Check Out Holly Byrd’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Holly Byrd. 

Hi Holly, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I’m Holly! I grew up in Brookhaven, Mississippi. When I was 15, I visited New York City with a friend of mine and her mom on summer vacation. That trip would change the rest of my life. I ended up meeting the right people and signing a modeling contract while I was there (they faxed the contract to my dad at home in MS since I was under 18), and that was that! I spent a lot of time back and forth between high school in Mississippi and modeling in New York. I was in Teen Vogue, Allure Magazine, Cosmopolitan Magazine, worked for Dolce and Gabbana, Levi’s, Becca Swim, and even had a reoccurring skit on the Jimmy Fallon Show. At 20 years old, my dad told me he was sick, and I came home from being in New York full time so that I could be with him through chemo. I went back and forth to New York occasionally, and after my late father passed, ended up trying the West Coast out. I modeled in LA and SF for a few years before coming back down south and eventually settling in in Nashville. When I came back to my roots, I was constantly being asked what kind of tricks the makeup artists used on me for shoots. Luckily, I paid attention. And what began as me giving advice from a friend to a friend, became a booming wedding makeup business. It became overwhelmingly a success, and within two years, I had filled my calendar up with Saturday morning wedding bookings through the next 18 months. I took a small pause to readjust first to being a new mom to two beautiful little boys, to being in Nashville, and to beginning my career as a tech recruiter (I absolutely love meeting new people all day every day), and now I’m back in action. I’m ready for the next phase of holly. I would love to continue to do makeup and expand into different areas, like the music industry here in Nashville. It would be a dream of mine to do celebrities makeup for award shows one day. Pertaining to other future plans, I also really appreciate the shift that social media has caused on the advertising industry. When I started out in modeling, being a model in print or on the runway was the only way you could represent a brand. Now, social media allows everyone to represent anyone. The term influencer causes slight cringe to me, but I’m definitely open to the idea of being able to work in the modeling industry again without really being in the modeling industry, just by doing the things I already do and wearing the things I would already wear and sharing it with a following. It seems like a natural transition. We will see how it goes 😉 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey has been one of many twists and turns, road closures, fender benders, and flat tires. Going from a glamorous life in modeling to watching my ailing father die, to modeling again, to giving birth twice, to beginning a makeup business, and a career in tech, all the while moving cross country a couple of times, has been a heck of a ride but I would not trade it for another one. I credit my positive outlook on life for any success I have. I’m really not afraid of failure either. What do you really have to lose? You start out wanting something you don’t have. If you try to get it but fail, guess what? You still don’t have it. You’re in the same boat. The only other outcome that could happen is that you get what you want. So, you may as well shoot your shot. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a model, a tech recruiter, and a makeup artist. I spent 13 years modeling internationally, represented by Wilhelmina Model Agency. Through my career as a model, I learned so many tricks of the trade-in makeup. My experiences and my passion for helping others guided me to starting a makeup business. Tech by day, glamour by night! 

Contact Info:

• Email: Hollymbyrd11@gmail.com
• Instagram: @Hollyhollyhholly AND @hollyharrellbeauty

Image Credits
Masa Kathryn photography
Blake McCollum photography
Joannphoto