Meet Holly Stocks: Influencer & Entrepreneur

After growing up and moving all around the country for her father’s business, Holly Stocks has put down roots in Nashville and is spreading her creative wings.

Hook & Barrel interviewed Holly Stocks to learn more about who she is and where she came from. More than a model, Holly also is a partner in a sunglass company named American Bonfire Co.

Read on to learn more about Holly.

Meet Holly Stocks

Note: This interview was initially published in 2021.

Tell me about your childhood, where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, but I’ve moved all over. In middle school I moved to Palm Desert, California but I only lived there for about a year. Then I moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where I graduated high school and made some great friends. From there, we moved to Alabama to be close to my great grandmother. It wasn’t supposed to be permanent, but I was in a relationship and had my son. I ended up staying.

In Florida, I grew up on a farm. My mom had a horse, and she raised ducks. I was never indoors. We had a barn and a creek. I would use my imagination and make my own fishing poles and try to catch crawfish. My cousins moved in next door, and there were three boys so they had go-carts and dirt bikes we would ride. I grew up fishing too; my dad took me. I’m not one of those girls who’s scared to bait my hook—I love fishing! Even today, I would much rather be outside than inside watching Netflix.

What do you do now?

I was living in Alabama, and I just saw myself taking a different path and doing more. I wanted to be somewhere where there were more creatives, more entrepreneurs, and people chasing their dreams. I’ve been a photographer for nine years; I started when my son was three months old. I didn’t know it would take off, but it did, and I love my clients! So I moved to Franklin, Tennessee, outside of Nashville two years ago.

After I moved to Nashville, I felt like I could be myself, but then the pandemic hit. During the pandemic, I took a picture of myself lying on a hammock and posted it. That picture got a ton of likes and followers. People started encouraging me to model. I have a best friend who inspired me to follow my dreams so we’ve been doing shoots about once a month since the pandemic started. She’s a cowgirl and grew up that way so she has really pushed me to keep going.

I do my own styling—my own makeup and hair. I’m not a plain Jane girl, that’s not who I am. When I was little, my parents called me the bag lady because I would put on every hat, every necklace, grab all the purses and play dress up. I’ve always liked accessories and always wanted to dress myself and do my own thing. I like Western fashion, and I like to add a little flair to the Western wear. It may not be for everybody, and that’s ok. Everyone has their own style, but this is just who I am.

I’ve seen pictures of you on horseback. Do you ride?

I do ride horses, it’s so relaxing. I hope to have my own horse one day in Nashville.

You have a son—what kind of mom are you?

My son is nine years old. I’m a single mom, and he’s my top priority. I try to work around his schedule. When he’s out of school, I focus on him. I want to give him the best childhood possible. I try to balance things the right way.

You’re in fantastic shape. What is your fitness regimen?

I have always been small, petite, and I drink mainly water. I don’t eat past a certain time; I’m not a big snacker. I’m into intermittent fasting, and I recently started on free weights so we’ll see how this goes.

What are your Western wear go-to’s?

I only wear American Bonfire Co. sunglasses. It’s my friend’s business, but even before we were friends, they were all I wear. And I’m working with Dan Post Boots.

What are your future goals and plans?

I’m going to be making a line of cowboy hats with my signature inside the band. I’m coming up with the design so I’m excited about that. I really love fashion and have dabbled with the idea of doing my own line. Adding my own touch to an outfit is a lot of fun. I want to work on growing my brand, and I say go big or go home!

How does Instagram fit into your life?

I don’t really share much personal stuff at all. I choose to keep my personal life private, and the business side is business. It’s me and my personality, but I like to keep my personal life personal.

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

I love to fish! I’m planning a fishing trip. During the pandemic, I took my son to a local pond, and we caught so many fish. As we were leaving, I saw a sign that said No Fishing! Oops. My dad took me fishing so I love sharing that with my son.