We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kourtnee Monroe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kourtnee below.

Kourtnee, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project that I have worked on has to be landing the cover of Coral Avenue Magazine. If you are a cover model then you also receive a Times Square billboard. Seeing my images and hard work advertised in NYC and in TImes square where the millions visit was so meaningful for me. I resided in NYC for almost ten years and worked hard as a model but once I was chosen by the magazine to be featured on the cover and for the billboard, I truly felt a milestone and a goal were met. It was truly a dream. I used to walk around the NYC streets and dream of this. It felt so amazing to have this dream materialize.

Kourtnee, 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?

Kourtnee Monroe left her small town in Texas on a journey of self-improvement and a hunger for more life. She was a small-town model, discovered in Texas. But Texas could not hold her ambition. After being scouted online for an upcoming movie opportunity, Kourtnee took a flight to New York City with no money, no support, and really no plans of ever returning to Texas whether she got the job or not. She did not get the job but what she did get was a pathway to a whole new world. New York is the big league in the modeling and entertainment industry. Her leap of faith fueled by her ambition, work ethic (and naivety) turned out to be the best move she would make for her life. I have never been one to play it small. I always had big goals and dreams and in high school was considered the crazy ambitious one being coined as “ambitious girl.” Having a few stints in college but never being able to stay put in one location long enough, the pandemic allowed me the opportunity to study online. I am a model and also now pursuing a lifelong dream of studying criminology and forensic psychology. I started modeling to provide for myself and pretty much fell into the career. I have a very colorful mind with an interest in many fields. True crime, criminology, forensic psych, writing poetry, and philanthropy are my natural interest. Fashion and modeling are big on that list! Success has many definitions for different people. My idea of success is the financial freedom that can provide me and my loved ones a life free of worry. It’s the complete creative freedom to do as I please and in the process, acquire wealth which in turn can assist others. I have never been a selfish person and giving is one of the biggest satisfactions and motivations for my success as a model. I believe there is enough success for everyone in the world as corny as it sounds, with hard work and fearless determination, your idea of success can be achieved. I love the quote by Beyonce that says, “if you want power, go straight to the source of it.” To me, that means aligning yourself with the right sources that can assist you to achieve your dreams and goals. It means inner alignment, an inner knowing that no matter the obstacles, you can’t take no for an answer. A dear friend of mine introduced me to one of my biggest inspirations, Freddie Mercury of Queen. He was such a dynamic talent, the greatest voice in Rock History. A quote that he said that will forever stick with me is “You mustn’t consider failure. If you consider failure, you fail.” I live by that quote because now I know that I only fail if I stop trying to elevate and accomplish my dreams. No one can tell me no because if they do, I will find another way to make it happen. That was my mindset coming all the way to NYC, alone and now that will be my advice to my future self and people I encounter. My career has taken me out to the West Coast, and I am very excited about my future endeavors in California. I have been shooting for major magazines like Maxim, Playboy, and FHM. I recently received my own billboard advertisement in NYC for Coral Avenue magazine which is what I am currently most proud of! The billboard was a dream come true. Eventually, I hope to get back to Milan and Seoul and work more with my agencies. In the meantime, I will continue working toward my bachelor’s degree. The future is very bright and I’m not even who I am, yet!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and a creative is the freedom it provides me. Different things work for different people. For an artist, the freedom to express themselves, their vision, their truth, and the freedom that being an artist as a job provides for me, is the most rewarding. I am able to set my own schedule, and only agree to projects that are true to myself, my values and my vision keeps me living in my integrity and not denying myself anything! It is hard work to be an artist and a creative but the benefits are worth it.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think that non-creatives seem to think that artists do not work hard. Eventually, you are able to support yourself through your dream but it takes many years and hard work to achieve that stability. Unless you have the financial backing and connections to start with, there is no job security and no overnight success. Creatives sometimes work around the clock! Sometimes we are the artists, we are the content creator, we are the social media management, the marketing, the photographer, the model, etc. until we are able to outsource some of these tasks or build a team to assist. I think we tend to get a bad rap because we don’t go the traditional route through college or corporate jobs. We take risks by chasing our dreams and believing that we can provide for ourselves through our passions.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/kourtneemonroe
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekourtneemonroe/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kourtneecheriemodel/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kourtneemonroe/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/thekourtmonroe
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KourtneeMonroe
• Other: https://linktr.ee/kourtneemonroe

Image Credits
Clifton Mingo Photography Cochise Clausell Visions East Photography