New York Post

Problems with biz model

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A buzzy modeling agency could be torn apart just a year after it was founded because of a furious rift between its founders, Page Six has learned.

Debora Spencer — who helped establish Zandwagon, an agency that promotes nontraditi­onal beauty — has involved police because she claims that co-founder Kayvon Zand didn’t honor the agreement they made when they founded the company.

Zandwagon — which has been lauded by Teen Vogue for “changing the industry’s restrictiv­e beauty standards” by championin­g a spectrum of body types and genders, and whose models feature in Kanye West’s new Yeezy campaign — was founded in 2017.

Spencer tells us that Zand had promised her in 2016 that the business and its profits would be split between them equally, but was shocked to learn that he had registered the company only in his own name, but promised he “wouldn’t screw her over.”

Spencer says that she poured countless hours into the business, setting up administra­tive systems, training plans, developing a Web site and even designing a logo, among other things.

She tells us that she got sick and tired of doing the majority of the work, and decided to quit last month — and that when she told Zand she was leaving, he yelled at her and be- came oddly emotional.

Now Spencer is in the process of filing a complaint with police, and has fired off a letter to Zand offering either to take over the company and pay him 10 percent of profits, or to allow him to take over the business and pay her 10 percent of its profits.

Explaining the idea for the company in Teen Vogue in June, Spencer said, “I felt it was time for diversity. I want [everyone] to know they are not alone.”

When we reached Zand, he said he had no comment. He called it a “false story” and referred to Zandwagon as “my company,” but declined to discuss details.

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