Get Cozy with Ale Verrani

Get Cozy with Ale 🤎 It's Men's Mental Health Month, and this episode is a little different — Josie sits down with her longtime friend Ale Verrani for a vulnerable, wide-ranging conversation that goes way past the usual small talk. Ale opens up about moving from Milan to Miami at age 11, the culture shock, getting bullied for his accent, and how he rebuilt his confidence into what it is today. From there, the conversation moves into his career: going from a modeling-only path into music and artistry, the differences between the Miami and Milan fashion scenes, what it actually takes to get signed vs. stay freelance, and how community — not just talent — is what builds a real career in this industry. They also get into the deeper stuff: creative blocks, imposter syndrome, staying consistent even at "2% effort," protecting your energy from people and situations that drain you, and why Ale believes rejection is redirection. If you've ever felt behind on your own timeline, or like you have to constantly prove you're doing enough — this episode is for you. In this episode: Moving from Milan to Miami at 11 and adjusting to a new culture Getting bullied for his accent and rebuilding his confidence Transitioning from modeling into making music Building real relationships in Miami's modeling industry Freelance vs. getting signed to an agency Working through creative blocks and self-doubt Staying consistent without burning out Protecting your energy and staying aligned with your higher self Chapters 0:00 – Welcome + why this episode is for Men's Mental Health Month 0:01 – Moving from Milan to Miami at 11, culture shock & walkability 5:30 – Getting bullied for his accent and losing (then rebuilding) his confidence 8:53 – Why authenticity and consistency matter more than the algorithm 14:00 – Transitioning from modeling into making music 18:30 – Behind the scenes of their "Alien" music video collab 22:30 – How he broke into modeling and music videos (musical.ly era) 27:00 – Advice for building real relationships in the modeling industry 31:00 – Miami vs. Milan vs. New York fashion scenes, high fashion vs. commercial 34:30 – Freelance vs. getting signed — the case for agency life 38:00 – Discovering "The Artist's Way" and creativity as a spiritual practice 42:00 – Dealing with creative blocks and not feeling "like enough" 45:00 – FOMO, alignment, and protecting your energy 48:00 – His modeling origin story — COVID, confidence, and first castings 50:30 – Walking New York Fashion Week and Miami's growing modeling scene