They Punished Me for Becoming a Mom. I Turned It Into Power - Coco Rocha

Key Concepts

• Model career longevity and adaptation
• Balancing career, family, and business
• The importance of kindness and professionalism in the modeling industry
• The impact of AI on the modeling industry
• The evolving role of social media for models
• Overcoming negativity and building a support system
• Finding fulfillment in mentorship and education
• Time management and team building

Balancing Career, Family, and Business

Coco Rocha discusses how she manages a demanding career as a top model, multiple businesses (including Model Camp and investments), and raising three children.

• Teamwork is essential: She emphasizes the importance of having a strong team, including her husband as her manager and business partner, personal managers, and supportive family members (grandparents) who help with childcare.
• Family-oriented approach: Rocha integrates her family life with her business, bringing her daughters to Model Camp and involving them in her work.
• Prioritization and boundaries: She sets clear boundaries, such as leaving Model Camp at a specific time to be with her children, and prioritizes being a "stay-at-home mom" despite her travel schedule.
• Husband's role: Her husband handles much of the behind-the-scenes work, allowing her to focus on her modeling jobs and spend time with her family. He presents her with options, and she trusts his judgment.
• Schedule: She is a normal mom every day. She wakes up early to work on school projects with her kids, has breakfast with them, and is involved in their daily lives.

The Importance of Kindness and Professionalism

Rocha stresses that success in the modeling industry is not solely based on looks but also on how you treat people and your work ethic.

• "It's nice to be important, but it's important to be nice": This is a key quote that encapsulates her philosophy.
• Kindness and thoughtfulness: Models who are successful in the long term are generally kind and thoughtful.
• Energy and attitude: People are drawn to those who love their job and bring positive energy to the set.
• Networking: Networking and behaving well on set are crucial for career longevity.
• Internal beauty: Rocha believes that inner beauty affects outer appearance. Being nasty or rude can make someone less attractive.

The Impact of AI on the Modeling Industry

Rocha shares her perspective on the rise of AI in the modeling industry and its potential impact on jobs.

• AI for simpler tasks: She believes AI may be used for simpler, more commercial tasks, such as website product shots.
• Value of live performance: Rocha argues that there will always be a demand for live performances and artistic photoshoots that require human models. She draws a parallel to theater, which continues to thrive despite the availability of movies.
• Importance of being good at your job: She emphasizes that models need to be skilled and professional to remain competitive in the face of AI. Mediocre models are more easily replaced by AI.
• Core values: Models with great values and strong work ethics will still be in demand.
• Film photography analogy: She compares the use of AI to the debate between film and digital photography, noting that some photographers still prefer the artistic experience of film.

The Evolving Role of Social Media for Models

Rocha discusses the increasing importance of social media for models and the need for traditional models to adapt.

• Convergence of models and content creators: She predicts that traditional models and social media content creators will merge into one category.
• Models need social media presence: Models will need a substantial social media presence to succeed.
• Content creators need artistic skills: Content creators need to develop their artistic skills to avoid becoming repetitive.
• Learning from each other: Models should learn from content creators' ability to build an empire from nothing, while content creators should learn from models' ability to grace magazine covers.
• Non-traditional paths to success: She highlights Emma Chamberlain as an example of someone who entered the fashion world through YouTube, demonstrating that there are non-traditional paths to becoming a successful model.
• Value of creating something on your own: Rocha prefers models who have a background in creating something on their own because they understand how to achieve and fail, which makes them more successful in modeling.

Overcoming Negativity and Building a Support System

Rocha shares her experiences with negativity and how she copes with it.

• Backlash for advocating for underage models: She faced backlash for advocating for better protection for underage models, with some people believing she was destroying her career.
• Second-guessing herself: She admits to second-guessing herself and worrying about what people think of her.
• Accepting her reactions: She acknowledges that her reactions to negativity vary depending on her mood, hormones, and overall well-being.
• Importance of a support system: She emphasizes the importance of having a support system, including her husband, who provides reasonable advice and helps her see things from a different perspective.
• Avoiding "yes men": She advises against surrounding yourself with people who always agree with you and encourages seeking out people who will provide honest feedback, even if it's difficult to hear.
• Filtering feedback: She advises filtering feedback and not assuming that everything someone says is negative.
• Not avoiding feelings: She doesn't avoid negative feelings but processes them and moves on.

Finding Fulfillment in Mentorship and Education

Rocha discusses her passion for Model Camp and her desire to educate and mentor the next generation of models.

• Model Camp's mission: She sees Model Camp as a way to educate and empower models, helping them develop their skills and confidence.
• Evolving into a "confidence camp": She acknowledges that Model Camp has evolved into something broader, attracting people from various backgrounds who want to improve their image and confidence.
• Impacting the industry: She hopes to expand Model Camp and have a positive impact on the modeling industry, making it more beautiful and ethical.
• Most fulfilling aspect of her career: She finds the most fulfillment in seeing the positive impact Model Camp has on the lives and careers of the models who attend.

Other Notable Points

• Early career: Rocha started her career at a young age (14-15), balancing school with modeling jobs.
• Pregnancy and career: She didn't think about how pregnancy would affect her career as a model and announced it early.
• Flexibility as a model: She appreciates the flexibility of being able to decide whether to bring her children to work or not.
• Travel: She finds it difficult to be away from her children when she travels for work, but she tries to find positive aspects of the experience.
• Crazy photoshoot stories: She has many crazy photoshoot stories, including working with animals, fire, and water.
• Advice to young models: She advises young models to try even when they are told they will never make it.

Conclusion

Coco Rocha's interview provides valuable insights into the modeling industry, balancing career and family, and navigating the challenges of a rapidly changing world. Her emphasis on kindness, professionalism, and continuous learning offers actionable advice for aspiring models and anyone seeking success in a competitive field. Her dedication to mentorship and education highlights her commitment to shaping a more positive and empowering future for the modeling industry.