by Jackie Bertolette is a Fashion Director and a Lead Fashion Photographer with over three decades of experience as a Professional Editorial Fashion Photographer. She is the Owner & Editor In Chief of Haute Ohio Magazine, Ohio Fashion Week & DMSM (Discovered Model Scouting & Management Group). As a well-experienced Fashion Model & Fashion Designer, Jackie Bertolette launched these entities to provide a platform for aspiring fashion professionals.
Recently we interviewed her and asked about her entrepreneurial journey. Below is our interview and she shared her journey with advice to emerging entrepreneurs.
1.Hello Jackie! Please tell us about yourself
Jackie founded Haute Ohio Magazine, Ohio Fashion Week & DMSM (Discovered Model Scouting & Management Group) 5 1/2 years ago as a culmination of her thirty year career in fashion. Following three decades of experience as a Professional Editorial Fashion Photographer, twenty years as a Graphic Designer, experienced Fashion Model & Fashion Designer, Jackie launched these entities to provide a platform for aspiring fashion professionals. Throughout her career she has been committed to 100% inclusion in fashion and now has published her book, The Mission-Heartening Your Inner Beauty, a 100% inclusive collection of true stories by real models and their journeys from self doubt to self love through modeling!!!
2. What inspired you to become a fashion director and a lead fashion photographer? Please share more about your journey.
Fashion and style have always been a focus for me. Even as young as 7th grade, I was following fashion mags and dreaming up designs. After an unexpected bump in the road, while moving toward my intended vocation, I decided to try my hand at Commercial Photography. The vocation was a very small niche then and fashion photography was even smaller. But I loved the two areas and was determined to focus on a fashion editorial. Over my career, I gained experience in many areas of fashion including modeling, design, graphic design, journalism, etc. Launching Haute Ohio Magazine was a culmination of my expertise and skills.
3. What was your idea behind when you launched Haute Ohio Magazine?
My goal while in Photography school was to work for a fashion magazine out of NY but life had other plans and so now decades later instead of working for one, I own that publication! Over my career, I gained experience in many areas of fashion including modeling, design, graphic design, journalism, etc. Launching Haute Ohio Magazine was a natural culmination of my expertise and skills.
4. With other fashion magazines available in the market, what makes Jackie Bertolette’s Haute Ohio Magazine unique? Please share more about how your magazine is different from others.
Haute Ohio Magazine is unique because of the vision and focus of Jackie Bertolette. She is committed to 100% inclusion in the fashion industry and believes that beauty comes from within. Her mission is to help others find their inner beauty to strengthen their self-love and self-confidence. Haute Ohio features models from all diversities and proudly shares the beauty in each of them.
5. Did you face any difficulties or challenges in your journey in the fashion industry? As a female entrepreneur, how did you face the challenges?
Because I had skill and experience in the genre, I believe that my biggest challenge was not the creation of the content but the logistics of publishing the magazine. This was a new area for me and it took some trial and error and much research to find the publishing outlet that works for us at this stage of the game. Beyond that, my only obstacle was securing the first group of featured professionals in our premiere edition almost 6 years ago. Some found it hard to envision the magazine that was not there yet and was skeptical at first. Since however, finding featured professionals has been much easier.
6. As a female entrepreneur, would you like to share some advice for others who want to become entrepreneurs or those who are willing to enter into the fashion industry?
Fortunately, the fashion industry embraces women more easily than many industries. Being a female has been an asset for my business entities and especially for my Fashion Photography end of my work. Many models tend to feel more comfortable around female Photographers and more look to female photogs to ease them into shoots that might otherwise be precarious. I think the most important factor is to be who you say you are. Be the best at what you do and be willing to share your knowledge with future generations. Continued learning and networking is the key to success.
We hope you learned valuable lessons for your entrepreneur journey by reading this interview with Jackie Bertolette, Fashion Director, Lead Fashion Photographer, Owner & Editor In Chief of Haute Ohio Magazine. To read about her, visit www.hauteohio.com
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