Inside South Florida recently welcomed the vibrant and inspiring Gabriella Athena Halikas, a self-made model who has graced the pages of Sports Illustrated, modeled for Target and Good American, and earned the title of "CEO of Confidence." As she participates in Miami's Swim Week, Gabriella, who also goes by Ella, sat down to share her journey, her secrets to confidence, and the exciting moments of her career.
Ella Halikas has come a long way in her modeling career, achieving numerous milestones and garnering widespread recognition. Reflecting on her journey, Ella shared her pride and gratitude for the path she has traveled. "I'm honestly so proud," she said. "I'm really grateful just looking back on the journey and how far I've come and all the high highs and low lows and all the rejection and everything you face along the way that a lot of people don't see. I'm very proud to just stay consistent with it and overcome all the obstacles that I faced."
Dubbed the "CEO of Confidence," Ella attributes her success to an inner strength that radiates outward. When asked about the secret to her confidence, she emphasized the importance of internal belief and self-assurance. "I feel like I talk about it a lot, but it's so much of this internal confidence that flows from the inside out. Also, just knowing that there's no competition but you. As women, we're always faced against one another—who wears this look better, who wears that—and we're always girl vs. girl."
Before becoming a model, Ella studied journalism at the University of Hawaii and aspired to be a news or sports anchor. Her background in broadcasting has played a significant role in her current career, allowing her to connect with her audience and share her message of confidence. "It is wild. Honestly, it's such a surreal full-circle moment for me," she shared. "I went to school at the University of Hawaii, studied journalism, and really wanted to be a news anchor or a sports anchor… Along the way, I realized I wanted to share something—the urge of this message. My career started to unfold in modeling and influencing. I didn't know that world was possible, so when it did, I was like, ‘I guess I can use my journalistic skills, my storytelling, how to capture an audience, and all the things I learned in school to then use it in my own story times and my own life messaging.’ My purpose felt like sharing that message and confidence with others. I still feel like I'm using my degree and my journalistic skills, and I'm still broadcasting every day, just on my own platforms instead."
For those looking to follow Ella's journey and stay inspired by her message of confidence and perseverance, she invites everyone to connect with her on social media, @ellahalikas on Instagram and TikTok.
