Today we’d like to introduce you to Bria Nicole.
Bria, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I first started modeling in 2014 back in my hometown, Cincinnati, Ohio. I decided to move to California to seek better opportunities for my career and moving out of my home town has been one of the best decisions! Moving out here was hard at first and it was definitely a different atmosphere from the one I was used to. There’s a lot of people who say they do things or have these connections when in reality they don’t. I’ve also met people who don’t really look “the part” but say they have connections and really have them! I feel like LA has taught me not to judge a book by its cover. I have a friend, who is also a model who told me when I first moved here, “always be kind to people and always speak. You never know who knows who is in the room, and it only takes that ONE person.” I still to this day, think about what he told me and I’ve always utilized those words ever since.
Being a model in LA definitely has it’s times where you feel like nothing is working out, or that you aren’t getting booked but you honestly just have to have faith and keep believing in yourself. Learn how to take criticism from the right people because everyone’s intentions aren’t good and use it to help you grow. One of the things I did when I got here, and I still do is ask A LOT of questions. My mom always told me, “you have not, because you ask not,” and it’s so true! How can I become better if I’m not getting constructive criticism from the right people. I ask questions and take into consideration each person’s input and apply it to my work in a way that makes it my own. You can’t ever be afraid to try, you never know what’s going to work in your favor! Not only did these lessons help me start my career in modeling they’ve helped guide and shape me into the person and model I am today. The knowledge and mindset that molded me in the beginning have continued to nurture my growth and progression.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Wow! Struggles and obstacles, I don’t even know where to start! I would say the biggest struggle would be the constant trying not to compare yourself to other models and just people for that matter. We’re all human and sometimes we compare ourselves believe it or not that’s just what it is. Especially with being a model sometimes you can’t help but compare yourself to other models at castings and auditions. Or you start to compare your lifestyle and progress to that of someone that you don’t even know via social media or word of mouth when the reality is you never fully know what the next person is doing. Social media encourages people to share the good but not everyone posts about the hardships. I feel like whenever this happens, I just have to think to myself, “I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be in life and when things don’t go as planned it’s okay.” Life happens but as long as you can learn from all that you go through and always keep going, everything will work itself out!
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Honestly, I’m proud of all of my accomplishments within my modeling career, both big and small. I feel like it’s very important to acknowledge everything that is a step closer to where you want to be. But I also have another business that I am most proud of which is Bri Appétit.
Bri Appétit is something I’ve been working to perfect for a little over a year now. Since I myself am vegetarian/vegan, I wanted to create an outlet for other people who are also trying to convert. I know it can be hard at first to transition into a healthier lifestyle and sometimes people can be hard on themselves about not sticking to it but what I feel sets Bri Appétit apart is that it’s very lenient towards being vegetarian. Just because I’m vegetarian doesn’t mean I eat the healthiest 24/7 and even though technically, I am allowed to eat dairy, I try my best to eliminate it as much as possible. Being vegetarian isn’t about doing what everyone else is doing, it’s about doing what works best for you. On my YouTube channel, I have lots of different recipes, grocery hauls, I’ll even try recipes that are also new to me and post them along with my reaction/opinion. On my Instagram page, I also post things like health tips, vegan and or vegetarian options that are served at various restaurants local and ones that I travel to, and on my story I’ll post recipes along with live tutorials when I’m cooking!
I told myself in 2018 that when the new year came, I would start my cooking channel on YouTube whether I had everything together or not. Now, that doesn’t mean I went off on a limb without planning because I actually planned a lot! Like a whole lot! But, feeling intimidated, I found myself not wanting to do it unless I had a camera, or a logo, or better cooking utensils. You know, sometimes that’s cool and all to think you’ll have everything together but most times you just have to do it and learn as you go. I know it will never be perfect but it is a work in progress and I am currently working on future projects with Bri Appétit so stay tuned!
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The characteristics that I feel are most important would be self-motivation and optimism. I feel like it’s so important within this industry to always motivate yourself. There are going to be lots of situations that bring you down, a lot of no’s, and a lot of disappointment. So I say always keep striving and be optimistic in the process because things could turn around for the better at any moment!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bri.appetit?igshid=ldzu64uhbq6a
- Other: https://instagram.com/briaxnicole_?igshid=8wkwo1zirq6i
Image Credit:
Professional photos taken by @phenixsoul
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