Meet Shantae Menendez | CEO JAMILA Reine Models & Stud Model

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shantae Menendez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shantae, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I do have more then one factor behind my success. First it’s always going to be your Consistency. Even if you ever lack motivation as long as your consistent that beats everything. Then of course being Authentic. Authenticity is super important especially with what I do and what I represent in my own image.I don’t ever want to waste my time maintaining an image of myself that people like but that’s not who I am this is a big part of my success. Of course I can’t forget about patience. “Good things come to those who wait” and that’s never changed, that’s the honest truth, With a little patience, you can be much more successful in the long run. I always prepared to wait a little longer for success, even though sometimes we do want to blow up Overnight. This will make it possible for me to approach decisions with a much greater foresight and understanding on why I make the moves I do and what can really help my business and my brand. I want to build my foundation the right way and rushing it would just ruin it, I need everything to be solid. Lastly I’d say Passion, with passion you turn your business into profit and I am big on that, i say that a lot. When your heart beats for a certain cause, you’re undefeatable. Passion is a guarantee that you’ll still persevere when things get tough and that you will be in it for as long as it takes to be successful. You gotta be all in or not in at all. My mind set is all in. It’s this or nothing.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
What sets my agency apart is the diversity. A lot of people don’t know how to approach my models in a way where there is so many different looks it’s overwhelming for some. I wanted my agency to stand out in a way where we show that all looks are beautiful and we can create beautiful art. I got here today by not letting the industry scare me of f of opportunities I knew were out there for my models and creating a lane for stud models and females who are masculine as-well. I’ve learned a lot of lessons coming up in this game and you just gotta have patience to make it and prove you got what it takes. In the end I want to have a voice in the industry for LGTB models and be the one who opened up the doors to all diverse models & sizes. We are the next generation and I will make sure I continue to work hard to make a name for ourselves and show the world what they been scared to work with

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First stop to eat at Max Brenner Chocolate Factory, then do an escape room activity then visit amazing fun museums, like the one of color or illusions.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Definitely a big shoutout to my partner and founder of the agency I own now, she pulled me in and gave me the opportunity to change the culture and introduce the diversity we need in the fashion industry. So I thank my good friend and founder Of JRM Johanne Vanessa Moise.

Website: https://www.jamilareinemodels.com/

Instagram: @Jamila_Reine_Models

Image Credits
Tommy Amato Katha Kenneth Ortiz Daniel Felder Joseph Kominkiewicz