Vince did not start modeling as a hobby. He needed to do it out of necessity and to pay his college tuition fees.
“When I was growing up, particularly in high school and college, we didn’t have enough money,” he shared. Because of his parents’ hard work, Vince Velasco got into a good university despite being moderately comfortable. “I had to start working, and at that time I wasn’t happy with working small jobs such as modeling,” he stated. But he was able to continue thanks to Daniel Velasco, his younger brother. “I had to give my younger brother all the credit because I didn’t want to model, but he insisted that I should do it, too.”
The support and encouragement of his family inspired him not only to try modeling but basically other jobs as well. “I auditioned for radio before. I tried to do things for awhile. One thing led to another and I was at the right place [at the] right time, I did a shoot for a teen magazine. I hosted campus tours then one thing led to another and the opportunities flowed. But it wasn’t easy. For some reason nagustuhan ako. And I ended up hosting the campus tour for one- or two-year straight,” he shares.
He wasn’t a full time host during those times and Vince also thought that hosting was an inconsistent industry. He wasn’t into it yet. “For a person who didn’t have a lot of money growing up, I wanted a more stable job. When I started, I was 23. I was late entering the hosting industry because at that time, you’re really thinking you need a stable income. There are obstacles. We moved houses many times because we were evicted. There were times I was late in paying my tuition fee. It came to that point that I had to decide what was [more] important: your passion or getting by,” he pondered.
Vince was determined to get a stable source of income and even entered the corporate scene for awhile. Why is it only for awhile? “Right out of college, I applied a couple of times. One of the companies I got accepted into right away was a really good company but the starting salary was really low. And I was computing the commute, food and other expenses, it wasn’t enough. After one month, I was only a trainee then, I stopped doing it. I had to pursue other things. I realized then because the type of job that was given to me I had to force myself. I wasn’t happy,” he imparted.
This is where he decided to find his true passion. “I think it’s your driving force in life. You gravitate towards the things that you want. It also makes you a better person. If you’re happy, if you’re truly passionate about something, it will reflect on what you are doing and it will affect others. So at the end of the day, it is important to find your true passion,” he explained.
So did he find it? Yes, but he ended up holding not one but three job titles. Currently, Vince is a TV host, trainer and business owner. This is the reason he was called ‘jack of all trades’ and he admits that 24 hours in a day isn’t enough for him. He gave us an example,”I’ll give you a crazy experience. Earlier this year, I had to host a marathon. Two hours later, I was in Laguna. Then after the event coverage, later on in the evening, I was taping. So people are always asking: Where do you find the energy? That’s what you call true love for what you’re doing. Because I was able to host sporting events, and then afterwards I am able to interview great stories of players.”
Since he is a very busy person, he must employ strategies to make his life easier, like using a credit card. “I think it’s the convenience, first and foremost, because when I am travelling, whether it’s booking a ride or a flight, sometimes I am away for days at a time or for weeks, and then I am going to get a notice like: hey, you need to pay this bill. What if it’s a disconnection notice?! It’s automatic, and in some way it makes me feel safer because if you bring too much money, I get nervous. Your card has security behind it. And at the same time, nobody could steal it from you,” he said.
So, what’s next for this man who even attempted to climb Mt. Everest? At the moment, he is focused on getting a certification to be a legit fitness coach and managing his business called Flyweight, a group boxing studio. It seems there is no stopping Vince from pursuing his newfound passions. “Anything and everything I can learn from. I’m in love with the progress. So if you can give me something I can get better at, I will try to get better at it,” he stated with conviction.
