Tennis player, influencer, and fashion model Jake Boffman chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about his motivations, and being a part of the digital age.
Jimmy Dean once said: “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” This quote applies to Jake Boffman.
Boffman on his love for tennis — A liberating sport
Boffman is drawn to tennis for various reasons, especially since it is a liberating sport. “Honestly, this is going to sound weird but I love how you don’t have to be perfect all the time with tennis,” he said.
“I did gymnastics for 15 years (from ages three to 18), and the entire purpose of gymnastics was to be perfect,” he admitted.
“You can make an argument that the entire purpose of modeling is to look perfect and to sell something. With tennis, it involves hitting a ball back and forth and it’s the freedom that comes with it,” he explained.
Daily motivations
Regarding his daily motivations, Boffman shared, “I am motivated by the feeling that I can be doing more because just a few years ago, I was still in college, and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.”
“Then, I started social media before I did modeling. I actually started as a gym influencer,” he said. “Just seeing how far along I’ve come since then is really great.”
“Now, I have a purpose and I know what I want to do with my life. That’s what keeps me going,” he admitted.
Using technology in his daily routine
Regarding his use of technology in his daily routine, Boffman said, “I have a love and hate relationship with technology because it is my entire life, whether I like it or not. Technology has allowed me to build my personal brand and it is where I have made myself known.”
“That’s how I got discovered as a model, and that’s how I make a living now, which is a blessing yet technology can be really bad for you,” he noted.
“I try to start my day off without even looking at my phone for the first hour. So, I am still navigating that, for sure,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Boffman revealed, “Action.”
“2025 was definitely a tough year because I was still navigating the modeling world,” he said.
“It was my first year and I didn’t know what I was doing. So, 2025 was the year of clarity, and now that I have that clarity, 2026 is the year for action,” he reflected.
Future plans
On his future plans, he stated, “I definitely want to make some noise in the fashion world. I want to become a more established model. I’ve already established myself here in Los Angeles, and I would love to do the same in New York, Milan, and even Paris.”
“So, in terms of fashion, I definitely want to make more of a name for myself, and I also want to continue to build my personal brand online.That’s the other goal too,” he added.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Boffman said, “It feels pretty good; I can’t lie. I’ve only been modeling for a year now. We just finished rookie season.”
“I was just so blessed to get the amount of work that I did in the first year because I’ve met a lot of models who told me that they don’t get half the work that I did in my first year,” he noted.
“I am very blessed and grateful for my agent, Ricardo, too,” he added.
Significance of mental health in the digital age
On the importance of mental health in the digital age, he said, “Well, I try to start my day off with no technological devises at all. I keep my phone on airplane model when I go to sleep so I wake up with zero notifications.”
“I think that’s really important for mental health because everyone is on social media constantly and as amazing as it can be, that’s how I got discovered. It’s how I make a living these days, but social media is also a highlight reel for everybody,” he elaborated.
“So, everybody is constantly comparing themselves to other people. People might look at my Instagram and they might see that I am a model and a tennis player, and that I get to travel, but my life is not perfect. Nobody gets to see the struggles, and I think that is something that we often forget,” he explained.
Advice for young and emerging tennis players and models
For young and aspiring tennis players and models, Boffman encouraged them “to take things one day a a time.”
“A lot of people see a model’s lifestyle as glamorous and perfect but it really is not. There is a lot of rejection. It’s a lot of comparison, and it’s a lot of not being good enough and not reaching the mark,” he elaborated.
“I would say to stop comparing yourself to other people, and see how you can be better than the person you were yesterday,” he explained.
Superpower of choice
Boffman’s superpower of choice would be “flying.” “I get to travel a lot as a model, so being able to fly would make things so much easier,” he said.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Boffman shared, “Success is being able to do what makes you happy every day with the people that you love.”
“I’ve been asked that before, and success used to be about money and fame, as well as the number of followers. Ever since I picked up a tennis racket, this is what I love to do,” he noted.
“There are some good days and some bad days but it’s something that I love to do every day. The same holds true for modeling. I love to do it and I’m blessed enough to be able to do it,” he elaborated.
“I have a lot more goals for the future. I know that I can be doing so much more, but I would consider myself successful already,” he added.
Message for his fans
For his fans and supporters, Boffman expressed, “I would like to say ‘thank you’ to them, and I say that all the time. They are probably annoyed at me at this point because I express my appreciation to them so much.”
“As a model and online personality, you are absolutely nothing with the people who are watching and supporting you. So, all I can say to them is ‘thank you’,” he said, effusively.
To learn more about Jake Boffman, follow him on Instagram and TikTok.
