I’m in the creative industry, I’m not a surgeon.
From acting to accidentally becoming a modelling agent and business owner, directing films, and sliding into your favourite brand’s DMs, Georgia Small does it all. Born and raised in Singapore, Georgia (Gee) quickly realised the world was hers to explore. Now based in London, she embodies the modern creative, unbound by limits. However, like any successful artist, Gee has faced her share of challenges: breaking free from toxic cycles of comparison, navigating the complexities of social media, and learning to cope with rejection. Through it all, she has sharpened her talent-spotting instincts, transforming this skill into a thriving business with her agency, Gee Small Faces, which has been pushing the boundaries of modelling standards since 2020. In this interview, we get into it all, from storytelling and Instagram DM tactics to branding and creative resilience.
Hi Gee, how are you today? You started off as an actor and then moved on to creating your own business – Gee Small Faces. How did that transition happen?
Honestly, when I first pursued acting, I never anticipated how isolating it could be. I found myself barely getting auditions, dealing with constant rejection, and feeling completely cut off from people. It was a frustrating cycle. Creating my agency was a complete accident, and I had no intention of building it. I had no experience with business, modelling, or anything, really. First, I got a job in casting… I honestly lied my way through the entire thing, but from there, it snowballed. I built my business by reaching out to brands and keeping things informal and fun, which clients seemed to love. Now I have more models and clients than I can keep up with. You know, unlike acting, where hard work doesn’t always lead to success, running my agency gave me control and allowed me to create something that was truly my own.
Exploring creativity, you have the chance to bridge different branches, but it also means dealing with rejection from time to time. How do you deal with it? Does it differ from job to job?
It’s funny to talk about rejection because I just finished filming my first short film, and running my agency actually gave me the skills and confidence to make it happen. After COVID, I had some big projects lined up, but they turned out disappointing—just one-line auditions while my friends were landing lead roles. It was tough not to compare. So, I packed a suitcase and flew to L.A. on a whim. I got signed, had a great time, but then the strikes hit, and everything stopped again. That’s when I took control. I wrote a script based on an idea from my notes app, shared it on Instagram, and people wanted to help. We built a team and made it happen. Rejection sucks, and I still cry about it, but it also pushes me to create because if you don’t make something out of it, nothing changes.
Do you think there are any skills you learned outside of working as an agent that you’re now able to use in your business?
The number one thing is people skills—understanding people and getting them to see your vision. It’s storytelling. Even running my agency is storytelling. I’m getting people to buy into my story, my branding, and what my agency is.
I want to know more about your business tactic, which is basically “aggressively DMing someone.”
I’m not afraid to approach people directly, but I keep it personal. I use a lot of casual language, emojis, and punctuation to keep the tone friendly and approachable. My audience is mostly younger, and they connect better with that style. I mean, I’m getting old now. I’m 30. But I like to think that I’m still down with the kids, you know what I’m saying? I’m also just trying to create relationships, but not in some weird, formal way… I’m in the creative industry; I’m not a surgeon. Good vibes. Punctuation. Emojis. Casual language. It’s relatable. It’s, again, storytelling.
I’m also super curious to hear your thoughts on how you see Instagram evolve within the fashion and creative industries.
There’s definitely negativity tied to social media, and I’m not immune to it. That said, I wouldn’t be where I am today without Instagram. It’s been vital for networking, staying in touch, and creating an image that hopefully makes me seem approachable. Also, I overshare a lot, and people feel a sense of familiarity with me. I think it eventually comes down to learning how to use Instagram positively—to build, not self-destruct. And I’ll always compare myself to people, but then I’ll go, “Okay, what the heck are we going to do about this anyway?”
Do you focus on knowing your audience or just doing what feels right and hoping the right people come?
It’s a mix of both. Honestly, the way Instagram is moving now, people are craving authenticity. The influencer era is dead. No one cares anymore about you posting cute photos of you wearing an outfit. We want more than that now. Lately, I’ve shifted from “cute pics with friends” to using it as a work tool—posting bits of my script, poetry, and stills from projects I’m working on. And to be honest… that shift has changed how people see me. When I was in my twenties and didn’t love myself, I thought I had to be the hot girl on Instagram—which was so not my brand. I forgot about the writer, director, and producer parts of me. But when I started sharing those sides, my followers actually went up a bit. People are like, “Oh, you’re working on all this cool stuff!” There’s no real formula, though. You can cultivate a niche, like I did with Gee Small Faces, something I really built intentionally. But for my personal Instagram, I’m just showing different parts of myself. So yeah, I’m kind of doing both. But honestly, who the heck am I to tell anyone how to do Instagram?
Speaking of Gee Small Faces, it recently evolved from a mother agency to a full-on agency. How do you balance mentoring your models with running the business side?
When it’s busy, it can be really overwhelming. I feel responsible for every model I bring on, so if they’re not getting enough work, it weighs on me. As an actor, I know how it feels to not be valued by management. A lot of it is out of my control, like the jobs coming through, and that can be tricky. As an agent, you’re stuck in the middle—clients pushing for low rates, models needing fair pay. I don’t want my models to feel scared of me like I did with past management. It’s tricky balancing being a mentor, offering support when things don’t go right, while also making sure they show up and perform. So far, it’s been okay. I think my models respect me because I strike a balance. I genuinely want them to feel seen and heard. It’s like being a teacher; you either lose respect for them or don’t want to let them down. I’ve been lucky to experience the latter.
Are you looking for any specific traits when you’re scouting? How does that process work for you?
People ask me this a lot, and the issue with acting and modelling is that it’s so subjective. I have a particular look I like, but my board reflects a range of styles. It’s really just an instinct; I trust my eye. I’m not interested in a blank canvas. I want someone who walks on set and is likely to be cooler than whatever clothes they’re wearing. However, the more submissions I get, the more my perspective has changed. Rejecting people feels different from specifically reaching out to someone because I like their look. I really struggle with the submission side; rejecting people is painful, especially since I know what it feels like to get those rejection emails in acting. So I make it a point to respond to everyone; it helps people move on.
Do you see your vision evolving, or is it pretty consistent? How do you feel about whether your taste is timeless or tied to a specific moment?
I’ve never been one to blindly follow trends. Even with my style, I wait until I genuinely like something, not just because it’s popular. That approach influences my work too; I won’t sign someone just because they fit a trend. I need to be sure they can book work. The challenge is, as I grow, I have less time for each model, and that weighs on me because being personable is key to my approach. If I want to expand, I worry about losing that personal touch. There’s a lot to navigate still, and I don’t have all the answers yet, but that’s part of what makes it exciting.
Sounds like the submission part is becoming overwhelming… I’ve heard of people pretending to have an assistant to handle the tough stuff.
Oh my gosh, I thought about that too! There was a time when I was dealing with accounting, and it got so frustrating. One brand had 60-day payment terms, and I’d have models asking for their money. I’d explain the terms, but when it goes past 60 days, it’s even more stressful. I’d worry about nagging the brand and ruining the relationship, but at the same time, it’s ridiculous that a big brand can’t pay on time. It’s pocket change for them, but it means everything to us. It’s so gross and frustrating; I’m not cut out for dealing with brands or models being mad at me. Now, I have a real assistant, and she’s the best. It’s like I’m paying someone to hang out with me while I work, which is great because acting can be lonely, and everything’s online.
What’s been your biggest accomplishment on both your creative and business sides?
Creatively, hands down wrapping up my own movie. I spent three months trying to get creative control back and juggling my business while writing, producing, directing, and acting in my own film. The fact that I pulled that off, turning a random idea in my head into something real, is seriously the coolest thing ever. On the business side, I’d say my biggest win has been in commercials. For a small agency like mine, I’ve managed to book talent with the full package—looks, personality, the whole vibe. It’s the coolest thing seeing my models land huge commercials, sometimes over actors! Commercials mean a lot to me because, well, the money used to be life-changing, not so much anymore with rates dropping, but it still feels good to give my models proper pay.
Looking back at your journey over the past four years, is there anything you would have done differently?
Wow, that’s such a hard question. It’s strange because there are definitely things I would have done differently, but at the same time, I try not to dwell on those thoughts. After all, I wouldn’t be where I am today without those experiences. Looking back, I think I might have started the agency with a friend or brought on an assistant earlier on. I struggled a lot with feeling overwhelmed and lonely in the process. Having someone with me on the journey would have made a big difference in my personal life and maybe even the business. But overall, running a business feels a lot like the analogy my producer uses about making a film: “You’re sitting on a train that’s heading to the next stop, and you’re building the train as you go.” It often feels like nothing is in place, but somehow, you always make it to the next stop. It’s just about trusting the process.
Words by Agata Villa
Images courtesy of Georgia Small