Her work: Modeling director of Ambiance, a business she started with her mother in the early 80s. "I had been modeling all over the place, and my mom was a teacher in the school system and a beauty consultant on the side. She started a modeling club, and very quickly we could see the change in the lives of the girls who participated." From the club developed what is now Chattanooga's oldest modeling and talent agency, according to Ms. Smith.

About Ambiance: "We are a complete performing arts school licensed by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. We have to meet the same licensing requirements as Chattanooga State." Located in Red Bank, Ambiance offers summer camp programs, a recording studio, and modeling classes, and it has sponsored several successful talent competitions that have benefited the Make A Wish Foundation. Its management company represents local singers, actors, dancers, and models. Members of Ambiance's talent roster have landed roles in network television drams, appeared in local and national commercials, had supporting parts in major motion pictures, modeled for Armani, and been photographed for Cosmopolitan. "These are all local people. I think that's pretty impressive. A lot of people are coming here and beginning to see that Chattanooga is a source of good quality talent."

Her own modeling experience: Now the mother of two teenagers, she began modeling at age 12. "I didn't really want to do it at first. I was a tom-boy. I'd much rather have been out on the farm playing with the dogs and horses than worrying about make-up or what to put on. Eventually it interested me more and more, and when I found out what it paid, it really interested me." As a fashion model, she's worked for designers in shows in Atlanta and California, as well as magazine and newspaper advertisements. She has acted in commercials and a motion picture and served as co-host of a television talk show. "Runway showroom modeling is still my favorite. I don't think you ever get it out of your system."

What modeling is about: "A lot of it is self-confidence. You take a girl, or a guy, really, for that matter, put them on a runway, teach them posture, poise, how to make eye contact, how to shake hands, which fork to use at dinner...people are not taught some of those things. But they're important life skills. They can help you get a job, get a promotion, lots of things. Whether a person wants to be a model or not, just knowing what to do and how to do it gives you an advantage, and it develops you into a confident person. We also tell our students that being healthy is the most important thing, and we teach them exercise, diet, and nutrition."

What modeling isn't about: "Some parents may hesitate about enrolling their children in modeling programs because they associate them with activities and enterprises that are at best questionable and at worst illegal. It's sad to say that such things are out there, but they have absolutely nothing to do with legitimate modeling programs. They are as unrelated as it is possible to be."

On seeing her students' progress: "I absolutely love it. That has to be the most rewarding part of what we do here. I got a testimonial letter not long ago from one of our graduates who sat in the car and cried when she came here for her first class because she didn't want to come in. Now she has a degree in theater and is one of the most self-confident people you'll ever meet."

Advice for youths interested in modeling: "Do all the studying you can on your own. Do some reading, get involved in some classes, go away to a summer program. Get your foot a little bit wet before you jump into something."

Advice for someone interested in modeling as a career: "Everybody hopes that they'll be a superstar, and that's not impossible. But it is very difficult. Everything that I've done has been such a great experience, but it's been difficult. That's just the way it is. It takes a lot of hard work and effort on the part of an aspiring model or actor. You have to practice at your work every day. You have to live, sleep, and breathe it."

Advice for parents: "If your kids want to do it, great and wonderful, but don't push them into it. With my own children, I have one son who loves it, and I have another son who couldn't care less about it. But that's fine. I definitely think there's such a thing as pushing too much."

The best piece of advice she ever received: "It came from my mother: to be yourself. I'll take that to my grave. It's the most important thing I've every learned."

Her personal style: "I love to dress up, and I love to be glamorous, but casual is good, too. Jeans, maybe a pair of boots, and definitely a designer shirt." A skier, gardener, equestrian, and jazz aficionado, Ms. Smith plays piano, confesses to singing in the shower, and enjoys reading fashion and style magazines. "That's one way I stay in contact with what's going on in this industry, and I take a trip every six months so I can keep up with the trends in New York or Paris, for example."

About Chattanooga: "As much as I love the West Coast and going out to Hollywood, there's nothing like Tennessee and Chattanooga. I think it's a great place to raise a family. Chattanooga is a good place, not too big, not too small, a moderately safe town, and very friendly. It's a growing city with lots of potential. I also think it's a great place for a woman to start a business."