Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Valentina.
Andrea, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My modeling journey began through pageants in 2017. I competed in the Miss Houston Venezuela pageant in 2017 and later on in the Modelo Latina 2018 pageant, where I won the first place title. Shortly after winning the title and creating content with the organization, I began to receive lots of opportunities for photoshoots. Modeling was my passion but since I was still in high school, modeling was more of a hobby and I had never really built the courage to go to a runway casting because I was afraid of being turned down. But eventually, once I was in college, I decided I would take my leap of faith and just go to the casting call for Millennial Merch Fashion Show in July. I was extremely nervous but soon enough I received the news that I had made it into the show and from there on I began casting for every show I could and so far I’ve made it into all of them. But of course, to get to where I am, all it took was jumping to the other side of fear and hustling to be the best I can be. Its definitely been a crazy ride but I’m very grateful for every opportunity and I take modeling very seriously now and hope to make it into my full-time career someday.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The path has definitely been rocky and it continues to be but I think that’s what makes it so exciting. You never know what will happen next in life but the key is to continue to do good even when things are bad. I struggled a lot before I decided to do runway because I would dwell on the thought that I was not small enough or tall enough but once I decided to step out of my comfort zone, I found a new confidence and burning passion within me that was dying to come out. My advice for other women would honestly be to be confident in yourself and be kind to each other. When you love yourself, nothing and no one can touch you and when you’re kind to others, the universe will bring it back to you. Don’t be afraid to show your support for other models and share opportunities with others because there is plenty of room for everyone to eat and God will continue to bless those who share their blessings with others.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into your business story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a model and I refuse to limit myself to only one area or style of modeling. I love everything from fashion print to runway to beauty and I believe that being a versatile model is essential when you work in an industry that’s constantly changing. Besides being a fashion model, I’m also a pageant coach for the agency that I represented in 2018, Modelo Latina. I currently work teaching the girls in the Miss 15 pageant and I love teaching them in the areas of communication, runway, image, and my personal favorite, self-love. Pageants were the place where I started my journey in and it will always be special to me. I believe the thing I am most proud of is that through the experience I gain and the opportunities I get, I help others get into the world of modeling and I can help them build their confidence and love for the job.
Do you have a lesson or advice you’d like to share with young women just starting out?
The most important piece of advice is know your worth and love yourself. It’s very difficult to move forward in an industry where everyone is watching you and most of the time judging you if you’re not comfortable with yourself. Once I overcame my insecurities, I became a new person. And I may walk into a casting and be the shortest person in the room but I will make sure they see me. And as far as knowing your worth, dont allow anyone to tell you that you’re not good enough. Be able to walk into a room without comparing yourself to others and hustle super hard for the things you want. A lot of times, we need to give up what we want for what we REALLY want so keep your priorities in line and work hard.
Contact Info:
- Email: andreapulgar15@gmail.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/andreaxvalentina
Image Credit:
Instagram: @maja_look @almenares00 @mymemoirphotography @docteja @emiliano_gallardo @aj_visual_photography @theallygreen
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