Television host and Fancy Lady Cowgirl founder Courtenay DeHoff shares how her Kansas ranch upbringing shaped her career, why the cowgirl mindset goes beyond the ranch, and what it means to embrace the Western lifestyle on her own terms. 

From growing up on a Kansas ranch to building a successful career as a television host, Courtenay DeHoff has never strayed far from her cowgirl roots. As the founder of Fancy Lady Cowgirl, she’s redefining what it means to embrace the Western lifestyle and spreading her ambition for life through the power of self expression.

Texas Lifestyle Magazine recently caught up with Courtenay, who opens up about the realities of working in television, the lessons she learned growing up on a ranch, and why being a cowgirl is more about mindset than where you live.

What’s something you know now about television that you wish you knew when you first moved to a big city to pursue it?

Knowing just how hard it would be. It can be a tough and volatile industry, and as the saying goes, “you’re only as good as your last story.” Oftentimes as a television host, you’re just a number.

The industry has evolved a ton since I started, and now you can’t just be a host, you need a brand. At first, I rolled my eyes at that. Now I realize how powerful a personal brand can be and how important it is to build one that’s authentically yours.

What’s one thing people assume about you because of what they see on television or social media that isn’t actually true?

People always assume I’m super outgoing and social. I am not. My bedtime is 8 p.m., and my worst nightmare is having to go to a function alone and work in a room. I’m incredibly shy. I can stand on a stage in front of 65,000 people and give a rockin’ speech, but send me to a dinner party alone and I’m awkwardly sweating in the corner by myself.

You’ve spent years translating the Western lifestyle for mainstream audiences. What’s one thing you wish Texans understood about the rest of the country—and one thing you wish the rest of the country understood about Texas?

I wish we could all just be a little more open-minded toward one another. I love Texas, and I hope I never leave. But just because I love the Texas mindset and values doesn’t mean I’m going to bash the Coasts because their lifestyles look different than mine. I think we’d all be better off if we spent a little more time trying to understand one another instead of assuming different means wrong.

You’ve lived in some very non-ranch places while remaining deeply connected to the Western world. What part of your Kansas upbringing shows up in your everyday life that people probably wouldn’t notice?

Even when I was living in cities like New York, the grit, resiliency, integrity and courage—the values I learned growing up on a ranch in Kansas—were always there. In many ways, it was the cowgirl in me that allowed me to survive and thrive in places far removed from my Western roots.

Okay, important question: what’s the most underrated thing about being a Texas cowgirl?

That the opportunities are endless. You don’t need to live on a ranch or ride a horse to call yourself a Texas cowgirl. Being a cowgirl is a state of mind, and there’s no better place to embrace that than Texas, baby.

What’s something about your life that looks glamorous on Instagram but is actually much less glamorous in real life?

I love the career I’ve built, and I get to go to some amazing places to speak and host events. But anyone who travels for work will tell you that you rarely get to actually enjoy the places you’re visiting. Every now and then, G and I get to sneak away for a couple of extra days before or after one of my speaking events and enjoy the location, but not often. Most of the time, it’s a lot of flights, Ubers, and meals on the go.

What’s the most useful thing ranch life taught you that has nothing to do with ranching?

That you can do hard things even when you don’t feel ready for them. Ranch life doesn’t really care if you’re tired, scared, uncomfortable or having a bad day—the work still has to get done. I think I carried that mentality with me into every chapter of my life. You figure it out, you keep going, and eventually you realize you’re capable of a lot more than you thought.

If you had one completely free Saturday in Texas—no work, no cameras, no obligations—where would we find you?

Free Saturdays don’t typically exist, but if they did, they would probably still involve a horse. If we’re not at a horse show, we’re home working cutting horses. It’s every day, 365.

What’s something you’re more comfortable saying “no” to now than you were 10 years ago?

I’m much more comfortable saying no to opportunities that don’t fully align, rather than saying yes just because I feel like I need the money. Sure, I still need to work, but 10 years ago I said YES to almost every opportunity, even if it was a stretch or didn’t fully align with who I was or what I wanted to build. Now, I only say yes to opportunities that make sense for me both personally and professionally.

What song immediately makes you want to get in the truck and go somewhere?

Anything Cher. “If I Could Turn Back Time” is always a solid start.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 Cover photo courtesy Shelby Caitlin Photography

Rebecca Figueroa is a Digital Media Intern for Texas Lifestyle Magazine and currently studies at Texas State University majoring in Marketing. She’s passionate about fashion, exploring the world and making time for her creative hobbies along the way.