Betty Hwang had no designs on becoming a model. But after applying to a modeling casting call on a whim—and landing the job—she hasn’t looked back.
“I did the gig and thought it was so fun,” she said. “I never thought I could do things like this, but once I found out about it, I kept going!”
That one booking opened the door to more. Through Backstage, Hwang has landed modeling work in food ads, lifestyle shoots, testimonials, music videos, and more. Today, she’s building a portfolio—and a reputation—for helping brands tell their stories visually.
From comedy to camera-ready
Hwang’s creative background started with a bit of comedy, but she quickly found her stride in modeling.
“Talking is not my strong point,” she said. “I love modeling because I enjoy helping brands do their marketing in creative ways.”
Backstage made it easy to get started. A simple Google search led her to the site, and the volume of jobs—and ease of applying—kept her coming back.
“I loved that it was easy to apply for a lot of jobs.”
Her first big win was a food ad, and it was just the invigoration she needed: she could do this.
“It proved that I can book gigs and it was possible!”
Repeat clients, real momentum
Since that first job, Hwang has modeled across music, product, lifestyle, and food campaigns. One unexpected highlight was a music video role—fun, low-pressure, and surprisingly memorable.
“It was fun because I got to listen to music all day!”
And she's built long-term relationships along the way. One food brand has brought her back three times—proof that professionalism and consistency make a difference.
And by keeping her Backstage profile up to date with photos and recent credits, she’s created a flywheel effect: the more she books, the easier it gets to land the next opportunity.
“I list all my gigs and top photos on the site and it helps to book other gigs.”
The power of showing up
For Hwang, the biggest lesson hasn’t been about lighting or camera angles—it’s about effort.
“I wish I knew how much work it takes to develop a good portfolio,” she said. “It takes a long time and lots of hard work.”
Her advice for anyone trying to stand out is to invest in quality headshots and represent yourself as a professional right from the start. “You need to have good professional photos taken by professionals,” she emphasized.
Her final piece of advice? Stay in the game.
“It’s easy to give up, but don’t!”
Ready to follow in Hwang’s footsteps?
Start booking modeling projects on Backstage today.
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