Last Updated on May 15, 2026 by Cliche
When did you realize that becoming a model was actually attainable?
It’s honestly hard to pinpoint an exact moment that I knew becoming a model was attainable. For me, I think it was almost more of a moment of self-realization once I was already heavily involved in the industry. It was more of a “wow, this is actually real life now” type of reaction. Modeling is a career that’s very much self-created; it doesn’t necessarily come with guidance or someone telling you what steps to take. I learned how to model on my own, and definitely experienced imposter syndrome as I was first pushing into the industry. I think after my first NYFW runway, that was the biggest aha moment for me.
With that said, I’ve always had an intuition that I would end up in front of a lot of people someday. I didn’t realize that it necessarily meant being in the public eye, but the gut feeling that I’d end up in a position with high visibility has always been there. I knew nothing about the fashion industry growing up. I can honestly say I never dreamed of being a model. I was incredibly shy when I was younger, but was really lucky to never struggle with confidence. I attribute that directly to my friends and family; they shaped me into the person I am today. I knew becoming a successful model was going to be next to impossible for me due to my height. But I also knew I had the confidence and drive that was needed to get there. Modeling became a way to express myself; to show my creative side that doesn’t always get to come out in everyday life. The more I progressed the more I fell in love with it.
How did you go about teaching yourself?
I was relentless when I first started. I took every opportunity possible to get myself in front of a camera. The first few years of my career I was shooting nonstop. I’d scout out photographers and pitch myself to them; the more practice I could get the better. There was so much TFP (time-for-pay) at the beginning. The constant shooting allowed me to quickly learn the reality of the industry, and see it for what it was worth. So much of fashion is truly un-glamorous. Learning that from the get-go showed me firsthand how tough I was going to have to be if I was serious about making it.
I learned to film myself as I’d shoot. I’d watch the footage back and study my posing in order to learn what worked and what didn’t. I studied lighting, cameras, the differences between shooting outdoors/indoors- every bit of free time I had was devoted to perfecting my skillset. I knew it was crucial for me to be well-known for my portfolio, especially since I was planning on entering the world of high fashion as a petite model.
Social media honestly helped me out a ton. There’s an unspoken rule of exclusivity and so much gatekeeping that occurs in fashion. It makes it next to impossible to enter the industry, especially if you’re coming from a non-fashion background or don’t live in one of the major cities. I used social media to meet other creatives in the industry, and to scout out fashion-related events and opportunities. As I grew both my portfolio, I started traveling to the cities for bookings. I eventually got my foot in the door with runway once my network started to expand. Social media is vital for models- it’s essentially our version of our resume. And it’s full of information on how to get started.
I worked as a freelance model for the first three years of my career- which in retrospect was the best thing I could’ve done. You’re forced to learn everything on your own; your skill level is directly related to how much work you put into your craft. It’s hard navigating the fashion industry without guidance. I can’t stress the amount of rejection I received those first couple of years especially. Every no I received made me want to make it even more – I think it gave me the confidence and aggressiveness that’s vital in the industry to be successful.
You balance your modeling career with being a nurse. What do both mean to you in terms of your identity?
Both shaped me into the person I am today. I really cherish the lessons I learned from having both in my life simultaneously. The discipline I learned from having to juggle both was invaluable. It’s incredibly humbling to be able to chase my dreams with one, while knowing I’m still able to serve others and make an impact in the world at the same time.
Most people who know me from fashion probably don’t know this, but the last 8 years of my life I’ve also worked as a labor and delivery RN. I worked full time hours during nightshift, so that I could model and travel full time during the day. Nursing gave me the flexibility that’s required schedule wise to work as a model. Sleep has been far and few between for me these years, but it’s absolutely been worth it in every way.
I helped to deliver over 1000 babies in my career as a L&D nurse, and can tell you that every birth is truly a miracle. I’m so grateful for the patients who allowed me to be part of their experience, and for the incredible health care workers and nurses I worked alongside in the past years. Let me tell you something- nurses are tough. Healthcare is another incredibly hard career to work in. You’ve got not only the physical struggles of working 12 hours straight during the night, but the emotional and mental aspects we endure as well. As a labor and delivery nurse, every patient you interact with is undergoing one of the most difficult, vulnerable experiences of their lives. You literally walk (or run a lot of the times) from one patient room to the next- from emergencies to standard births, from surgeries to sometimes delivering angel babies- in the matter of a shift. It’s incredibly humbling and rewarding in every way.
I have the utmost respect for the nurses and individuals I worked with over the years. They watched me create my career in modeling from the ground up, and became some of my closest friends and biggest supporters along the way. They saw me at my lowest points, when I was beyond exhausted from juggling both, and never failed to continue to cheer me on along the way. The experiences and stories we shared together are invaluable to me. When you work in healthcare, you learn what truly matters in life. I don’t think I would’ve been half as successful in my modeling career without having experienced the lessons that being a nurse brought me.
This is actually a perfect opportunity for me to give an update. I just stepped away from nursing this past month. I’m at a point in my career with fashion right now where it’s not possible for me to do both at the same time. That’s not to say that nursing is forever off the table for me, but it’s time for me now to go all in with fashion. It was an incredibly emotional decision for me; I’m truly so grateful for everything nursing taught me.
Why is it important to have more visibility for petite models?
Models should be judged based on their skill set and overall talent, not solely their measurements or height. Some of the best runway walkers I know are petite models. I think as a whole, the industry needs to push models who are talented to the front, not just those who necessarily fit the stereotype. The same goes for all models. If you have the skillset of an elite model and are landing top bookings, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be treated as one. We need to stop judging based solely on measurements, and start hiring based on skill and who fits the role. Pushing equality for all models has always been a huge passion project of mine, and something I actively work on advocating for in the industry.
With that said- it 100% is tougher for those models who don’t fit the standard fashion model mold. We get far fewer chances than standard models to even get in front of casting directors- so you truly do have to be the best at what you do. For females, a petite model is considered being 5’9” and under, for males, a petite model is usually considered being under 5’11”. Being a petite model myself taught me so much from the start. It teaches you to build a level of grit and determination that standard models don’t always experience. Rejections are far more common. You get creative in ways that you seek out opportunities. Being a non-traditional model also taught me the value of networking and creating a strong public persona. Networking is everything these days, and where your true power lies.
There are so many tricks and secrets I learned over the years to even begin to stay competitive with the industry-standard models. You honestly have to know them if you’re going to be competitive. For any model who doesn’t know where to start- including my petite/non-traditional models who are struggling for visibility- don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I specialize in coaching non-traditional models. My DMs are always open.
What is the best piece of advice you could give aspiring models as a model coach?
Don’t give up. Take every no as an opportunity to prove yourself, and don’t take things personally. You have to have tough skin from the start if you’re going to make it. It truly just gets harder the further you go. Know that every day is going to be different, and always stay flexible and willing to learn. Stay relentless. And get creative in ways that you scout out opportunities! In my own experience, I’ve found that physically getting in front of casting directors has benefitted me so much more than applying virtually. Find every opportunity possible to show up and show face as we say.
Also understand that a huge part of success as a model falls back on you, regardless of whether or not you’re signed. You’re responsible for still seeking out opportunities, networking, and developing your public persona which is such a crucial part of the job as well.
Use your differences as your strengths. Nobody likes boring.
How are you continuing to pursue your dreams?
I’ve always said this, but I truly am just getting started. I’ve had so many major life changes recently; I’m finally at the point where I can give this everything I have. I wear a lot of different hats right now, and have my foot in the door with quite a few projects.
I’m continuing to model selectively myself, but am also taking on more of a role on the business side of the industry as well. I’ve recently become involved in runway production, and just co-produced my first runway at the Lamborghini Lounge in NY. I work as a media host, red carpet interviewer, and backstage coordinator. I also work hand in hand with selective hotels and designers to create fashion-inspired content for them. I adore all of my working relationships, and am very selective with brands I choose to partner with.
I continue to work as a model coach in both individual and group settings. I started a model workshop called “POSED” the past year, and have continued to grow it during various fashion weeks. Each workshop is focused on a different aspect of modeling- it can be anything from mastering on-set posing to how to walk a swimwear runway. I loved POSED, because I get to share my insight and experiences in a more personal setting. My last few workshops have included partnerships with brands such as Celsius and Level8 luggage. POSED continues to grow each season- and will be making an appearance again during this Miami Swim Week in May.
It’s wild because as you grow as a model, you constantly have to continue leveling up. Or you’ll get left behind. You hit goals and milestones you never dreamed of achieving, but it always feels like you’ve got to immediately start reaching for the next best thing. I’m doing a lot of self work in this season of my life too. I’m trying to get better about reflecting on the wins, and not rushing immediately into the next project. My dreams honestly have changed a lot the last couple of years, so I’m taking time to make peace with that and become the best version of myself possible. And wherever that leads me- you’ll soon see!
How do you deal with hateful online comments from clickbait posts that use your image?
Honestly- this is a question that I’d like to say gets easier dealing with over time, but unfortunately, I think it gets even harder the more that you grow. I’ve experienced every sort of criticism and rejection imaginable over the years as a model. People will pick apart every last bit of your appearance right to your face. There’s a sad culture in modeling where models are not always treated as equals in the room, which is still incredibly common and happens to this day. You get used to the remarks and learn to brush them off. You learn that you’re not everyone’s cup of tea and not always what the client is looking for, which is perfectly okay. But online comments from strangers can sometimes hurt in a whole different way. It’s very hard to sit back and watch people comment on your life with zero idea of the context, or without knowing who you are as a person. Clickbait especially can be tough, because people posting it are using you solely for their own personal gain.
I recently had a clickbait video of myself go viral that was taken during this past fashion week. Within 24 hours of the video being post, it had amassed over 11.9 million views. The comments on it were horrific. It was eye-opening to see the level of hatred and judgement that came from so many people, without a second thought as to what they were actually typing. I remember being frozen in bed reading through those comments- it was my first time experiencing hatred on such a high level.
The people that comment are called trolls for a reason. It’s beyond me as to why people take time out of their day to stop and comment something spiteful on a stranger’s post, especially when they don’t understand the context or what they’re even commenting on. Some of the comments are funny, some are so incredibly inaccurate that you laugh, but others are so cruel they can affect you. Trolls can get away with hiding behind a computer screen and saying quite literally whatever they want with zero consequence or regard. But I can tell you one thing, you have to let their comments go too or they’ll consume you. It’s one thing to receive criticism on something objective about yourself (like we do as models all the time), but to receive criticism based on peoples’ misunderstanding of who you are as a person is a whole different level of hurt.
I want to use this opportunity as a reminder to everyone- kindness does not cost a thing. The people you see on social media, on screens in magazines, etc., are real humans too. No one deserves to experience cruelty on that level. Another reminder too that social media is not real life. Not everything that you see is what it appears to be, and it’s definitely not as glamorous as what we make it out to be. Remember that you don’t always know what people are truly going through, and to be kind always.
At the end of the day, you have to know who you are as a person and not let anyone else’s negativity get in the way of that. Hurt people hurt people. Let the trolls keep doing their trolling, let them misunderstand and hate on you; you keep being a good person and winning in every way possible.
Read more celebrity interviews at ClichéMag.com
Model Credits: Maggie Williams
@maggiewilliams_official
Photographer Credits: Alexander Rea
@alexanderreaphoto
