J Spring Fashion Show on the Seine in Paris (May 2013) (by JmodelTV)
Jessica Minh Anh at J Spring Fashion Show 2013 on the Seine in Paris
ELITE SPOSA UK
HA LINH THU
KATARINA GREY
CARLOS VIGIL
YUMI KATSURA
SILVIAN HEACH
MAI ATAFO
AIISHA RAMADAN & BLACK ROSE COLLECTION
ROBERT ABI NADER
Jessica Minh Anh appearance at Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe hotel - Marriott International Group
Jessica Minh Anh and Doris Schaefgen, General Manager @ Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe Hotel
J models in Elite Sposa UK designs
Jessica Minh Anh at Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe Hotel
Jessica Minh Anh in the golden dress by the Middle East’s “King of Haute Couture” Robert Abi Nader. She will soon turn the wall behind her into a FASHION EXHIBITION at Paris 5* Hotel Renaissance Arc de Triomphe Hotel, part of the Marriott chain. 
Jessica Minh Anh latest interview in ELLE Hong Kong
English version:
ELLE: Why would you start your own business after graduation? Why a fashion event company?
JESSICA MINH ANH: During my time at two universities, I was organizing large-scale internal and external events including fashion showcases, musical performances, and sports tournaments while managing hundreds of committee members. I always wanted to bring my various ideas to life and have full control over the preparation and implementation of a project. Combining my organizational and leadership skills with my great passion for fashion and opening my own business just made a lot of sense to me at the time. Many people were afraid I was walking into a battle field unarmed, but I was very aware of my strength and was ready.
ELLE: Did your academic background in IT and Marketing Communications help?
JESSICA MINH ANH: Definitely. All the knowledge which I learnt during my undergraduate and master degree helps me make business decisions and deal with clients from various industries on a daily basis. For instance, I work closely with IT specialists for J Model Management’s online presence and can easily communicate any changes to them. I can also code an entire webpage myself on urgent cases. The PR course in my MSc Marketing Communications programme gave me a lot of confidence when I did my first ever radio interview with the BBC months after opening the company. I am a believer in education and training.
ELLE: From planning to execution, how long did it take to make it happen? Do you have any business partner? As a fresh graduate, was money your biggest concern at that time?
JESSICA MINH ANH Besides iconic venues, J Model Management’s competitive advantages include speed. We produce an entire seasonal event, which consists of logistics, PR, flow, backstage, casting, and guest list management, in maximum 3 months. The most recent show on the Costa Atlantica in Dubai was actually prepared in just 1.5 months.
I solely own J Model Management. Our business partners come in the form of official sponsors of J Model Management’s many showcases around the world. We have worked with some of the biggest players in different industries such as PETRONAS, Citroen, L’Oreal, Sephora, Costa Cruises, and Sofitel etc.
Money has never been my biggest concern. We received great supports from various partners from the very first event, as they were highly interested in our unique fashion show concepts. My main challenge is to make the shows bigger and better, and surprise the press every time. It’s not easy, but again if it’s easy then everyone can do it. It’s definitely exciting.
ELLE: Please share the hardest moment when starting the business. How did you overcome the difficulties?
JESSICA MINH ANH: During the preparation of my very first show, I worked over 18 hours per day and constantly felt highly stressed. A week before the show, I had a severe physical pain in the office, couldn’t breathe properly or even stand up, and was brought into an ambulance. When they told me I would not be able to return in time for my evening meeting, my pain suddenly disappeared and I went straight back to the office. It was a shock not only to the doctors, colleagues, but also to myself. My inner strength overcame my physical condition. Of course I learnt to take care of myself more to avoid such unattainable stress, which could affect the show. To me, health is one of the most important factors to grow a successful business.
ELLE: There’s a Chinese saying that it’s harder to maintain a business than starting one. What’s your opinion?
JESSICA MINH ANH: I totally agree. To me, it’s more about developing than just maintaining a business. In order to build a well-recognised brand and a loyal client base in today’s economy, you need to provide continuously improvement and top quality services. You are no longer expected to satisfy your clients, but to go above and beyond to surprise them. I feel very honored to have built such great relationships with many brands and partners, who work with us over and over again. They are the proof that we are doing the right thing by continuously reinventing ourselves to stay on top.
ELLE: What do you think is you key to success?
JESSICA MINH ANH: It’s a combination of passion, determination, ethics, and continuous innovation. I would not have been able to enter a completely new environment every three months and delivered a successful showcase if I wasn’t insanely in love with my job and determined to make a phenomenal appearance. I go out of my comfort zone constantly so ethics keep me grounded. In an industry which keeps evolving such as fashion, being innovative is a need. I seek for beauty in various forms and conditions, to hopefully inspire others.
ELLE: Which project brings you the greatest pride so far? What’s your next project?
JESSICA MINH ANH: I am proud of all the projects I completed in the past 3 years. My top favorites must be the first catwalk on London’s Tower Bridge, the world’s highest fashion show on PETRONAS Twin Towers’ Skybridge, the floating catwalk on the river Seine in Paris, and most recently the first sundeck catwalk on Costa Atlantica in Dubai. They are very different as we hosted them in a different country, showcased new fashion styles, and balanced many cultures each time. If I have to pick one, I would probably go for J Spring Fashion Show on PETRONAS Twin Towers’ Skybridge, as Kuala Lumpur is very close to my heart. Before I arrived, not even a single chair was allowed on that famous bridge, so it was a great honour to get the permission to host the show there. I am very happy to have completed the project successfully and exceeded PETRONAS expectations.
ELLE: Any advice for fresh graduates or someone who’d like to start his/her own business like you did?
JESSICA MINH ANH: The most important thing is to be aware of your strength and weaknesses. If you are lack of skills and experience in the specific field you would love to do, then there is no other way but to go out and learn about it properly. Clients can smell knowledge as well as they can smell fear. You need a base to be confident.
Sometimes you just have to take some risks, coz waiting too long might blow your chances. Don’t be afraid of failures, you just learn from them and move on.
Choose the job you love over the job which pays more. You might need to wait longer or try harder, but you’ll be more satisfied and happy at the end of the day.
Jessica Minh Anh moved in 5* Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe Hotel
Jessica Minh Anh has chosen Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe for her long stay in Paris during the preparation of J Spring Fashion Show 2013 at the end of May. The five-star hotel, which was designed by the award winning French architect Christian de Portzamparc, is just a few steps away from the famous landmark and Champs-Elysées Avenue. With breath-taking contemporary design, Renaissance Paris Arc de Triomphe represents Parisian luxurious and fashionable lifestyle and welcomes high end clients and reputable members of the press. 
