In some industries, you break in by kicking down the door. In others, you slip in by getting close to the people already inside. For model Nikki Rozen, that meant befriending models, photographers, and brand insiders until she was in the room.
“I infiltrated the industry,” she says. “I told people, ‘I’m a model.’ I put it in my Instagram bio. I visualized the body I wanted, the clients I wanted to work with daily. They say delusion breeds results, and man, I believe it.”
That belief sustained Rozen through the early years of nonstop rejection. “It took me over two years to begin to feel as confident as I do now in what I’m capable of among the competition,” she recalls. “I spent money, time, and my own resources to get signed in LA. I took three separate trips and was rejected consistently. I was curled up in the hotel room, crying. But I kept trying.”
From Independence to a Career-Making Moment
Rozen’s persistence paid off in unexpected ways. After leaving representation and venturing out on her own, she set her sights on Mexico City. “I heard the market is strong there, so I applied to the best agency and was reached out to by the director,” she says.
The leap landed her a career-making moment: “That was my first contract and my first ever billboard and brand campaign. I didn’t have to hand over a commission or a cut to any agent.”
The billboard wasn’t just a win; it was proof her approach worked. “Going to another country taught me how to navigate and adapt. I was going to closed castings, fittings, and learning the terminology I had only known in theory.”
Even before that, Rozen was hustling in unconventional ways. On one LA trip, she skipped cold DMs and went door-to-door on Melrose, pitching herself to store owners and showing her Instagram. “The success rate was low, but I kept going,” she explains. “I faced rejection by agencies as well. Overwhelmed and feeling lost, I had to remind myself this isn’t the end, but just the beginning.”
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Resilience as the Driving Force
Resilience became Rozen’s anchor. “When you want to be something, visualize yourself as it already is,” she says. “Walk and talk like you have it. Surround yourself with people who have it. This is the key to success.”
That mindset also shapes her advice to others. “Signing with an agency doesn’t mean success. It’s an accomplishment, but it’s the start of creating success.” She believes in being your own agent until you find someone who makes decisions for you as wholeheartedly as you would yourself.
Rozen’s drive extends beyond modeling. On Instagram, @nikkirrozen, she shares fitness tips, beauty favorites, and original poetry, sometimes writing custom pieces for followers. “I’m looking to release a poetry book and launch a product from my love for matcha,” she adds.
Choosing Passion Over Regret
Still, the heart of Rozen’s story is about pushing through doubt. “Money you can make back, time you can learn from, but if your heart aches for something and that passion is still in your chest, tearing it out will be the biggest heartache,” she says. “I realized I’d rather die trying than walk away and constantly question the what-ifs.”
For anyone chasing their own dream, Rozen’s path is a reminder that grit, self-belief, and clever positioning can turn the underdog into the name on the billboard. Or as she puts it: “Regret is such a heavy feeling. I never want to carry it, and I don’t want anyone else to, either.”
Presented by: APG
