Meet Nienke Jansz

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nienke Jansz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nienke , so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

I think I developed my confidence and self-esteem from getting out of my comfort zone.
I think confidence grows by facing challenges.
I was always very shy growing up, I was never able to say no or disappoint other people, always put other people’s needs before my own needs. But, once i started modelling and traveling solo that’s when I think I gained more of a confidence and trust in myself. I started to acknowledge my strengths, started celebrating my small wins, achieving some of my goals. And I was taking care of my body and my mind by practicing positive self talk. One thing that also helped was to not compare myself with anyone else, this definitely took years but it’s something I don’t really catch myself doing anymore. I like to focus on personal growth rather than perfection.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

My name is Nienke, and I was born and raised in the Netherlands. Growing up in a smaller town, I’ve always been close to my family, who have influenced me with their creativity and musical talents. Music became a big part of my life early on, I started with piano and guitar before discovering my passion for singing. This passion led me to attend the Dutch Pop Academy, a music college in the Netherlands, at 17. I even spent a month studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston, which I loved!

Alongside my passion for music, I’ve always had a strong interest in photography and fashion. In high school, I looked up to models like Doutzen Kroes, which inspired me to try out modeling. I submitted some photos to agencies in the Netherlands, and eventually, a smaller agency signed me. I still remember how excited I was! Soon after, I began traveling to Milan, Istanbul, and eventually London.

After graduating, I made the decision to fully pursue modeling, so I moved to London. It wasn’t easy as it took years to get signed, and during that time, I worked in a restaurant. But in hindsight, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I stayed in London for five years before heading to Cape Town during the pandemic to work with my agency there, as the restrictions were less strict. During that time, I was scouted on Instagram by an agency in Los Angeles, which set off my visa process. A year later, I made the move to LA, and I’ve now been here for three years. It feels surreal to be living something I used to dream of.

Recently I also turned my passion for Matcha into my own brand which is called Matcha Society, where I offer ceremonial-grade matcha powder sourced from Uji, Japan. It’s been an exciting journey, and I can’t wait to see where it goes! It launches end of October!

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 love this question!

I would say resilience, adaptability and self belief/confidence.

Resilience because modeling (and life in general) is full of rejection and obstacles. Whether it was struggling to get signed, or getting rejected at castings, resilience helped me push through tough times. My advice would be that you can develop resilience by accepting setbacks as part of the process and not giving up when things don’t go as planned. And to surround yourself with supportive people who encourage you to keep going.

Adaptability because moving across countries, navigating the industry and even shifting to a new venture with my matcha business now, being adaptable was key. Each place and opportunity required a different mindset and approach.
Embrace the change, even if it’s uncomfortable! You never know what opportunities will come from it! And the more you step out of your comfort zone, the more you’ll grow.

Self-belief because this was probably the hardest but most important quality for me. It took time to truly believe in myself, especially during moments of doubt. When things weren’t going well, holding onto that belief made the difference between quitting and pushing forward, and I had many moments where I could’ve given up but chose not to.
Work on self-belief by consistently reminding yourself of your strengths and why you started in the first place!! Celebrate small wins, surround yourself with positivity, and practice positive self-talk. Even when others doubt you, trusting yourself is so important!

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

I honestly think it’s better to go all in on your strengths. That’s where you can really stand out and make the most impact. It’s not to say you should ignore your weaknesses, but focusing on what you’re naturally good at can help you make faster progress and enjoy the process more!

For me, I realized early on that my strengths were creativity and being comfortable in front of the camera. I leaned into that through modeling and music, and it’s what got me noticed by agencies. There were definitely things I wasn’t as good at, but I found that trying to be great at everything just left me feeling drained. Instead, I focused on what I was good at and let other people help me with the things I struggled with.

For example, when I was first getting into modeling, I spent a lot of time worrying about all the things I wasn’t great at. For example when a client in Milan told me I was “too fat” when I was tiny, I started to doubt myself a little bit. But once I realized that my real strength was my connection with the camera and my creativity, my kindness and my ability to adapt and connect with other people, that’s what I focused on. I started putting my energy into that, and things started to fall into place. I got more confident, and opportunities came from leaning into what made me unique!

That being said, I don’t think you can completely ignore your weaknesses, especially if they’re important for your overall success. Like with my matcha business, I’m super passionate about the product and the brand, but I knew I had to learn enough about business to make it work. I didn’t become an expert, but my passion for it made me want to learn, do my research and ask for advice when needed.

My advice is to focus on your strengths first. That’s where you’ll really thrive. Figure out your weaknesses only when they’re truly important, but don’t try to be great at everything. Put your energy into what comes naturally to you, and don’t hesitate to ask for help if needed.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Andrew Vasquez
Tomila Katsman

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