Inspiring Conversations with Nicholas Segura of Segura Talent Agency

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Segura.

Hi Nicholas, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I’ve always been an artist working in painting, sculpture, ceramics… but never photography. My father was a photographer at Hallmark Cards and we were raised in the photo studios while my father did photoshoots. Eventually, he became the Executive Director for the Greater Kansas City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce which influenced me to appreciate my cultural and ethnic heritage even more.

Since a young professional, I’ve been promoting diversity and inclusion in marketing and advertising for 20 years. Fifteen years ago, I found that not only did the advertising industry face challenges in diversity, but the talent/modeling industry also had the same challenges.

After being hired for my first print ad as a commercial model, I started representing other ethnic models for TV commercials, print ads, and voice-over work. Our first client Hallmark Cards has been hiring our talent for 15 years now for video, print, and voice-over. Since then, we’ve been representing diverse models and actors to support the ever-increasing needs that brands, advertising agencies, and production firms need for diverse talent. Recently, our talent was hired to do the VO recording for the Kansas City Current.

Our agency represents every age from babies to seniors in their 80s.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I think the biggest struggle has been the stereotypes. Marketing is still built on the stereotypes of people. Many think that there are no interracial families. Our job as a diverse agency is to showcase the many colors and complexities of diverse communities.

In addition, agencies have JUST started opening up to the idea of diverse teams. They’ve wanted them for many years but their ability to recruit diverse team members has been really lacking. That’s where I came in and started talking to agencies about supporting them 15 years ago.

Once, we had a client who wanted to see photos of all of the husbands of our black female models. We got them, but the client was disappointed when not one black model has a single black husband,

Those are the breaks.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Segura Talent Agency?
For 15 years, I’ve been exclusively representing ethnic models, Hispanic, Black, Asian, Middle Eastern for broadcast commercials, print, and voice-over work. Our talent has worked with brands like Sam’s Club, Colgate, Wendy’s, Schlitterbahn, Hallmark, UMB Bank, to highlight the diversity of the United States of America. Jobs generally start at $100 per hour.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
We’re always looking for great “commercial” actors with acting interests and experience. What’s important is professionalism, your acting skills, ability to emote, articulate and annunciate your words clearly.

Pricing:

• $150 Headshots
• $300 small portfolio
• $500 large portfolio with video

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: SeguraTalentAgency
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seguratalentagency/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeguraTalentAgency
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/seguratalent
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnVH6dZZiGea4sOVwWp6qgw

Image Credits
Mark Lozono