The Art of the Pivot

Entrepreneurs and self-made creatives know better than anyone else that even in difficult times, you can still be successful, booked and busy. The focus needs to just be in the art of pivoting- AKA, finding that new angle or focus that will change things for the better.

For Chi Anderson, her pivot started way before the pandemic, transitioning from a corporate job, to life coaching, to ultimately, her passion of modeling. It’s in this mix of passions and purposes that she has found her true calling: creative coaching on sets. If there’s one thing Chi knows, it’s the gift of being able to reinvent yourself and grow regardless of outside circumstances.

Ok, so what is a creative coach?

Basically, I’m a certified lifestyle coach turned model turned creative coach. I basically help others during their photoshoots, helping them with their poses and providing positive vibes. The goal is to help them build up confidence, helping to make the photoshoots more fun. A lot of people are insecure about being in front of the camera, so you know…It’s a whole vibe with me!

How much of this stems from being a model?

The whole modeling aspect has been in me since I was a little girl; I’ve always liked getting my picture taken. When I was a teen, I aspired to be a model but my mother was like uh uh, you need a good paying job. I did that for 18 years and I just never felt like me sitting at a desk and crunching numbers was what I was supposed to be doing. I ended up going into the nonprofit sector and starting my own business, helping girls and women just kind of find their way and tap into the gifts they were born with. From there, right around 39, I was sitting around at a local fashion show and thought, I’m going to get right back into that because I’m not going to allow something hinder me like my age, my weight, who I was married to… I just decided at 39 I was going to do it. And I did. 

Three weeks after I made a post about it, I booked my first show and I’ve been going pretty nonstop ever since.

What would you say was the #1 thing that held you back mentally, when you were transitioning between all these different jobs and industries? 

I think the one thing that held me back was wondering if people would accept it, if they would take me seriously. I did the same thing with coaching; basically, everything I’ve done the last 4 or 5 years, I’ve been petrified and afraid, not knowing if it would be accepted, if I would excel at it. I finally got out of my head and now I just tell everybody if it doesn’t scare me, I don’t do it.

That’s a very scary thing to come to terms with!

Oh man, listen. It just works out better for me this way. I learned that one, what’s for me is for me, and two; I can do anything. There’s nothing I can’t do and nothing that society holds onto you as a barrier is going to get in your way. We create our own barriers, and I did that for so long. I’m 40 years old, and I know a lot of people feel some way about turning a certain age and I just don’t. It just makes me appreciate everything, even the losses- it makes me appreciate everything even more because I could be gone tomorrow.

 I celebrate it all.

Talking about barriers, what were some of the ones you faced getting back into modelling? I know you touched on age and weight.

That was basically it, honestly. When I was younger, it was more about having to have a certain amount of money to do it. There were a lot of scams for modeling back then. They’d ask you for thousands for coaching you and you’d get nothing in return. 

Nowadays you see short models and plus-sized models, and there’s just no one modeling type. You’re seeing it all. Not having that back then is what held me back in my mind; having to put myself out there. Once I started seeing people like me on the runway, I was thinking, well if she can do it, then hell…

Normally I’m the oldest on set, on runways though! And I love it, I celebrate it.

What’s that vibe like, being the oldest? Do you normally become kind of like the mom on set?

Yeah, like the mom or the cool aunty, the big sister. I love it. I just remember all the times I was always the youngest in the room and now that I’m the oldest, I love it. They look up to me- and I learn a lot from them too. I’m grateful.

Obviously now, beauty standards are a little different from what they used to be when you first were in the modeling space. What does it feel like seeing so much of the IG baddie look? Is there a feeling that you need to have that certain look or body type to make it? 

I felt more a way when I was with someone because if they gravitated towards that type of look, then I would too. But for now, I’m like hell no. There are people out here half my age that wished they had my body, people older than me that wished they had my body. Yes, granted, it’s not perfect and there are things I wish were different, but at the same time, when the cameras come on, I put in the werk, because I’m representing a brand- not only mine, but someone else’s. So I got to put personal feelings aside and celebrate what God gave me.

And guess what? There are some other things that come with that, like stretchmarks and moles and scars from surgeries that are testimonies to my story, so I love them and celebrate them all.

So how do you honor your body and your soul, both in and out of work?

In work, it’s mostly with photos. I get dm’s all the time about how I’ve encouraged women to just do whatever it is they want to do, whether it is start a business or be more sensual, whatever really- to step out of that box they put themselves in.

Personally, I like me. I’m like, you the shit! And I’ve never had that before. I give myself pats on the back ‘cus I’ve accomplished so much in such a short amount of time, all thanks to me. I’ve never really had a good appreciation for myself as a person. I’ve always been a very empowering and encouraging person, but that was for everybody else. I never did that for myself. And I’ve finally come to terms with like, yeah, you a bad b*tch! I like me!

That’s good! I feel like in this industry, you come across a lot of people that have that internal conflict. They love the work they do, but they don’t really love themselves in that setting. Coming to terms with that shift, where now you love and treasure yourself, how has that changed things for you?

 Oh my God, when I tell you, you can see it in the photos. If you compared a photo of me around my divorce time and one now, you can see the difference. It’s all in my eyes, it’s all in my stance; it’s for real. I created a memoir through pictures. I can tell where I was at in life through my photos. I can tell what season I was in based on how I looked- and it’s very beautiful to see how I’ve transitioned.

I love that. So, what would you call this season you’re currently in?

Honey…Last year was all about freedom. Living in my truth, not really giving a damn about what people think or say, or wonder. It started with loccing my hair. The moment that I locc’ed my hair— which you know, was a whole other thing since I was working in corporate and was married to someone that preferred straight hair— the moment I locc’ed my hair was really all about freedom. Doing what I want to do; unapologetic Chi.

This year is more about being intentional; intentional with my relationships I have with people and nurturing those- and then harvest. This is harvest season! I have poured into, I have sponsored, I have donated, I have free-free-free’d people to death and now? It’s harvest season! I have worked my ass off, for years. It’s time, it’s harvest season.

 Ok, props to you! So with the pandemic and all, has that changed how you’re doing business now?

Actually, it’s made things better, believe it or not. I was working for a nonprofit as a life and career coach, and they let me go in May. I was getting little side gigs with the modeling and all that and working with my business partner. He’s a photographer, and I was always present at his shoots and you know, people would need help with their poses or some type of encouragement. I was always there. And one day, he was just like, you know what, you should do this full time! And I was like, what, help people with poses?

 I couldn’t see it, because I just did whatever was needed. I didn’t see it as a thing- and I made it a thing, not realizing people might need that service. I’ve been doing really well. Pivoting, as an entrepreneur, is very important if you want to stay current and keep bringing income in.

 How would you sum up your brand then?

Empowering badass— that’s the best way I can say it! I leave people feeling confident. My two worlds collided really, with modeling and life coaching. My happy place is modeling of course, but I love helping people and my ministry is pouring into others and allowing others to see themselves in a way they never thought they could.

Going into the life coaching aspect, what’s it like working with so many different personalities and different needs? Does it ever get exhausting having to give so much to others?

Yeah, it can be a lot. It is very rewarding, but it can be a lot, which is why it is important to have those self-care days. One day of just getting a good pedicure, a massage, and do nothing; it’s all about Chi day- that’s the perfect self-care day. It’s rewarding work when you see where your clients started from and how much they’ve changed, but I have to take days for myself. It’s essential.

What’s your style, working with clients? Are you a tough-love type of coach?

I give them the disclaimer that, I’m going to pull the best out of you; you may not like me during it, but you gonna appreciate me after you see the money shots. I try to keep it lighthearted and fun, but when they hit me with, I can’t do that? No. You gotta try first. Don’t tell me what you can’t do, we ain’t here for what you can’t do.

But for the most part it’s fun! I try to see where they’re at first before lending assistance, and usually they’re very receptive of what I throw their way. It’s always a good time, an experience.

What’s next for you then, in terms of your career?

I would love to be signed to more agencies and campaigns. If I can land some bigger campaigns- Fenty, La Perla, Victoria’s Secret, y’all better holler at ya girl! Cus you gon get these locs and these legs at 40.

The goal is just to show people a different type of beauty outside of what we’re used to. I have things maybe people want to airbrush or edit out, but no- keep that in there. I want people to say, well sh*t, if she can do that…That’s the goal! I want them to know they can do it too.

As far as creative coaching, I just want to be booked and busy. Listen, if I could be a coach for Taraji P. Henson or Angela Basset- not that they need it, but I would love working with them. I have faith that I will work with big names.

Any dream clients?

Oh my God, so many. Michelle Obama, for sure. Kamela Harris too!

I saw that Vogue cover, the one with the AKA colors and it just didn’t look 100% put together. I’m sure you would’ve fixed that.

Girl, are you kidding? I would do that for free free, all day!

What would you recommend to others when it comes to struggling while going after what they’re passionate about?

Oh, I struggle with this myself…I think people have this idea of what success looks like for them. Success for me is doing what you love- the money is going to come, the connections will come, so if there’s something you wake up wanting to do and you go to bed still thinking about it, that’s something you got to dedicate yourself to.

Keep a lot of your ideas to yourself at first; work out what you really want to do and know who is actually supporting you and pouring into you, and make sure you do the same for them. Set realistic goals and celebrate all of it. That fuels you to do more.

Like, ‘oh I was just in the local newspaper,’ no, you were in a newspaper! Celebrate all of that. Keep going, because you don’t think you’re making any leeway, but you definitely are. Keep going.

What is the legacy you want to leave behind?

That’s a good question…I’m really big on paying it forward. It’s a lot of cliques in the industry, in my city. Even if it’s just a ten-minute conversation with somebody or mentoring somebody, speaking to the youth, it’s important to pay it forward. I want to be known as someone that wasn’t bigger than her brand, that she remembered where she came from and always gave back. The people we pour into and give back to, those are the people that go on, take care of us and keep our legacy going on. It doesn’t mean anything if you learn so much and keep it for yourself. Pass it on, stop being stingy!

What’s your motto for the rest of the year?

 My motto for this entire situation is: my little girl dreams and my grown women prayers are now my reality.

I love that. How did you come up with that?

Listen, I made a post about it like a year ago because I was just outdone with how God was moving and maneuvering me, through people and instances and situations and allowing me to come out on top; bigger than ever and stronger than ever. And I’m like, I remember being this height and this age and this weight wanting to do what I’m doing now. I remember praying about being happy and being fulfilled and being able to pour into the masses and now here I am, having collided and combined and how people are seeking me without me having to put myself out there. People want me and support me. It just stuck; it’s on my website and everywhere. It’s my motto.

So, what’s your advice to someone younger then, that is not feeling supported and doesn’t see that vision for themselves?

I was watching these tributes for Cicely Tyson. I’m super bummed she’s gone, but grateful for the seeds she’s planted, the legacy she left and the doors she opened. She said something about, if you’re not seen as a threat, people would not be prompted to mess with you or sabotage you. To young black girls and black boys, you may be seen as a threat because you’re unique and different. Continue to shine bright and do not allow anyone to dim your light; you’re unique for a reason. You walk with a purpose and stand in it; own it. Know whatever you’re going through, you’ll come out of it a better person.

Check out what Chi Anderson is up to on her site, https://chithemodel.com.