We recently had the chance to connect with Shayna Hickox and have shared our conversation below.
Shayna , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
My whole life I have been chasing a dream that will not only fulfill me but be able to help give back to my parents and friends who have never giving up on me! Being in the modeling and creative industry is very challenging, it’s very over saturated with woman my age who look a lot like me and who want the exact same thing as I do. if I took every no to heart, or if I just gave up then not only would I be giving up on myself but I’d be proving to everyone who ever doubting me that they’re correct, which I refuse to do. My haters fuel me and my supporters keep me going, I will never stop chasing my dream, and even when I reach it, I’ll want to take it even further. I’m very passionate about what I do and I can’t wait to be able for people to see how much passion can turn into success.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Well a little bit about me, I’m Shayna Hickox, I’m born and raised in Colorado! Fun fact im adopted 😉 so I grew up in a little mountain town called Grand Lake. Graduating class of about 80 kiddos in 2018! I tried the basic college life at Mesa University with a major in musical theater and dance but shortly dropped out to move to Denver to chase my dreams! Started modeling during Covid, had my first photoshoot with Joshua Hendrickson (I have him to thank for everything) who then kept inviting me back for more group photoshoots and that’s how I started to build my community out here!!! Shortly after 6 months, I found my way to New York to do an exclusive model camp ran by Super Model Coco Rocha and after that my career kinda took off!! Since then I’ve walked in numerous fashion shows in Colorado from Denver Fashion Week, Latin Fashion Week, to Parker Fashion Week but I have made my way to New York Fashion Week and walked for The Sixth-dimension! I also do a bunch of photoshoots for designers around here! SOME of my favorite designers to work with are, Tyne Hall, My Generation, Sliv Life, and Unique Ujean! They’re all so incredibly put together by some of the must talented people I have ever met! My favorite part about this industry is all the different type of people you get to meet! One thing about me is I can be friends with anyone as long as you have a good heart! Outside of modeling though, I did take this past year to complete esthetician school, so I now have my Esthetician License and have a job at a med spa! So if you’re looking to feel AND look better some see me 😉 my motto is When You Look Good You Feel Good! Since having this job I learned that we are our biggest critics and so it’s so important to take care of yourself so you feel good about yourself and I am here to help make that easier for people and I love that! I’m so excited for the future and to see what’s in store and see what’s next for me!
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As someone who has been adopted, growing up I always felt the need to find a place to belong. To find a place where I felt accepted, to fit in!!! I mentioned in the last question how I can be friends with anyone, this kinda ties into it. Growing up in grand lake it’s very small, it’s very cliquey, it’s very generational. As a child who was just very outgoing, who was just very talkative, who was just very honest from super young, and as a child who was just trying to seek acceptance, I floated around and tried being friends with everyone and did all the activities but I never truly found a group to fit in but rather certain individuals from each group. I went from (yes they really called people this) popular girls, to the theater kids, to the art kids, to the Fraser kids (kids who lived in Fraser Colorado) but it didn’t matter because I still just never truly felt apart of any group. And as a child that was important to me but looking back the one thing that made me feel good was just taking one good friend, and going to take photos somewhere random in the mountains! That’s a core memory of mine and the root of why I’m a model today! That’s why I no longer believe you have to fit in. People are born to STAND OUT. Did ozzy Osborn “fit in” NO. Did Michael Jackson “fit in” NO. does Alex Consani “fit in” NO. What’s makes them so successful is they are unapologetically THEMSELVES and they keep going no matter what people say to them and I believe people love that. I will never waist my time again on trying to have to be a certain way to be doing certain things or to have a way with certain people. BE YOU. don’t fit in. STAND OUT.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If there’s one thing I could say to my younger self, is don’t ever loose that spark, don’t ever let other people put out that fire and don’t feel the need to have acceptance from people, because I have totally let people influence the way I feel mentally and that’s just not okay. All that should matter is how I feel about the work and energy I put out there. At the end of the day we only have our selfs so realistically live life for you. Write your own story.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
Someone I will always admire is my Father. Him and my mom raised me to be the strong independent woman I am. The way my father cares for my mom, and all three of his daughters is the reason why I will never settle for less. He has the biggest heart, the strongest work ethic, an intelligent mind, the best advice, and THE MOST MAGICAL hugs. He’s my number fan and my best friend. He’s is the reason why I keep going every day and I just want to make him and my mother proud. He’s a New Yorker and he’s very black and white when it comes to things but that’s why I work the way I work. Tough love baby. He taught me discipline, he taught me to be honest (too honest at times lol), he taught to be strong, he’s let me fall down and challenge me to get up on my own, but there for me when I can’t, and he Is just everything to me! I admire the way he has lived his life and I hope to follow in his path as well as my moms.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
To answer this question I would have to say yes and no. Unfortunately as a model and in this industry we thrive off of likes and comments and reposts and engagement or getting booked! So I would not be successful as a content creator or a model if none of that was happening, but am I looking to seek validation or am I looking to get praised for what I’m doing ?? No! I do it because I enjoy what I do and I enjoy living life for me so at the end of the day other peoples opinions should not matter or dictate what you do for yourself, but at the end of the day I do need some sort of engagement to keep me going because realistically I feel like If I had zero engagement on my stuff or if I had zero haters or even zero supporters, it would be hard for me to keep posting or creating because I would feel like it’s for nothing as I do want this to be a job of mine. So there is a fine line. Engagement matters but I don’t think getting praised is necessary because if anything my haters keep me going more than anything.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Shaynahickox
- Other: TikTok: @ShaynaHickox
Image Credits
@weston.mosburg
@sqhphotograohy
@jeaniestephrphoto
