Meet Antoinette Monae

Today we’d like to introduce you to Antoinette Monae.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Antoinette. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
As a child many people would approach my parents and ask if I was in modeling and they would answer “no”. I was very shy as a child and not super confident, so I never thought I could model. Instead, I focused on my education. As I worked on my bachelor’s degree my confidence and self-love began to develop. I started to realize I could model when friends, who were art/photography majors asked me to be a model for their class projects. I found joy in posing, and attempting to tell a story in a single shot; and so I did small shoots here and there but again remained focused on my education. I eventually got into pharmacy school and didn’t do a single shoot until 2015 when I took a leap of faith and entered into a Scrubs and Beyond modeling contest. The contest came to an end and the next thing you know I had won! I got to spend a day shooting at Scrubs and Beyond’s headquarters and fell in love!

The entire staff encouraged me to pursue modeling claiming I was a natural. I loved the idea but didn’t know how to get started, so again I refocused myself and continued my education. I graduated pharmacy school in 2017 and finally had time to devote to modeling. So I opted to attend casting calls leading to me being apart of many fashion shows, photo shoots, publications, and commercials. I was also blessed to walk for multiple fashion brands at both Los Angeles and New York fashion weeks. All of this has lead to me being signed with my current modeling agency, based in New York, taking my modeling career to the next level. All the while I have remained true to my other passion, aiding in the health of others, and worked my way to becoming a pharmacy manager.

Has it been a smooth road?
There have been a few struggles related to both of my careers; the biggest one is finding the appropriate balance between the two. In regards to modeling my height has been a bit of an obstacle but I constantly work to show petite models are just as exceptional! The other obstacles are determining what opportunities are worthwhile; will this assist me in my progression? Will I get usable material? Should I do it for the practice and experience? These are some of the questions I ask myself before determining if I’ll accept an offer. In regards to being a pharmacist, I constantly have to develop my ability to handle various customer service situations while providing appropriate education to patients. Being in a leadership position comes with additional challenges ranging from maintaining team morale, identifying ways to lead to greater productivity, making financial decisions for the business and more.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Modeling – I started off modeling in all areas possible; runway shows, print, and commercials. I enjoy all of these but have begun to narrow my niche to more print modeling of high fashion looks and fitness attire. The other specialization of mine is commercial work, specifically focused on cosmetic and beauty products. I pride myself in maintaining a positive vibe and producing consistent quality work.

Pharmacy – I work in retail pharmacy and focus on providing exceptional care. My goal is to build the small town relationship with all of my patients that we don’t see very often in the world of big pharma. Additionally, I pride myself in providing quality education to my patients.

Is there a specific memory from when you were younger that you really miss?
One of my favorite memories as a child was the first day my parents brought home my baby brother! It was such a special day!

Contact Info:

• Email: antoinette.monae@outlook.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/antoinette_monae?igshid=11nsh0mvzrxty

Image Credit:
Sonoran Imagery Photography, @sonoran_imagery

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