When it comes to careers in the present day, young people are awash with opportunity to try their luck in a vast number of industries. It has now become possible to merge the benefits of a practical career with a more progressive ambition. To be a vital component of a business and be able to set aside time to explore our creative mind through music, dance and photography (to name a few) – that is an aim that can be achieved. To make that creative ambition the foremost source of income – that is still deemed unrealistic. But among us are those who relentlessly work towards this idolized vocation. One such individual is businesswoman and aspiring model Rachelle Shaw.
Brought up in the small town of Cleckheaton in West Yorkshire, a young Rachelle took Ballet, Tap and Disco classes at her local P.M. Gibson School of Dance, before developing a love of horse riding in her teenage years. She followed this through with a qualification in Horse Management at college.
In deciding on her future career, Rachelle found her interests were split between practical business vocations and the creative arts. To fulfill her practical work ethic, she secured herself a full-time job as technical administrator at Love Bites Foods, a Yorkshire-based food company that supplies to leading supermarkets, including Morrisons.
Not sure how to cultivate her more creative desires, Rachelle came across an appealing offer on popular discount website, wowcher.com. She says, ‘There was an offer for a photoshoot in Leeds, one hour for £14, and I got some really good photos from it. Everyone told me I should be doing this professionally, so I searched for a professional photographer to help me build my portfolio, and it’s taken off from there!’
Rachelle, now known professionally as ‘Minnaie’ in her modeling jobs, has her own website, www.minnaie-model.co.uk, and is quickly acquiring work in this field. In pursuit of her modeling aspirations. She became a finalist for ‘Face of Britain 2012’, and for this competition, attended the 10th Annual Urban Music Awards 2012. ‘I’ve never attended anything like the Urban Music Awards before – I had a 5 hour coach journey in order to make the event but it was worth it!’ Rachelle is now working as assistant manager of ‘Amazon Girls’, a company that manages ‘Ring Girls’ for ring-based sports matches, along with promotional models for a variety of events. The next Amazon Girls event takes place at the Belvedere in Essex on Sunday 9th December.
When asked whether she would like to incorporate any international modeling opportunities, Rachelle responds; ‘Next year I’m flying out to South Africa for a wedding, so I’m planning on arranging a shoot while I’m there – it would be silly not to!’
In terms of a long-term career, Rachelle is aware that a move to London may also be imminent: ‘I’m currently happy in my full time job at Love Bites Foods, but if my modeling career really took off, I’d definitely move to London, as the opportunity to expand in the industry are limited here at home.’ Ultimately, Rachelle wants to appear as the face of bigger brands, citing ASOS as her favoured label to work with.
Rachelle is now 23 and continuing to pursue her dream to be a successful model, and apparently it’s all down to her ex-boyfriend, now a close friend, who relentlessly supported her through it all: ‘I really have to thank Adam, because if it wasn’t for him I would never have even tried for a career in modeling, never mind attending events like the Urban Music Awards! He told me to go for it no matter what, so if I become a success it’s all down to him!’
