Influencer
How Model Maria Bueno Gamo Broke Free From Industry Toxicity By Becoming An Influencer
Maria Bueno Gamo is making the transition from traditional modeling to the influencer world, and she credits her new partnership with Sintillate Talent as a major driving force behind her career shift. The London-based content creator has found a supportive community and significant opportunities, like a recent collaboration with the popular hair extension brand Halo, through joining Sintillate.
Gamo cites her recent partnership with the agency as the wind in her sails regarding her content creator career. “I’ve been following their trajectory [for some time]. So I was like, okay, why not try it? They have professional people behind them who support creators and try to give the best support to reach their base success,” Gamo says of the influencer management company she joined in late February 2023.
Though only working with Sintillate for a few months, the model-turned-influencer has already felt embraced by their creator network, appreciating the cross-promotion model where influencers shout out each other’s content.
One major opportunity arose through a collaboration with hair extension brand Halo. “Obviously, like I’ve been doing that for myself. That’s not that long… But as you know, Halo Station is quite a big brand right now in the UK.” Being part of Sintillate Talent unlocked this partnership, which Gamo may not have accessed independently.
Maria Bueno Gamo’s Path From Modeling to Content Creation
Maria Bueno Gamo’s journey into the creator economy began with modeling in 2011. Prior to moving to the UK capital in 2017, she had spent years working with model agencies. “Since none of them, they are quite this company and I know that often they just basically force you not to have like a proper mental health and at the same time they’re forced to like to not be healthy in terms of like weight,” she states, criticizing the industry pressures.
Gamo’s background was primarily in modeling before shifting gears. “For me, there wasn’t something that I really enjoyed a lot since it’s quite boring from that side, cause obviously you have to be behind others, and you don’t have the chance just to be, like, pretty active,” she explains of her earlier career.
A pivotal moment came during COVID-19 lockdowns when Gamo realized social media’s potential. “The first moment that I realized that was during lockdown during Covid season. Of course, obviously, you stay at home. You cannot do much more.”
With ample time at home, Gamo began posting more actively on platforms like Instagram. “Instagram was the first of the platforms I used to express themselves,” she recounts. Moving beyond just modeling photos, Gamo saw an opportunity: “Content creation is like more real focus. It has come a few months ago from now.”
How Gamo Sees Social Media Changing the Modeling Landscape
Social media has reshaped the modeling industry in ways both positive and negative, according to Gamo. “Social media for modeling, it’s good. Not that good at some point,” she states. On one hand, platforms like Instagram provide increased visibility for diverse looks. “They are giving like more visibility to other profiles,” she acknowledges.
However, the fresh content creator cautions that social media can promote unrealistic standards without proper guidance. “I feel like it’s not a good course at some point. Isn’t that not great? Or I will say, probably this person who is trying to join these careers does not have the right support on her back or his back to show the right portion, or basically they are just doing not the quality content that you will expect as somebody like a self-model,” she explains.
Gamo is critical of editing apps and filters that distort reality. “I feel like another thing that makes me make much more pain in the industry is just like, yeah, or like face tune-ups, cause obviously. I know that we use my makeup and makeup. It is so not itself, and we use may come to change yourself,” she says. These edited images create “non-realistic concerns about how we look” both for content creators and their audiences.
To leverage social media effectively while maintaining authenticity, Gamo aims “to inspire people. How to do the perfect fit.” She wants to guide aspiring models from “basic levels to more difficult levels” rather than rushing into specialties like lingerie prematurely. “They are crossing the line in between the taste of food, between the notation,” she states.
The modeling veteran strives to be “straightforward” and provide realistic advice. “I feel like the best way to do it is just to be known-centric, being kind, and basically being straightforward. You come with cool things, but at some point, it is not like what people suddenly seem like. You just like to try to be straight, like what you are, what you should expect, and what you have to do just to carry on with this part, basically.”
Balancing her professional persona with personal authenticity is important to Gamo. “I just realized that. I cannot be a copy of somebody. So everything just started when I started with tattoos. We’d like to try to be happy myself…Doesn’t matter if you do not like it..show to the people or teach or coach the people about what is the best way. I feel like the best way is to show myself as I am.”
Revealing Her Future Plans and Ideas
Maria plans to continue securing brand collaborations while also building her coaching career. “I would like to carry on with brand collaboration. Of course, I feel that this I would like to do is not just to be like so inside modeling…And at the same time, I want to carry on with the coaching career.”
Gamo sees value in sharing her hard-earned experience to guide others in navigating the influencer space. “If you do something that you like, if you do something that you love and basically you enjoy, you need to share this experience with the rest of the people. Because, as you know right now, it’s such a big market with so many creators.”
Her coaching would provide a steadying hand amidst the chaos, ensuring aspiring creators “follow the more [appropriate path]…maybe it’s not the right one because obviously, you try by yourself.”
Gamo stresses the importance of respect, boundaries, and being a positive role model online and offline to those looking to leverage social media for career growth in modeling or content creation. “If you want to be supported, you have to support the others as well. You need to respect and have boundaries. Obviously, since you are in social media, you need to be a role model.”
She also advises thoroughly vetting colleagues. “For me, it’s very important. Just make sure that you take references. That you check that the portfolio…Just make sure that you take references…It’s just like. Much more about. Again, being a role model.”
Ultimately, Maria aims “to make sure that [I’m] connecting with the right people and…getting a better network.” She hopes to surround herself with an uplifting community that creates opportunities rather than exploiting creators.
