Ashia Amavè
Commercial Model / Digital Designer
Brooklyn, NY
www.designedbyamave.com
instagram @designedbyamave / @ashiaamave
twitter
Q What do you do?
“Alright - Let’s get into it! I’m a creative who expresses myself in many different forms.”
Hey y’all, my name is Ashia Amavè and I’m a Commercial Model and founder of Commercial Model Guide. My role of founder also includes marketer, website designer and basically everything else!
The Commercial Model Guide is a resource to help creatives make money from Commercial Modeling. Unlike fashion modeling, Commercial Modeling is when everyday people work as talent in major brand campaigns regardless of appearance or experience. These ads want to reflect the real world we live in! I teach creatives how to get started and thrive in the industry via eGuides and digital courses.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
Phew! I mean I would say who I am present day is an accumulation of the work I've done over the past 3 years. The first step I took was investing in a mindset coach who helped me realize how I was thinking of myself, which impacted how I showed up in the world, how I limited myself in my mind before any action. After cringing at that fact and moving past the frustration about how I was in my own way, now I am constantly implementing everything I discovered in real time. Many days that looks like strengthening my mental discipline by keeping commitments I make to myself, constantly affirming myself with success, abundance, creativity, motivation via books and podcast and always giving a little bit more than I think I have left.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
My knowledge and lived experience. I am able to confidently guide creatives in the Commercial Modeling industry because that is my life now and has been for the past 7 years. As a creative, I have held so many titles and have enjoyed working in many different industries. I want to empower the multi-hyphenates like myself to try the things that they always wanted to. The things that seem out of reach and unrealistic. I want to encourage creatives to go for it because that’s what I did and it’s been the most gratifying and purposeful decision I’ve ever made.
Q What are you working on right now?
I am running and managing Commercial Model Guide by sharing information to help creatives make money from the Commercial Modeling industry. I also create ready-to-use Squarespace website templates for creatives to help amplify their digital presence to showcase their skills. Check them out at designedbyamave.com
Q What’s your style?
Ohhh look at me being a head of the curve! As a mentioned above, my style is current, new, cool, digital-eque (think zena super nova girl) nostalgic (obvs with that example lol) fun. creative, bright and colorful.
For example please check out my two websites www.designedbyamave.com www.CommercialModelGuide.com
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
To be completely honest, I really would like to have a balance of both! With modeling I'm creative physically which is fun and gratifying - but then I don't get to use my brain and when I'm designing, I can express and transform these large ideas in my mind to something cool and expressive digitally. It's the best combination for me, really.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
I think it's really hard to be a freelancer that shows up and does the work of promoting themselves, SEO, Email, social content (which I understand is the bare minimum btw) and then not have concrete evidence if anything is working or making an impact. It's a cycle - the thing you need to do to create awareness about your business is also the thing that drains you.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
I would hire someone to tell me what to do in order to reach the people who would like my services. I think so much of my creative energy is spent on finding the client than designing and I just didn't anticipate that side of the business, but having someone help me would make things so much easier!
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
When I first graduated college, I would have told myself to learn how to trust myself, learn how to listen to my voice and spend more time thinking of the best case scenario of my ideas. I used to be afraid of my thoughts and ideas assuming they would bring me nothing but doom, but when I finally started listening, I realized these thoughts, ideas and creativity have always been here - I just ignored them.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I would love to learn more about human behavior & marketing, like the link between the two. How to build genuine connection online, how to foster an active creative online community, how to convey expertise and knowledge without overwhelming the consumer- I love reading about human design in general but THIS! this would be cool and obvs beneficial to my businesses.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I would love to connect with creatives who are looking for a way to amplify their personal brands, want to try modeling or want a new and creative way to make income.
I’d also love to collaborate with brands geared specifically to creatives and the freelance life to see how our businesses can work together!
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My ideal clients are creatives, multi-hyphenates, entrepreneurs, content creators, models and influencers. My ideal collaboration would be to partner with a company that creates resources for creatives and host a masterclass featuring different creatives who speak to their expertise.
Q What is your rate?
Sure, my hourly rate is $100 and I have flat rates for website design which are either $2.2K for my rush service "Website In A Day" which includes 3 pages with limited design and $1.5K for full website designs, up to 5 pages (check out my website for accurate pricing!)
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Send me an email at info@commercialmodelguide.com and follow the business Instagram page @CommercialModelGuide. I can’t wait to work with you!
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Right now, I’m really feeling Jade Purple’s Brown work! The colors and the black girl flyness and just EVERYTHING!
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Singing, Laughing, Gratitude, Watching, Listening, Learning and RESTING!
This member profile was originally published in September 2022, last updated February 2023.