The Water Trough- We can't make you drink, but we will make you think!
The Water Trough- We can't make you drink, but we will make you think!
From Modeling to Mentorship: Yemi Sekoni's Journey
Have you ever battled imposter syndrome or chased a dream that seemed impossible? Join us as Yemi Sekoni shares her powerful story of resilience and passion in the evolving fashion industry. Don't miss this episode! #Entrepreneurship #FashionIndustry
Welcome to The Water Trough, where we can't make you drink, but we will make you think. My name is Ed Drost of The Small Business Doctor, and I'm really excited you chose to join me here as we discuss topics that are important for small business folks just like you. If you're looking for ideas, inspiration, and possibility, you've come to the right place. Join us as we take steps to help you create the healthy business that you've always wanted. Welcome back to the water trough. This is Ed draws to the small business doctor, and I'd like to welcome my friend, Yemi Sukonyi today. Yemi is the president of Donahue creative group. I have known Yemi for over 20 years. However, I have not seen Yemi in some time. I'm delighted to be with her today. And Yemi is going to tell us a bit about her story. in the exceptionally dynamic, ever changing, and I'd say rather fascinating world of modeling and talent. Yemi, welcome. Yes, thank you, Ed. Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here. It's a pleasure to have you, and I want to say the fact that years go by and we don't see people does not diminish the fact of the value that they bring to us. And you've always brought a smile to my face. I follow your stuff out there on LinkedIn and elsewhere, and I know what you're up to, even though I'm not always saying it. And I just want to tell you, it's nice to see your face here. I know the audience does not see it, but I do. And they get to hear that voice of yours as well,
Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone)-1:So thank you for that.
Absolutely.
Microphone (Yeti Stereo Microphone):So Donoghue Models started in what year?
The company actually started, when I was about four years old. It's the oldest agency in the state of Rhode Island. It was founded in 1973 by Annette Donahue, thus the name. At that time, I was a little munchkin, in England where I was born. and I always joke about writing a book about the juxtaposition of our lives, this lady here in North Providence starting this agency and then this little Nigerian, Jamaican, British girl at age four, just living her life with no idea where her career was going to end up. So interestingly, we crossed paths in 2000 and. Three, when I moved to Rhode Island from England was trying to get back into the modeling and entertainment industry because I've been acting since I was a child and joined her agency as a model, over the years of working with her. She liked my passion, my energy, my hardworking nature. And so 2009. She approached me and asked me if I would consider buying the company from her because at that point she was in her late 60s or early 70s, and she was ready to retire, and she had been looking for someone that she could talk to about handing the business over, but she hadn't quite found the person that. She was excited about or that was also very serious about the prospect of buying the company. Now, of course, I had no idea how to buy a business. So I had to, you know, do a little bit of work. Took me about 18 months speaking to family. I talked to, different business consultants. I talked to small business administration. I got mentors, spoke to different banks. And so piece by piece, it came together and I officially bought it in 2010, August of 2010. So I've owned it now for 14 years. 14 years. And in those 14 years, I'm sure you've seen an awful lot. What kind of challenges and opportunities as well do you find in this business? We can blame for this, and we can also thank COVID for this. some things came good out of COVID and others not. pre COVID, auditions and castings happened in person. You had to be physically there to go meet with. Potential, client. And then when COVID happened, of course, with the shutdown, no one could see anyone go anywhere, do anything. So, self tape submissions emerge. It had actually been around some years before that, but not as rampant as it became because we needed an alternative to keep the industry going. And so what that did for us as a industry as a whole was open up newer markets for us that we never considered previously pre COVID. All my models and talent were local. They were in Rhode Island or Massachusetts or Connecticut after COVID. I've got talent across the country in LA, Washington, Texas, everywhere. And so transitioning into more of a digital space. gave us that advantage, but the challenge now became you're competing with a larger audience. So now the competition is a lot bigger because now I'm no longer just competing against the, 2 other agencies in New England that I saw as my competitors. Now I'm competing against. An agency in New York or an agency in LA that's much larger than me and has a better handle on what to do, where to do it. so it has it pros and cons, but, you work within it and you adjust and try to, do the best that you can do. What is the competition like for someone like myself, who's not familiar? And I'm sure most people that will hear this podcast are not familiar with the industry. What exactly does competition look like? It's, other agencies. For me here in Rhode Island, there aren't many my agency is the oldest, as I said, and there may be one or maybe two other agencies locally. The other competitors are in Massachusetts. So there are three or four agencies in Mass that have been around as long as my agency has been. And so they've got, their own networks and markets. But again, because casting agencies, are reaching out to everybody at the same time. Previously, you would just be the person that was sending them all of your models and they chose from they have the advantage. Now, if they can pick the best from all the different agencies, and so for big markets, like, New York, for instance. That's one of the busiest, spaces for our industry. And so some models do this full time, whereas in a market like Rhode Island, we're a smaller market. It's what we'd call a tertiary market versus a primary or secondary. And so most of my models do this part time. They're working full time. They're going to school full time. And this is a side gig because you can't do it and survive on just this part time. As your primary income, if you're doing it in New England. And so if I'm competing against an agency that's represented models, in New York, they're doing this all day, every day. So they can respond quicker. they're much more prepared. They're much more experienced cause they've just got a lot more work, under their belt. you've got different ends of the spectrum that you're constantly keeping an eye out for. So when a model or talent comes to you, and I presume there's a process of introduction and screening, if you will, are they expecting to get from you and what do you expect them to bring to the table? When they approach you. Sure. So when I'm interviewing, based on my years of experience and interviewing models literally every day for 14 years, I've come to put them into three categories. And I tell them this, when I meet them for the first time, the first thing they need to do is go to the agency website, submit their information, kind of like an application. And then we schedule an interview. And Also, again, since COVID, I started to do those virtually rather than in person. And then during the conversation, I'm trying to determine, is this someone who's had some experience? Have they been doing this for a few years? Have they just kind of been dabbling here and there part time or are they completely green? And the process of bringing that person on board differs based on that level of experience. If they're brand new, don't know anything about the industry, now I need to make sure they're educated because People see the glitz and glamour of our industry and they forget that there is work ethic, there are things you need to know, there's a high level of professionalism that goes into being a model or actor and they just think you need to show up when they feel like. And so I need to break them of that delusion and say, no, no, no, this is a serious job. Even if you're doing it part time, the clients are real. and the job is real. I've had the pleasure of working with companies like Hasbro, CVS Pharmacy, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, IGT. These are conglomerates. I tell them, think of us as an employment agency for talent. And so if I'm booking for a job, you need to show up. You need to show up and know what you're doing. So a brand new model, never done this before, needs to go through a personal development and modeling program where we're teaching them work ethic, the lingo, acting, walking on the runway, photography, the person in the middle. That's had some experience. What I'm figuring out is what do they know? And what do they not know? And what knowledge gaps do we need to fill? And then the third category, which is the experience, they've got proof that they've done enough work. They've got a resume and a portfolio. We're just adding them to the website and getting them going. But for me, when I'm meeting a new person, regardless of what level they fall into, I am looking to see, are they coming across as someone that I can trust? So when I'm sending you out, I know, for a fact that you're going to show up and you're going to represent the agency. To the best of your capabilities. So I really look for serious individuals that even though they're doing this part time, they recognize the seriousness of doing this. So that sounds a little, scary to me, the idea of them being remote now you're talking people all around the. And you don't have that physical access to them. That sounds spooky to me. how do you manage that? a lot of agencies will do a general open casting, everyone comes in, they meet them, they tell them how things work, and then they make their decisions afterwards. I have chosen to stick with. one to one interviews with each person that's looking to come on board with my agency. So it's a bit of a longer process. Each interview is about 30 to 45 minutes long. So I've created a template of questions that I'm asking each person. Tell me about your skin care. Tell me about your diet. Do you work out? Do you wear makeup? what's your level of knowledge as far as makeup application? They do have to send in, say, a runway video so I can see their runway walk and their presence. I send them a script that they have to read and deliver on, record themselves on camera and send that to me. So after the interview, they've got kind of like a little bit of homework assignment that they need to do and send. They've got a week to do that and then now I'm reviewing all of that. So after that 30 to 45 minute conversation, and the homework that they send me, it at least gives me a good sense of if this person is serious or not. During that 30 minute interview, I do take about 10 minutes giving them a PowerPoint presentation overview about the company, what's expected. And there are several times when someone's looking to join the agency, not realizing the level of dedication. That requires, and then they email me afterwards to say, Ooh, they were thinking of it as a hobby, and I make sure that I very, intentional about making them understand that, and that it's, a contract breaker. If they come on board, they're signing a contract with me. They do that once contracts over. So you have controls in place. Yes. Yeah. But it seems to me that controls are important in business, but it seems to me that you've developed a keen sense of who and what people are, and you have mapped out what you're looking for in such a way that they know darn well who Yemi is and who this company is. So they really shouldn't be guessing. By the time this process is over, they should be pretty clear on what they're getting into and who they're working with. Absolutely. And a lot of this was trial and error over the years of, trusting someone a little bit too much, give them a little bit more leeway. And then at the end of the day, ending up with egg on my face and potentially losing a business relationship with one of these corporations because someone's done something wrong. So it took me a while to figure all of that out. and because I've been around so long, I've also earned, for want of a better word, the authority,, to put my requirements, in place and expect. you know, have a high expectation of my models and talent and make sure that they don't violate them. I think that's appropriate. No, you did not walk into this in that space. You have earned it and it must feel good by the way, to be at this point where you have in fact earned it and can apply it like that. Right. Absolutely. And, can I tell you this very quickly, and when I first took the agency, you can tell me slowly if you want, but the first couple of years, you've probably heard the term imposter syndrome and, as a woman, woman of color, wasn't born here. So there were a lot of things that kind of made me feel, um, I certainly earned the right to be there, but made me question whether I had the right to be there. And I would always second guess what people thought, because then I just showed up one day, I was here for a couple of years. And the next thing I know, I bought an agency. And so it was like, who the hell does she think she is? Where did you know, what train did she come off of? And so the first two years of me buying the agency, when I would meet someone new, when I'd go networking and people asked me what I did, I didn't say I owned an agency. I said, I worked. Um,, slight difference, but then it gave me room not to, explain how I got to be here and I could just answer the questions and have them continue to be unassuming about who I was. So it took a long time for me to build the confidence and be confident in that space that I've come to fill in this local market. Really glad you brought imposter syndrome. I think that it impacts. More people than we realize I won't disparage the added layer of complexity being a woman or a woman of color. But I think every last 1 of us at some point in some way experiences imposter syndrome because as we're growing and aligning with that, which we become, it really is. It's difficult. At some point, you got to jump and say, okay, I'm going to be that. And I'm right to be that. But when you do it's the scariest darn leap you ever make. You bringing that up was really great. I thank you for that. Because a lot of people don't even recognize it for what it is. The name is convenient. But a lot of people don't understand what that hesitation is all about. They sit there and they go, ah, I should, I could, I would have, but I can't because, cause I don't know why. Yes. Thank you. And in something that requires, I imagine, again, I'm not a model. Look at me. I'm not going to go through the interview process because you wouldn't take me. But if you would like an old man, you can have me. And you got the work ethic. Hey, so never say never. I don't know. Maybe I'll reach out after this is over. In your industry, aside from things like imposter syndrome and things like that, there is that need for boys and confidence mingling in such a way that they're not construed as aloofness, bringing them together. Because you need to be poised and confident, but you don't want to look like you're some kind of arrogant so and so, right? Or maybe in a given role you might, that might be the role, but you know where I'm going, right? That makes it that much more complex, and that would really add to Yours and to your, models, positions as well. Yeah. That's very true. That's a very good observation that you may and part of what I talk about during my presentation, when I am interviewing someone, because one of the slides talk specifically about what I look for in models. So I'm looking for great looks, all ethnicities. I'm looking for excellent grooming. a well proportioned build and then professionally at the first line, says, I'm looking for a professionalism, but, oh, sorry, the last line, sorry, says, I look for great personalities and, just friendly people. as you've known me for years, I'm one of the, most laid back, easygoing people that, you know, so for me, I always have a smile on my face. I've got an easy and ready laugh. And I worked hard to build that culture, with all the models and talent that I work with. So I let them know I follow up with the clients after every job that we do. How did it go with the models and talent? Let me know. And what I'm looking for is they were friendly, they were professional, they were respectful, they were nice. So I look for really decent people. If I get a sense during the interview that this model thinks they're all that in a bag of chips, sure. And I joke, I say, listen, we are all that in a bag of chips. But we don't need to walk around town like we know we are we can treat people decently like we want to be treated and although we haven't mentioned it, I produce Rhode Island Fashion Week and so usually when we're planning that we've got, 60, 70, 80 models that are in that space, and I tell them, make a new friend, connect, network, meet someone, don't sit in little silos by yourself, network with other people and, follow each other on social media. So I'm very big on just being decent human beings and not try to live up to that misguided impression that all models think they walk on cloud nine. I'm glad you segued to the Royal and Fashion Week because I wanted to ask you about that. So this is something that you've cultivated over the years. Tell us a bit more about it, what you actually are doing and how it's evolved I started that in 2016. Now, I mentioned earlier in this conversation that I'd started acting since I was a child. So I started in theatre when I was about, I don't know, seven, eight, nine years old. I'm 55 now, even though I know I don't look it. but I, Thank you. I've done this pretty much my entire life. Through the years of doing theater, I enjoyed being on stage, but just as much as I enjoyed being on stage, I enjoyed the behind the scenes as well. So I was always the kid, helping behind the scenes with the stage management and the direction and the costumes. So when the opportunity presented itself, we had a gap, in Rhode Island. after I started the business, we had a gap where there wasn't a major fashion show. going on in the state. They had been and then the other company took a break for a while to rebrand. And so I figured, friends who knew that I did this said, Hey, Yemi, why don't you do something? So I said, let's just start fashion. We can see where it goes. Never really thought it was going to be much, but I thought I'll just do it and have fun because I enjoy it. Started in 2016. And, this now is our eighth year. We do it twice a year. So now we just concluded a season 15. when I started it. we did it in a nightclub. we had maybe about four designers that we were showcasing, maybe about 30 models, and an audience of about 100. and now 15 seasons later,, we feature about 18 designers. We have between 60 to 80 models and we have, between four and 600 guests. That will come through all the different shows. it's just blossomed and become its own entity. And what I do a little bit differently because of my love of theater. I love to bring in the theatrical. So I want people to come in not to see clothes, but be entertained. So my philosophy is as long as you can wear it, we will put it on the runway. So not just pretty sequined dresses. We've done women, pregnant models in maternity. We've done carnival wear for men. we've had dogs on the runway showing doggie wear, and we do children in our shows. so I bring in basically anything and everything that can be worn that adds an element of excitement that will make the audience sit up and go, Oh, that's different and interesting. and I just get a kick out of it. You've taken diversity to a totally different level. We're so confined that this idea of diversity is about, you know, racial lines and things of that sort but you've taken diversity to what is really more appropriate. It's a much broader term. From the comedic to the serious and everything in between, from the old to the young, sounds pretty powerful to me. It is and, when we did and 1 of the ladies on my planning committee, she owns her own casting agency in Massachusetts. It's called humankind casting. I'll just give Christie a shout out. and so her specialty is on differently abled models. That's what she focuses on and, so she goes by the mantra, everybody belongs. two or three seasons ago, she came to me and says, Yemi, I would love to focus on diversity and inclusion. would you consider having differently abled models in the show? And I'm like, absolutely. And so we find designers that do adaptive apparel. and so we've got kids in wheelchairs on the runway, or just different capabilities. this last season she found a designer, a differently abled designer that makes jewelry. And so we had able bodied. models wearing the pieces, but the pieces were by a differently abled designer. And that was a whole different element. but the thing, Ed, is I've seen some of these, during the show, I'm not exaggerating, tears. In the audience, because they're seeing, especially with the differently abled kids, seeing them walk down the runway and, get the level of attention that they do, because everyone's just bowled over by this. you can just see the kids shine on the runway. And this has come back to me with stories of a child saying, Oh my God, this was so cool. This has boosted my confidence. I want to try cheerleading. And that's made me cry. Yes. And so even though it was just an idea she brought to me and I thought, sure, let's have fun with it, it broadened even my perspective of what this could and should look like. Everyone has a right to see something on the runway that they identify with. So I don't follow the guidelines of every model needs to be skinny and tall and, 5'10 If you can be on the runway, we'll put you on it. Wow, I have a question for you. What would you say to you, the four year old today? Oh, oh boy. Well, I'll say this, and this was something I heard Oprah say, I don't know that she owns the saying, but I just happened to be working on my laptop one night. And not paying attention to the television, but that thing that she said, I guess the universe just needed me to hear it popped out of everything up the humdrum of the, background. And it's something I'm paraphrasing. It says, whatever you do, do it with everything you've got, because you never know who's watching. And that. Always stuck with me and I've all that's always been my tendency. I don't do anything by house. I'm either in it or I'm not. And if I'm in it, I'm neck deep in it and I throw everything I've got into it. Um, and so I do it all with gusto. And I feel I was in the right place at the right time, Annette had observed me for about, let's see, I joined her agency in 2005. And so she had me actually working behind the scenes with her once she had made the decision about two years before she spoke to me, that she'd made the decision to approach me with that question. And so she started to, you know, She would groom me. She'd have me coming in and helping behind the scenes, helping her produce shows, coaching models on the runway. And I was just doing everything with the same exuberance that I do everything. Not realizing that she was doing it with intention. So that would be the biggest thing I would tell my 4 year old self. Do it with everything you've got because you never know who's watching. And also persistence. I could have quit this many times. I don't put my aggravations on, social media, have a love hate relationship with social media as you probably do. I think it's also the generation we're from, not everything needs to be on social media. the times when I was going through a rough patch and sure, your audience, your followers want to know. They want to see the sausage making on the back end. But I feel I don't need to also subject them to, every trial and tribulation that I went through. I have fallen many times in these 14 years, especially in the earlier years. And there were times, Ed, honestly, when I would I was just going to curl up in bed and just cry myself to sleep out of frustration because I wasn't making headway. This wasn't going as quickly as I wanted. And as a single, female trying to do this, if I'm not working, if revenue is coming in, there's no honey that's going to pay my mortgage or pay my car note. So I needed to figure it out. and so many times I thought, maybe I should just quit this and go get a day job. It's easier. But somehow I didn't because then I'd always think about, the friends, the family, especially my mother. Oh, my God. I love my mother. I could not have done this without her. Just thinking about the amount of work. the amount of herself that she poured into me doing this. And just everything she had put in, over the years, and I would say, I cannot disappoint. I cannot. I just say, let's just keep going. Let's keep going. Let's keep going. And now, 14 years later, I can look back and be proud of myself for not giving in to the doubt that I was allowing myself to experience and keep going. I'm going to speak on behalf of your four year old self and let you know that she says thank you for not wasting me and for doing so much with me. She's very happy. Yes. Very happy with you.
Yeti Stereo Microphone:So Yumi, I understand you just held a showcase called Raw Providence. It's an artist showcase and it's a bi annual event. Tell us more about that.
Raw Providence, essentially, it's an artist showcase. A few Thursdays ago, we had, about 20, 25 artists, visual artists, photographers, crafts people, accessory designers, jewelry designers, musicians, singers, dancers. It's a four hour event, typically, and I do it twice a year, around, spring and then another one, in the summer, But it's just bringing the arts community together, bringing the general public, and so people are able to experience local art. but sometimes we get artists. Outside of the region, we just had an artist who came in from California, a very lovely young lady who's building her musical brand. Her name is Marina Vanoff, and she flew in from California to perform to our audiences. here and she was absolutely amazing. And I would say a rising young star. But since I was working with models under the agency. I started working with designers on the fashion week. was excited to add this additional element. So I was also having the opportunity to cater to all other aspects of all all the genres. And of the creative and entertainment industry. So our next one is actually going to be in February. I would love for you to come, Ed, and be my guest and see in real time, the things that I do. Thank you for that. It sounds like a great, showcase. And of course it aligns perfectly with what you do. I'm sensing that you're allowing the broader community in this. Genre to come together, and I think that's really, really important because it is not just a simple runway type situation. If you will, there's so much more to it. That's what I'm hearing. Absolutely. And as, you know, I talk a lot about inclusivity, diversity. Equity across the board. And so a lot of the artists that we cater to are independent artists. They're starting out. They don't have a representative. They're not in a gallery, but they're having a hard time getting a foothold for people to see them. So what we're doing in this instance is bringing in the general public, but we're also inviting, record label executives. I haven't yet, but I would love to get someone who produces music. we get the press, we get influencers, we get buyers. Owners of boutiques so that we've got important stakeholders in the space that would not ordinarily get the chance to see these artists and hopefully be able to ultimately gain a new client and work with them. And, I'm proud to say that I've had a singer. Who was seen by a congresswoman in Rhode Island that invited the singer to perform at, International Women's Day earlier this year because they saw her on our showcase. So the beauty of it is, it's kind of like an expo for artists, so they're there to promote themselves, promote their talent, but hopefully be seen by someone that could potentially hire them or commission them for something, that they want themselves. Thanks. That's fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing that. Thank you so much for the inspiration. I, and certainly everyone who has listened to this will appreciate that very much. Yeah. I mean, we're at that point we're going to have to wrap up. So I'm going to ask you, if you've got any closing comments you'd like to make before we do. Yes. Well, again, Ed, thank you so much. This has been wonderful. You know, people always like to talk about themselves, but this was a very structured conversation. I really love the direction and the different angles that we, touched on, but, to anyone out there that's, listening to this, if you've got an idea, that you like, it may just be a hobby, one of the things I'm so grateful every day when I wake up, Ed, I'm so grateful that I'm doing what I do, because, I could be doing something else. I worked in a bank for several years when I first came here because I needed to get settled in. But now I get to do something that I would wake up and do for nothing. if you're not going to pay me, I would still do this. But I get to call this my career and I get to live it and be it every day. So if anyone's listening and they've got that thing in their mind that they're wondering about, I say jump in with both feet. Jump in. Now, don't quit the day job because you still need to pay the bills. Do it. Start it. it's not failure if you don't succeed. It's failure if you don't do it. And then you're on your deathbed and you never experienced that thing that you could have done and had no idea how well you might have been able to do it because you just didn't give yourself enough time. The chance. It's so important to hear people's stories. This is the kind of inspiration that brings small business people, a bit of clarity, a bit of, Possibility that they might not otherwise have had. So this is a really powerful thing. And for that, I really want to thank you. So folks, once again. I am joined by my guest my friend, Yemi Sokoni, the president of Donahue Creative Group. Yemi, thank you so much for your time. Thank you. It's a pleasure. This is Ed Draws of the Small Business Doctor, and until we meet again, I want to wish you a healthy business.