Social Media Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Fashion Model Stephanie Viada Is Helping To Change Our World
An Interview With Edward Sylvan
Friends and followers have told me they appreciate seeing their body types represented in a positive light, in fitness and swimming that does not focus on the size of their bodies as something different or revolutionary for being represented. That you can already be at your “fitness goals” and still be at a confident and strong larger size.
As a part of my series about leaders who are using their social media platform to make a significant social impact, I had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Viada
Stephanie Viada is a fashion model, fitness and wellness enthusiast, animal lover and Boston native, currently living in LA pursuing her dreams.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Thank you for having me! I have always loved being in front of the camera from an early age, though modeling just never seemed like an actual career option for most of my life. Once I got my degree, I decided it was time to really give it a try- it was my best decision yet!
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this career?
This isn’t a specific story, but I did find it very interesting how different this job is on the inside, versus how it is perceived. I thought it would all be very glamorous and fairly easy. I didn’t expect it to be such an all-consuming job, fun (most of the time), but exhausting. I also didn’t realize what a small world this industry is, everyone knows everyone, it’s a fairly small group of people, the curve model world is even smaller within that group, a lot of politics and hearsay but very easy to navigate if you surround yourself with genuine people.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
My very first job was a big location shoot for a large department store- my agent at the time told me to “fake it ‘till you make it” and not let anyone on set know it was my first shoot. I showed up totally over-dressed in high heels, my hair done and my usual casting outfit of jeans and a nice shirt. I kept shaking hands with everyone and anyone introducing myself as “Stephanie from (agency).” It wasn’t so much of a mistake as I was just an eager, uninformed new model, but looking back I cringe because I was painfully awkward and obvious all day long! I wish I had been given a little more direction and had given myself some grace and a moment to step back and enjoy myself on my first shoot.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
The industry has changed so much over the past few years, there is so much opportunity for people of all sizes and looks. I think if modeling has ever been something you have been interested in, go for it! This career is different from most in that you can really push for it on the side- grow your social media, do a lot of test shoots, keep practicing and learning, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing!
Ok super. Let’s now jump to the core focus of our interview. Can you describe to our readers how you are using your platform to make a significant social impact?
I want my Instagram to be a place where curvy women, and honestly women of all sizes, can find brands and products I genuinely love and use, not everything is a link or ad, I think its important to be genuine with my audience and promote products and can honestly stand behind. I also think there is underutilized space in the health and wellness world that could really benefit from curvy models and influencers who are also fitness enthusiasts. Working out is a big part of my life and routine, it’s important to me to represent and inspire women that share the same passion.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by this cause?
Friends and followers have told me they appreciate seeing their body types represented in a positive light, in fitness and swimming that does not focus on the size of their bodies as something different or revolutionary for being represented. That you can already be at your “fitness goals” and still be at a confident and strong larger size.
Was there a tipping point that made you decide to focus on this particular area? Can you share a story about that?
Yes, I really didn’t feel that there was a voice in the fitness industry that represented me. I was passed over for a shoot by a fitness brand because I wasn’t big enough and it really sat wrong with me. It actually pushed me in the other direction and motivated me to really lean into my goals and show that a plus-size model and fitness can go hand in hand and it’s possible to represent both at the same time while still holding both the straight size and plus size models to the same standards.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
The narrative that anyone curvy is promoting an unhealthy lifestyle needs to change, as a society, we have this obsession with skinny equating health and it’s so far from the truth.
Although I do think representation is important, I believe if fit plus size models are used in fitness campaigns and shoots & they physically perform just as strongly as their straight sized counterparts, it could really help change society’s stagnant views on what is “healthy” and “goals.”
Understanding that someone can be at their fitness goals at a larger size is also important, its not always about a journey to acceptance or weight loss. So many women have been programmed to think that smaller is always the goal, when for many its stronger and curvier.
What specific strategies have you been using to promote and advance this cause? Can you recommend any good tips for people who want to follow your lead and use their social platform for a social good?
I have been letting my work speak for itself, I found my way to my healthiest, happiest self and the work has followed. I felt like I had been manifesting working with fitness brands that focus on high performance during that time, and since then it has happened for me. Being able to share that work has been such a huge reward, it’s motivated me to keep doing what I’m doing and creating that space in the industry. Social media has so much power potential, I would say find what you’re passionate about and hone your energy into that, the people and the work will follow! I try to use my platform for good whenever I can. Aside from modeling and fitness, animals have always been a big part of my life- wildlife and domestic, so when I see an opportunity to spread awareness about something important to me, I post about it- adopt, don’t shop!
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
-Not everyone is going to like you and that’s ok. I found that breaking away from my inherent people-pleasing habit was difficult to do. It held me back for a long time, worried I would say something that would turn off followers or other people in my industry.
-Imposter syndrome is very real. No matter how long I do this job for, I still feel like the new girl, that maybe I haven’t been doing this long enough to speak on it. But the more I do, the more it fades, it just takes practice and confidence.
-Confidence is key, nobody knows if it’s real or not. Speak with confidence, carry yourself with confidence, and it will come. It is key when you’re opening yourself up to hundreds of thousands of people’s opinions.
-This industry isn’t easy or glamorous. I think from the outside, modeling is seen a certain way, how it’s portrayed on reality TV and in movies. But very often the studios are small and hot in the back of a warehouse and you’re there from 9–5 doing 80 to100 looks a day. It is a fun job, but it really is a job, it is a series of smaller, day to day jobs that pay the bills, with the bigger, more exciting shoots sprinkled in here and there.
-Its important to find your niche. It took me a while to figure out exactly who I wanted to be in this industry. I tried influencing and it didn’t come naturally, I thought creating a body-positive space might be for me too, but realized not all my values fully aligned with that and I wasn’t being authentic. I know what my followers want and expect from me now, forced ads never perform well. They know if I’m being genuine and the numbers show it. In order for your social media presence to take off, it’s so important to be genuine and true to yourself because then the content and followers come naturally and organically.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Oh if I could inspire ANY movement, it wouldn’t even be about fitness or anything to do with fashion or modeling. I would inspire people to go out and adopt (not buy) a pet, especially an older one. It has taken on a life of its own in my personal life. At one point last year I had 4 little senior dogs, and if I wasn’t living in an apartment with a pet limit, I would have so many more. A senior dog and cat rescue is my ultimate dream, and to then in turn be able to use my platform to get them seen and into loving homes for their golden years would be everything!
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Not all those who wander are lost” It has been a quote to live by, even before it was on Pinterest and embroidered on pillows. I have it tattooed on my arm because it took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I went to college and got my degree. I thought I wanted to be a psychologist, then a sociologist, maybe nursing school, then a nanny, then a wildlife rehabilitator, a vet tech, a makeup artist, I could go on. I didn’t really find my calling and settle on a career until my late 20’s. I still find myself with my hands in a lot of pots because of my many interests. I think we’ve been conditioned to think in a very linear path from childhood to adulthood and what that should look like. But I think taking your time, going in a bunch of different directions, a few false starts and a lot of life lessons is important and helps create the person you become. It will give you confidence in the decisions you make and where you end up because you left no stone unturned.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
MJ Day! I love the direction Sports Illustrated is going. Of course, it’s a dream of mine to appear on those pages, so an opportunity to talk to her and share my experience and goals with her would be such an incredible opportunity.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
The best place to find me is on my Instagram! I have yet to venture into the TikTok world, but that time may come soon. I like to share current work on my Instagram alongside my usual content, so any campaigns and shoots I do are almost always posted.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much!
Thank you!
About The Interviewer: Growing up in Canada, Edward Sylvan was an unlikely candidate to make a mark on the high-powered film industry based in Hollywood. But as CEO of Sycamore Entertainment Group Inc, (SEGI) Sylvan is among a select group of less than ten Black executives who have founded, own and control a publicly traded company. Now, deeply involved in the movie business, he is providing opportunities for people of color.
In 2020, he was appointed president of the Monaco International Film Festival, and was encouraged to take the festival in a new digital direction.
Raised in Toronto, he attended York University where he studied Economics and Political Science, then went to work in finance on Bay Street, (the city’s equivalent of Wall Street). After years of handling equities trading, film tax credits, options trading and mergers and acquisitions for the film, mining and technology industries, in 2008 he decided to reorient his career fully towards the entertainment business.
With the aim of helping Los Angeles filmmakers of color who were struggling to understand how to raise capital, Sylvan wanted to provide them with ways to finance their creative endeavors.
At Sycamore Entertainment he specializes in print and advertising financing, marketing, acquisition and worldwide distribution of quality feature-length motion pictures, and is concerned with acquiring, producing and promoting films about equality, diversity and other thought provoking subject matter which will also include nonviolent storytelling.
Sylvan has been featured in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and has been seen on Fox Business News, CBS and NBC. Sycamore Entertainment Group Inc is headquartered in Seattle, with offices in Los Angeles and Vancouver.
Social Media Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Fashion Model Stephanie Viada Is Helping To… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.