While attending college in the Philippines, I did some part-time modeling. It was probably my most eye-opening experience to date. Being a freelance model also meant that I was my own CEO, CFO, CMO, and CIO.

1) Perception rules

Modeling: As a model, it was all about how people perceived you. Casting directors didn’t care how nice of a person you were (for the most part). If you looked good, you got the job.

Business: In business, it’s how people perceive you is what matters. If you site is ugly but has great products, they may not stick around long enough to find out.

Lesson: Make a great 1st impression. Don’t release a product that’s not extraordinary.

2) Be prepared for rejection

Modeling: The industry is about rejection and I had had my fair share it. I remember attending countless commercial VTRs (Video Tape Recordings) without landing a major role. I was told I didn’t look right, too skinny, too short, too tall….I heard it all.

Business: Not everyone is going to like your products or services. Be prepared for haters out there. Focus on your core expertise and market.

Lesson: Rejection and failure is part of the game, it’s how you react to it is what ultimately matters.

3) Knowing the right people helps

Modeling: I used to get frustrated when I 1st started. I would get many calls for gigs. I was a new guy and didn’t socialize much. This was before we had Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. The internet was still a baby. All we had was SMS. I only started to get more projects when I did the real-life social networking. Back in the day, we actually had to make friends…not just add them on some website That meant I had to go to numerous parties after a gig even if I was dead tired.

Business: Your 1st customers are usually your family and friends and then their family and friends. If you have a great product/service, it will organically spread to the right people. If it doesn’t, then you have to figure out a way to get them to notice. That means being at your industry events. That means being part of the online community for your industry. It’s a lot easier now with the internet.

Lesson: Be a social butterfly on and offline.

4) Keep track of your non-working hours

Modeling: I used to be happy when I got paid for a gig. At that time, $75-$100 for a fashion show was good money. Then I thought about how many taxis I took, how many meals I bought, how many hours I sat in traffic, and how many  hours I spend during rehearsals/fittings.  When I added up all that time, I would be lucky to break even.

Business: I used to think that just because I used opensource software to make websites, it didn’t cost me anything. I could spend 15 hours a day working on a project. Looking back, my hourly rate was at least $25 an hour.

Lesson: Keep track of your time and know your hourly rate.

5) Like what you do

Modeling: I eventually quit modeling because it wasn’t stimulating enough. I didn’t like waiting for hours doing nothing. I’m sure things are better now (including compensation) but when I was active, it was a brain numbing day everytime I had to wait backstage. After modeling I transitioned to music and the web.

Business: When I first learned about making money on the web, I tried almost every trick out there. I obsessed learning what were the latest search trends and making websites with related ads/affiliate links. I did make some money but was not satisfied.  I didn’t care about the topics I was writing about.

Lesson: Be passionate about what you do or get out.