Leonardo De Silva
Akilah James is an Austin based model and entrepreneur, who has been in the fashion industry for over 10 years. She is originally from Point Fortin. Her experience spans in commercial modeling, model management, brand development, content curation, and runway fashion shows. Akilah is a high-energy, multifaceted model that has also been featured in Voyage Dallas Magazine as a trailblazer of her community through her company, BOSS [MOVEMENT].
Whether you enjoy runway fashion shows, magazines, or are just casually looking around for a fitness influencer and motivator who knows how to build brands from the ground up. Akilah is your go to person. She has been published more than 5 times within the last year alone. Her approach to any challenge is unique, as she is able to adjust as needed to bring out the best results for her team and clients. Vibes reached out to get to know her better.
Akilah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today?
My Agency’s Genesis Story is so funny to me when I look back on it; I was casted for a Fashion Show back in 2016, that used me as their head model. This meant that I was the model that was called on for runway-walk demonstrations and I served as “the face” in all of the marketing material for the show. Unfortunately, due to some production issues, the Fashion Show ended up getting canceled two weeks before the show date and all the models including myself were so disappointed.
Since my face was already all over the flyers and marketing material for the show, I had “gained some clout” on social media. So I decided to redirect all the clout and have my own fashion show on the same show date. I used the same models that were casted for the show and recruited everyone else. It actually did unbelievably well. I had so much fun putting it together and I cherish the relationships I built during the entire ordeal. After that show, it was like a light went off and I decided right there in that moment, “I’m doing this for real”, and BOSS [MOVEMENT] was born.
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?
Although as a company, we are still in our start-up stages, BOSS [MOVEMENT] has conquered many obstacles to get to where we are today as an LLC. One of our obstacles has been financing our annual fashion show but we got over that hump through recruiting investors. If you are putting on large projects for your business and need investors, I recommend creating a sponsorship deck and sending it out to companies early in the year when they are planning their budgets.
As a female entrepreneur who is still learning about business herself, I try to remind myself of five main principles that I have developed and continue to develop to this day:
1. Be Kind To Yourself – Everyone else is already going to give you a hard time.
2. Time is Money/Money is Time – Either one will get you closer to your goal. Figure out which one you willing to spend.
3. Protect your brand – People invest/buy/support a brand they can relate to and be proud of.
4. Document Everything – I cannot stress how important it is to keep records of EVERY transaction, EVERY business contact and/or contract, your secret formula/sauce and just about anything to CYA (Cover Your Ass).
5. Be Secure – Not only should you keep a record of these things aforementioned but you should keep them safe and secure. Try to limit the persons that know about such sensitive information.
What should we know about BOSS [MOVEMENT]? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
BOSS [MOVEMENT] is a model management and marketing agency that prides itself on curating content specifically for a target market. Since 2016 my team and I have empowered over 40 businesses, 100 entrepreneurs and multiple community events.
What sets us apart from any other model management and marketing agency, is that we act as mother agency to our models by offering courses/training to enhance their skills; help start-up companies with free brand development consultations; and have built an internal online network of fashion industry members – (photographers, MUAs, videographers, models, etc) that current members of the agency can use, in order to better access persons directly to complete their marketing projects.
Do you have a lesson or advice you’d like to share with young women just starting out?
Keep your center. According to one of my mentors, John Maeda, “Too little confidence, and you’re unable to act. Too much confidence and you’re unable to hear.”
