We all love a good success story, especially when it’s about a woman leaving her hometown to make it in the Big Apple. Irina Proskurina was born in Easter Europe and has become an international model and businesswoman. Now, she’s the CEO of her own company and is helping other women like herself to make their dreams come true.
A journey across the ocean
When she was a young girl, she studied at an English-oriented educational institution. She got the idea of traveling to New York from a friend who asked her why she was studying so hard and if she wanted to go to the US for the summer. Irina thought to herself “why not”.
At that time, New York was the Mecca for the fashion industry, and it still is, therefore, there she headed. After acquiring a US visa, she arrived in New York and decided to study there.
The journey was not easy, and her relatives were worried about her. But her parents decided to support her because even though she was very young (19 years old) she was always a very mature girl. One way or the other, she always made the right decisions. They trusted her and they were right because eventually she got US citizenship and brought her parents to New York as well.
The importance of education
Her modeling ambitions never stopped her from pursuing her intellectual goals and this is exactly what she teaches young girls. Irina believes in education and always encourages the younger generations to follow her steps. In 2016 she finished her MBA in marketing, and this was quite a fulfilling experience for her. She always wanted to learn how to create and run a business and now she felt that she had great tools to do so.
Then, Irina found a way to integrate her two passions and is now offering advice to girls, particularly from Eastern Europe, who want to make it as models. She noticed that many of them are beautiful and talented but don’t know where to start, and nobody can help them as Irina can. She knows how difficult it is and how dangerous the path can get for girls out there and her purpose is to help young prospects in their modeling careers.
About modeling
Once in an interview, a journalist asked her about the cons of modeling, and she couldn’t find one. After all, there’s a reason why she loves this profession so much. Modeling can provide a happy and interesting life full of friends, traveling, photo shoots, beautiful people, and bright partners. When it comes to money is not bad either since, if you do things right, you’re almost always financially secure. A girl can start making money as early as 15 or 16 and they have the possibility to travel, see the world, get to know new cultures, and attend cocktails, runaways, and other events.
Irina still remembers her first photo shoot in her hometown. Even though they don’t have the New York style that she became familiar with now, it was one of the most fun moments in her life. Her favorite shoot, however, was conducted in Milano by a student. The background was an old house that they rented and the whole team took part in the process. They were so supportive that Irina felt close to all of them, and they are still her friends today.
Eastern Europe or New York?
Although Irina loves her hometown, she doesn’t regret coming to the Big Apple. She comes from a small town in Eastern Europe, full of nice and sweet people, which has that special small-town feel.
New York, on the other hand, it’s more challenging. Here live incredibly creative and intelligent people and practically the best in the world in whatever it is they do. This is an exciting environment but also a very competitive one and this is what encourages someone to achieve self-development. In an environment like New York, you always have to do your best otherwise you stay behind. This is the capital of the world, and Irina loves feeling that vibe in the air.
Goals and dreams
Like any good businessperson, Irina wants more. She now has her agency and is the CEO of her company. We can say that this is already a success story, but, like any entrepreneur, Irina wants more. She is determined to take her agency not only to the top of New York but also to the world. She believes this will not only be good for her but also for her young girls.
Her company’s name is Forma Models, and its goal is to help young women become models in New York City.
Public relationships in a new light
e-PR is another one of Irina’s projects which consists of a PR platform where clients’ publications are published first on Google search and Google news. An excellent option for social media managers, freelance journalists, and brand representatives, e-PR is an all-in-one solution.
In a way, Irina wants to use the experience she has in promoting top-luxury companies and personas and take it to the next level. She felt that the digital media world is a field in which her expertise can be useful. Thus, e-PR offers comprehensive services and media publications based on geography, language, budget, and topics. They have the best partners including Wikipedia and the largest media channels.
Challenges and advantages of living in the 21st century
Irina understands that this century has its own demands. As a foreigner living in New York City and after having the experience of starting over in a new country, Irina has the perspective that every innovator must have. And what are social media management and public relationships if not pure innovation?
This is why e-PR offers such a comprehensive solution for luxury brands and high-end companies.
Thanks to their vast experience, the e-PR team can help you develop what matters most: your brand. Awareness, engagement, and audience loyalty are not empty concepts here, but are a part of the daily routine.
After all, this is the essence of a model: to show a concept through beauty and style. This is what Irina represents and what she introduced in each one of her projects. This is a woman of the 21st century, this is a true entrepreneur.
