The Business Of Modelling

American actress and Act Bold founder Anne Alexander-Sieder joins us to talk about rebuilding an acting career, understanding what makes someone genuinely bookable and taking a more active role in creating opportunities.

Anne reflects on returning to acting later in life and the steps she took to relaunch her career with a different mindset. From seeking out better training and creating her own material to looking more closely at positioning, visibility and industry relationships.

She shares the thinking behind Act Bold and introduces her SICK Factor framework, covering Skills, Industry Proof, Connections and Knowledge. Anne explains why talent alone is not enough, and why it’s important that actors need to be clear about how they present themselves, where they want their career to go and whether their materials support that direction.

The episode is ultimately about taking greater ownership of your career. Anne talks about moving away from simply waiting for the next opportunity and instead making deliberate choices, building meaningful connections and creating momentum for yourself.

www.businessofmodelling.co.uk
www.act-bold.com/anne-alexander-sieder
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Greek fashion designer Vassilios Kostetsos joins us to reflect on a career shaped by creativity, Greek culture and some of the most memorable names from the golden age of the supermodels.

Vassilios’ interest in fashion began as a child in his mother’s boutique in Athens, where he discovered Vogue, fabrics and colour. By the age of 10 he was creating clothes for dolls and staging miniature fashion shows, before going on to produce his own collections and open his first boutique.

He talks about his determination to bring the scale and excitement of the international runways to Greece, drawing inspiration from ancient Greek sculpture, vases, frescoes and mythology while always interpreting them in a modern way. His career would later take his collections to London, Düsseldorf, India and New York.

Vassilios also takes us inside the extraordinary supermodel era, recalling working with Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and many more. He shares what it was like to bring some of the world’s biggest models to Athens and to witness the moment when leading models became international superstars.

Above all, it is an important reminder that tax and finances should not be something models and actors only think about when there is a problem. Building good financial habits from the beginning can make managing a freelance career considerably clearer and less daunting.

www.businessofmodelling.co.uk
www.kostetsos.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For models and actors, understanding the financial side of a freelance career is just as important as understanding castings, bookings and contracts. In this episode, Robert Green and Ben Price from Green & Peter Accountants break down the areas of tax and accounting that talent often find confusing and explain why getting organised early can prevent much bigger problems later on.

The conversation starts with the basics of being self-employed as a model or actor, including when you may need to register with HMRC, completing a Self-Assessment tax return and keeping accurate records of income and expenses. Robert and Ben also address some of the misconceptions that can leave people unsure of their responsibilities or putting off dealing with their tax altogether.

They look closely at allowable expenses for models and actors, explaining why not everything spent on a career can automatically be claimed against tax. From agency commission and professional costs to expenses that may also have personal use, they discuss the importance of understanding what should be recorded and seeking advice when the position is unclear.

As a modelling career develops, finances can quickly become more complicated. Robert and Ben explore earning through several agencies, combining self-employed and PAYE income, VAT, sole trader and limited company structures, and the additional considerations that can arise when models work internationally and earn money in different countries.

The episode also looks beyond the next tax return. From putting money aside when fees are paid to preparing for quieter periods and thinking about longer-term financial planning, Robert and Ben explain why models and talent should treat their career as a business and take an active role in understanding the money they earn.

Above all, it is an important reminder that tax and finances should not be something models and actors only think about when there is a problem. Building good financial habits from the beginning can make managing a freelance career considerably clearer and less daunting.

www.businessofmodelling.co.uk
www.greenandpeter.co.uk
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Xenia Kontou joins us to discuss her journey through the modelling industry, from beginning as a model at 17 to moving behind the scenes and building her career as a scout, booker, manager and mother agent.

She explains why modelling was not the right path for her personally, but how the experience helped lead her towards the agency side of the industry. Xenia reflects on the different skills required to recognise potential, develop new faces and represent models professionally to clients.

The conversation explores the founding of Agencia Model Management in Athens and the realities of launching a model agency during Greece’s economic crisis. Xenia talks about the importance of understanding the market in which you work, rather than relying only on international trends, and why successful scouting requires knowledge of local clients, photographers and casting preferences.

Xenia also shares her approach to developing Greek models for international careers. She explains the role of a mother agency, the importance of choosing the right markets for each individual and why models benefit from building interests, education and experience outside the modelling industry.

She offers an honest view of the agent–model relationship, describing the many supportive roles an agent can play while emphasising the need for clear professional boundaries. Xenia also discusses fair rates, protecting where a model’s image is used and why accepting unpaid or underpaid work can affect the value of the wider modelling industry.

www.businessofmodelling.co.uk
www.agencia.gr/home/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Erwan Moreau joins us to discuss his journey through the modelling industry, from being introduced to the business through his family's restaurant in Barcelona and working as a model with Traffic to becoming Senior Agent at View Management.

Drawing on his own experience as a model, Erwan explains how the job helped him understand the pressure, uncertainty and emotional highs and lows models can face. He reflects on why empathy matters in agency work and why the relationship between a model and their agency should be a genuine partnership.
Erwan also talks about what model scouts look for when searching for new faces. From scouting through crowds at Barcelona music festivals including Primavera Sound and Sónar to recognising the rare “wow moment” when someone immediately stands out, he explains why successful modelling requires much more than simply being attractive.

The conversation explores the rise of Spanish male models, the strength of Barcelona as a modelling market and the importance of travelling and gaining experience in different countries when building an international career.

Erwan also offers an honest view of the difference between a model booker and a model agent. He talks about developing careers, making decisions alongside models, supporting their wellbeing and remembering that the agency works for the people it represents.

www.businessofmodelling.co.uk
www.viewmanagement.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.