I was recently scouted by Urban Talent Management back in March of 2023 and ended up going to their building for an interview. I was 18 at the time and had no previous modeling experience. When I arrived they told me to fill out some paperwork and then we could get right to the interview. After I finished it, I was pulled back into a runway room along with a few other young people. We introduced ourselves and the first red flag popped up, they were all also around 18 years old and had no previous modeling experience. At the time I just thought that it was a crazy coincidence, but now I know that they like to prey on young adults who are easy to manipulate into signing contracts. We did some unnecessary posing down the runway to see if we "had it" and to maybe give us a little taste of what the modeling world would be like to get us excited (it worked). Then, the interviewer named Alex went and grabbed another employee and proceeded to take us one by one into their office cubicles to "interview" us.
In actuality, they were separating us from each other so it would be easier to pressure us into signing their contracts. I was very overwhelmed throughout the entire interaction with Alex and barely had time to process everything she was throwing at me, which included flattery about how I was the ‘exact’ look they needed, excessive amounts of information regarding what I needed to do in order to get a gig, my future prospects, where I was supposed to get a haircut, where I was supposed to get my headshots done, a website with successful models on it to show me what I might become, two different contracts – which she very briefly skimmed through, etc… She did all of this in the span of about 10 minutes while vaguely telling me about the contracts and that I would need to pay their “partner” company Style Inc.(which is actually just them under a different name, they are even owned by the same person, Bret Udy, and are located in the same building) $2000 in order for them to train me up so I can be ready for the “real modeling world”. They claimed it would be vital in my modeling career and that I could pay it off easily with how many gigs I would be getting.Turns out every other real modeling management group or agency doesn’t require you to pay for them to train you, it’s just part of the job, and if they do, they just deduct it out of your paychecks from your shoots.
When it came to the signing of the contracts I was incredibly nervous because I didn’t even really know what I was signing. I clearly expressed my concerns of not having a lot of time or money to do their training or work their gigs since I was in college and already had a job, but Alex assured me it would be fine and that she would mentor me through anything I didn’t understand in the contract once I was hired and would help to get me gigs so I could pay off the fee. I ended up signing the contracts but felt so uneasy about it that I called my parents right after I left and they told me it was a scam. I texted Urban immediately after on the same day within an hour of signing the contract that I wanted to cancel it. They had provided me with no services at the time so I thought they would be understanding and allow me to cancel it, but I didn’t know that they make the majority of their money from these scam contracts so they refused and redirected me to their other company Style Inc. When I did contact Style, they threatened to send me to collections if I didn’t pay. I am now disputing the previous collections agency over what became the $2,800 that I allegedly “owe” them.
I did some research into Urban that same day afterwards on numerous review websites and discovered that my experience is quite common with them. I am writing this review in hopes that it helps to stop other inexperienced young adults from making the same mistake as me and hopefully persuading Urban and Style to stop this horribly immoral business.
While there are many ethical issues within Urban Talent, I would like to focus on one big problem in particular. Urban Talent is a modeling agency which uses scam-like tactics to recruit new models. I was scouted as a model the fall of 2016 through Instagram. During my initial meeting with an agent, I was intensely flattered. The agent compared me to one of their top models, told me how marketable I was, and how successful I could be. After copious amounts of compliments, he whipped out two contracts. One was for Urban Talent, and the other was for Style Inc, a company which provides training and photo shoots to models. Legally, Urban can't train their own models within their own company because that's what scam model agencies do. However, Style Inc is run by almost the exact same people as Urban. It's a system loophole so they can make money off their training. The Style Inc share the same phone number, email addresses, and physical address and Urban Talent.
As a separate ethical issue, the amount of money I was asked to pay for Style Inc's training is well above industry standards. I paid $1000 for a very poor-quality, unprofessional shoot, and another $1000 for training.
Urban is the definition of a wolf in sheep's clothing.
I am currently stuck in a contract with a difficult termination policy. I want to be let out of my contract to not be associated with such an unethical company.
I had a discussion with Camilla today regarding your contract. I understand that you are late with this month’s payment to Style Inc which was due on August 11th. In the contract that you signed with Style you agreed to pay $200 per month on the 11th of each month until the entire balance of $1750 is paid in full. For that amount Style agreed to provide you with a workshop and, once the entire balance is paid in full, a photoshoot and your own page on Urban Talent Management’s website. Style has kept it’s part of the agreement, we ask that you do the same.
you also signed an exclusive representation agreement with Urban. The reason Urban signed you is because you have a very marketable look and we want to represent you. We know that that you will make money booking jobs and that we will receive a commission from those bookings. Urban signed you to make money, we wouldn’t have signed you if you could not make money for the agency, and you signed because you want to make money in this industry. My desire is that we do just that, make money together. But to do so requires that you be your word, honor your contracts and be on time with your payments. We need to know that we can count on you so if you aren’t following your contract with Style, it makes us worry that we can’t count on you to send you to castings and bookings.
If this is not your desire then the next step would be to either send your unpaid balance to collections, as addressed in paragraph 2 of the Style agreement, or to get my attorney involved. In my experience that turns out to be a lose/lose for all parties (except for my attorney, of course). Believe me when I say I do not want that to happen. So, I ask that you honor your contract with Style and get caught up and be on time with your payments. Please contact Camilla immediately to get this worked out.
Best regards,
Bret Udy
CEO
Style, Inc.
Bret Udy,
During my first, and only meeting, with Camilla we did discuss a payment of $200 per month for classes she said I had to take before I would be marketable. I was up front and honest with Camilla about my financial situation as I did not have $200 to put down toward classes. Camilla, and another lady she brought in, reassured me that I did not have to make payments right away. Camilla also stated that I would make enough money from the jobs she was going to send me out on, that did not require additional training, and my payments for classes would be taken out of my checks. I reluctantly agreed to give Camilla a credit card she could put on file for future use. I do not have a bank account, hence, the pre-paid Walmart card you have in my file.
Per Camilla, I was not able to take any classes nor be afforded any of Style Inc’s guidance or assistance until I was able to make my first payment for your classes. Thus, I have not stepped foot inside your place of business since my initial meeting with her. I have not received any calls to go out on jobs that I was promised she would send me on. In fact, I have not received any follow up, what so ever, in regard to my “marketability”. The only “text” messages I have received were to collect money, for service that were never rendered and was told I did not have to pay for out of pocket.
I submit to you, I have upheld my end of the agreement, it is your staff that has not. The pretense in which I was manipulated into signing a contract was based on lies and coercion by your staff. It would behoove you to implement best practices and a standard for customer interaction rather than manipulating someone in a classic bait and switch scam. The exact behavior your staff engages in, is the same unethical and immoral behavior that just landed Wells Fargo with a court ordered $142 million-dollar settlement.
You state that Style Inc. has kept its part of the agreement when in fact, it has not. To keep your end of the agreement would require that you and your staff keep your word and honor the promises that were made during my initial meeting. Based on facts, neither you nor your staff have upheld your end of the agreement, making my contract null and void.
I signed my daughter up for modeling with Urban talant Style Inc. We went through the contract and it made sence at the time there would be fees involved. They said that she would be paying for these fees out of the money that she would make doing a job.
My daughter signed up with Urban Talent Style Inc. March 1st. Urban Talent said that I would have to be responsible for the payments until my daughter made money on jobs, then she would start paying back what was owed. Until recently my daughter had not been able to find jobs in her age group, and she only got the one job because the company asked for her.
In the contract that we signed, it stated that the money for training and promotional tools would be taken out of my bank account on the 30th of each month, the first three months were okay, then they would start taking it out before the 30th or after the 30th which caused my account to go into overdraft.
On the 5th month they attempted to withrawal the $150.00 payment and the bank declined the transaction. I had heard nothing regarding this issue until earlier last week, they started texting my husband asking for the payment he explained that the reason they weren't getting the payment was because they put us into overdraft twice, and when my husband said not to text him but to call the house phone, they continued texting, asking for the payment.
At this point my husband got feurious and told them not to ever text him again and to contact me on the house phone, they at that point stated that they called the house phone repeatedly and left messages, Which I know for a fact is not true. I have two answering systems, one goes directly to voice mail when I am on the phone and the other will pick up when I am not home.
Later that week I received an email from Camilla Larsen stating that the payment of $150.00 was due and that we needed to pay the past due balance of $150.00, remind you the payment for Sept is not due until the 30th and yet we were willing to pay this when it was due and we knwe that we needed to pay the past due as well.
A day later we received an email from Camilla Larsen again, this time she stated that if we did not pay up by the 22nd they would take us to collections and that we would have to pay over $2,000.00 in collection fees. By my account We only owe $950.00.
I have attempted to contact her letting her know that we weren't trying to get out of paying this, and explained our financial situation, and that we were coming into a settlement that we would ba able to pay in full by the following week. to this day I have not heard anything from her.
Urban Talent Style Inc. My daughter found Urban Talent, and wanted to become a model, so we went to Salt Lake, Urban Talent took pictures and said that she would make a great model. when we talked about the contract, they said that she would have to take a class in order to learn how to walk sit and stand. They told us that the class would cost her $1,750.00 to take, and that was to pay Style Inc. for the class time, but we also had to pay an up front fee of $200.00 and then the remaining balance to be paid monthly, by the 30th of each month at $150.00 per month. They took 4 months worth of payments and on the 4th payment Style Inc. took the payments out earlier than the 30th which at that time my bank covered the fees, but we ended up owing $175.00 in overdraft and payment fees. When the 5th month came around Style Inc. attempted to withdrawal the $150.00 payment and was unable to. They claimed that they had attempted to contact me regarding the matter, and claimed that they would call my house phone and leave messages, but I know for a fact that they have not. I have two forms of voice mail. One is when I am on the phone it will go to a voice recording, the other is my answering machine, that will pick up when I am not home. The did however contact us texting my husbands phone. I had asked how much was owed on the balance and they never replied. Finally last week they kept texting my husbands phone demanding payment, and when my husband asked them not to text him and to call the house phone they repeatedly texted. I finally received an email from Camilla Larsen threatening me with going to a collection service. I emailed her back and let her know our financial situation and stated that it would be resolved. and I asked for and address so that I could pay it off, till this day she has not answered my email. The only reason I agreed to letting my daughter sign up for this, is because I thought this company was legit. Since my daughter has been with Urban Talent, and she would do her check ins and look through the jobs, there had never been anything that was within her age range. She has spent more than six months with this company and she was only called once not to long ago for a job. Salt Lake City Utah
I signed with Urban Talent, regrettably. I traveled all the way out of state for an interview which they talked up to seem legit. After talking so so much about my potential and talking their company up, making false statements about their true demeanor, they wanted me to sign a contract. I was very hesitant and told this woman (Baylee?) I could not afford the payments, she then proceeded to another room, and tried to negotiate with a lower payment, as I STILL denied and explained that I'm in school still, she lowered the payment once more , pushing and pushing, trying to convince me that it's only ($75 a month) and that my parents can pay, also guaranteeing that I will make my money back quickly. I regrettably signed. As the months went on , I tried to apply for all the jobs I could, to no avail. I tried to negotiate and cancel my payment with them, also to no avail. They refused to cancel the contract, eventually sending me into collections, stress, and worry. I am very upset, as the promises made by Urban Talents' representative could not be kept. Now I sit with worry, wondering if I will ever survive this debt.
It has been a life long dream of mine to become a professional actor, so I thought I'd try to find a talent agency so I can start getting work. From their website Urban Talent Management does seem legit, but after signing with them I did a little more digging and reading about them and found out that all they want to do is scam me out of my hard earned money. When I signed with urban I understood that the classes were optional and I wouldn't be forced to pay at least $1000, but I talked to them about not taking the classes anymore because I lost my job, they told me that I HAVE to pay for it even when I can't make any money to do that. They're a bunch of scumbags at urban who don't give a crap about anyone or anything except for taking money from people. I actually had a dream to become an actor and the people at Urban could care less. They don't want to help me find acting work, they just want to take my money. If there is anyone who is thinking about signing with them, DONT. Don't be an idiot like I was and go find a real talent agency.
Urban Talent Management Reviews
**DON’T DO BUSINESS WITH THESE PEOPLE**
I was recently scouted by Urban Talent Management back in March of 2023 and ended up going to their building for an interview. I was 18 at the time and had no previous modeling experience. When I arrived they told me to fill out some paperwork and then we could get right to the interview. After I finished it, I was pulled back into a runway room along with a few other young people. We introduced ourselves and the first red flag popped up, they were all also around 18 years old and had no previous modeling experience. At the time I just thought that it was a crazy coincidence, but now I know that they like to prey on young adults who are easy to manipulate into signing contracts. We did some unnecessary posing down the runway to see if we "had it" and to maybe give us a little taste of what the modeling world would be like to get us excited (it worked). Then, the interviewer named Alex went and grabbed another employee and proceeded to take us one by one into their office cubicles to "interview" us.
In actuality, they were separating us from each other so it would be easier to pressure us into signing their contracts. I was very overwhelmed throughout the entire interaction with Alex and barely had time to process everything she was throwing at me, which included flattery about how I was the ‘exact’ look they needed, excessive amounts of information regarding what I needed to do in order to get a gig, my future prospects, where I was supposed to get a haircut, where I was supposed to get my headshots done, a website with successful models on it to show me what I might become, two different contracts – which she very briefly skimmed through, etc… She did all of this in the span of about 10 minutes while vaguely telling me about the contracts and that I would need to pay their “partner” company Style Inc.(which is actually just them under a different name, they are even owned by the same person, Bret Udy, and are located in the same building) $2000 in order for them to train me up so I can be ready for the “real modeling world”. They claimed it would be vital in my modeling career and that I could pay it off easily with how many gigs I would be getting.Turns out every other real modeling management group or agency doesn’t require you to pay for them to train you, it’s just part of the job, and if they do, they just deduct it out of your paychecks from your shoots.
When it came to the signing of the contracts I was incredibly nervous because I didn’t even really know what I was signing. I clearly expressed my concerns of not having a lot of time or money to do their training or work their gigs since I was in college and already had a job, but Alex assured me it would be fine and that she would mentor me through anything I didn’t understand in the contract once I was hired and would help to get me gigs so I could pay off the fee. I ended up signing the contracts but felt so uneasy about it that I called my parents right after I left and they told me it was a scam. I texted Urban immediately after on the same day within an hour of signing the contract that I wanted to cancel it. They had provided me with no services at the time so I thought they would be understanding and allow me to cancel it, but I didn’t know that they make the majority of their money from these scam contracts so they refused and redirected me to their other company Style Inc. When I did contact Style, they threatened to send me to collections if I didn’t pay. I am now disputing the previous collections agency over what became the $2,800 that I allegedly “owe” them.
I did some research into Urban that same day afterwards on numerous review websites and discovered that my experience is quite common with them. I am writing this review in hopes that it helps to stop other inexperienced young adults from making the same mistake as me and hopefully persuading Urban and Style to stop this horribly immoral business.
While there are many ethical issues within Urban Talent, I would like to focus on one big problem in particular. Urban Talent is a modeling agency which uses scam-like tactics to recruit new models. I was scouted as a model the fall of 2016 through Instagram. During my initial meeting with an agent, I was intensely flattered. The agent compared me to one of their top models, told me how marketable I was, and how successful I could be. After copious amounts of compliments, he whipped out two contracts. One was for Urban Talent, and the other was for Style Inc, a company which provides training and photo shoots to models. Legally, Urban can't train their own models within their own company because that's what scam model agencies do. However, Style Inc is run by almost the exact same people as Urban. It's a system loophole so they can make money off their training. The Style Inc share the same phone number, email addresses, and physical address and Urban Talent.
As a separate ethical issue, the amount of money I was asked to pay for Style Inc's training is well above industry standards. I paid $1000 for a very poor-quality, unprofessional shoot, and another $1000 for training.
Urban is the definition of a wolf in sheep's clothing.
I am currently stuck in a contract with a difficult termination policy. I want to be let out of my contract to not be associated with such an unethical company.
I had a discussion with Camilla today regarding your contract. I understand that you are late with this month’s payment to Style Inc which was due on August 11th. In the contract that you signed with Style you agreed to pay $200 per month on the 11th of each month until the entire balance of $1750 is paid in full. For that amount Style agreed to provide you with a workshop and, once the entire balance is paid in full, a photoshoot and your own page on Urban Talent Management’s website. Style has kept it’s part of the agreement, we ask that you do the same.
you also signed an exclusive representation agreement with Urban. The reason Urban signed you is because you have a very marketable look and we want to represent you. We know that that you will make money booking jobs and that we will receive a commission from those bookings. Urban signed you to make money, we wouldn’t have signed you if you could not make money for the agency, and you signed because you want to make money in this industry. My desire is that we do just that, make money together. But to do so requires that you be your word, honor your contracts and be on time with your payments. We need to know that we can count on you so if you aren’t following your contract with Style, it makes us worry that we can’t count on you to send you to castings and bookings.
If this is not your desire then the next step would be to either send your unpaid balance to collections, as addressed in paragraph 2 of the Style agreement, or to get my attorney involved. In my experience that turns out to be a lose/lose for all parties (except for my attorney, of course). Believe me when I say I do not want that to happen. So, I ask that you honor your contract with Style and get caught up and be on time with your payments. Please contact Camilla immediately to get this worked out.
Best regards,
Bret Udy
CEO
Style, Inc.
Bret Udy,
During my first, and only meeting, with Camilla we did discuss a payment of $200 per month for classes she said I had to take before I would be marketable. I was up front and honest with Camilla about my financial situation as I did not have $200 to put down toward classes. Camilla, and another lady she brought in, reassured me that I did not have to make payments right away. Camilla also stated that I would make enough money from the jobs she was going to send me out on, that did not require additional training, and my payments for classes would be taken out of my checks. I reluctantly agreed to give Camilla a credit card she could put on file for future use. I do not have a bank account, hence, the pre-paid Walmart card you have in my file.
Per Camilla, I was not able to take any classes nor be afforded any of Style Inc’s guidance or assistance until I was able to make my first payment for your classes. Thus, I have not stepped foot inside your place of business since my initial meeting with her. I have not received any calls to go out on jobs that I was promised she would send me on. In fact, I have not received any follow up, what so ever, in regard to my “marketability”. The only “text” messages I have received were to collect money, for service that were never rendered and was told I did not have to pay for out of pocket.
I submit to you, I have upheld my end of the agreement, it is your staff that has not. The pretense in which I was manipulated into signing a contract was based on lies and coercion by your staff. It would behoove you to implement best practices and a standard for customer interaction rather than manipulating someone in a classic bait and switch scam. The exact behavior your staff engages in, is the same unethical and immoral behavior that just landed Wells Fargo with a court ordered $142 million-dollar settlement.
You state that Style Inc. has kept its part of the agreement when in fact, it has not. To keep your end of the agreement would require that you and your staff keep your word and honor the promises that were made during my initial meeting. Based on facts, neither you nor your staff have upheld your end of the agreement, making my contract null and void.
I signed my daughter up for modeling with Urban talant Style Inc. We went through the contract and it made sence at the time there would be fees involved. They said that she would be paying for these fees out of the money that she would make doing a job.
My daughter signed up with Urban Talent Style Inc. March 1st. Urban Talent said that I would have to be responsible for the payments until my daughter made money on jobs, then she would start paying back what was owed. Until recently my daughter had not been able to find jobs in her age group, and she only got the one job because the company asked for her.
In the contract that we signed, it stated that the money for training and promotional tools would be taken out of my bank account on the 30th of each month, the first three months were okay, then they would start taking it out before the 30th or after the 30th which caused my account to go into overdraft.
On the 5th month they attempted to withrawal the $150.00 payment and the bank declined the transaction. I had heard nothing regarding this issue until earlier last week, they started texting my husband asking for the payment he explained that the reason they weren't getting the payment was because they put us into overdraft twice, and when my husband said not to text him but to call the house phone, they continued texting, asking for the payment.
At this point my husband got feurious and told them not to ever text him again and to contact me on the house phone, they at that point stated that they called the house phone repeatedly and left messages, Which I know for a fact is not true. I have two answering systems, one goes directly to voice mail when I am on the phone and the other will pick up when I am not home.
Later that week I received an email from Camilla Larsen stating that the payment of $150.00 was due and that we needed to pay the past due balance of $150.00, remind you the payment for Sept is not due until the 30th and yet we were willing to pay this when it was due and we knwe that we needed to pay the past due as well.
A day later we received an email from Camilla Larsen again, this time she stated that if we did not pay up by the 22nd they would take us to collections and that we would have to pay over $2,000.00 in collection fees. By my account We only owe $950.00.
I have attempted to contact her letting her know that we weren't trying to get out of paying this, and explained our financial situation, and that we were coming into a settlement that we would ba able to pay in full by the following week. to this day I have not heard anything from her.
Urban Talent Style Inc. My daughter found Urban Talent, and wanted to become a model, so we went to Salt Lake, Urban Talent took pictures and said that she would make a great model. when we talked about the contract, they said that she would have to take a class in order to learn how to walk sit and stand. They told us that the class would cost her $1,750.00 to take, and that was to pay Style Inc. for the class time, but we also had to pay an up front fee of $200.00 and then the remaining balance to be paid monthly, by the 30th of each month at $150.00 per month. They took 4 months worth of payments and on the 4th payment Style Inc. took the payments out earlier than the 30th which at that time my bank covered the fees, but we ended up owing $175.00 in overdraft and payment fees. When the 5th month came around Style Inc. attempted to withdrawal the $150.00 payment and was unable to. They claimed that they had attempted to contact me regarding the matter, and claimed that they would call my house phone and leave messages, but I know for a fact that they have not. I have two forms of voice mail. One is when I am on the phone it will go to a voice recording, the other is my answering machine, that will pick up when I am not home. The did however contact us texting my husbands phone. I had asked how much was owed on the balance and they never replied. Finally last week they kept texting my husbands phone demanding payment, and when my husband asked them not to text him and to call the house phone they repeatedly texted. I finally received an email from Camilla Larsen threatening me with going to a collection service. I emailed her back and let her know our financial situation and stated that it would be resolved. and I asked for and address so that I could pay it off, till this day she has not answered my email. The only reason I agreed to letting my daughter sign up for this, is because I thought this company was legit. Since my daughter has been with Urban Talent, and she would do her check ins and look through the jobs, there had never been anything that was within her age range. She has spent more than six months with this company and she was only called once not to long ago for a job. Salt Lake City Utah
I signed with Urban Talent, regrettably. I traveled all the way out of state for an interview which they talked up to seem legit. After talking so so much about my potential and talking their company up, making false statements about their true demeanor, they wanted me to sign a contract. I was very hesitant and told this woman (Baylee?) I could not afford the payments, she then proceeded to another room, and tried to negotiate with a lower payment, as I STILL denied and explained that I'm in school still, she lowered the payment once more , pushing and pushing, trying to convince me that it's only ($75 a month) and that my parents can pay, also guaranteeing that I will make my money back quickly. I regrettably signed. As the months went on , I tried to apply for all the jobs I could, to no avail. I tried to negotiate and cancel my payment with them, also to no avail. They refused to cancel the contract, eventually sending me into collections, stress, and worry. I am very upset, as the promises made by Urban Talents' representative could not be kept. Now I sit with worry, wondering if I will ever survive this debt.
It has been a life long dream of mine to become a professional actor, so I thought I'd try to find a talent agency so I can start getting work. From their website Urban Talent Management does seem legit, but after signing with them I did a little more digging and reading about them and found out that all they want to do is scam me out of my hard earned money. When I signed with urban I understood that the classes were optional and I wouldn't be forced to pay at least $1000, but I talked to them about not taking the classes anymore because I lost my job, they told me that I HAVE to pay for it even when I can't make any money to do that. They're a bunch of scumbags at urban who don't give a crap about anyone or anything except for taking money from people. I actually had a dream to become an actor and the people at Urban could care less. They don't want to help me find acting work, they just want to take my money. If there is anyone who is thinking about signing with them, DONT. Don't be an idiot like I was and go find a real talent agency.