are clueless about this topic, but I promise I'll make it easy, simple and clear by the end of this discussion. 

I remember a time when I was in real estate many years ago for almost 4 years. I had a alcoholic Broker running the office, and at another office was a Broker that tried to do a little underhanded fraud. He got banned from working in real estate for 5 years, and the alcoholic guy dragged his whole team down until a company came in and bought up the office equity for pennies on the Dollar. Learn by the mistakes of your peers and elders with tons of experience. It's not hard to create success when the success plan is laid out in front of you. 

The title of this blog refers to making your future be your future. Here's an example. There's a farmer with a plan. He knows the timing of when to plant each type of crop that grows at different rates. Farmers dig up acres of land dedicated to certain crops in separate sections of the land. First, corn gets planted on the west end. It takes a long time to grow. Then, wheat planted in the East also takes time to grow fully, and tomatoes in the center get planted last because they grow quickly and will get harvested first. The harvesting team has to be ready and the shipping trucks be on time too, or the tomatoes will spoil before reaching the market.

I said all that to get you to understand the analogy works in modeling too. Your level of maturity, your understanding of terminology and modeling styles, and your vision of your career goals all need to be in place. Each one will take pampering and correcting at different times, so it will feel like you're always working endlessly on something. 

Along with tending to your maturity, modeling terminology and styles, and propelling your career goals, there's enemies in the field waiting to destroy your career goal. Not always on purpose, but sometimes absentmindedly invite you to a late night party that with reduce your sleep and ruin the photo shoot you have scheduled the morning after. It's DILIGENCE on your part to be able to SAY NO to anything that goes against the final goals you've established. Keep a fierce wall around those career goals. The devil is out to get them away from you. It sometimes comes in the form of a needy, greedy, jealous boyfriend. A doubting parent. Or an illness or injury. 

I had one nephew who married a model, and they wanted kids, but she refused to put her body through pregnancy issues and give up her modeling until being married 10 years which proved to her the marriage was going to be safe. 

Another nephew wasn't so careful with protecting his goals. He wanted to be a baseball pitcher. He was tall and talented. He was even scouted in High School by the Boston Red Socks. He failed to reach his goals because he lost sight of his goals when he took a part time job in a deli and cut one of his fingers badly. The point he learned, too late, was never take your eyes off the prize (YOUR CAREER GOALS), and never do anything or allow anything to cause trouble between you and your goals. 

Thus far, we haven't begun to ascertain the act of modeling yet. This is all prep work laying the foundation for a lasting career. 

When I see potential models saying I need money right away. I don't have time to lay down a foundation. In my mind I'm thinking......"You are laying a foundation. A foundation of a quick dip in the pond of whatever happens happens, where futures are decided by uncertainty." 

Rome wasn't built in a day.....lol... Enough said.....

That concludes today's topic. I hope you'll stop to leave a comment or suggestion on the topics you're reading, or suggest another topic to add in. Thanks...

On my next posting, we will answer an age old question. "Who is that model in the mirror?"

Respect your industry! A win-win business plan.

Today, I want to talk to you about respecting your industry as a model, or even a photographer, including all the additional industries that intersect us. 

People think this is an issue that explains itself, but it does warrant a discussion. 

I have seen tragic issues that were resolvable between different people in the industry, including myself as well, but the parties involved turn their nose up in the air as if they are better than the other. They're BOTH wrong! No one is any better than the other. The point here is that their snobby attitude towards each other trumps the positive outcome of collaborating together. That's all ego, and no common sense of business.

 Of course, there are people who have more knowledge about the industry than others, put more time in than others, and make more money than others, but that doesn't put them ahead of anyone else. There have been people who have come along and taken the industry by storm in a quick minute, and also disappeared just as quickly. But, if you are a seasoned trailblazer or a flash in the pan kind of person, neither of you are worthy of respect more than the other. Most of you are going to disagree with that last statement, but it's true. 

Here's an example of my point: Suppose a 50 year old is trying to open a computer file that he's worked on for years, but the computer seems to be rejecting his efforts, posting error messages every time he tries. Then, in comes his 5 year old grandson. With a few clicks, the file opens with no glitch. Should the young boy be disregarded on his efforts as just beginners luck, or should the mature grandfather be regarded as just out of his element when it comes to technology? Neither! Even though the young boy got it right away, and the grandfather didn't, doesn't place the boy ahead of his grandfather. He still retracts to his place as grandson. Just a little boy with a lot of potential in his future. The grandfather remains as the man he is with tons of experience in his life, but can admit he falters from time to time.

Here's where I'm going with this. Neither of them got a bad attitude or a bloated ego about it. Same goes for a model or a photographer. Neither are better than the other, but if they believe they are better than the other, then the collaboration to create goes out the window and nobody wins. 

We have to uphold a standard of maturity, respect and business stature with each other! No excuses! No excuses! Anything less than that, reflects in your ability to retain business partners and clients, and increases in your income potential. 

We need each other in this business, so why not treat each other better and make a little money too. Eventually, you will see what I'm saying if you seriously put effort into doing what I said. When you fumble, get up and keep going. Don't wallow in it, and don't give up. We all fall, but it's your decision to get back up and pushing forward. 



Thanks for reading, and I hope this opened your view a little on how this topic affects you and others in the industry. Please drop a comment and share my blog with people who might benefit from reading it. Thanks!


For my next entry, I'll be discussing "Make Your Future Be Your Future."