Shane SantaCroce operates his talent management business just like he does as a father – with passion. In fact, his introduction to talent management was through his own daughter, and surprisingly, just out of necessity. Following a 20 year track record as a results-oriented entrepreneur with sales, marketing, strategic planning, and leadership skills, his daughter, 13 years old at the time, was competing in her first beauty pageant.
“At the time, I knew nothing about the pageant or modeling industry. I’m all about teaching my kids the importance of stepping out of their comfort zones to try something new, so we went for it together. I had a long talk with her to explain what it meant to compete. We talked about what to expect, how to win with grace, and most importantly, how to lose with humility. I wanted to be sure she understood the importance of hard work and learning lessons from the losses we take,” Shane recalls.
Shane’s pep talks worked wonders, because soon after, his daughter won her first competition and, in just a few short months, would be headed to an International Pageant. She began to be scouted by model agencies and managers. It appeared that her dreams were headed towards reality.
“She booked some modeling work and it began to look like it may become a potential career path for her. During this process, I was not comfortable handing my daughter’s future to someone else so I made a big decision to establish the SantaCroce Model Group in 2010 to manage her professional aspirations,” Shane says.
Even though this was an entirely new venture for him, Shane always did and always does his research. After meeting with dozens of agencies and managers, he decided there was a need for a new level of work ethic, professionalism and transparency in the industry so SantaCroce Model Group (SMG) was born. Although his daughter decided not to pursue a long term career in the industry, he was able to move forward with his newly gained skill set, managing kids and eventually clients of all ages. Shane’s passion for helping others follow their dreams and his “Make it Happen” mindset is truly an inspiration to everyone that he meets.
“I realized that most of the clients I worked with didn’t want to model long term or as a career. It was a stepping stone to build their brands, pay for college, or they just enjoyed it in their spare time as a side job for some extra spending money. The opportunity to help someone follow their dreams is something I have a passion for and this has given me so many amazing people to help over the years. When COVID struck, I was forced to slow down and even shut down some of my other businesses, and although SMG has never been my main business, the pandemic has allowed me more time to spend with my team ,” Shane outlines.
Entering the modeling management industry was a perfect fit for Shane because of his emphasis on the power of working in a team environment. Working in this business, he believes, has reinforced that belief ten times over.
“Breaking into this business as a professional model is extremely difficult. It’s expensive, stressful, requires hard work, consistent commitment and the ability to take extreme criticism on a regular basis. This can create a heavy weight to carry but when you have the support of others experiencing the same struggles, it creates a level of confidence,” Shane says.
For the past ten years, Shane has been lucky enough to manage and coach hundreds of men and women in the industry. They have competed in systems such as Miss World America, Miss USA, Miss International, Citrus, NAM and World’s Perfect Pageant & Model Search. Shane himself has also held the title as Director for some of these systems.
In the new year, Shane looks forward to many more exciting opportunities. He is launching and hosting the SMG Model Search, a true model competition that will offer opportunities to every contestant. Winners are awarded contracts ranging from $250 – $1500 with a top prize of $25,000 for a contract in each of the 4 categories of competition. The overall winner will receive a 12 month contract as a spokesmodel for $100,000 with the top 10 taking home at least a $5,000 contract.
In addition, Shane is committed to launching 4 new courses in 2021 using his acclaimed “Make it Happen” system.
“It’s a system that will help change lives. Understanding the 8 pillars of success provides the opportunity to be successful in any part of your life, personally and professionally,” Shane says.
To check out more of what Shane is accomplishing, check out his Instagram or website.
