Shine Competition 2013 Jeff Sievers, Shine Competition, Shining Star Competition Talent Scammers from John Robert Powers Use Dead Child As Sales Tool! Vancouver, Nationwide

JRP (John Robert Powers) and IGT Talent showcase was exceptionally instrumental in providing my daughter an opportunity of a lifetime in positioning her at the next level in fulfilling her dreams as a new young actress.  My daughter was initially scouted out as a talent worthy of succeeding in Hollywood by IGT/ JRP and through success in their program she has won the opportunity to compete in iPOP showcase where she got the chance to meet some of the best agents, casting directors and managers in the industry.  This all happen through IGT/ JRP under the auspices of Jeff Sievers and his wonderful staff.  Truly grateful for your guidance, support and leadership throughout the process

Hi Mr. Sievers, 
It was a very rewarding experience to get the chance to work with someone as professional as your company. CJ has aspired to be an actor since he was 4 years old. You have put that shine of brightness back into his eyes. You have touched his creative energy to continue his dream of becoming the next Denzel Washington!! 
CJ lost his spirit of life when he lost his father a few years ago. You have given him hope and rekindled his creative side his father fostered inside of him. I can never thank you enough. You were a God sent. We love you and will never forget what your company has done for our lives. Thank you for giving my son hope and redefining his faith in himself. 
God Bless You Powers Family

This is Jeff Sievers and I am posting this because I want to address the negative posts that were posted a couple years ago in the hope of clearing up some of the misleading information. First let me start by saying that my heart and passion have always been to give kids and young people a positive experience that would motivate and inspire them even more to continue in the performing arts or entertainment business. I enjoy educating and guiding anyone that has a desire or dream to be in the arts.  Up until my daughter passed away in 2012 I had absolutely zero negativity.  When I made the decision to leave and not partner with certain individuals in the business because I did not agree with some of their business practices they chose to use my “dead daughter” as platform to destroy me and eliminate me as a possible competitor or threat. They also pulled back any funding in order to pay any staff or agents that helped or attended.  Which fell on my shoulders and I do apologize to anyone and everyone that has felt they were a victim from all of this. It states that I was “fired” from IPOP and JRP because of so many complaints.  I was never fired, I made the decision to leave because of the issues that came up after my daughter passed that I did not agree with. I then went on to launch my own company Shine Competition in an attempt to continue to help kids and give them a positive experience in the business while at the same time spreading my daughters message that she shared with me before she passed.  Yes, my event did cost money like any of the other conventions or workshops out there.  However, if you happened to be sitting in the seminar when I spoke during Shine Competition I showed a video of my daughter and shared her message and made it very clear that weather or not you decided to participate that my prayer was you walked away inspired by her message. In no way shape or form would I or have I used her passing to make money. She is my daughter and I will always be proud of her. She had a message that she asked me to share so she felt a sense of purpose and so I did. I do not regret or will not apologize for that.  Unfortunately we can not control the internet and what people say or post.  It is an open forum for free speech even if its a competitor using false names to defame someone. That posting was posted under a fake name “Vera” by someone that has worked with me and obviously felt threatened when I came into their “territory, “ Canada.  On the other site “pissed consumer” the complaint under my name is not even me its another Jeff that was in the business and I would never treat someone terribly or call them names because they can’t afford something.  On the contrary I would try my best to help work it out or on many occasions I would give a free workshop or something so they didn’t walk away empty handed.  I am including letters from parents and children hospital that I received during the same time the negativity was posted.  I apologize to anyone that has felt victimized by this industry in any way shape or form especially to the families that have felt that way if you attended any program I was involved in.  I want everyone from kids to parents to always have a positive experience that motivates them more to continue the pursuit of their dream.  

What Are People Saying –

Your showcases are an amazing way for talent of all ages to express themselves in a way that caters to each one’s strong points. It provides a safe and creative environment for kids to express themselves and share their God given gifts and abilities with a very lucky audience – Courtney Prince  BMG Global

Hi Mr. Sievers, 
It was a very rewarding experience to get the chance to work with someone as professional as your company. CJ has aspired to be an actor since he was 4 years old. You have put that shine of brightness back into his eyes. You have touched his creative energy to continue his dream of becoming the next Denzel Washington!! 
CJ lost his spirit of life when he lost his father a few years ago. You have given him hope and rekindled his creative side his father fostered inside of him. I can never thank you enough. You were a God sent. We love you and will never forget what your company has done for our lives. Thank you for giving my son hope and redefining his faith in himself. 
God Bless You Powers Family – CJ Rolle Mom West Palm, FL

The decision we made to join with JRP was fraught with a tremendous amount of negative publicity and skepticism on behalf of others. However, your opening remarks that embraced strong family values and work ethic won us over. You and your dad spent the time with us and answered all of our questions. You both exemplify true professionals in this business. And this carries forward in your selection of the coaches and photographer in Akron. They are top notch! We appreciate the opportunity of working with JRP Atlanta. Again, thank you both for selecting Jordan and Brooklyn and giving them the opportunity to showcase their talents, and taking the time to guide us in our future efforts. – Harold & Laura Graves Akron, OH

My experience at the Charleston showcase was amazing.  The kid’s put on a show that was not only entertaining but I was able to see them perform in a very relaxed atmosphere.  This is a great way to find new talent for our roster and I look forward to the next event.  - Julia Martin CLICK MODELS & J Pervis Talent

LETTER FROM A PARENT-

We heard the advertisement on the radio and decided to make the call. We really didn't know what to expect at a regional talent scouting call out, and we were shocked at the number of people who attended the auditions! It was overwhelming!  The entire process can be confusing and shocking and the initial outlay of expenses can be scary.  However, once we got beyond those hurdles, and we made the decision to participate in the showcase after being selected, we were very excited! The instructors were top notch.  My daughter's experience was fun and exciting and gave her the opportunity to learn about her area of interest but also the opportunity to perform.  The regional showcase landed her a spot as new talent with a Regional Agency in Ohio and KY. If you are a skeptic, I would highly encourage you to listen closely to what these directors have to say.  The talent selected to attend IPOP from our region was top notch. The Directors ability to scout talent after years in this industry is spot on.  Attending the IGT/JRP regional showcase and IPOP was the best decision we made. We felt very blessed with the amount of exposure we received from the industry people who attended, but even if we hadn't been quite so fortunate, the cost of attending is well worth it.  As a parent, you are paying to educate yourself about the industry and paying for your child to experience the industry.  It was crazy exciting but also downright fun!   I was amazed with the spirit of the event- all those beautiful and talented kids, each and every one with the same goal, but yet supportive of each other and forging friendships that will last beyond that moment. The IGT/JRP & IPOP Directors and Administrators were wonderful and run a stellar event. They were friendly, helpful, always available, and genuinely concerned about the children always  "having fun and displaying your talent to your potential." My advice to any parent new to the IGT & JRP Showcase experience is this: As a parent you need to do your job- talk with your child, educate yourself, be willing to invest in the experience, know your responsibilities,  and when it's time, let the directors and industry folks do their jobs instructing your kids so they can live their dream. Diane Anglen Daughter of Sarah Anglen, Age 13,  IPOP LA #2602 Top Teen Model of the Year 

Hi Jeff,

just want to drop you a few lines regarding the Birmingham talent showcase. We just got home a couple of hours ago and we are still in awh of the entire experience!  Words that readily come to mind are: Wow, Grace, Mercy, Obedience, Perserverance, Patience, Passion, Prayer, Ambition, Determination, Meaningful, Organized....and the list could go on and on.  Being a part of a small talent group gave the participants a chance to be known for who they were.  It allowed their individual personalities to shine.  It gave them an opportunity to be known as a "person" and not just be a "number" amongst hundreds.  They were not just pushed through like cattle rather they were coached by people in the industry which made their performances today be all the more great. I want to personally thank JRP International for the opportunity of a life time for my son Eric!!!!!  His reviews by the agents were great, they loved him.  The IPOP representative's critique was encouraging and honest.  He did receive and invitation to the IPOP convention this Summer in California, and we are soooo poud of him!!  The entire experience from start to finish has been just awesome!!!  Keep doing what you do, making a difference in people's lives, situations and their circumstances :-) Again, thank you!!  - Jan Grant

JRP (John Robert Powers) and IGT Talent showcase was exceptionally instrumental in providing my daughter an opportunity of a lifetime in positioning her at the next level in fulfilling her dreams as a new young actress.  My daughter was initially scouted out as a talent worthy of succeeding in Hollywood by IGT/ JRP and through success in their program she has won the opportunity to compete in iPOP showcase where she got the chance to meet some of the best agents, casting directors and managers in the industry.  This all happen through IGT/ JRP under the auspices of Jeff Sievers and his wonderful staff.  Truly grateful for your guidance, support and leadership throughout the process.  – Sophia Brown – Daughter Journee

Tabitha and Jeff

I just wanted to thank both of you for everything you have done for us. Jenny and Kevin had a lot of fun at i-pop and we learned so much for that experience and I just wanted to say to you both did a wonderful job keeping everything going at the i-pop show. I realize you both had lots of responsibilities and lots of people to take care of. I thought Brandon did a fantastic job you had the right person helping you. He was a great teacher and motivator and just a great guy. He knew how to control things when there was a problem. Jenny and Kevin enjoyed working with him also.

Tabitha you did a great job also—you were working your tail off and I was impressed on how well you could remember everything and all the things that you had to do. WOW. Hats off to you-fantastic job accomplished. Jeff you also did a wonderful job. Trying to keep everything going smoothly I was also impressed on how calm and relaxed you were and everything just fell in place. You all did a great job and you should feel good about your selves. The i-pop show was much more than a show we gained some friends and learned a lot. I realize that Tiffany and Joseph had a lot of thing to put together for the show. They are incredible people to help these kids accomplish their dreams all in a couple of days. Everyone there did a great job to make everything possible. What a Fun week and worth every penny we had invested.

Thanks for taking time out and talking to us and helping us with our needs, this meant a lot.  Thanks for everything and we hope to see you in the future. If I Got Talent / JRP comes to Wisconsin again please let us know so we can send some more people your way….

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day and Thanks so much - Laurie Vander Heiden (Oshkosh Group)

I wanted to thank you for your help and guidance during the IGT and JRP rehearsals and talent show. You were so much help and without you I certainly would not have made it as far as I did. You brought out the confidence in myself that I was unaware of and for that I am very grateful. I wish you the best in all that you do. Thanks so much again! – Eric Taylor Columbus , OH

Amy and I want to thank you again for giving Seth this opportunity. We want so badly for him to succeed and feel good about who he is and what he has accomplished. This is truly something Seth needs/needed in his life.  Honestly we went directly to church and gave thanks for you and for everything that’s happened. You have 100% of our support and will do everything humanly possible to encourage Seth’s success.  – Matt Nichols Milwaukee, WI

Dear Mr Sievers, 

Thank you for arranging to have a performance of the “I Got Talent” showcase for patients and families at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital on February 5, 2012.  The young people who performed were all very professional and enthusiastic and that was contagious for the audience. For hospitalized children the feelings of isolation and boredom can have a negative impact on their healing.  Opportunities for social interaction and fun diversional activities can make a real positive difference.  I received many positive comments from families and staff that were able to attend Sunday’s performance.  They enjoyed the feeling of being in their very own reality show without the judges!  Watching other young people perform can be a real encouragement to those with similar hopes and dreams. Thank you for bringing this positive energy and talent to our patients and their families.  We believe that there are definite health benefits that come through the performing arts!  

Sincerely, 

Gwen Senio, Manager

Child Life Program

University of Iowa Children’s Hospital

200 Hawkins Drive

Iowa City, Iowa  52242

Thank you so much for your complaint.  We were were another family ripped off by JRP in December 2012 in South Bend, IN.  My complaint will be posted today 5/17/13 under the name "Ripped Off."

Again, thanks for speaking the truth.

In December 2012 my son was part of the auditions held in South Bend Indiana for John Robert Powers, Inc.  He received a call back and was signed up for the class.  It was a great deal of money and we knew there were no promises but we decided it would be a good experience.  He even had a friend who went through the program last time Jeff came through town.  Based on the friend's experience and call back to I POP, we felt this was a legitimate situation. 

Things started out positively with an instructor brought in for teaching all of the individuals.  The group was probably 25 people or so and things seemed to go well.   The contract was for a certain number of classes and an agent showcase where agents would review the kids talent. There were 2 weekends of the instruction that went well and everyone was getting coached with their singing, modeling and dancing.  Then things started falling apart.  Before the 3rd weekend, we were notified on Friday night it would be cancelled due to the "corporate office" not booking a plane ticket for the instructor.  That was the last we saw of this hired instructor.  She was very nice when contacted after the fact, however she was an employee at the time she came to instruct and no longer employed when contacted later.  No explanation given by JRP (Jeff Siever's group). 

When the classes were rescheduled, Tabitha Sievers, Jeff's wife was the instructor.  I felt this was not unusual, that the family business needed someone to fill in and with many small businesses, the owners do this if no one else can.  The classes were less professional at this point and Tabitha also had her 2 year old daughter in the classes.  This was starting to not seem right. 

Finally the weekend of the agent's showcase had arrived.  the part the kids were working towards.  The agents ended up being Tabitha Sievers and another person who showed up 1 and a half hours late.  The students all went through the auditions and were promised they would hear back within one week whether they would go on to I Pop, get a contract or a call back. When asked, Tabitha Sievers said that they would hear from her EITHER WAY.  This was the second weekend in January 2013. 

That Sunday was the last we heard from Jeff or Tabitha Sievers.  There was never a call back.  The parents have kept in contact with each other by email.  No one ever got a call back.  Various parents have tried the phone numbers on the cards, contracts, etc and they are either disconnected or never answered.  The address on the contract is a UPS store in Tenessee.  In an effort to track someone down to hear SOMETHING, some parents reached out to the photograoher brought in for the modeling photos.  According to the photographer, they have not paid the bill and they have sent them to collections.   Some parents have also taken legal action locally.  I am not sure how that has turned out.

To wrap this up, I am not a bitter parent writing because my son wasnt a star, I knew how much I was paying and made a conscious decision to pay it without a guarantee of stardom or a guaranteed call back.  I would say that 25 people are owed a call back, an explanation or maybe even a refund. 

Jeff Sievers tugged on heart strings with the daughter's story (which is legitimate, I googled the obituary the night of auditions to ensure it wasnt fabricated) and discussed his Christian values and how the kids needed to be good students, etc.  All the things parents want to hear.  However, when everyone wanted to hear from he and his wife, we heard nothing.  

 In the end, as much as I didnt want to believe it, we had all been scammed.  I am not sure what happened. He had been through South Bend in the past and people had positive experiences.  It would have been so easy to call those kids back and just say they didnt get a call back from the agent or IPOP.  Instead, they heard nothing and had a piece of their childhood taken away to not trust someone. 

Save your money and dont trust this tandem, under any company name. 

My 11-year old daughter has performed in a Shine Competition event and I just wanted to share that it was a positive experience for our family. I can't imagine how much time and effort went into putting the event together, but I realize that anything worth working for has risks and has costs.

We had the pleasure of working with a wonderful director who taught the kids so much in the last several weeks. Yes, it was an investment on our part, but it's also an investment on those behind the production. We feel certain that the ripple effect will be a positive one and we are grateful for the inspiration behind Shine.

I have personally been a friend and colleague of Jeff Sievers for over 6 years and I must say that his intentions have always been the best at heart. I have recently been to Shine as a spectator in several areas of North America and I must say that the experience of the parents and children and integrity of the program have always been the best interest of the company and of Jeff Sievers.  It is unfortunate that other individuals at other companies who also showcase talent view Jeff as a threat and are completely attempting to defame his character and destroy his relationship with his family and daughter.   

In fact, whoever wrote this article failed to do their research and do not have any information or proof to back up the claims they are making.  Instead of spending time creating false reports, these individuals should pay attention to dealing with their own company, lawsuits against them as they recieve more complaints than any other showcase competition.  

When I was in the audience, Jeff made it very clear that weather or not they participate in SHINE he wanted them to at least walk out feeling inspired by Shayla's story and message.  His daughter shared with him a message she wanted me to share and that is what he was doing.  This is his way of keeping the spirit and energy of his daughter alive.  These individuals have now taken it upon themselves to create a malicious personal attack.