Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ronald Atkinson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ronald , thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?
You have to be very optimistic about things, life, as well as having a broad mind. Sometimes it requires using your imagination. If you can think it, dream it, and see it play out, chances are it will all work out if you continue to try. Nothing will happen unless you use the tools and resources to execute the mission. I’ve always been an optimistic person with optimistic views. Though people around you don’t often see your vision, or they may think you have high expectations on things, it’s okay. They’re not always at that level. In many cases, many are too comfortable with being comfortable and don’t want to push themselves. Sometimes, people don’t want to push themselves out of fear of what others might think about them. Though that can be true, you may not know what doors could open that lie ahead. I’ve had many moments in life where I had many visions but nowhere to go. But in this profession, you simply can’t let life pass you by. I guess it started in college, to be honest. Life may throw things at you, but you can’t let them shoot pass you. I knew I’ve always wanted to pursue the entertainment industry, but it’s not all an easy road as many people would think. Many believe that the business is like a handout. It’s not. You actually have to work for it. Just like any other model, musician, actor, artist, or actress. Your craft is your craft that evolves over time. If you keep doing that, you may never know what opportunities lie ahead. Steve Harvey even said that you have to “Jump” and I wholeheartedly agree with him. Like the saying goes, faith without works is dead. You can’t always sit and wish for something to happen without a plan or a strategic goal. I would often sit in theatre castings, waiting for my time to audition. In some cases, I would never do my homework by preparing for it. I would just go with the flow. I say that because I’ve always believed that you shouldn’t have to “act” the character, or “a” character, but let the character consume you. I was told by a co-star that the minute you get out of your car, you are immediately auditioning. How you walk, talk, present yourself, along with verbal and non-verbal communication, is what many casting panels see. It’s what they see in you as a person that matters most over what they see outside of you trying to get a part. Because I’ve felt more comfortable in myself, I would continue to express that in each of my theatrical auditions. When I graduated high school and moved on to Kansas State, it was the same process but without trying to win an audition in a casting room. It’s more so trying to win an audition for life itself. There are two things one must have in order to take risk. Maybe even three. Faith, confidence, and optimism. You have to believe in yourself, and who you are as a person. You have to know your worth, and also live your truth. Be true to yourself, and always uphold yourself to be true to your word. Never lie or be deceitful. What defines your character. Faith operates by believing in something that hasn’t been fully established, or manifested. Faith grounds you to believe that there is a spiritual force on your side to guide and protect you each and every step, and the ability to overcome things on your own. Confidence shows that you’re able to carry yourself without the ability to seem timid or living in fear. It’s also truly important to have role models. When we think of role models, we often think about famous figures who are leaders. But what about the role models that we know and see every day? What is the magic they have that can win people and drive an influence? These are the things that drive and motivate me to take risks, and still to this day, I often live by. Flash forwarding to how I got my start into this industry alone, and yet I’m still navigating and learning the ropes. An ad popped up on my Facebook while I was in my first year of teaching. It said “Audition in front of casting directors, managers, and agents.” Thinking it was all a scam, I kept ignoring it because it sounded way too good to be true. But day after day, the ad kept popping up. Long story short, I decided the day before that I was going to check and see what this was bout. I landed myself in a Holiday Inn just a few blocks away from my apartment, and in the room was filled with children, teens, and adults waiting to audition for a chance to perform at showcase in Orlando, Florida. Not knowing what I was doing, I knew I could pull something from a show I’ve done long ago. The King and I. I was asked what did I do for a living, and I said I was a music teacher. I’m not a singer, yet as a music teacher, they said “sing us something.” With confidence, I sung Oklahoma. Since then, that’s when I knew that in this industry, people want to see what you got to offer. With that audition, I was able to express my confidence, faith, and was optimistic because it aligned with my career goals to help me move forward. And that was the time where I took my big step forward, which I call it, the beginning of the biggest risk I ever took.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I have been modeling since 2018, both off and on professionally and freelancing. I do also act and have experience in plays and commercials, but recently, I’ve enjoyed spending time in the modeling side of my career a lot more, and I think it’s one of many jobs where it keeps me on my toes 24/7. I never knew I would venture into this profession, let alone aspired to be in this profession. Although, I will say that at one point in time, my parents considered using me as a baby model for baby ads and print shoots. I can’t confirm nor deny how much of that is true, or if it was just a thought, but it’s one of the things they told me just recently when I was getting my start. Born in Germany, I come from a small town of Junction City, Kansas where my dad was in the military stationed out in Fort Riley, Home of the Big Red One! Kansas State University was where I ended up choosing to go to college, so the rest of course is history. In the summer of 2018 I was invited to perform at the ARTS International showcase in Orlando. At the time, I was only focused on the acting side of things because I knew it was what I aspired to be. I didn’t care if it was television, movies, commercials, or Broadway, I just wanted to act. But after I left, something just felt odd within my mind and spirit. What is it that most industry professionals look for? How do you stand out amongst the crowd? What is it that others have that I don’t have? It’s these questions that came to my mind. I will admit, because I was narrow minded at the time, I wasn’t thinking too broadly. There were some opportunities that presented themselves yet I blocked my own blessings because I was scared to take or accept the offers because I was too comfortable at what I was doing. I was either too busy living in the moment yet scared to venture off outside of Kansas in a quick jump. When I got back home to Kansas, I submitted all of my applications to various agencies in Florida, Texas, California, Ohio, and New York, not getting a callback from any of them. Yet, I didn’t know that there were agencies in my own backyard here in Kansas City. As small as this market may seem, it’s still a foot in the door, so I pursued the opportunity. I signed on with Hoffman International in 2019, and began by taking modeling and professional development courses throughout the year. We weren’t just taught modeling and photography, but how we carry ourselves as a person with confidence. Utilizing the tools and techniques that will excel us in the real world, and within the industry. Though I have been modeling since 2018, it really wasn’t until 2020 when I started to get serious with it as a whole. Because of COVID, everything came to a halt. Once COVID was over, I had to take a good look at myself and my goals, and I had to re-learn my fitness routines, eating habits, lifestyle, all to get me to where I needed to be. By 2023, more opportunities came, and that’s when I said, I’m going for it, and I’m going all in. And that’s when things really started to take off. This industry has evolved drastically overtime. You have to be able to adapt to new ways, change, and so on. Now, it requires more work. Sometimes harder, sometimes easier, and sometimes smarter. It’s easy to submit for castings and take photos, but you have to know how to network, create, and build a craft on your own skills or learning new skills.
In this profession as a model, I’ve learned that you can’t be too conservative in your creativity. A lot of people think a model should be a tall and thin mannequin for runways and magazines. Though for a lot of people, it’s the ultimate goal, and yes in terms of a model, that’s partially true. But what many don’t realize, is that a model is also a human, creator, artist, business person, fashion expert, and also a story teller. Sometimes, it’s going to require pushing yourself beyond your limits. It requires showcasing the true meaning of beauty. I know for myself, I didn’t want to be or feel average, or model in something that could be used as stock footage and people would forget about it. Why? It didn’t seem to fit my worth and goals. I wanted to inspire others the same way I was inspired when I first started out. Many of my modeling friends were also inspirations, and I knew they inspired me to just go for it. And yes, it’s going to require a lot of skill, time, and development in the process. Here in Kansas City, we have a lot of well-known models in which some I even went to high school with. Many of us are in different networking groups with various photographers, and we would often meet together and shoot. My first shoot was a Tim-Burton inspired themed shoot. This allowed me to get to know other photographers, videographers, and collaborate with other models. After that, it just builds from there. Each month, we all would have different days to shoot various styles of clothing, themes, anything, and it gives us the ability to not just network, but be comfortable, safe, and explore our limits with what we can showcase in the industry. It was also great for photographers to improve their skills. For a lot of us, we would often participate in fashion shows, cosplay events, fashion parties, or anything where models can showcase the ability to gain higher momentum. And because of all of this going on, it’s having me to find ways to become more of an entrepreneur mindset. This also led me into knowing how to utilize social media and being able to find ways of making content.
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 truly love this question because I can actually spend hours going into detail, but I’m not. Other than faith, confidence, and optimism, I think some really good qualities that everyone should have, and even I had, was motivation, inspiration, and probably even discipline. I think it’s what drives you to be persistent as well as consistent. There are a lot of pros and cons that you have to endure as a model, and even I had to as well, and there are a lot of misconceptions that people outside of the industry assume and don’t often know the facts. I know for myself, I had to start somewhere. First was to improve my body and become more athletic, so I had to train to eat right, and also look right. Working out was a must. It was hard and tiring, but I had to do it. Also, part of that, was doing my own research. This is where I was always inspired and motivated most throughout this journey. It was not just figuring out the industry as a whole in the world of fashion, but hearing from the voices and minds of the models themselves while relating to them with a human connection and not a “celebrity” connection. What were their thoughts, ideas, frustrations, secrets, and struggles? How are they coping their skills while still working in the industry? What kept them going? What motivated them to go further? It’s those things I wanted to gain in-sight from. Their voices left me inspired. So in general, always do your research, first and foremost, and always meet with others who are in the industry to gain insight on a lot of information. There are also sacrifices that models have to give-up, and even I had to learn those sacrifices myself. There are actually around twenty-five sacrifices that we all face, but a few to mention is that you will have to sacrifice normal eating habits and change them into healthy eating habits. Another is learning to face criticism. You are going to fail over time, and you will get used to facing rejection. Many that I know face body dysmorphia, and that’s also quite common. These are things that some we take personal, but sometimes we can’t it take it personal because “it’s business.” That doesn’t make you a failure at anything, but a way to have a different perspective or a shift. Though there are twenty-five sacrifices, you can always turn things around that will elevate and help you, such as tracking your goals in a journal. Planning out your future. Seeing what works and what didn’t work. I knew I had to change my mindset, and some of it doesn’t all apply to modeling or acting, but me as a person in general. For example, how can I improve mentally, spiritually, physically, financially, and also my relationships with other people? Those I have to meditate on. And while we’re on this topic, people don’t realize that this industry is forever evolving and changing, even though some don’t want that to be the case. We’re starting to see more inclusion, diversity, and learning to accept all body types, sizes, and imperfections. Therefore, if you were to think about it, you could also serve as an inspiration to someone else if you stood out and someone noticed that you looked like them. As an African-American, this is what I was going for. How can I stand out and be different, while being someone else’s inspiration and motivation? Again, too often there are a lot of misconceptions about this industry. You don’t have to be tall and thin to model, but you do have to have to be some sort of fit. You have to have appeal, and sometimes even sex appeal. You have to have confidence. You also have to have solid photo presence. It’s more than just posing in front of a camera, but it’s how you present yourself to the viewer and the story you’re trying to tell. It’s also the clothing you’re wearing that you’re trying to sell. For some, it’s the photographer’s art and magic that’s being recognized. It’s also capturing creative moments. It’s about the lighting and exposure. Perhaps even the scenery and background. There’s a lot that goes in, so there are many ways that modeling represents all forms of creativity. People often think modeling is pornographic, when in most cases, it’s not. There is always something for someone, and you can model in various ways such as high fashion, commercial, fitness, runway, glamour, bikini, body parts, mature, cosplay, petite, promotional, editorial, fashion, print, stock, alt, hair, adult, boudoir, lingerie, you name it. There is always something for everyone. So if you want to get in this industry, I’m sure you will excel if you allow yourself to be open and comfortable in your skin. The last skill that I want to leave with, is how to think like an entrepreneur. I’m not saying you have to have the mind of a shark, although eventually you will. But when you’re starting out, you have to learn how to market yourself. Since social media has evolved over time, it’s one of the few growth tools you will need. You can use it to build your brand, portfolio, and network with other people. When doing all of this, you have to learn how to get creative in the digital world of content creation. How to make videos, reels, quality photos and other marketing accessories that will benefit you. Growing a following and engaging your audience to stay connected will help you build the community of your desire. This is where others will see your work. You also have to know who the right people you can connect and talk to, whether it’s a fashion designer or an agent. It’s how you sell yourself. I think often times, some creators have “content creator teams” and some work alone by applying the skills of photography and filming on their equipment. Which also leads into learning how to edit. You also have to think about how to budget, and financially support yourself. A lot of models may be a model, but they also learn to get experience on building brands, websites, having partnerships with various businesses, or speak at different organizations and charity events.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
There’s a saying that goes, it’s not what you know, but who you know. And I would often give credit to the people who have pushed me growing up. Parents, teachers, former directors, etc… you name it. Though I would give them credit, I think to further the credit, it would also go to those who I’ve gotten a chance to work with in this industry and profession. Kim Myers was the head honcho of her talent agency and team, Applause Rising Talent. It was there where I met Brooke Smith who was one of the talent scouts. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have gone to the showcase in 2018. So many people who I gotten a chance to work with such as Chris Shields, a professional dancer as well as my coach at the time during that process. Lawrence Moore, our fashion and runway coach. Kim Hoffman, my agent who pushed me to be better at my craft and always improve. With that, comes how to improve my nutrition and better my lifestyle. The staff at Hoffman International, Collette Waters, Perry Golden, Val Kaiser, Cara Price, Patti Gehring. Heather Laird of Wright-Laird Castings. Wendy Buono and Vicki Evans, my current agents. I mean The list can go on and on. And I know I have a lot more to name, but though these are some of the people who has helped me get my foot in the door and helped developed my qualities and knowledge, I still say that it’s the inspiration of my model friends that allowed me to step back and just go for it. It’s also the countless hours of watching YouTube videos of their stories, and seeing how many utilize their skills and seeing how I can implement that in my daily goals and habits. It also takes physical strength, so my trainers at 9Round, Tim, Melissa, Adam, Steven, Cole, Nelson, Selvin, The McCade Twins, and any others I worked with, I’ve learned to overcome my strength and ability in my athleticism. Also, to the photographers I worked with in the past, all of those in Kansas City, and Jae Feinberg of Los Angelas, and Eye Model Management of Tennessee. Without the ability of networking and the models that are encouraging, they helped me out all of the qualities I need to know to the test.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @RonaldAtkinson9
- Facebook: Facebook.com/RonaldAtkinsonJr
- Twitter: @RonaldAtkinson9
Image Credits
Photo Credits: Jae Feinberg – Jae Feinberg Photography. Fairlight Hubbard and Amy Phillips of Eye Model Management. Tusch of Adventure and Travel Photorgaphy and owner of Feni Foto. Ronald Atkinson Jr.
