We recently connected with Zaniya Barnett and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Zaniya, thanks for joining us today. Often outsiders look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight. Even media and especially movies love to gloss over nitty, gritty details that went into that middle phase of your business – after you started but before you got to where you are today. In our experience, overnight success is usually the result of years of hard work laying the foundation for success, but unfortunately, it’s exactly this part of the story that most of the media ignores. Can you talk to us about your scaling up story – what are some of the nitty, gritty details folks should know about?

I love this question for the main fact that I stress the importance of this all the time. Currently I am my own team. I do all my planning, booking, advertisement , clothes, travel, etc… A lot of girls can take pictures but most don’t realize the depths of what that means in real life! Faith is 60% of the journey, while the dedication, studying, and final execution is the other 40%! Both a failing grade without the other. How I did it? Well, I studied my resources and used them to the best of abilities.

Most see the red curtain but forget about what’s behind it. It’s a madhouse back there but the show must always go on! I can’t stress this enough, modeling goes far beyond just taking some pictures. The mental strength, willingness, sacrifices, money, dedication and so much more. My best advice to anyone wanting to start is to start with yourself. Love yourself past any doubt and fear . It will only hold you back in the end. Just do it! Start and see where it goes, you might get better at it than you think.

Zaniya, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I like to consider myself as an artistic entrepreneur. Although I sell paintings from time to time, I’m focusing more on my modeling. I love the idea of bringing two or more gifted minds together to create a unique piece. The inspiration others bring me always shape me for the better and that’s all I hope to bring to whomever I work with. Inspiration can take you the furthest if you know how to accept it. That’s something I’m most proud of learning, the ability to accept new ideas and utilizing them to the best of my knowledge . I’ve always loved the thought of modeling but I would have never thought 5 years ago I would actually be studying the depths of it.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Something I’ve noticed that’s helped me a lot with growing my clientele is learning about the depths of times. Finding out the best times to post and using it to my advantage has helped greatly. Believe it or not it, time makes a difference! You posting at the wrong time can literally make or break your content charts. That along with consistency will definitely help you grow your business views up a wall. The two make a powerful duo.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I would definitely say to not judge oneself too harshly. I had always been the type in school to be really hard on myself. When I was really involved in my sports and honors/AP classes, that’s all I could ever think about. It would eat me up alive if I didn’t get something right the first time around. Bothered me to the core while also triggering a different type of sadness in me. I got to a crashing point with myself to where I messed it all up just for nothing in the end. I looked up and realized that stress and sadness can drive you to do crazy things. It can get really dark in your head sometimes but you beating yourself up about it doesn’t help in the slightest! Although I found new life in myself that I love more than ever, it wasn’t an easy find. But I wouldn’t change a thing about it because I wouldn’t have found it without my dark times. I genuinely had to come to terms with myself about a lot of things. Once I accomplished that, I had a new inner strength that no one could ever break. It only gets stronger from there!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Z.barbieee
• Facebook: Zaniya Barnett
• Twitter: @zaniyabarnett
• Other: Art page : @z.artchronicles

Image Credits
D the visualist • • • Six • •’ • Nicco Cerda