Interview with Amores' Luis Basteri

Continuing my quest to learn from the industry experts on talent management.  I was very excited to speak to Luis Basteri, the director of Amores Talent Management, a modeling agency unique to the Dallas Metroplex.  Amores manages the careers of models, bloggers, and V-loggers.  Amores is the only one of its kind in the Southwest to represent the Social Elite.

Luis is an extraordinary individual.  Very poised, friendly and candid, Luis shared valuable information about the modeling and social media side of the talent management business.

Luis remarks that the entertainment industry was a passion of his, ever since he was a teenager.  The fruit does not fall too far from the tree, as his father was also in the entertainment business.  Luis’ path to success started on a traditional one.  Luis paid his dues at an early age.  As a proactive teen, Luis volunteered his services at a local broadcast station in Dallas, Texas.  He worked his way up from production assistant to production coordinator.  Luis spent 7 years in the industry working for talent agencies.  He now sits proudly as the director of a cutting edge, modeling agency in Dallas, Texas.

Amores purposefully manages a small board of talent, in order to give top priority and high concentration to their careers.  Quality, not quantity, is Amores’ mission.  Their trade secrets are the processes and strategies of how to book their talent.  Amores have international and national clients that employ their talent.  Luis states, “Our talent are always working.  We are very selective of where to send models and on what jobs.  If a model is seen too many places, they become less wanted by clients.  There is a continuous search for new fresh faces by clients”.

Amores’ management staff and affiliations are of extreme talent with extensive experience.  Ari Miranda brings ties from Mexico and serves as Luis’ right hand; she contributes her expertise in public relations, fashion journalism and production.

According to Luis, there are models for different things and knowing what they are suited for, can extend their careers.

Why settle here in Dallas, Texas?  Aside from my family residing here, Dallas presents many unique opportunities to try different things.  Starting a modeling agency in places like LA and New York is nothing new to these areas, people have already tried or are doing what you are trying to doing.

What is your approach to talent management?  We find out what the talent wants to accomplish and go from there.  If they are teenagers, we do not want to hear what their parents’ want, but what they themselves want.  We want the talent to be happy and in turn they do a great job.

Amores manages fashion bloggers, Instagram stars, Viners, and YouTube personalities.  Apart of the Special Bookings division are Lisa Petty of DFW Style Daily and Cynthia Smoot of Oh So Cynthia.

How does management of bloggers and v-loggers go?  There are clients who want to be connected to social media gurus with a huge following, to talk about their product.  We manage this and their careers; we protect them in a sense.  We make sure the clients are legitimate. 

Advice from Luis to Me:

• You must work at least 3 years for agencies, to learn what and what not to do.  I remember making a terrible mistake of not researching a talent fully.  I later found out that the models that I hired had an undesirable past, that came back to haunt me.  I thought that I was going to get fired.  I learned from that mistake to research the talent thoroughly and to ask up front, “Is there anything that I should know and to tell me everything”.

• You may be better off starting in broadcast (the acting realm) and then move over into the modeling sector.  Because of the fast pace of the modeling industry, it can be quite confusing.

• You are starting from a great place, because you are getting a formal education that teaches you what is new in the entertainment business sector.  However, interning and meeting people in the industry are key components.

Takeaways:

• Establish Symbiotic Relations:  Build strong alliances with individuals that have superb knowledge and experience.
• Start small and build.
• Be meticulous of how you do everything, in order to circumvent mishaps, because it is difficult to dial back from costly errors.
• Always think in terms of protecting your brand and its reputation.
• Always strive to be exceptional.
• Do not be fearful of taking risks, do things others are not.
• Listen to your subjects and work from their desires.
• Go for quality not quantity.

 Luis, I learned a lot from you. Thank you for your time and generosity!

 http://dfwstyledaily.com/2013/07/11/four-fresh-modeling-agencies-take-on-the-dallas-scene/