MEET THE MUSE
A combination of grace, presence and class, professionalism and beauty – it’s no wonder that Linda Black is one of the most experienced and in demand models in the region as well as a growing presence for TV presenting and live hosting.
1. Can you tell us a bit more about your upcoming projects; from charity work to your new show, to being an ambassador for a tech brand?
I’m into a lot at the moment! I have a show that is just now airing on Diva/Universal called MODE – touted as a woman’s lifestyle magazine show, and the aim is toward the 30+ ladies. We check out choice restaurants, bars, and every episode we meet the MODE Woman – a woman who through sheer strength of character managed to become a businesswoman and icon for other women to follow in their footsteps. We only filmed 3 episodes as a sort of “pilot”, but I think it has some really great elements that are worth investing an entire season in.
Other than that you can always catch me on HBO Family and HBO talking about movies and what’s coming up next. As for my charity work – yes, I’m very passionate about several projects I invest my time in. And I could go on about them all day! Just suffice it to say, I’m deeply committed to children’s causes through projects like the Rare Disorders Society (Singapore), World Vision, and M.I.L.K. (Mainly I Love Kids), and cancer research and awareness with the Breast Cancer Foundation Singapore and Singapore Cancer Society. One of my favorite outlets is In Her Shoes – Music and Art against Cancer. And being an ambassador for tech brand HTC actually helps my charity commitments too, b/c I Tweet and post to Facebook constantly about what I get up to, and news about the causes, so it reaches more people.
I’m also part of the Bloggers Social Responsibility Initiative, which is devoted to bringing social issues to the table through our blogs. And HTC has been a key player in getting that set up and moving forward. In my downtime, I’m ALWAYS promoting our group, [the] Collective which is a group of international caliber TV and live event hosts which frankly takes up a lot of my time b/c there are twelve of us and we are all very active and super busy! I also just co-hosted the Asian TV Awards with my husband, TV personality Oli Pettigrew – which was our first Official gig together. It was really great to learn we worked really well together! I hope we get to work together again soon!
2. What advice do you have for women wanting to succeed in your industry?
Wow! Grow a thick skin would be advisable. And believing in your own abilities is key, but you must also be prepared to adapt and to learn quickly to new situations. And also – you must expect that your career at some point needs to evolve… and if you aren’t prepared and vigilant you WILL get left behind.
3.What are some obstacles you face as a modern woman and how do you overcome them?
I’m not sure this is strictly an obstacle for the modern woman, but women throughout time! How to manage being a career gal that helps bring home the bacon for my brood of 2 children, while maintaining a strong presence with my children, and yet still have a strong presence at work. So precisely how to juggle being a mother, wife, best friend, confidant, lover and businesswoman – and still be true to myself?
Well – I have no secret formula b/c everyone is different! But I feel, after some time struggling with it, I have finally struck the balance that works for me, my family and friends. It takes time, patience, and understanding spouse and friends.
No one has all the answers all the time, and I have admitted when I was wrong to those when I had neglected time as one title to be another. And that’s important too – knowing when you are wrong, admitting it, learning from it and moving on.
4. Who inspires you and why? I draw inspiration from so many sources. My first inspiration I’ll always say are my parents, b/c I think they did an amazing job raising me and my siblings and set the perfect example for how I want to be with my husband and children: loving, patient, disciplined, devoted and fun.
My second inspiration is my husband – he just seems to have the golden touch in business situations and I frankly have learned a lot from him.
My last inspiration is my children – my son I will always credit with saving me at a time when my life was a very sad place to be. And my foster daughter Tia – after having a rough start in life, and handed into the care of people who should have loved and protected her – she had every reason to never grow to love or trust me as a stranger, let alone her prospective mother, and yet she did, and quickly too! And that is a testament to one’s willingness to make the right choice, even if it’s a hard thing, but the right thing to do. And her ability to trust me, and to allow me to be a big part of her life – that’s a powerful thing to be a witness to.
5. What is the one thing (book, website, coach, mentor, tool, blog, service, etc.) that you value and can say has contributed to your success?
Education is the great equalizer. Being a fast learner has prepared me perfectly for the role I play today. I’m a dogged opportunist, and am bound by etiquette and ethics. So I’d say that what I value the most is the fact that I am surrounded by people who unconditionally support me. That, in some ways, is more powerful than unconditional love. With that I have the power to use my other strengths to my advantage without fear of upsetting someone.
When i make a decision for my business or the business of [the] Collective, or even for my children – you can rest assured i have done my homework, weighed the pros and cons, and made an educated and strategic decision about it. I’m that calculating (but please don’t ask me to do any math! I’m terrible at it! Thank God my job requires very little of it!)
6. What are some big lessons you have learned so far that you wish you knew when you were younger?
Ah! I wish I had known younger to not take myself so seriously! To relax, and to stop trying to be perfect, and to just be ok in my own skin. To stop making excuses for myself when I had felt I was not up to standards, and to believe in my abilities too!
7. What do you do to unwind?
Glass of bubbles on my balcony with a few good friends – shooting the shit! I don’t get a lot of alone time, so taking the time to get a massage or indulge in a warm bath is also a choice when I want to de-stress.
8. How would you describe your style?
My style, be it fashion or just me, is free and fun! I’m a low maintenance gal (except for my hair, which is fried beyond belief from so much styling for events!) so my style is quick and ready to go. I hate being fussy and even my makeup can be on in 3 minutes if I need it to be.
My hair – it grieves me to say – is so damaged. I do have to go for treatments every couple of weeks. Argh!
9. What does redefining feminism mean to you?
Redefining Feminism to me, means that we can safely dispose of several of the negative and binding “myths” about what it means to be “feminine” in this over-commercialized society and rejoice in the fact that women are beautiful just the way they are, without the need for artificial enhancement or minimizing, or expiration date.
Women are powerful, women are intelligent, and women are beautiful – and that we should not limit ourselves or our sisters to a narrow definition of what is “desirable”. We should live out loud!
