Pro-Model and Talent Management's beautiful model and actress T'yana Nolen from Wooster, Ohio couldn't wait to tell us about her experience at the International Modeling and Talent Association (IMTA) convention in New York City!  She was grateful for the amount of dedication and preparation the Pro-Model and Talent Management staff gave her prior to IMTA. When it was time to head to the convention, T'yana knew she was well-prepared and ready to excel!

Once she was in NYC and settled in, T'yana was off to the competitions. "When it was time for the competitions, all my nerves went away and they turned into excitement," T'yana said.  "The most challenging competition for me was the Makeup Competition, and my favorite was the Fashion Runway Competition. I think I did fairly well and, after each competition, I wanted to do it again."

T'yana found that the Cold Read and TV Real People competitions were easiest to perform because they came naturally to her. T'yana would go on to win first place in the Jeans and Fashion Runway competition. She also won an honorable mention for the Swimwear and TV Real People competitions along with second runner-up for the Female Commercial Model of the Year award. These are stellar achievements!

Although T'yana was sad that the excitement of the convention week was over, she was very happy with how well she performed. When she was notified by how many callbacks she had received, T'yana was thrilled. "I was very pleased. I did not expect to receive that many." After a lot of time and consideration, T'yana signed with Discover Management in Los Angeles. We couldn't be more proud of T'yana!
T'yana's experience at IMTA has set her on course to pursue her dreams, and she would like to thank the people who helped her get there. She thanks the Pro-Model and Talent Management staff for their guidance and encouragement throughout her journey. She'd also like to thank her parents for allowing their daughter to pursue her dreams.

All of us at Pro-Model and Talent Management are truly proud of T'yana and her success at the IMTA convention. We look forward to watching her progress as she pursues her career at the National Level!

For Ayrin, the experience of attending IMTA was tremendously rewarding. "I really enjoyed myself the entire week; I did not let anything take away my focus," she said. "The best part was realizing I had finally begun to chase my dreams." Ayrin advised all aspiring actors and models who are attending the IMTA to remain confident in who you are.  That confidence combined with tremendous talent has led Ayrin to now be signed with Jago Ciro Entertainment!

Want more information on how to get started in an acting career? Click below! 

Want more information on how to get started in an acting career? Click below!

Pro Model and Talent Management's super talented, model and actress Carol Wulff can now add published author to her resume! Carol is the writer of the newly published children's book, William, The What-If Wonder! Pro Model and Talent Management is thrilled to announce that Carol has recently finished this five-year project. William The What-If Wonder is a story about a young boy struggling to conquer his anxiety regarding his first day of school. The book is filled with colorful illustrations and aims to help children understand the difference between reality and anxiety.

Carol was inspired to write this book because of the experiences she shared with her own child. As a mom, it was hard to watch her daughter struggle with anxiety, so Carol started learning about different ways she could help her daughter cope. She learned that she could help her daughter look at the situation in a different light, through the "what-if" mentality (hence the name of the title). Because this technique worked so well for her daughter, Carol wanted to help other children learn the same coping technique.

After asking Carol about the bookmaking and publishing process, she stated that it "...requires motivation, inspiration, patience, willingness, criticism, and research." There are many avenues to publishing a book; Carol chose to form her own publishing company and publish the book herself. Self-publishing had many pros and cons. A pro, she says, was that it allowed her to list her book with global distributors. However, a con was having to do everything on her own; this included registering with the Library of Congress and Copyright Office, obtaining her own ISBN (International Standard Book Number), hiring her own illustrator and copy editor, filing legal reviews, and much more.

As for the actual writing process, Carol told us that she loves to rhyme and found writing to be the easiest part of the entire journey. Her biggest challenge was finding an illustrator for the book. Carol had a vision of how she wanted William to look, and didn't want to compromise that vision. After interviewing many illustrators and receiving many sketches, she still couldn't find the right imagery. That all changed when Carol was visiting with a friend and her friend's daughter one day. While Carol and her friend were chatting, her friend's daughter was sketching and doodling. After completing her masterpiece, her friend's daughter handed Carol her drawing and William was born!

Carol says that publishing this book has definitely made her step outside her comfort zone. Entering this industry knowing nothing, she had to not only overcome the challenges of creating the story, but manage the business side as well. Throughout her journey, she has learned to appreciate constructive criticism and obstacles, as they've helped make the book better. While every day wasn't easy, she held onto her vision, let things unfold naturally, embraced learning moments, and was strong enough to see the project through!

"Publishing this book hasn't changed my career as I haven't quit my day job!" Carol stated. "Let's say it has "enhanced" my life!"

For anyone looking to publish their own book, Carol suggests patience, as the process is something that doesn't move quickly. William, The What-If Wonder is a five-year project in the making. Through that time, Carol and her team had to review drafts, interview illustrators, determine budgets, network with people, and make many decisions. Carol also says to believe that you can make a difference! She leaves us with a quote from Joan Lunden: "...when you're close to something so awful, you feel obligated to reach out your hand and pull someone else through".

Special mention to Dr. Margaret R. Mauzé and Clare Willett who were equal collaborators with William, The What-If Wonder!

Where to Purchase Book:

In Stores:

Fireside Book Shop

Pro-Model and Talent Management (PMTM) is proud to introduce 21-year-old model and actress, Amanda Martin. Amanda is from Wadsworth, Ohio and describes herself as "a typical country girl". She enjoys fishing, hiking, riding four-wheelers, and line dancing. She was able to graduate early from the University of Akron with a bachelor's degree in biology, and she currently works full-time as an orthodontic clinical assistant. Amanda's evenings are spent caring for foster children, as she is a certified respite foster parent.

Amanda has always felt like her calling in life was to be a dentist, but she recently faced some serious difficulty getting into the right dental school. She described that experience as being devastating, and she felt lost. Looking for something new to put her energy into, Amanda discovered Pro-Model and Talent Management. Soon after becoming a part of the agency, she also discovered her hidden talent and passion for acting. After a month of working with the agency, she auditioned for the International Modeling and Talent Association (IMTA) convention. Amanda was accepted and attended IMTA NYC this past July. She told us that things seemed to be moving fast, and it felt surreal. She also shared that she initially felt unsure because she didn't feel like she would be successful, and lacked confidence in her talent.

Despite her concerns, she continued to work hard on her skills. As a result of her performance at IMTA, Amanda was awarded three honorable mentions and came in the top ten for female actor of the year. In addition to her awards, she was offered a callback, which led her to sign with MMG - NY, LA, and Canada less than a week after returning from the convention! Amanda said that IMTA was the best week of her life. "I made friends that will last a lifetime, memories that I will tell my kids one day, and I came out stronger and more confident than ever!"

Amanda dreams of being in shows such as Grey's Anatomy and Big Bang Theory. Advice that she would give anyone wanting to pursue the modeling and talent industry is to trust yourself, embrace what makes you unique, and be bold. We think that's pretty awesome advice!

"Never in my life would I have imagined acting and modeling in New York and signing with an international agency," Amanda said. "However, it all happened because I took that leap, stepped outside of my comfort zone, and gave it my all. I am forever thankful for the hard work that the PMTM staff put into making this all possible. They are truly angels, and I couldn't ask for a better mother agency."

Pro-Model and Talent Management is proud of Amanda and her hard work. We can't wait to see what is next for this talented young lady!

Written by: Ciara Williams

Pro-Model and Talent Management's (PMTM) Mariah Williams is a 19-year-old young lady from Perry, Ohio. Mariah discovered Pro-Model and Talent Management through a friend who was with the agency and decided to come to an audition. Working with the Pro-Model and Talent Management staff fueled her interest in pursuing the industry at the next level. Once she heard about the International Modeling and Talent Association (IMTA), attending the IMTA convention in NYC became her goal.

Mariah accomplished her goal and attended the IMTA NYC convention this past July. She did an exceptional job at the convention, winning the Participation Award as well as placing in the TV Beauty, Fashion Print, and Fashion Runway competitions. In addition, she received honorable mention for Commercial Model of the Year! As a result of her performance at the convention, Mariah is signing with HRI Talent and Jago Ciro Entertainment. She said the best part of the experience for her was the atmosphere. It made her feel encouraged to follow her dreams and push herself to try her hardest.

The biggest dream for many is to be famous or travel the world, but that isn't the case for our Mariah. She believes those things are a plus or a bonus in life. Mariah's dream is to make an impact on the world. Building shelters for the homeless and financing more soup kitchens and hospitals for the sick and elderly are just a few items on her to-do list. She also plans to help people with mental illness. "I want people to know that there is someone out there willing to help them, no matter what their problem or situation is," Mariah said. "If I can make a difference in this world, that is what I am going to do." We consider ourselves pretty fortunate to have someone with Mariah's awesome mindset as part of our PMTM family!

Mariah has overcome some big challenges to get where she is today, and the biggest challenge Mariah faced was fear. She told us that growing up, she was bullied for the color of her skin, and that caused her to be a very quiet and shy person. She has now learned to let go, have fun, be herself, and accept who she is as a person with the help of Pro-Model and Talent Management. Tips that Mariah would like to give any future models and talent is to never give up, and stay focused on what you are doing while at IMTA. Mariah received some heart-breaking news while at IMTA, and she believes that if she had not had the tools to stay focused on why she was there, she would not have performed as well as she did. Lastly, she advises practicing in order to perfect your craft. Pro-Model and Talent Management is extremely proud of Mariah's growth and can't wait to see what more she accomplishes as she takes the next steps into the national market!

Written by: Ciara Williams