CREATING THE ULTIMATE IMAGE

Words by Erin Peterson

Red carpets, slinky dresses, tuxedos and bowties, camera bulbs flashing, all necessities to tell the story of the glitz and the glam of what it’s like to work in the entertainment industry… or perhaps not. Tune in further for a glimpse of reality and replace those words with hard work, sweat and tears (literally), and most notably, persistence.

I recently had the pleasure to sit down with the infamous Natalie Sparrow of the Fargo/Moorhead community who heads the success story behind Ultimate Image Model and Talent Management. Throughout our conversation on a cracked leather couch at down- town Babb’s Coffee, we caught up on what it’s like to run the circuit in such a hectic, ever-changing industry. Sparrow began her story in the year 2001, a bright-eyed blonde in her mid twenties who was inspired to start her own agency through a mentor at the annual Gift Fashion Show, a charity event held every November. She entered into the agency headstrong and without fear, all while dealing with the newness of motherhood, following the birth of her first of two sons. With what seemed like a juggling act on the side, it’s safe to say that Sparrow didn’t have a hand full of aces when she started out, but with the encouragement of her husband and a little trial and error, such as her experience with the ludicrousy of paying $4,000 for a photo shoot that didn’t even provide composition cards (the equivalent of a business card for a model), she has made a name for herself and her clients. The industry’s snakes sneaked around as Sparrow navigated her way to the top (enduring a few bites along the way), she rose above and soon came to be known as full-blown business mogul.

Now with seasoned experience behind her, Sparrow has a tip or two on what she looks for in recruiting new clients. In an industry that’s known for outer beauty, it came as a surprise that the number one thing she looks for in a new client is personality. She doesn’t judge submittals on photos alone and prefers to meet potential clients in person, however the required image that does get sent in as a part of the application process must have one attribute, interest. If you can capture Sparrow’s interest, you can count on capturing an interview for her management service. However, getting an interview with Sparrow might be the easiest part if you want to go the distance within the industry, because success doesn’t come over night and Sparrow admits that she’s hardest on the people that she believes in most. She’s honest and you best put your North Dakotan layering skills to work and pile on the thick skin.

No success story comes without turbulence, and Sparrow’s isn’t the exception. She expressed how it’s difficult for her to be taken as serious as other national and international agencies because of her geographic location. The state of North Dakota isn’t exactly known as the breeding ground for entertainment. Yet, that underestimation stirs up a sense of drive within Sparrow that could be rivaled from any dot on the map. Sparrow has driven her talent to walk the runways in New York Fashion Week, honor the stages of Broadway, and appear in national campaigns for Target. Just this past June Sparrow brought three of her local talent over to Paris for a European model showcase. There’s nothing to underestimate here.

As far as Sparrow can see into the future for Ultimate Image, we can expect to see local talent in more national commercials and campaigns and look forward to an explosive community project to be anticipated. Although Sparrow’s goals have stayed consistent, she admits that her idea of what it means to be rich and famous has changed. A beautiful quote from our conversation, “If friends and inspiration could pay the bills, I’d be rich.” [AWM]