Community Highlights: Meet Hennessie Martin of Humble Pressure Modeling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hennessie Martin.

Hi Hennessie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I got my start in modeling in 2011, my freshman year of college at Austin Peay State University. I joined the modeling troupe on campus, Confident Couture, founded by Christina Boulton. It was back then that I discovered my love for modeling, fashion, and being bold. I took a few years off from modeling due to health issues and life changes. But it has always been something I love to do.

I slowly started getting back into modeling once life slowed down & eased for me. I participated in shows the troupe would have, and group events, and started taking my own pictures with my phone. I’ve never been into doing my own hair and makeup, I grew up a shy tomboy in East Nashville, lol. But I slowly got into it. Teaching myself how to do different things with makeup, unfortunately, I’m still practicing.

I can only do my eyebrows and lashes and that’s about it, lol. I have always had people believing in me more than I believed in myself, which was crazy. I am a brand ambassador for a friend and fellow troupe member, she started a boutique- Debonair Fashions, which I modeled for. My best friend Bre Jackson has a hair business- Elegant Hair Boutique and I’m a brand ambassador for her as well.

I get a lot of love and support from my friends and family & it means the world to me. I did have a pivotal moment though, that made me take my modeling up a notch. A dear friend of mine who I met in college, Quinn Lewis. Quinn had opened a styling boutique in her hometown of Memphis and she asked if I would come down and model some of her clothes in the boutique for her social media and website for the boutique.

I said yes, of course, and went on down to the 901. Time got away from us and we spent hours in her boutique having fun, dressing up, taking pictures, and it was a great experience for both of us. Robes were provided, champagne, fruits, and snacks, it was truly an amazing experience. She spoke a very strong, prophetic, and amazing word to me. She said “You are going to take off and be an amazing model.

You are not meant to be in a call center or working for anybody. You are meant to be in magazines and on runways. I’m going to pray for you and that your dreams come true. Because Henney you are going places, just remember me when you get there!” It was at that moment, that I realized she was absolutely right. A couple of months later, I lost the job I was at, where I had no freedom to do much of anything for myself & my dreams anyway.

I started advocating for myself, to myself. Put me and my goals and dreams first & did whatever that looked like. But it worked out, I started living life, putting myself first, realizing the pressure I am under when I applied myself and that is pretty much how Humble Pressure came about.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely wasn’t always a smooth road. I had moments of doubt and still do every now and then.

I have a horrible habit of talking myself out of a good thing or thinking I’m not good enough or wanted. Granted I’ve gotten better over the years, but it’s still something I’m working on. Being a plus-size model is not easy at all, in my opinion. We just make it look easy.

The industry & society doesn’t want MY kind of plus-size model. They have their version, I have mine. But what they fail to realize is there is room for all of us big girls!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
You should know that Humble Pressure Modeling may just be a baby, but she’s growing! Humble Pressure Modeling focuses on plus-size models, showing our confidence, our beauty, our strength, and most importantly our humbleness. I am a spiritual woman and I believe in God.

I believe that just as quickly as He gives blessings, they can be taken away. I also want it to be understood that many of us come from similar backgrounds, same neighborhoods, and same schools. Staying humble during my modeling journey is important because before I’m anything I’m a human and I still go through and experience life just like any other person.

I believe being Humble is what sets me apart from others & that’s what makes me proud of Humble Pressure because I know she was born from a genuine place. Eventually, I want to have other plus-size models under the HPM umbrella, and possibly venture out into other avenues, like acting maybe.

I said this is just the beginning for Humble Pressure Modeling, so stay tuned!

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is peace. Peace is success. And that can look like anything for anybody, big or small. But my peace is my success. If I can wake up, and know I am taken care of and abundantly blessed, I’m successful.

If I can make someone smile, and dry their tears, I am successful. If I wake up and decide to eat skittles and drink champagne for breakfast I am successful! Lol, because I have achieved peace, in whatever I am doing.

Whether that be waking up and having a shoot for 10 hours of the day, or binge-watching Stranger Things all day, I’m successful. I want society to normalize that success does not have to always be monetary. It’s my peace for me, and with my peace, I will always win.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_humblepressure/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humblepressuremodeling/

Image Credits
Jade Newborn, Brandon Hopkins, Bre Jackson, Shea Brown Denisha, Butler Keiana, and Morton Brittany Grayson