Check Out Nolan Harmon’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nolan Harmon.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
So I am an actor, model and fashion designer. Each had different starting points to them. For acting, I got started a little over two years ago now. I was originally studying journalism and wanted to be a sports debate show host for a huge station such as ESPN. Very quickly, a lot of things felt flat and I found myself going through the motions. I liked doing broadcasting at times, but I often found myself dreading having to travel to cover a game or wear the style of clothing you have to wear for that profession, or covering my tattoos and even how I had to interact with people was different. It just wasn’t me.

In acting, I found my love. I could be as outward with my emotions and biased and opinionated as I wanted to be, and those things even made me better at my job. I was able to actually be me for the first time. I have always loved being in front of the cameras and being front and center, and this granted me that too. It’s perfect for me in every way. With modeling, I’ve always been told I should look into it and use my unique look to pursue it and so I did. I don’t spend as much time on it as I do acting or fashion design, but it’s still so fun to do runway and posing. Fashion is the love of my life. Growing up, I always had to be best-dressed and wear the coolest outfit. I began studying colors, fabrics and really looking forward to trends in future seasons and equipping myself accordingly, I started my own designer clothing company this month after years of waiting and called it “Soigneusement Construit” which is French for “carefully constructed.” I feel my designs, I myself and us as human beings are all carefully constructed and constantly under construction to better ourselves.

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?
None of the entertainment industry is ever an entirely “smooth road” even when I’m getting casted for major roles or getting featured in big publications like this. Those are huge highlights, but there is so much behind the scenes people don’t see. Not settling into a comfortable 9-5 and building myself up, but instead working part-time jobs to get by because they offer time-off flexibility that I need for filming dates, runway shows, etc. means I’m losing benefits and money on the table amongst other things. To me, that trade off is worth it because it’s giving me the chance to hone into my multiple crafts, be the most creative version of myself, and be successful doing it. There is just no safety in this industry and a lack of consistency with money until you reach that A-list sort of level. Also, being from a small town means many people I know back home are super supportive but there are also many who aren’t. They haven’t seen someone do something like this before, and because of that, a lot of closed-mindedness or disbelief occurs. But everything I’ve said I would do, I’ve done and then some so far. So when I tell people I’m going to go down as one of the greatest actors, creators and visionaries of all time, you can take it to the bank.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am most known for my acting because I’ve been doing that on a professional level the longest and have the IMDb page and more credits that follow that career than anything else, but my clothing company “Soigneusement Construit” just started and on my first ever t-shirt creation, a LV racing helmet concept tee, I sold out of all of the shirts in just four days. People definitely know me best for acting, but the clothing and fashion is what they recognize the most about me, I’d say.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I think risk-taking is an absolute necessity to long-term success. The issue is that the short-term loss is what scares people away. Thinking “I hate this job and know I could do more, but if I get fired or I quit, then I will lose money” is a short-term way of thinking. Instead, long-term is “this job makes me very unhappy, and it’s only going to affect my happiness more over the years, plus I could pursue my actual goals in the meantime of finding a new job.” I have taken a lot of risks. Being an actor and being in the entertainment industry is a huge risk in and of itself. No guarantee, no benefits, no 401K’s. Just you betting on yourself. And I did that and will always do that. Moving to Columbus to attend your dream school (The Ohio State University) without knowing or having anyone was a major risk. Changing my pursuit of careers just one semester before graduation from broadcasting to acting was a major risk. Moving to Chicago without knowing anyone to pursue a very competitive industry in a huge city was a huge risk. I could go on and on. But my point is I’ve never questioned any of those risks because I know this is my destiny and I know this is what I love and am meant to do.

Contact Info:

• Email: harmon.nolan@yahoo.com
• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13214732/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showtime_harmon_13/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nolan.harmon.9
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/nharm1?lang=en

Image Credits
Nancy Vela – 2nd picture from left (green sweater) – @nvofphotography (Instagram) Nancy Vela – 4th picture from left (black bomber jacker and white t-shirt) – @nvofphotography (Instagram) Asa Barron – 1st photo from left (jean jacket profile shot) – @asabarronphoto (Instagram) Asa Barron – 8th photo from left (jean jacket walking shot) – @asabarronphoto (Instagram)