What We Did Next: Tamsin Carter

Last week, I began the series ‘What We Did Next’, looking at what models do during or after their modelling career. I thought it might help those in the industry wondering what to do next and how.

This week we’ve got Tamsin, a Modeltypeface regular who recently started working for INTO, an app that hooks up models with free food, gym membership, drinks and more. It’s so handy, especially for those who are younger and out of town and don’t have a regular supply of money. It just means they can have a sit down and a coffee between castings, rather than frittering away the pennies in small ways that add up. Tamsin seems to be thriving, so I thought I’d catch up with her and see what she’s saying…

Hey Tamsin! Sometimes I worry that I’ve stayed in modelling cos I’m too scared to stop, train as something else and start all over again at my grand old age. Plus when the work/life balance is good, it’s REALLY good!

You seem to have been very clever in getting alternative employment in earlier. What’s your job these days? 

I work for an app for models and influencers called INTO. I’m now the sales manager of the UK, which probably sounds like a bigger job title than it really is as we’re still a start up.

Do you still manage to fit in modelling? 

So I still go to all my important castings. I barely say no to jobs unless they are very little money or a week long, but if the agency rang me having booked me on the next Chanel campaign and it was a week in Marrakech, I would definitely take that off as holiday!

Pic by Darren Skene

What made you decide to take the job? 

I started interning as something to do as it’s my friends company. I got bored of sitting around in quiet periods and I always felt like I spent so much as I was making things for myself to do and they all cost money. I actually became really passionate about what I was doing as we’re an app providing models with free meals and gym classes and this makes such a difference when you’re broke and living in London. They I was pretty much working full time so I asked if I could go full time and look at me now, working Mon-Fri, 10-6.

Do you ever miss modelling being your full-time job? 

I have missed it. When my friends were all going for lunch in Shoreditch, I was like guys come Soho pleaseeeee, but no they stayed East.

I don’t miss not knowing when and what money was going to come in.

Was it hard getting into ‘regular’ work after the ups/downs/big pay cheques/weeks of no money? 

I needed to. I bought a flat last year and having a mortgage and modelling definitely don’t go hand-in-hand. Although I made a good amount modelling, if I got a big paycheck I’d go out and buy a £1000 bag and not think about the months to come. Now I am able to balance a salary and modelling money, which is great!

Was it hard being in a routine? 

I much prefer routine! I hate having nothing to get up for, it makes me anxious. Sitting in bed or on your sofa and watching Netflix is definitely not good for your mental health – well for me it wasn’t. Sometimes days do seems long when you’re in an office until 6 but as we’re based so centrally you can always pop out during lunch hours to break it up a bit.

What advice would you give to models looking to switch jobs? 

I wouldn’t actually know what to say as the job kind of fell into my lap. But when I was interning I can happily say that I proved myself to be invaluable to the company, to make them think they wouldn’t know what to do if I wasn’t there. So I suppose I would say if you’re going to do it do it right and give 100%.

Thank you Tamsin! To find out more about INTO, head to getintoapp.com

Tamsin is at Bookings Models and all pics are from her Instagram.