Daily Inspiration: Meet Jada Culbert

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jada Culbert.

Hi Jada, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, my name is Jada. I’m from Lake Charles, Louisiana. I do most of my modeling in Houston, Texas, which is actually where I first got into modeling.

I honestly kind of stumbled into modeling on accident. I was in Houston for a short film that I was filming in as one of the leading roles. At one of the locations we were filming at, we had a period of downtime, and there just so happened to be a casting for a fashion show in the same building. One of the people there thought I was there for the casting, and once they found out I wasn’t, they still said I should try out because they thought I was pretty.

I decided, why not? I had some downtime. What’s the worst that could happen? Long story short, I made the casting. From there I had no clue what I was doing. I was so nervous. I didn’t know anybody around me and I had never done anything like that before. But I did it.

I can’t even remember if I booked the show at the time, but I connected with one of the photographers there who was shooting behind-the-scenes photos at the casting. From there, me and him kept talking back and forth whenever he would have casting opportunities or if he was doing photo shoots. He knew I wanted to build my portfolio and step into this big world, and he honestly is the main reason I’ve progressed the way I have. Shout out Monty.

From there, I started following different photographers and different people I would meet at castings. I’d talk with them about shows they had coming up or other castings they were going to, and I kind of made my way into the modeling world that way.

Over time my confidence grew, and I continued to do swim shows across Texas which brought me to Dallas. Last year I actually achieved a big goal of mine, which was walking in Miami Swim Week. I’m really excited for this year to take that big leap again and hopefully make an even bigger splash and impression than I did last year.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Honestly, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road the whole time. One of my biggest struggles in the beginning was my confidence. I was stepping into a room full of people who had been doing this for a while, and I was brand new. I didn’t know anyone, and I didn’t really know what I was doing yet.

Before my shows, right before I would walk, I would get these terrible body shakes because I was so nervous. My whole body would literally shake from the adrenaline. But I kept doing it anyway because I knew if I wanted to grow in this industry, I had to push through that fear.

Another challenge was trying to make connections in a space where a lot of people already knew each other. It can feel a little intimidating walking into an established community and trying to find your place. I had to really put myself out there, talk to people, go to castings, and just keep showing up.

Finding opportunities was also something I had to learn along the way. A lot of times in modeling, things don’t just come to you—you have to go look for them, network, and build relationships. Over time I got more comfortable doing that, and that’s really helped me grow both as a model and as a person.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In my professional life, I work as a model/creative, and I’m also currently in automotive sales. Most of my modeling work is based in Houston, Texas, where I do a lot of fashion and swim runway shows along with photo shoots to build my portfolio and collaborate with different creatives. I would say I specialize mostly in swim and runway modeling, which is something I’ve really grown into over the past few years.

Outside of modeling, I work in car sales, which has honestly helped me grow a lot professionally. Sales has taught me a lot about the importance of communication and building relationships with people. Being in a people-focused career like that has really helped me become more confident and comfortable connecting with others.

I’m probably most known for my confidence on the runway and the energy I bring when I walk. Even though I was extremely nervous when I first started, I’ve worked really hard to grow into that confidence and make sure when I step on the runway, I bring a strong presence.

One of the things I’m most proud of so far in my career was achieving my goal of walking in Miami Swim Week last year. That was a big moment for me because it showed me how far I had come from when I first started and had no idea what I was doing.

I think what sets me apart is my willingness to keep learning and putting myself out there. I didn’t come into modeling with connections or experience—I really built it by showing up to castings, networking, and taking opportunities when they came.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up I would say I was very shy and too myself especially when I was around new people. Once I got comfortable, my personality would definitely come out, but stepping into new environments sometimes took a little time for me.

As I got older, I started pushing myself more to step outside of my comfort zone and try opportunities that might have seemed intimidating at first. I think that mindset is a big part of what eventually led me into modeling and pursuing creative opportunities.

Looking back, I think a lot of the things that shaped me growing up—like learning to build confidence, meeting new people, and being open to new experiences—are the same qualities that have helped me grow both personally and professionally today.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jadafromstatefarm
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lil.baby.jc