The modeling world is rapidly changing. At one time, all it took was a pretty face and being a sample size to clinch agency representation. Now, the industry is such that you have to bring much more to the table —- personality, diversity, and authenticity.
Lisa Phillips, a former Ford model and current modeling scout from LA, has made a career out of helping aspiring models tap into their authentic selves. She has taken her experience in the industry and developed a set of strategies that help models break into an industry that has significantly changed since Phillips was walking catwalks in Europe.
“I started in the industry when models were expected to conform to a specific standard: tall and slender,” Phillips explains. “Now, models have the power to shape their own reality through distinctive branding on social media. There’s greater acceptance of diverse body types, and the possibilities are nearly limitless.”
By leveraging the power of the personal brand, Phillips is helping aspiring models uncover unique strengths and personalities that will help them get ahead in an industry embracing diversity and inclusion more than ever before.
Getting personal and getting signed
“There was a time when model scouts were on the lookout for the leggy 16-year-old at the mall, but that’s not what the agencies are looking for now,” says Phillips. Today, top designers hire models with different looks, abilities, and ethnic backgrounds. In this wildly diverse industry, upstart models have to work harder to set themselves apart from the crowd. This is where Phillips comes in.
“Many young models are just figuring out who they are and what they want out of their careers,” says Phillips. “My goal is to help mentor and guide them in creating their personal brand.”
Through her eCourse #GetSignedModelMastery, Phillips uses her knowledge of today’s social-media-driven environment to guide aspiring models in how to be innovators. Using a comprehensive five-step program, #GetSignedModelMastery helps models learn how to get signed by a real agency, get consistent bookings, and attract top international agencies that can lead to walking the runways for the biggest fashion houses. Her ultimate goal is to help new models be taken seriously. Thus far, she’s placed hundreds of models with agencies all over the world. She is also consistently tuned in to what the agencies want, even as it evolves.
“I help people discover what kind of model they are,” says Phillips. She digs deeper than just a “pretty face” to unveil a person’s special sauce, then leads them through developing their personal brand around their unique skills and attributes.
In addition to branding direction, Phillips helps aspiring models tidy up their portfolios, create high-level digitals and videos, and create targeted submissions that get results.
A guide for the new world of modeling
Gone are the days of models that all look and act the same. Today’s modeling world is more accepting of diversity than ever before and demands that personality and unique skills shine through. “You can’t stand out today without knowing who you are,” says Phillips. It’s an approach that Phillips has honed after more than two decades in the industry. She has witnessed more than her fair share of changes and challenges. When working as a young model with the Ford agency, she told modeling industry legend Eileen Ford that she was going to be the best scout in the industry. Ford cautioned her never to compromise her integrity, and Phillips believes she has heeded that advice. It has guided her as she’s worked for other scouts and gets out on her own.
In addition to mentoring and guiding new models, Phillips is a staunch advocate for safety within the entertainment industry. As the industry becomes more diverse and accepting, Phillips believes there needs to be better safety nets for vulnerable young people trying to make it in what can still be a very tough — and sometimes harmful — environment. She has recently created an advocacy-focused podcast that will debut soon and has spoken out about abuses she experienced during her modeling career.
From modeling for some of the biggest names in fashion to teaching new models how to tap into their authentic branding power, Phillips feels her career is coming full circle. “It’s a really tough business, but what I do is extremely rewarding,” Phillips says. “I know I have the power to change a young person’s life, and that’s incredible.”