Building Fresh Models Across Two Continents

By Francis Polo
June 20, 2026

People see the runway shows, the photoshoots, the castings, and the social media posts.

What they don’t see are the late-night WhatsApp calls, the endless voice notes, the spreadsheets, the planning sessions, and the occasional 2 AM conversation because Lagos is already starting a new day while I’m still wrapping up mine in Los Angeles.

When I launched Fresh Models, I had a vision of creating more than just a modeling agency. I wanted to build a platform that could discover, develop, and create real opportunities for aspiring models in Nigeria. That’s how Fresh Models Agency and Fresh Models Academy were born.

The interesting part? Most people assume I’m in Lagos running the day-to-day operations. In reality, a lot of this is happening from Los Angeles.

Managing a growing agency from thousands of miles away comes with its challenges. The time difference means my phone is constantly active. Some mornings I wake up to dozens of messages from staff, coaches, photographers, and models. Other nights I’m still reviewing portfolios, discussing strategy, or planning classes long after most people have gone to bed.

Thankfully, I haven’t been doing this alone.

One thing I’ve learned very quickly is that building something meaningful takes a team. I’m incredibly grateful for our staff, our instructors, our coaches, and everyone behind the scenes who has helped bring this vision to life. Every runway class, every open call, every workshop, every test shoot, and every booking opportunity is the result of people putting in the work.

And then there are the models.

Watching someone walk into their first class with little confidence and seeing them transform over a few weeks is one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. Some of our students had never stepped on a runway before. Today they’re learning runway storytelling, posing techniques, personal branding, casting etiquette, and the skills needed to compete in a professional market.

That’s what keeps me motivated.

We’re not just teaching people how to walk.

We’re helping people build careers.

Right now, one of our biggest goals is establishing a strong presence at Lagos Fashion Week. We’re actively preparing our models for castings, runway opportunities, and industry networking that could open doors both locally and internationally. Lagos Fashion Week remains one of the most important platforms for emerging talent in Africa, and we’re excited about the opportunities ahead.

Of course, we’re still early in the journey.

There are plenty of lessons being learned, systems being built, and goals we’re working toward. But every week feels like progress. Every new model we develop, every partnership we create, and every opportunity we help facilitate gets us one step closer to the vision.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned so far, it’s this:

Building a modeling agency isn’t glamorous every day.

Sometimes it’s strategy calls.
Sometimes it’s coaching sessions.
Sometimes it’s reviewing contracts.
Sometimes it’s answering WhatsApp messages at midnight.

But when you genuinely believe in what you’re building, the work becomes worth it.

To everyone who has supported Fresh Models so far—thank you.

We’re just getting started.