24-yr-old Moroccan male model Youssef TAHA did not allow the ebbs and flows of the covid-19 pandemic to get in his way.
But do not let appearances fool you, Youssef is a highly qualified auditor, he graduated with a master’s degree in audit and financial management from the prestigious “National School of Commerce & Management – ENCG” in his hometown of Agadir, Morocco.
Needless to say, such training instills a certain enterprise-oriented aspiration & dedication to push through the traditional barriers of society, being a male model is regarded as an odd vocation in Morocco. An aspiring solopreneur, Youssef is used to getting innovative with business challenges.
A self-made model, he is constantly aware of the importance of perseverance. While Moroccans were under lockdown restrictions, Youssef makes use of that time to meditate, plan, and begin his day even earlier than ordinary, networking and pitching his ideas to the fashion industry worldwide.
“What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today when human contacts go so fast. Fashion is instant language.” Youssef ponders on this quote by Miuccia Prada, as he avidly explains how his Amazigh roots are seamlessly conveyed through his fashion style, “The Amazigh man is a free man, caring and brave” declared Youssef with a proud sparkle in his eyes.
COVID-19 has brought the whole world into a halt, yet this has not stopped Youssef from developing himself as a version and businessman, persevering with to grow his portfolio of relationships and catapult his profession to better echelons. “For the first time in a long while, the whole world is equally on the starting line, all of us are feeling the same way.” Stated Youssef, “yet, he who wants to go forward does not stay complacent. The same manner COVID-19 disrupts everything, it has presented me with new ways to innovate and adapt.”
Youssef recognizes that “absolutely everyone has been impacted by way of this pandemic one way or another, however we are all responsible for our own response. You mustn’t let outdoor circumstances devour and take over your life”. For Youssef, motivation comes from within, he continuously believes in his dream of running in the modeling enterprise and cultivating his very own personal brand.
So instead of choosing the easy way & diminishing his goals and expectations during the lockdown, Youssef opted for new methods to push him forward by means of doing exercising at home, specializing in enhancing his social media presence, and developing new business plans with different marketers around the globe. Youssef promotes himself and others on Instagram, building a network of connections, and commercial enterprise opportunities. He stresses that progress comes from differentiating factors instead of out-competing other.
When asked where he sees himself in the next five years, Youssef said “Signing for a major label and create my own line and promote it in the industry’s highest standards”. Clearly his ambition is high, likely due to the entrepreneurial blood that runs through his veins. Consistency and “sticking with it day in & out” are what Youssef refers to as “the key to being a successful entrepreneur”.
“Stay with it and don’t give up, you might need to do free work for people in the beginning to build a reputation for yourself, but it all pays up in the long run” added Youssef.
So, while a deadly disease ravages in every continent, Youssef does not overthink “when will this disease situation come to an end?” He asks himself “what kind of person will I be whilst it does persist?”
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