We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chanelle “ModelBoss” Renee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chanelle “ModelBoss” below.
Chanelle “ModelBoss”, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from a lot of trail and error, making mistakes and also my growing faith in God. I went through a period of time where I questioned myself. I questioned my purpose and my next steps. Often times as a creative, it’s easy to get lost in your own thoughts. It’s also easy to go down the track of being used for your gifts, but not having a reciprocal relationship or balance. I had to overcome this by removing myself from those situations that are not equally yoked, so that I can remind myself of my purpose and gaining traction towards my goals. I also gained my resilience from isolation, prayer and meditation which are powerful tools.
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?
I am a multi-faceted model & creative; I started my professional career both on set and behind the scenes, simultaneously. I work professionally as a commercial / print model, and have done gigs with Nike, Target, Kay Jewelers, and music videos with DJ Khaled, Justin Bieber, Christ Brown and Maroon 5. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, I created a modeling and fashion organization called “The Chanelle Renee Project” in my home city of Jackson, Mississippi – in which I provided coaching and training courses for those interested in getting into the modeling fields. The CRP originated in 2011, with the goal to mentor and provide a sense of community amongst creatives. My proudest accomplishments with The CRP are hosting model bootcamp courses and fashion networking mixers. In 2020-2022, my model coaching students in Los Angeles went on to achieve consecutive titles of “Model of the Year”, and “Best Runway” in several modeling categories at the International Model and Talent Association. Today, I am proudly a first generation, black female entrepreneur and owner of Modelshop, a creative & social media agency.
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?
I believe the three skills that were most impactful to me are: faith, persistency and being open to multiple roles in life. Without these three things, I do not believe I would have had the perseverance to continue doing what I love. I believe it is important to open yourself to many possibilities if you are not sure exactly which route to take, instead of being stuck on one idea of how things should go.. I worked in many different fields in a short period of time to gain experience and knowledge. For instance, I was a social media manager for a celebrity client, worked as a freelance graphic designer, produced and coordinated events for a company in Culver City, worked as a model coordinator for many fashion shows and runway coach, was a creative director for a photography studio, casting director for television and even a Runway Director for an agency. All of this lead me to create my own full service creative and social media agency. Without being open to experience many different titles and positions, I would not have gained the expertise, knowledge or confidence to create a company of my own.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
I love gaining knowledge and sharing knowledge that can be helpful for the advancement of personal growth. The book that I’ve had for a while and decided to re-read is “The Last Arrow – Save nothing for the next life” by Pastor Erwin Raphael McManus. In this book, he speaks about striking “the last arrow” until nothing is left… giving your all in this lifetime and not being left behind in your goals. It is a very motivational book, especially when you’re feeling lost, confused with your direction or stagnant. Quote – “Decide ahead of time, do not allow yourself to be paralyzed in the moment of indecision; know what you are about; know what your life is given to; know what matters to you and always more forward in that direction.” Another book that I picked up this year which is free to us all is the Bible. I have learned a lot about God’s character, his love, and passion for his creation. It has helped me gain sense of my “why”, and realigned me with my true life’s purpose. I’ve also learned to not give into fear, and to put all of my concerns on God. We are not in this alone.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chanellerenee.com
- Instagram: @ChanelleRenee
- Other: Tiktok @ChanelleModelBoss
Image Credits
Freddy Ortiz
