Hello to anyone that has been scammed by this company, but hopefully, this will save someone the money and disappointment that only Alex Simon and his crew can do! I live in the Bay Area and enrolled with Kids Talent Network (now Model Republic Kids) 2 1/2 yrs ago. When I was first contacted by Alex, through a template email... 2 of them to be exact, I was delighted that someone "in the industry" saw the "marketability" of my beautiful child!
I was so excited only to then be hit with the 2nd email from Alex, the owner, that then explains that they "are not an agency" which I like to call template #2. This same email tells of the cost of $495. I am a single parent but as most of us think, if this is what your child wants and you trust that this person knows the "industry" you make it work. I then was contacted by Angela, who no longer works there, go figure, and promised meetings with agents, Disney and every agent they deak with in the Bay Area. This is where it gets even more interesting!
After paying the fee, I was never contacted again! I wrote to Angela about a year later and was informed that Angela was no longer with the company that Gina was now in charge of that department. Gina informed me that my child was submitted every month by email and there simply wasn't an interest at this point. I then asked for documentation and was told that it is confidential and that the agents information was legally unable to be made to may attention until there was an interest. This is B. S!!! It is their way of covering their tracks! Their has never been a consistent record to prove what they say!
Finally, I waited another year, we were invited to an "exclusive meeting with a national agent" which was not even in my "marketing region", it was in LA... I live in Sacramento! I called once again and this time, Gina wasn't there any longer but there was another Gina. Can anyone keep the employees straight there?! I was informed that I also owed a $40 renewal fee, that was "in the contract" that I signed and was on file. I explained what I already talk to everyone but Alex about because he never returns calls, it is some new employee!
This meeting was with the same gentleman named Jeff who is an agent in New York! I flew down to LA, with money out of my own pocket, to see the same agent we saw a year earlier, yet California is "the #1 market in the nation"!!! I called again, only to have the phone answered by a receptionist saying "Republic Group" which caught me off guard. I asked to speak with Gina froms Kids Talent and was given to Lena, Gina, as you can guess, no longer work there!!!
I asked Lena why the phone was answered "Republic Group" and she informed me that the company relocated and was changing names and merging with their adult agency so the new name is Model Republic Kids Division!!! People, the negative publicity online of Kids Talent Network is correct! They are a scam! Just changing the name to get a fresh start to take more money and not be googled so easily!!! I explained, yet again my disinterest in this company, asked to have a refund, only to be told they had a signed contract but could send me to a meeting with Ford Modeling Agency in San Francisco.
I asked Lena if this was the "exclusive meeting" that I was emailed about because it also stated that Alex would be present, Lena said yes, it is exclusive, so I went on January 17. It was an open call!!! They never heard of Kids Talent or Model Republic Kids and they were open to anyone that walked in!!! They took $495 of my money... Don't let them take yours!!!
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