We were lucky to catch up with Courtenay DeHoff recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtenay, thanks for joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I hope to leave a legacy that inspires women from all walks of life to fully embrace the things that make them unique. Through my brand Fancy Lady Cowgirl, I work to empower women from all walks of life to be themselves, even if they don’t fit stereotypical molds. Cowgirls have long been praised for their grittiness, bravery and tenacity, qualities that I think all women should strive to embrace.

I hope to leave a legacy that gives all women the courage to embrace the ‘cowgirl’ in themselves, to fight for the things they believe in and to ruthlessly pursue their dreams.

Courtenay, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a cowgirl turned television personality, keynote speaker and podcast host who has grabbed the attention of Deadspin, Yahoo!, The Huffington Post, LIVE! with Kelly, The CW and more.

I have worked on-air in front of sold out crowds at sporting events inside Madison Square Garden and anchored live telecasts for national news networks. From New York Fashion Week to the back of a horse, my television career has allowed me to share stories from a wide variety of events and venues.

In 2020 amidst a pandemic which completely stalled my television career, I launched the global brand movement Fancy Lady Cowgirl after years of struggling to fit the traditional cowgirl mold. On the outside I was the fancy lady hosting television shows around the country, but on the inside I was a cowgirl. The television industry told me to lose the cowboy hat and the cowboy community told me I was too fancy to be a cowgirl. I was tired of not fitting in so I created my own space where I belonged.

The reaction to my self label ‘Fancy Lady Cowgirl’ was swift. Women from all walks of life started sharing stories about their own personal struggles to fit into culturally molded stereotypes.

Today Fancy Lady Cowgirl is a global community that embraces rural and urban cultures through the cowgirl spirit. The community is open to all women regardless of their race, religion, background, political beliefs or the clothes on their back. You don’t need to own a cowboy hat or ride a horse to embrace a fancy lady cowgirl state of mind.

Through storytelling, fashion, media, special events and more the brand works to lift up women everywhere who embody cowgirl qualities.

When I’m not busy working I love to travel the world (18 countries and counting) and hang with my world champion bucking bull, Top Dollar. I am also a former collegiate and professional rodeo athlete.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My entire brand was built on social media, almost accidentally. It started with a vulnerable story and a simple hashtag. I think the key to growing an engaged and long lasting audience is authenticity. I have never focused on feed aesthetic or any of the other basic tips social media experts preach for ways to grow your following. My presence on social media has grown because my platform is 100% authentic, all the time. I don’t necessarily have the biggest audience, but the audience I have is highly engaged and that is something I’m very proud of.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I am incredibly proud of the brand that I have built. My audience is small, but mighty loyal. I do small merch launches occasionally and they nearly always sell out. Last May I held my first ever Fancy Lady Cowgirl event at Hotel Drover in the Stockyards and tickets sold out in under an hour. I was so nervous that I wouldn’t sell one!

I think I’ve fostered this intense brand loyalty by being completely authentic. I don’t just share the good stuff, I share the hard stuff too. People want to be able to see themselves in your story and I think I do a good job of opening up so they can do just that. I’m also very interactive with my followers. I respond comments, emails, questions and alway stop to chat in person.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://courtenaydehoff.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtdehoff/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/courtenaydehoffTV
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtenaydehoff/