From completing an internship in Turkey to gaining experience as both a model and photographer to developing her own fashion startup, Alara Wiefling has spent her time at Cal Poly building a resume that stands out.

“I've dipped my toes in so many arenas, and I love them all, but I just can't pick one that is my ride-or-die passion and purpose,” said Wiefling, an entrepreneurship student.

In the 2025 fall quarter, Wiefling placed as a finalist in the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship’s Elevator Pitch Competition, an annual event in which students from all majors have 90 seconds to pitch an innovative product, service or startup idea for a chance to win cash prizes. For this year’s competition, Wiefling pitched Gym Wear Made Fun, an expressive athletic clothing brand.

Wiefling, who wore her Hello Kitty-themed gym wear during the Elevator Pitch, has modeled professionally with the Page Parks Center for Modeling and Acting for the past eight years. The center is based out of her native Texas.

Most recently, she modeled for Fransesca’s Online Catalogue in 2022 and Academy Sports & Outdoors Online Catalog in 2024

While Wiefling has spent much time in front of cameras, she's also a photographer herself, who shoots photos of fellow models. By taking the challenge of portrait photography into her own hands, she developed skills to keep herself competitive in the constantly changing field of modeling.

Her accomplishments are not limited to the United States. In 2023, Wiefling interned for Fiat in Istanbul in their sales and marketing division.

Wiefling recently discussed all of these accomplishments and what it takes to balance them while being a business student at Cal Poly who is developing her own brand.

Being from Texas, what made you choose Cal Poly and the Orfalea College of Business?

Ever since I was a kid, I was into making home videos and vlogs, and at one point I was really into Jake and Logan Paul. I thought that if all the people I liked watching were in California, it probably was the place to be. Since then, I just knew I wanted to be here, so I applied to every good school in California. It was just a matter of chance I ended up at Cal Poly, no real rhyme or reason. People seemed pretty happy here, and it was beautiful, and that’s that. Plus, I like dramatic change, and changing states seemed like it would do that for me.

On top of being a Cal Poly student, you’re also a model and a photographer. How do you find balance between all these paths while also developing your own startup?

I do have a lot of areas of interest, and I'll admit it's really a challenge balancing it all. Every time I spend time with my hobbies, I feel like it's taking away from school and vice versa. But I'm learning to understand that each hobby I take on has taught me something that is applicable to other areas of life, like starting a business. Having seen the world of modeling, photography and music, I gained a lot of perspectives, which makes coming up with ideas and understanding people a bit more natural. Therefore, I'd say doing hobbies on the side is indirectly helping me progress in the business world.

On the topic of your startup, what work went into creating Gym Wear Made Fun and sharing it during the Elevator Pitch competition?

Gym Wear Made Fun was an idea I had. The work that went in? Having fun and experiencing new things. I tried jiu-jitsu for a while and discovered the cool rash guard designs through that hobby. Then while I was on the treadmill at the Rec Center, I noticed that all the people were wearing similar things, with a lack of expression. I just wanted to bring more fun into a space I believed should revolve around fun. To prepare for the pitch, I spent a couple days trying to memorize a script. Next time, I'd probably take a different approach.

"The best ideas I've had have been while having fun."

                                       -- Alara Wiefling

You were able to use your experience as a model to help develop the brand you pitched for the competition, how did that feel?

My experience as a model mostly taught me how important it is to position your product. Who represents the clothes that you are selling? What type of person do you want to gravitate to the product? For me, that was expressionists. People who are unafraid to be themselves and stand out in the gym and in life. People who are unafraid to have fun. So, I tried to make my pitch a bit more lighthearted.

Finding a job as a model is something a lot of people try and fail at. How do you get started?

Getting into the industry has been easier for me since I started at such a young age. I was a slender and tall kid, and at the time that was what the industry was looking for. The modeling industry itself is always changing, and what agencies are looking for might just not be what you are at a certain time. But maybe they need you the following year. My advice to anyone who wants to get into it is just do it, no matter what. If it's what you want, and you work at it, constantly update your portfolio and put yourself in front of as many credible agents as you can, you'll make it. As long as your heart is in it.

Are there things that people get wrong about modeling or just don't understand?

I think a lot of people might see modeling as a fake job, or that it’s easy. I’d say that it’s the opposite. You have to be extremely punctual, otherwise you get bad rep. They emphasize that you are always representing a product, and the product is you, so you have to always be on your A-game.

I also think people don’t realize how much personality plays a role in being a successful model. You have to be likable and have people skills, but I’d argue that’s important for any industry. The industry, of course, has many pros, but you also have to be analytical to avoid exploitation. There are a lot of creepy people who could use you, too. It is also extremely competitive, and you must be extremely headstrong.

It's a great test of confidence, because the basis of the job is being judged and compared to other people. If you can manage, it’s very rewarding.

How does your experience as a model inform your photography? Was there a specific moment you knew that you knew you had to get into it?

I got into photography because I didn't want to pay big bucks to photographers just to update my portfolio, so I just thought I'd just do it myself. It was also just another challenge I could take on to see if I could do it. And figuring it all out was fun. I fell in love with the creative process in bringing concepts to life, and soon I started to ask my friends to come model for me.

In your opinion, what does it take to capture someone’s essence in a portrait?

To capture someone's essence in a portrait, it's important that the person being captured is having fun and is relaxed. You can feel a person's emotion through a photo. That's why I love helping people feel free and let loose on the other side of the camera. Some people can get nervous, but I assure them that the more fun they have with it, the better the photo will be. I also help with poses that are very empowering! Caressing your own face is a go to, and to me that in itself is a form of self love. Pretty neat.

In addition to an already stacked resume, you’ve even interned for Fiat all the way in Istanbul. How did you get an international opportunity like that and why did you choose it?

Working at Fiat in Turkey was an amazing experience. I got to see how cultural differences shape a workplace environment, and how different it is from that in America. As for how I got it, I knew a guy who knew a guy. The stars aligned for me, and I couldn't be more grateful for an opportunity like that one.

What was the internship like?

The internship was such a unique experience. Fiat has 80 percent market share there, dominating the automobile industry, so I expected the environment to be pretty tense. It was the opposite. Everyone in the workplace seemed happy to be there, talking casually both as friends and coworkers. 
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‘It was a great reflection of the essence of Turkish culture: hospitality, warmth and being welcoming. I was happy to see that I didn't get lost in a professional environment. We took breaks and had beach dinners for fun, and one of the sales representatives cried while saying goodbye to me. That level of warmth and connection is exactly what Turkish culture is like. It was amazing.

Considering what you’ve accomplished so far, how do you see your post-graduation life unfolding? Do you have any dream jobs?

I have no idea what I'm doing post-graduation right now. I'm checking out job opportunities and interviewing, but I feel that my heart and purpose lie elsewhere.  Because of that, I'd like to dedicate some time after graduation to just travel, explore, meet interesting people, learn new things and have some fun along the way. After all, the best ideas I've had have been while having fun. 

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