Life & Work with Jordyn Flynn of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordyn Flynn.

Jordyn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey has been anything but linear, but looking back, I realize that every chapter has played a part in shaping the woman I am today. I grew up in Watonga, Oklahoma, a small town where I graduated high school with just 36 people in my class. Growing up in a place where everyone knew everyone, I don’t think I could have imagined just how far life would eventually take me.

After high school, I went on to play college basketball. At the time, sports were a huge part of my life, but eventually I decided to take a break from school and explore other opportunities. I spent the next four years working as a banquet server and later worked as a phlebotomist.

During that time, I started doing photoshoots around Oklahoma City just for fun. I didn’t have some elaborate plan to become a professional model. I simply enjoyed being in front of the camera and having an outlet to express myself creatively. But the more I did it, the more I started wondering if modeling could actually become something bigger.

Eventually, I reached a point where I knew I had to take a chance on myself.

So, with maybe $500 in my pocket, I bought a one-way plane ticket to Los Angeles.

I didn’t have an agency waiting for me, or some perfectly mapped-out plan. What I did have was determination and a promise I’d made to myself: I had one month to sign with a modeling agency, and if it didn’t happen, I would move back home to Oklahoma.

Looking back, it sounds a little crazy, but I think sometimes you have to be willing to bet on yourself before anyone else will.

During that first month in LA, a good friend of mine, AD Dolphin, gave me an opportunity to work at his herbal company. That job helped me find my footing while I was pursuing modeling, and I’ll always be grateful that he believed in me during such an uncertain time.

Not long after, I signed with my first modeling agency, DT Model Management.

That moment was incredibly special because something that had started as a hobby back in Oklahoma was suddenly becoming my reality.

Over the years, I had the opportunity to work with numerous beauty and hair brands, along with major companies like Nike and Skechers. I’ve also appeared in Vogue multiple times. I found my niche in beauty, hair, and commercial modeling, and I was fortunate enough to build a career doing something I genuinely loved.

But like many creatives, my journey hasn’t been without challenges.

The entertainment industry is constantly evolving, and I’ve had to learn how to evolve with it. There were seasons when opportunities seemed endless and others when I questioned what my next chapter would look like. Modeling taught me so much about resilience, patience, rejection, and the importance of knowing my worth outside of what I do for a living.

Along the way, I also became a mother, explored other professional interests, and learned how to balance my personal identity with the many roles I carry.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that life doesn’t always move according to the timeline we create for ourselves. Sometimes the things we never planned for end up changing us the most.

More recently, life brought some of my biggest changes yet.

After losing my father in May of this year, relocating from California back to Oklahoma, and welcoming my second daughter, I found myself navigating an entirely new season of life.

Losing my father was especially difficult, and it forced me to look at life through a different lens. Suddenly, things that once felt so important didn’t carry the same weight. I began thinking more about family, purpose, and the legacy I want to leave behind for my children.

Returning to Oklahoma after spending years building my career in Los Angeles has also been a full-circle experience. In many ways, I’m back where my story began, but I’m certainly not the same person who left with $500 and a one-way ticket.

I’ve grown, I’ve experienced loss, I’ve become a mother of two beautiful girls, a wife to an amazing husband and I’ve learned that success isn’t always about how far you go. Sometimes it’s about how much you grow along the way.

Today, I’m stepping into a new chapter of my career with a renewed sense of purpose.

I’m returning to modeling with a clearer understanding of who I am, what I bring to the industry, and where I want to go. I’m excited to continue working with brands, expanding creatively, and pursuing opportunities that challenge me.

More than anything, I want my daughters to grow up knowing that their dreams are worth pursuing, no matter where they come from or how impossible those dreams might seem.

If there’s one thing my journey has taught me, it’s that you don’t have to have everything figured out to take the first step.

Sometimes all you need is a little courage, a whole lot of faith, and maybe $500 and a one-way plane ticket.

And the beautiful thing is, I still feel like I’m just getting started.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I don’t think I would appreciate where I am today nearly as much if it had been.

When I first moved to Los Angeles, I was stepping into an industry I knew very little about. Coming from a small town in Oklahoma, I had to learn everything as I went. From navigating castings and auditions to understanding the business side of modeling, there was a huge learning curve. I quickly realized that being a model was about so much more than just taking pretty pictures.

One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to navigate the uncertainty of the entertainment industry. You can go from booking jobs consistently to suddenly experiencing a slow season, and there’s not always an explanation for it. Early in my career, I sometimes took those moments personally. I questioned whether I was doing enough or whether I was still what the industry was looking for. Over time, I learned that rejection and redirection are part of the business, and neither determines my worth.

Another challenge has been balancing motherhood with my career. Becoming a mother completely changed my perspective on life, but it didn’t take away my dreams or ambitions. If anything, it gave me more reasons to pursue them. Finding that balance between being present for my children and continuing to build something for myself hasn’t always been easy. There have definitely been moments when I’ve felt pulled in different directions.

More recently, losing my father was one of the hardest experiences I’ve had to navigate. Grief has a way of changing you, and trying to process that loss while relocating across the country, being pregnant, and adjusting to an entirely new chapter of life was overwhelming at times. For a while, my career naturally took a back seat as I focused on my family and getting through everything happening around me.

I think one of the hardest things about being a creative is accepting that your journey won’t always look the way you imagined. There have been times when I’ve had to slow down, start over, or completely reevaluate what I wanted my future to look like.

But through all of it, I’ve learned to give myself grace. I’ve learned that taking a break doesn’t mean giving up, that success isn’t always linear, and that sometimes growth happens during the seasons when it feels like nothing is moving forward.

I’m still figuring things out, and I think that’s okay. I’m proud of the career I’ve built, but I’m equally proud of the woman I’ve become through the challenges.

If anything, those struggles have made me more determined to keep going. I want my daughters to see that life can throw unexpected things your way, but you can always find the courage to pick yourself back up and keep pursuing what you love.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a professional model with about nine years of experience, specializing primarily in beauty, hair, lifestyle, and commercial modeling. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work with some incredible brands. I’ve also had the opportunity to explore the fashion side of the industry, including walking in LA Fashion Week and Miami Swim Week.

I’ve always gravitated toward beauty and hair modeling because I love how much creativity goes into bringing a concept to life. Whether it’s a skincare campaign, a hair commercial, or a lifestyle shoot, I enjoy being part of the creative process and helping tell a story through imagery.

I think one of my biggest strengths is my versatility, I can go from a natural, fresh faced beauty campaign to something bold, edgy, and high-fashion. I don’t like feeling limited to one particular look or category, and I’ve always enjoyed challenging myself creatively.

What sets me apart is that I don’t necessarily fit into one traditional box, and I’ve learned to embrace that. I have a full sleeve of tattoos, naturally curly hair, and a personal style that reflects different sides of who I am. Earlier in my career, I might have wondered whether certain parts of my appearance would limit my opportunities, but today I see those things as part of what makes me unique.

I’m also someone who understands that modeling is a business. It’s not just about showing up and looking good in front of a camera. It’s about being professional, taking direction, understanding a brand’s vision, and knowing how to bring something valuable to a production. Over the years, I’ve learned how important it is to build relationships and create an experience that makes people want to work with you again.

When I think about what I’m most proud of, it’s honestly not one specific campaign or accomplishment. It’s the fact that I took a chance on myself all those years ago and turned something I started doing for fun into a real career. Looking back at the brands I’ve worked with, the people I’ve met, and the opportunities I’ve had, I’m proud that I trusted myself enough to take that leap.

I’m also proud that I’ve continued to pursue my dreams through so many different stages of life, including motherhood. I want to show that becoming a mother doesn’t mean you have to stop being ambitious or pursuing the things that make you feel fulfilled.

As I move into this next chapter, I’m excited to continue growing in the beauty and fashion industries, work with brands that value individuality, and hopefully inspire other women, especially mothers, to realize that they don’t have to choose between their dreams and the other parts of their lives.

At the end of the day, I think what sets me apart most is my ability to adapt, my willingness to keep evolving, and the fact that I’ve never been afraid to take a chance on myself.

How do you think about luck?
I wouldn’t necessarily call it luck; I would call it faith.

I’ve always believed that sometimes you have to trust God and take a leap before you can see how everything is going to work out.
Looking back, there were definitely people and opportunities that came into my life at just the right time. I believe there’s a bigger purpose behind the connections we make and the doors that open when we’re willing to take a chance on ourselves.

Of course, not every door has opened, and not everything has happened on my timeline. I’ve experienced rejection, career changes, personal loss, and seasons when I had to step back and figure out what was next. But I don’t necessarily view those moments as bad luck. Sometimes I believe we’re being redirected, even when we don’t understand it in the moment.

Losing my father and navigating such a major transition in my life has deepened that perspective. I’ve learned that we can’t control everything that happens to us, but we can choose how we move forward. Faith has helped me find strength in uncertainty and trust that even when life looks different from what I imagined, there can still be purpose in the journey.

I think people sometimes wait until everything feels right before they pursue their dreams. They want the perfect timing, the perfect circumstances, or reassurance that everything will work out. My experience has taught me that you may never have those guarantees.

For me, it’s about having faith, putting in the work, and being willing to move when an opportunity presents itself. I believe that what’s meant for you will find its way to you, but you also have to be willing to take the first step.

So no, I wouldn’t say luck has defined my life. I would say faith has carried me through it, even in the moments when I couldn’t see what was waiting on the other side.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejordyjo?mdxt=MjBjOGdxNWNoZXV5&utm_source=qr

Image Credits
Black dress- Diego larez
Vogue- Danica carver
Pink dress – Ty Chen
Black swimsuit- Ali Daniel Flores
Beauty photo- YuTsai