With IMTA right around the corner, and so many beautiful models, talented performers and agents from around the world coming to New York so soon, it makes sense to talk about "it."



We hear about "it" all the time in this business. What is "it" and why do some have it, while others don't? For me, "it" is a combination of star power and dedication to the industry. And even at age 8, Nathaniel McIntyre has both.



He's done incredible work already on national toy boxes seen at Toys R' Us and huge ad campaigns, most notably, for DKNY. At such a young age, he is talented and modest. It's no wonder that we are bringing him to the IMTA this season for additional exposure only Nijah can give.



Nathaniel will continue to develop with us in this industry, and this year's IMTA will just prove what we already know: when it comes to finding and developing "it", there is no one better than Nijah.

Modeling is like any art-form or any entertainment career: all it takes is a dream. The rest is up to how bad the person wants it. You need a thick skin, passion and the ability to take direction, to succeed in the modeling world. So when I met Frances Ruban, that was all we had to go on, a beautiful--but shy--girl who dreamed of walking the runway.


What set Frances apart was that passion to grow and succeed. She was always willing to learn from Nijah's top team of industry professionals. They developed her personal style, her comfort in auditions, even her walk on the runway. She trusted in Nijah completely, because she knew we shared her dream: make Frances Ruban a model.



With her edgy, trendy style and her confidence at an all-time high, Frances attracts the attention of US and international agents alike. But not even Frances could have predicted that she would explode onto the modeling scene after her development with Nijah. She's since been seen on the cover of major magazines and in spreads, like Seventeen. She was a model on the hit series, "Project Runway" and has worked with Steve Madden. Thanks to one girl's dream and the exposure of Nijah, she is signed with a boutique agency in New York, and looks forward to even bigger things in her career. But being the shy girl is not one of them.

Versatility is one of the most important skills you can have to make it in this industry. A willingness to do adapt whenever you need to stay ahead of the game, and other models. A model or talent that can evolve when the right moment calls for it is highly sought after, and what we look for when scouting. But sometimes you need a team that can identify what needs work, or even how to re-brand yourself when the industry calls for it.



My job is to see what models and talent need to do to get to the next level. When I met Kyra Green, she was 11 and already a tremendous talent. I knew she had it all, and at such a young age! But at age 13, we started looking to re-create her image and her brand for a larger audience, and that's when we began developing her for high-fashion. We had to show a completely different side of her, to an industry that was already familiar with her.


Introducing her as a serious force in the modeling world required the right timing and a lot of trust on her part. If it wasn't for Kyra's confidence in Nijah and her level of talent, I wouldn't have been able to introduce her to one of the largest modeling agencies in the world, IMG. They are the perfect fit for Kyra, as they're geared toward creating a long-lasting career as she approaches adulthood. As a result of her hard work, Kyra can be seen in the April issue of Marie Claire, where she is stunning in a full-page editorial.



She will be a phenom in the industry, and her versatility is a big part of the reason why.

A lot of people talk about luck in the month of March (must be something in the air), but it's also something you hear a lot of in this industry. "She got a big movie deal, she's so lucky!" When people talk about luck, I think they forget how luck goes both ways. When you get an opportunity, you have to be willing to take it. Luck plays a part in everything, but it is a very small part of the story.



Megan Rubio is a beautiful girl who signed with an exclusive New York agency, and you may look at her and say, "She's pretty, she is supposed to be a model," the picture doesn't tell the whole story. Behind Megan, is a person who wanted to break into the industry but didn't know where to begin.



But Megan was scouted by Nijah, and that's where luck kicks in. Lucky that she followed through, and took advantage of the opportunity to work with people who have been in this industry for so many years and have so many industry professional contacts. Megan could have been anywhere the day she was scouted, but she was in the right place at the right time. Our development tools and her hard work paid off. Not only did Megan sign through our placement efforts, but she continues to seek Nijah's guidance as she grows in the industry.

 
Some people say it's about luck, but I think Megan would tell them otherwise.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

In honor of the month of Valentine's, here's a list of some things that I love:

- Seeing raw, undeveloped talent
- The development process
- Watching models/talent achieve their goals
- Building relationships with agents and models
 
There are plenty of things that are unrelated to the development process that I love, but it's really important to love your work. I truly recognize how lucky I am to get to do a job that affects so many. It requires patience and a commitment to the models and talent who want to make their dreams come true.

Andrew Appel has been committed to this process since day one, and we have worked with him for several years, before the modeling world really started to take notice of him. He is an example of that raw, undeveloped talent--they could just take the modeling world by storm if they had the right guidance.



Today, Andrew is signed with Wilhelmina Models, thanks to our placement efforts and our commitment to strengthening his look and his confidence. He is one of the up-and-coming models that I enjoy having the privilege to work with, and now I can watch him succeed. Aside from his dedication to us, Andrew is an example of another part of this industry that is rarely spoken about: the beginning stages for hot talent! Finding a bright, fresh face who doesn't even know what kind of gift they possess, and helping to bring it out of them is a wonderful part of what we do every day.



Andrew is going to continue to do amazing things, because he loves this industry and I do, too.

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's a new year, and while most people make resolutions to improve themselves and change bad habits, I'm in a very lucky position: I've resolved to try and make even more dreams come true in 2011. One of the great talents who I expect to have another great year is Erica Rosen.

Erica was placed with one of the most prestigious agencies in the world, and we continue to develop and remain involved in her career. Erica signed with Elite NY and Ford Paris, thanks to our efforts. As a part of the Nijah family, she was one of our “Model of the Year” winners at IMTA.

I'm confident that this year we can find even more of the fresh, bright faces that we're known for and It's become one of the industry standards: Nijah's commitment to scouting and fostering relationships so that we can place more beautiful models like Erica.

As we prepare for this year's IMTA, we’re already making strides on how to surpass all of the benchmarks we set in 2010. I continue to be impressed by our scouting, our industry professional contacts and our team, who make Nijah the premier development center year-after-year.

Have a Happy New Year!

I was filled with holiday cheer when I saw one of the Nijah girls, Emma Ostilly, on Aeropostale's website and stores for their 2010 holiday campaign. Emma is a young model who was placed by with Wilhelmina Models NY and LA through Nijah's continued development efforts.

Emma's career got off to a quick start when she attended IMTA and it was there that Elite Paris fell in love with her. Elite Paris chose her to represent North America in the “Elite Model Look World,” and she was able to experience the international side of the industry early on in her career. She competed in Hong Kong and toured China all before she turned 16, and we remain continually involved in her development and placement all over the world.

Emma is another example of how Nijah's development can have a significant impact on a model's career. I hope that you all get what you wish for this holiday season.

I am especially thankful for the talented team of people I work with every day. Together we share the challenges and successes of this fickle industry; from supporting and developing the models and talent, to introducing them to the agents and agencies that can make their dreams happen.

One of our Nijah models, Katie Floyd, is a young model who had those goals like everyone else when she was scouted at a local mall. However, like many young models and actors, she wasn't sure how to make it happen.

At Nijah, we have helped rejected models, actors without headshots and talented children who had never performed in front of audience. With the right guidance, they were all able to pursue endless possibilities in the entertainment industry. Like Katie, she now knows the key to success is to surround yourself with the right people, and because of our great industry professional relationships, Katie was placed by Nijah with top New York agency, Elite.

From our terrific scouting to our team of photographers, I have a lot to be thankful for. Nijah sees the potential of models and actors even before they can! We are so thankful for everyone who continues to trust us every day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A large part of my job here as Creative Director is developing our models and talent. When assisting the talent, my goal is to do whatever I can so that models and talent reach their personal aspirations. As I look forward to 2011 IMTA and begin our search for the talent, we are always trying to meet the high expectations that Nijah is known for. There's definitely a reason why agents continue to look to us as a leader in model and talent development.

Nijah makes a tremendous effort to ensure there are success stories like Cameron Ocasio. His success proves the value of development in this industry.

Michael Fulfree Update!

With several offices in such close proximity to New York and some of the biggest, most exclusive modeling and talent agencies in the world, it's no wonder that we are able to continue making great placements for our models and talent. Our location also gives us an advantage during this time of year: New York Fashion Week. While others think of the glitz, glamour and trends, I think of the many lives that are going to change because of Nijah's development and placement. The thrill of so many of our young models walking the catwalk for the first time is amazing! Many of the models that walked through our doors are going to be walking for major fashion houses, and it makes me very excited about the future.

Michael Fulfree is one of those models who Nijah developed into a star. From Esquire to German GQ, Michael walked twelve shows in his first year as a model after he was placed with Next Models and Major in Milan.

Michael attended Men's Fashion Week in Milan and had the privilege of walking for the late Alexander McQueen. He wore looks from the F/W 2009/2010 collection.

New York summers aren't nearly as hot as the models and talent we see coming into Nijah headquarters this month! Nijah alum Sibylla Deen was recently seen on Season 3 of the CW's hit TV series, Gossip Girl. Hailing from "the land down under," Sibylla is a multiple-time IMTA Award winner, including the prestigious “Actress of the Year.” It was due to the exposure that she received through Nijah, that she was able to pursue many editorial and commercial opportunities, including acting.

Nijah provides so many tailored services that models and talent can use in various stages of their career. Sibylla is a great example; she began modeling at 15. Now at 26, she is a dancer, model and actress. Sibylla has also spent some time sharing her knowledge with young models trying to break into the industry.

What we can learn from her is how much hard work pays off, and how vital development is for any part of this industry. Sibylla's career was a learning process, and what made her easy to work with, and made agents excited to work with her, was that she never lost sight of her goals, and she always tried to be a better actress or model. Sibylla said it best about Nijah, "With thousands of agents, managers and directors looking for the 'next big thing,' receiving a contract comes down to: natural abilities and a sheer commitment to being the strongest talent. Nijah Development makes sure it is you that stands out and shines. "



As Sibylla's star continues to get hotter, we're keeping the talent cool by guiding them every step of the way!

Zhanna on Project Runway!

It's been a great summer for us here and one of the reasons for that is our awesome talent pool. We're very proud of everything they've accomplished thus far, and we expect great things from them in the future. When we share our talent with the agents and directors from all over the world, it not only helps our relationships with new and unsigned models and talent, but with the agencies, who know they can continue to rely on us for all of their needs. Getting to see the agents and directors react to our talent first-hand and continuing to build relationships, face-to-face, especially with our international agents, is an important part of what I do.

One person we're extremely proud of is Zhanna Ved, who thru our efforts was placed with Wilhelmina and can be seen on this season of Project Runway.

Zhanna began modeling at 15, but it wasn't until she began with Nijah, that her career began moving in the direction she wanted it to go.

My first web log (Blog)

[Welcome to Nijah's weblog]

We're a part of the industry that very few see, and witnessing a talent develop is a gift.

This is my favorite time of the year. All of the hard work, dedication and effort of so many will be on display next week. The International Modeling and Talent Association's New York event will be held on July 25th through the 31st.

Every year I see a diverse set of talent, but this group is so innately special. They made amazing progress and I'm very proud to act on their behalf. I'm looking forward to their performances at the IMTA. I already knew what they were capable of, but to watch the rest of the industry discover what Nijah/New Faces is all about is always amazing. Every year, it becomes more evident: we create stars.

The IMTA brings agents, casting directors, music producers and network representatives from all over the world in search of the hottest new talent, and I know we have them. In the past, this event has been a catapult for so many of today's biggest stars, and that's why we present the opportunity to the best. All of them have so much promise, and it will be a life-altering experience.

I can't do this alone. In this business, it's about two things: your talent and your team.

So many people are instrumental in the development of a young star. Without the people working with the models and entertainers, the opportunity to chase their dreams would not exist. All of the staff share my commitment to working hard and putting the talent's success first. As busy as I get, I never lose sight of how fulfilling this job is, and the people that I work with are an integral part of that.

Pursuing a modeling or entertainment career isn't easy, but the knowledge and experience gained  outweigh the sacrifices. This group knew that it would be a long and hard road, but the competitions, interviews, seminars and workshops only strengthen them. Making it as far as they have is a testament to their desire and their abilities, and at the IMTA, our young stars will shine bright.

I love what I do, and now you know why.