New Faces and Talent

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing you to inquire about a modeling company called:

New Faces and Talent
169 Monroe, 2nd floor, Suite 252
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

(616) 301-1448

The owner of the company is Amanda Cook.

I went in for an interview at their office. The owner seemed really young to own a modeling agency.

They wanted a lot of money up front for a portfolio. They said that was the only way I could get work. They have not been in business very long. 

What advice would you give me? Is this company another scam or is it real?

Thank You, 

J.M.

J.,

If you are going to hire an agent, you need to interview her. You don't work for an agent; the agent works for you.

She said you need an expensive portfolio; you should ask to see her 'portfolio,' where her portfolio is the list of people she has landed work and their clients, and how much the models earned.

There is nothing wrong with being young and running an agency if you are getting models work. Does she have lots of contacts? Did she previously work as a booker at an agency? Or is she going into this cold?

In smaller markets (Grand Rapids would have to qualify), where there is relatively little work, agencies are more tempted to push expensive portfolios, because they can't get models work, or can't get them much work.

In smaller markets, therefore, you really don't want to spend much on photos; otherwise, you end up spending more for pictures than you make in modeling, and never break even.

A new model hooking up with a new agency is risky if both don't really know what they are doing.