Today we’d like to introduce you to Malissa Young.
Hi Malissa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I first started BICOASTAL MGMT when I was pregnant with my middle child, who is now 12. I was always entrepreneurial -though I graduated with a double major in Politics and Government and Philosophy, I didn’t end up finding a job in government or nonprofits as quickly as I expected and instead joined a women’s networking guide in NYC, got a waitressing job, and a modeling agent that propelled me into the world of fit modeling. At the same time, I pursued acting, freelanced with William Morris, trained at various acting studios, and did some student and independent films. The guide and acting were not successful financially, but fit modeling was and soon had me quite busy. Then I was invited to do sales as a partner of a children’s shoe company which was fun and at times exciting. Three years later, it was not financially successful enough, but Fit modeling still was and I had learned I liked sales. At this point in my mid-twenties, I was working for great brands and traveling as far as the mainland of China for fittings with clients that ranged from Tommy Hilfiger to Ralph Lauren. It seemed my career found me.
After a first child, I realized going back to fitting was a great job for a mom given the flexible schedule and pay so I found all new clients and worked about 20 hours a week for brands that ranged from Vera Wang to Marc Jacobs. There was more great travel, this time to Poland, India, and more, and still time for me to do many yoga teacher training and be a mom who could be home more hours than most. With my second pregnancy, I knew I needed a next step that would provide a solid income and maybe not be put on pause again if I wanted a third baby (which I did and now have)! I considered three paths-but then moved forward with starting a representation for fit models because my clients literally kept saying “why don’t you…?” I just placed an ad in Craigslist to measure potential models with the target specs I needed, measured all of my not exclusively signed fit model friends, and started street scouting and using LinkedIn to find more people in the business to connect to. I scouted everywhere, and my first assistant was discovered on the playground (she asked me if she could intern when she heard me scouting). Many steps along the way, things fell into place like this.
This is how Bicoastal Fitting Models was born; but then we had showroom and print models, so we changed it to Bicoastal Models, and then we had commercial actors and voice-over actors, and we changed one last time to BICOASTAL MGMT. THEN, I had actors who wanted us to help them book film and TV work, so after many months of research, a whole new business spun off that is just for acting management, Malissa Young Management. I like to joke that BICOASTAL MGMT is my teenager, pretty independent and well running needing some guidance here and there; and Malissa Young Management is my all-consuming toddler. That said, expansions have happened there as well with the addition of a full-time assistant and junior manager. Every step of my career has really been somewhat of a combination of listening to the universe and my instincts, as well as just putting one foot in front of the other. I feel very lucky to love what I do and look forward to each day.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The struggles have been occasionally with finding the best fit of employees. I currently feel so lucky to have a team of hard-working, caring, detail-oriented people who share my passion for helping others achieve their goals but not every hire has been a great match and if I lost sleep anywhere, it was over deciding when to let someone go, or when someone decides it is their time to go. Fortunately, with experience comes resilience and faith that it will work out.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am proud that BICOASTAL MGMT has always been at the forefront of promoting diversity and inclusivity. I always just represented the world I saw but found that we one day were known for having a diverse roster which was odd because it just was a matter of signing a great bunch of clients. I love that it happened accidentally in a time before being woke was a term we used, but now, hopefully, we continue to be conscious and deliberate in choices about representing all types of people in all regards. We need advertising to represent to the consumer, and they need our services to find talent, so we will do our best to continue to represent inclusively.
I am also proud when our clients tell us we are nice. It’s a simple thing, but it warms my heart to hear it, as I know from my experience on the talent side it means a lot. We want to be an open book and believe accountability is an important component of being a great partner to our models and talent.
We started as a fit model agency, and that is indeed a specialty we promote by offering training and keeping our spec sheets up-to-date and accurate. We are happy to have a great pool of models and talent for print, runway, commercials, and Voice over, as well. Being a boutique agency with a large range of work available keeps things interesting and allows for more opportunities.
At Malissa Young Management, I get to work more closely with a smaller pool of talent in what is really sometimes a chasing of dreams and the art business. There is a lot of heart there. I taught yoga as a side thing for fun more than money for many years and this business feels like it incorporates some of that same part of me-which is a desire to help and support people. I often hear from clients who have had a few reps along the way that I am able to get them to the next level in terms of the rooms they get in, communicate the essentials and also more personal suggestions without being overbearing, and that the caring comes across. It’s a vast world out there in this field and there is a lot of unpaid work for the actors auditioning and reps developing and pitching or submitting so bringing this heart based component instead of just thinking of it as a business is essential for me. It has to feed your soul as well as your belly so to speak!
What do you like and dislike about the city?
LA is my home away from home so it is always a treat to be there. I love staying in Weho near my office for the great hotels and restaurants. I think the food is some of the greatest in any city I have traveled. I also love the walkability of the various neighborhoods and access to nature. Runyon Canyon is a true gem right in the middle of everything-I have been known to take walk meetings there.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bicoastalmgmt.com; malissayoungmgmt.com
- Instagram: bicoastalmgmt; malissayoungmgmt
- Facebook: Bicoastal Mgmt; malissayoungmgmt
