We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lilly Anderson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Lilly with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I believe my work ethic comes from many things. Ever since I was young, I wanted to work; to be able to provide for myself. I’m the oldest of three girls, so I felt like I learned a lot about being a provider and keeping a stable and functional environment alive around me. I remember thinking of the ways I could make money as a kid. Lemonade stands, walking dogs, babysitting, etc. I ended up babysitting, and spending the first hard earned dollars I got on Kat Van D makeup. I was shocked to find out what little $100 actually gets you, and, this was a decade ago. I got my first official job at Chipotle a week before I turned 16 and have basically been working as much as I could since. I love being able to get a job done and do it the right way. I am very particular in my ways and have found such freedom in my work life after starting my own business. I love achieving things not only for myself but for the people I get to work with. I get such joy and satisfaction seeing how I can help people transform into the best version of themselves. I have a passion for the art and the creativity, and being able to share that with people is such a blessing, sometimes I forget it’s a job. I feel like the harder and smarter I work, the more amazing opportunities are presented to me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
As a full time freelance hair and makeup artist, I do quite a few different styles of work for many different things. Models, actors, runway shows, headshots, brides, pageants, cheerleaders, airbrush, special FX, you name it. Every day is fresh and exciting with the promise of something new. With so many amazingly different people to work with, it’s an industry you can never get bored in. This week I flew to Houston to do hair for a Louis Vuitton shown and then did two modeling photoshoots the next morning, as well as other things such as bridal trials and weddings throughout the week. I love being able to challenge myself and see how diverse I can be with my work as an artist. It’s always great to be able to learn new things. More recently, I have been on a journey of sharing what I’ve learned within the industry with those around me. I know when I first started, I would have loved to have an outline of how things worked, and that’s exactly what I’ve created. “How to get started in the modeling industry; and actually succeed,” is a program that teaches you everything you need to know in order to break into the industry well educated to avoid years of mistakes from misinformation. I teach models and parents everything from, “What are digitals and how do I take them?” to facial posing and body posing tutorials. My goal is that this will inform new talent step by step how to become a successful model, without the haste of trying to figure it all out on your own. Take it from someone that lives and breathes it!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Being a successful artist is about more than just the ability to create beautiful or meaningful art. It takes marketing, it takes people skills, and it takes persistence. This industry can tend to be about who you know, so the ability to network and advertise your business is crucial. One can be amazingly talented, but what good does it do for them career-wise if nobody knows? It’s important to get to know the people in your industry. It’s a smaller world than we think it is. I see clients that I met in Texas later on in New York, and I see people I met in California later in Paris. Having a community around you of likeminded individuals not only gives you more experience, but it helps more people find your work. I think networking is a big part of starting on this career path. You can’t do it alone, and you can’t give up. There’s a lot of people competing for the best work in this world, and things won’t always be easy breezy. Developing tough skin can help you be resilient through they good and the bad. At the end of the day it really is all a journey. Enjoy the process of growing, and your career will blossom in no time.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I am lucky enough to consistently work with photographer SheaAnne, a woman who’s been in the industry for over 20 years, going from a model, to a booker, to now being a top LA kids headshot photographer. She’s worked all over the world with all types of talent and brands, including the likes of Jenna Ortega, Emily Ratajkowski, JLo, Speedo, etc. I have been doing hair and makeup for her photoshoots for almost three years now. Her knowledge of the industry has taught me so much about how things work not just here in Texas, but in other central hubs like NY and LA. Working with her was a learning curve, and I had to adapt to the requests of each individual agency and client, making sure I was producing the appropriate outcome for what was being done. This, again, is a range of work, from modeling photoshoots for a 5 year old, to pageant headshots, to working with cheerleaders. I’ve learned so much about different standards, places preferences, acting vs modeling, lighting, what to look for to fix on set, etc. Working with Shea has shown me a lot about the things I need to be successful. We travel together, taking on long days and large projects together. However, teamwork makes the dream work, and we always capture amazing results. I am grateful for people in the industry that help spread their knowledge for those up and coming. I’ve gained so much knowledge from so many people, but working with Shea has especially been a career changing experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.looksbylilly.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/lillianandersonmua
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@looksbylilly?si=0tSn7nAKMabmJeSd
- Other: https://looksbylilly.com/paid-course/
Image Credits
Adriane Lopez Agnez Shea Anne
