Given the other aspects of my work -- publishing, publicity, photography -- I started getting approached by many people, primarily fitness models, who wanted exposure and publicity to help further their careers. However, I couldn't accomodate them all. So, one day when Karen Fanas and I were talking and we came up an the idea: Why don't we have a competition?

After that, our SAF Model Search was born (SAF = SeriousAboutFitness.com, one of my online publications) -- a positive and inspirational competition for women who want to forward their careers in the health-and-fitness industry. The first event was in Toronto in the summer of 2007 and was a huge success. We held another competition in 2007 and two more in 2008. In 2009, we're scheduled to hold four more!

When the contest was created, someone had to run and promote it. That's where Karen and I come in -- we do most the work. We're also The operations of this event fall under my company called StarPowerOne Entertainment Corporation.

As I said, event promotion was the result of chance and accident. It's hard to say whether I'll promote other events, but I do enjoy my work with the SAF Model Search and I like that it has the potential grow into something REALLY BIG!

Our SAF Model Search events attract some of best in the business and each one keeps getting bigger and better. This photo was taken during our June 2008 show by Dave Paul, a Calgary-based photographer who assists me photographing events. From left to right: photographer Paul Buceta (Playboy, Oxygen, MuscleMag, American Curves), writer/editor Rico Marques (American Curves), and publisher Terry Frendo (Inside Fitness).

Contact me: info@dougschneider.com