Lifestyle

From Small Town to Entertainment Capital of the World – Nara Ford

Published

5 years ago

February 16, 2021

How Nara Ford went from a tiny beach town to a widely renowned model and businesswoman living her dream life in Las Vegas

Everyone knows that the modeling industry is one of the toughest to break into. Social media is saturated with would-be models and influencers. So how did a small-town girl from Washington become a (practically) overnight success in such a dog-eat-dog business? Read on to get acquainted with Nara Ford, a tough ex-airman in the U.S. Airforce, who was discovered by being labeled a “Military Hottie” while on active duty in Mississippi.

Behind every beautiful aspiring model, there are hundreds in line hoping to be discovered. Nara Ford realized this truth early on when she began gaining traction in the world of modeling after being featured on several platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and The Chive, for her incredible figure. Nara got a taste of success after her first paid gig (to the tune of $5,000) and was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. Rather than resting on her laurels, as they say, Nara developed a sharp business plan that has helped her become not only a successful model but a keen businesswoman who helps others, hoping to realize their dreams.

Nara was born and raised in the little beach town of Ocean Shores, Washington. After being led to serve her country, Nara enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. When she realized modeling was a real possibility for a future career, she got serious about learning all she could about the industry. When the Air Force moved her to Las Vegas, she looked at it as a golden opportunity to stretch her legs as a bonafide model, but that is not all. As the modeling took shape, not everyone was thrilled. There was controversy over racy photographs published while an active-duty airman, a blip that did not deter the ambitious Nara. She continued to build her modeling portfolio, being featured in domestic and international magazine publications. More than a pretty face, Nara began constructing a business plan not only to get ahead but bring others along with her.

Nara hosts networking events to brand herself but is also eager to share the knowledge she has amassed in the industry. She hosts engagement groups and has created a unique formula to help new influencers earn six figures annually, as she does. Nara is now within the top 1% of a pool of over 450,000 content creators and strives to help other women do the same. Nara is assembling a team of the hottest up-and-coming girls from small towns who also strive for unique branding and social media success. The idea was born when Nara recognized that many other women share the same ambition as her. As a result, she created ways to help women learn the art of embracing their bodies, not becoming fixated on what others think, and reaching their career goals, however big or small.

Nara is building an empire more than a career. Her brand encompasses not only modeling but running a lucrative website for four years before Only Fans. Nara participates in live streaming, PPV, and messaging, rarely turning down a fan’s request, not even the “off” ones she sometimes receives. She has grown her business while narrowing in on her clientele’s specific needs, perfecting her marketing skills, and monetizing her Instagram following, resulting in over $500,000 in her first year!

Setbacks are common, but thankfully, Nara says, she has not encountered many of them so far in her journey. “One of the keys is to not worry too much about things I cannot control. I focus on myself, try to be the best I can be, and remember that it’s all about the fans.” Nara says she makes it a point to measure herself by her past achievements. To stay focused, healthy, and ready for the demands of her schedule, Nara meditates, works out, and maintains a positive attitude. Self-love and respect are critical keys to her success.

Most entrepreneurs understand the importance of diversifying one’s income streams. Nara is no different. She has found ways to do this every chance she gets. After purchasing and renovating her Las Vegas dream home, Nara rents part of the space for other creators to shoot their content. It is not only a way to earn extra money but also add value to her clients. Fans can expect a lot more from Nara in the future. With tireless energy and willingness to learn and produce exciting content, this model-turned-mogul is quickly making a name for herself. “There is plenty more to come! I am always trying to figure out what my fans want and make that happen in new and entertaining ways.”

Learn more about Nara by following her on Instagram at @thenaraford, Twitter at nara_ford, and on her website at www.naraford.com.

Lifestyle

Wanda Knight on Blending Culture, Style, and Leadership Through Travel

Published

60 mins ago

December 24, 2025

Michelle Langton

The best lessons in leadership do not always come from a classroom or a boardroom. Sometimes they come from a crowded market in a foreign city, a train ride through unfamiliar landscapes, or a quiet conversation with someone whose life looks very different from your own.

Wanda Knight has built her career in enterprise sales and leadership for more than three decades, working with some of the world’s largest companies and guiding teams through constant change. But ask her what shaped her most, and she will point not just to her professional milestones but to the way travel has expanded her perspective. With 38 countries visited and more on the horizon, her worldview has been formed as much by her passport as by her resume.

Travel entered her life early. Her parents valued exploration, and before she began college, she had already lived in Italy. That experience, stepping into a different culture at such a young age, left a lasting impression. It showed her that the world was much bigger than the environment she grew up in and that adaptability was not just useful, it was necessary. Those early lessons of curiosity and openness would later shape the way she led in business.

Sales, at its core, is about connection. Numbers matter, but relationships determine long-term success. Wanda’s time abroad taught her how to connect across differences. Navigating unfamiliar places and adjusting to environments that operated on different expectations gave her the patience and awareness to understand people first, and business second. That approach carried over into leadership, where she built a reputation for giving her teams the space to take ownership while standing firmly behind them when it mattered most.

The link between travel and leadership becomes even clearer in moments of challenge. Unfamiliar settings require flexibility, quick decision-making, and the ability to stay calm under pressure. The same skills are critical in enterprise sales, where strategies shift quickly and no deal is ever guaranteed. Knight learned that success comes from being willing to step into the unknown, whether that means exploring a new country or taking on a leadership role she had not originally planned to pursue.

Her travels have also influenced her eye for style and her creative pursuits. Fashion, for Wanda, is more than clothing; it is a reflection of culture, history, and identity. Experiencing how different communities express themselves, from the craftsmanship of Italian textiles to the energy of street style in cities around the world, has deepened her appreciation for aesthetics as a form of storytelling. Rather than keeping her professional and personal worlds separate, she has learned to blend them, carrying the discipline and strategy of her sales career into her creative interests and vice versa.

None of this has been about starting over. It has been about adding layers, expanding her perspective without erasing the experiences that came before. Wanda’s story is not one of leaving a career behind but of integrating all the parts of who she is: a leader shaped by high-stakes business, a traveler shaped by global culture, and a creative voice learning to merge both worlds.

What stands out most is how she continues to approach both leadership and life with the same curiosity that first took her beyond her comfort zone. Each new country is an opportunity to learn, just as each new role has been a chance to grow. For those looking at her path, the lesson is clear: leadership is not about staying in one lane; it is about collecting experiences that teach you how to see, how to adapt, and how to connect.

As she looks to the future, Wanda Knight’s compass still points outward. She will keep adding stamps to her passport, finding inspiration in new cultures, and carrying those insights back into the rooms where strategy is shaped and decisions are made. Her legacy will not be measured only by deals closed or positions held but by the perspective she brought, and the way she showed that leading with a global view can change the story for everyone around you.