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My Journey
When the morning light spills through the windows of my Los Angeles home, you won’t find a glam squad or professional lighting—just me in sweatpants with my hair pulled back, making dinosaur-shaped pancakes while helping my son with multiplication tables. It’s about as far from a glossy magazine photoshoot as you can get, but it’s where I feel most authentic.
Becoming a mother transformed every aspect of my life. It gave me purpose beyond anything I could have imagined. When people see my modeling work, they’re seeing just one dimension of who I am—and honestly, it’s not even the most important one.
I realized when I started living for me and my child, and not how society wanted me to live, was when things started shaking and moving.
My path from a small-town girl to where I am today wasn’t straightforward or easy, but every challenge, setback, and triumph has shaped who I’ve become. This book is my invitation to you to see beyond the glossy images and discover the whole woman.
Early Career
I grew up in Leesport, Pennsylvania—a town so small that everyone knows each other’s business before you do. As the youngest of four daughters to my parents David and Kathy, I was raised with solid Midwestern values that still guide me today.
Despite my earlier modesty about it, the truth is I was always “the pretty one” in my family. My sisters’ boyfriends would always talk about me—probably why they all hated me growing up. I started getting older guys’ attention at a very young age, unintentionally. That early attention taught me something important about perception and how people respond to beauty—lessons that would later become valuable in my career.
At Schuylkill Valley High School, I threw myself into sports—cross country, swimming, field hockey, basketball, and softball. Looking back, this athletic foundation prepared me for life’s challenges, teaching me discipline, perseverance, and the ability to push through pain toward a goal.
First Jobs and Discovering My Path
My first job ever was as a shampoo girl at a local salon. From there, I started gravitating toward makeup and became the number one sales girl for Boscov’s, a hometown department store that was family-owned. I worked with prestigious beauty brands including Estée Lauder, Clinique, Lancôme, and Elizabeth Arden. This experience ignited my passion for beauty and laid the foundation for my future career.
My path seemed predetermined until I discovered a new world of possibilities. Back in 2004 while in college, I experimented with posting on Hot or Not and received a 9.9 rating. That experience was eye-opening—it showed me the power of digital presence and how online platforms could catapult personal branding. This was 2007, before most people understood what “personal branding” even meant. I saw the future of marketing before many others did.
Modelling Career
My modeling career wasn’t just about being in the right place at the right time—it was about strategic positioning. I’ve built a multi-faceted career across industries from fashion to sports to entertainment.
2007
Won "Phillies Hottest Blonde" contest, which came with a significant cash prize, a billboard feature, and countless radio interviews.
2010
Made the bold decision to move to Los Angeles with just $1,000 and two suitcases. Secured a position at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills.
2012
Founded "Bombshell Marketing," which I later renamed to KR Media to create a more versatile branding approach.
2018
Became Executive Creative Director of Tropic Beauty, expanding my leadership in the beauty industry.
2021
Featured on the cover of KANDY Magazine's Fall issue, adding to my portfolio as a 16-time cover model.
Career Achievements:
Phillies Hottest Blonde
16-time cover model for various magazines
Phillies Hottest Sports Babe
Flyers Hottest Fan
Featured model on the Phillies Game Opening Poster
Featured model on the Phillies Game Opening Poster
Worked with over 150 brands throughout my career
Appeared in a Fox Sports commercial with Rob Riggle & Michael Strahan
Closed London Fashion Week for celebrity designer Andre Soriano
Playboy VIP host and model
Stand-in for Jessica Simpson in Macy's commercials
Career
In 2012, I channeled my marketing insights into founding “Bombshell Marketing,” which I later renamed to KR Media to create a more versatile branding approach. The company wasn’t just a business—it was the culmination of everything I’d learned about self-promotion, brand building, and digital strategy.
I’ve always been hands-on with my career. As a 16-time cover model, I created, produced, and funded all my calendars and merchandise for over a decade, developing a self-branding approach that I now teach others to replicate. This DIY ethos wasn’t just about saving money—it was about maintaining creative control and building valuable skills.
The modeling industry teaches you that your shelf life is limited. At some point, the phone stops ringing for those kinds of jobs. But building businesses? Creating value for others? That's something I can do for decades to come.
My Business Portfolio:
Founder and CEO of KR Media Mentor
Executive Creative Director at TropicBeauty
Chief Operating Officer at GymFitLA
Founder of Ko-ART
Investor Relations at 4biddenknowledge
Founder of Super Mommie
Creator of Bombshell Glam Mentorship Program
KR Media Mentor
Brand Development
Strategic personal branding and positioning for models and influencers
Social Media Growth
Targeted engagement strategies to build authentic following
Sponsorship Connections
Brand deals and profitable partnerships with leading companies
In 2012, at what should have been a career highlight, I became the target of a cyberstalker who sent hundreds of threatening messages. This experience was terrifying, but it revealed another side of me—an investigative intuition.
I worked with the FBI and helped set a trap for my stalker, using my female intuition and pattern recognition skills to confirm my suspicions. What started as a nightmarish situation showcased my analytical abilities and calm under pressure. This experience led to interviews with Good Morning America, Nightline, and The Ricky Lake Show, where I could speak about online safety and empower others facing similar situations.
I've always believed that pain can either break you or fuel you. I chose to use it as fuel, to create something that might help other women avoid what I went through or at least know they're not alone if they do.
Rather than letting this trauma define me, I channeled it into advocacy. I teamed up with former Miss USA pageant winner Chelsea Cooley to create a foundation supporting women who have been abused physically, emotionally, or online—a venture that would later evolve into the Kourtney Kares Foundation.
This difficult chapter in my life taught me about resilience, the importance of speaking up, and how to transform personal pain into purpose. It’s a significant part of my journey that shaped who I am today and the work I do to support others.
Motherhood
If the stalking incident tested my resilience, motherhood would demand every ounce of strength I possessed. I gave birth to my son alone in the hospital on Mother’s Day weekend—a poetic beginning to my journey as a single mother.
I’ve been a full-time mother since then, balancing motherhood and livelihood in a delicate dance that any working parent understands. There were days I couldn’t get out of bed. The postpartum depression was crushing. I’d look in the mirror and not recognize myself. The modeling agencies weren’t calling anymore. I felt invisible, like I’d disappeared and been replaced by this exhausted, overweight version of myself that nobody—including me—knew what to do with.
And I did it while raising a child solo, in one of the most expensive cities, building a career—all with a baby on my hip. That's the part of my story that doesn't show up in the glossy photos.
Rather than rushing back to modeling, I made the conscious decision to focus on my son’s early years. I couldn’t wait to get back to work, but I also dedicated the early years of his childhood to just only him. Looking back, I have no regrets, not even ALL the food I consumed or all the time I took off my modeling career.
The journey back to myself was gradual and deliberate. It took me five years to reclaim my body and my confidence. Motherhood remains my proudest achievement and continues to be the foundation that gives meaning to everything else I do.
My Philanthropic Mission
Philanthropy has become an increasingly important part of my identity. The Kourtney Kares Foundation (KKares), a registered 501(c)3 non-profit, focuses on raising money to assist children and single mothers—two groups I intimately understand.
When you've been through hardship and come out the other side, you have a responsibility to reach back and help others do the same. That's not just something I believe; it's something I live.
The foundation works to “better the world” by “uniting strong family values” and supporting the #savethechildrenworldwide initiative. My five-year goal is for the non-profit to become self-sustaining and able to help many women and children.
There’s something deeply satisfying about creating systems that continue to help people even when you’re not directly involved. That’s the kind of legacy I want to build—something that outlasts any magazine cover or social media post.
Mental Health: My Personal Cause
Perhaps most personal to me is my advocacy for mental health awareness, particularly for new mothers. Having battled PTSD, anxiety, and depression—exacerbated by my stalking experience and the challenges of single motherhood—I speak openly about the importance of self-compassion and support.
Being kind to yourself in a time when you can lose yourself and also feel overwhelmed with all the changes is the best advice I can give. I’ve had to work very hard on myself and the things that would affect my life. I have struggled, sometimes couldn’t get out of bed some days with the emotional and mental battles.
The Whole Woman
Today, I embrace all aspects of my identity—model, mother, entrepreneur, philanthropist, mental health advocate—recognizing that these dimensions don’t compete but rather complement each other, creating a richer, more authentic whole.
The Model
16-time cover model who built a career through strategic positioning and authentic personal branding.
The Entrepreneur
Founder and leader of multiple businesses dedicated to empowering others through mentorship and strategic guidance.
The Mother & Advocate
Dedicated mother and passionate advocate for mental health awareness and support for single parents.
Today, I embrace all aspects of my identity—model, mother, entrepreneur, philanthropist, mental health advocate—recognizing that these dimensions don’t compete but rather complement each other, creating a richer, more authentic whole.
I am a tomboy by day, glam star by night. A dreamer, a mother, a woman of integrity. I contain multitudes and I'm not afraid to show them all.
Beyond The Image
My story reveals the woman behind the brand — the challenges, triumphs, and everything in between. Join me on this journey of authenticity and discover the whole woman beyond the glossy images.
What You'll Discover:
- My journey from small-town Pennsylvania to Los Angeles success
- The truth behind the modeling industry and building a personal brand
- How I overcame trauma and transformed it into advocacy
- The raw reality of single motherhood and rebuilding yourself
- Business insights from my entrepreneurial ventures
- Mental health struggles and strategies that helped me cope
- My philanthropic vision and how I'm creating lasting impact
Release Date: Spring 2025 | Hardcover, E-book, and Audiobook available
