By Natalie Gallenti
WHEN Caz Stewart took up modelling as a teenager, she never thought she would one day make a career behind the camera as an agent.
But the Taylors Lakes resident is fortunate enough to enjoy the best of both worlds, as she continues to balance her modeling career with a successful career as a sports model agent.
A career usually associated with men, Ms Stewart said she revelled in the role and said her experience as a young model meant she could empathise with her clients and offer them the support they needed to make it in the cut-throat industry.
“I saw a lot of young females who would trust agents,” she said.
“But from my experience many men in the industry saw it as a social event and did not look out for the best interests of the models.”
Ms Stewart, who also has a Bachelor of Education, said her role as an agent wasn’t simply offering models gigs, but she also had a duty to be a mentor and build up their self-esteem.
“Some girls come into the studio and don’t want to get into a bikini. That’s when I come in and build up their confidence.
“Girls feel a lot more comfortable with another female helping them out.
“If a girl walks into a room and isn’t confident, most agents would just say ‘no’, but I see it as a project.”
Now in her forties, the successful businesswoman continues to model and owns two hairdressing salons, including two in Wyndham.
She said it was a juggling act to devote enough time to all her work, but it was worth it and she couldn’t imagine life any other way.