martell holt

Martell Holt was one of the members of the OWN reality series Love and Marriage: Huntsville, where he demoed his career as an entrepreneur and businessman. He became famous for his business acumen and projects.

Martell became famous with his ex-wife Melody Shari for their professional endeavors and family life. The pair ran their family business, Holt & Holt Entrepreneurship, LLC focusing on real estate.

Family Details: Was Raised By A Single Mother

Martell celebrates his birthday on  January 4 of each year and was born in 1982 to a churchgoing family in Alabama. He was born to African-American parents and was raised by his mother, Marlene Holt, who may have been a single parent to him. Thelonious Strickland is his father. 

Martell was especially attached to his late grandmother, Inest Holt Young. Sources suggest that, in the memories of his grandmother, he has started a wine company in her name. Growing up in Huntsville with his family, the young boy was very attached to his community and wanted to give back.

His Father Was Imprisoned For 20 Years

Yes, Martell's father, Thelonious Strickland, was indeed imprisoned for twenty years for a crime he committed. He was a hustler who went to prison for marijuana. Martell's father has been out of prison for several years and has been working daily.

On March 17, 2020, Martell posted a picture where he visited his dad, who was in prison. He captioned:

Thelonious Strickland...our dad.
He was incarcerated for over 20 years, which was the majority of our lives. Although he was a hustler who went to prison for marijuana, he was and still is a good guy.
 

Has A Degree In Science Education

The Holt & Holt Entrepreneurship owner Martell went to the public S.R. Butler High School in Huntsville, Alabama. He later graduated from the historically black Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, where he got a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Education. 

Martell became a qualified teacher and focused on physical fitness. As he was keen on real estate, he took real estate courses at the National School of Real Estate in 2006. This gave him the tools to open his own company and make millions.

Is Martell In A Relationship?

Martell Holt is currently involved with TV personality Sheree Whitfield, who is a successful reality star, established author, and entrepreneur. While about a decade older than Martell, this strong independent woman is an Atlanta socialite and has three kids of her own. Sheree also started her own clothing brand called She by Sheree.

However, the relationship between the pair has been plagued by a certain amount of hostility as audiences try to pit Sheree against Matrell's ex-wife, Melody. Also, shots have been thrown toward Sheree by Martell's alleged longtime mistress Arionne Curry who accused the pair of faking it for "clout" and playing on her feelings.

Net Worth: Martell Is A Millionaire 

Martell Holt is a successful businessman with a rags-to-riches story. Currently, he is estimated to be worth about $20 million and makes about $2.5 million per year just from his Network contracts similar to that of reality TV car restorer Wayne Carini. 

Martell business links are also worth millions. In addition, he spends his money on cars, buying estate & other luxurious items. He shares that fortune with his ex-wife and children. 

Relationship With Ex-Wife Melody Shari

Martell was married to his ex-wife Melody Shari for more than a decade. The former couple met when they were both teachers at Sparman Middle School and soon tied the knot in July 2008. They quit their teaching job to start a business together. 

Their company, Holts & Holts Entrepreneurship, LLC, was very successful and made them millionaires. The couple went on to have four kids together and enjoyed immense success. Sadly, they split up as Martell was unfaithful to the marriage and even had a long affair. 

The break up of the marriage was quite severe, with many issues. The current exes, Martell and Melody, now have a wonderful co-parenting relationship and are still business partners. They have started to vacation together for the kids.

His Affair With Arionne Curry

The American entrepreneur Martell allegedly pursued Arionne Curry when he was already married to Melody Shari. At the time, Arionne was in her early twenties, and Martell was in his mid-thirties. The relationship was very tumultuous and toxic, with Arionne having a miscarriage and an abortion. 

Their child together, Knox, was born when Arionne refused to get another abortion. The relationship between the pair was shattered when Martell's reality show, Love and Marriage: Huntsville, seriously took advantage of her image without her permission. They did not stop there and continuously painted her negatively for years.

Martell had earned millions from this, while Arionne was left in the dirt. Many believe that this was the reason behind Arionne and Martell's separation. 

Martell Is Fathering Five Children 

Martell Holt has five children in total, four with his ex-wife Melody and one son with his former mistress Arionne Curry. His children are Maliah Selene, Mariah, Martell, Malani, and Knox. They were part of a custody battle, with both mom and dad wanting primary custody. 

For now, the parents share custody, with Melody having them most of the time. Arionne Curry gave birth to her son Knox Holt after Martell's divorce. She has full custody of her son, as the couple broke up when the child was very small. 

Career Details 

Martell Holt started out as a teacher and coach at Sparkman Middle School in 2008, straight after graduating from university. He then opened his first business with his ex-wife Melody, Holt & Holt Entrepreneurship, LLC, in 2009 and quit teaching in 2010. 

He also opened Holt Custom Homes in 2016, a consulting service for homeowners, and he is the sole owner of this brand. Martell has also released a book called The 9 to 5 Entrepreneur: Twelve Questions to Consider Before Taking the Leap in 2019 with his then-wife Melody.

He also launched a brand called Inest Wine after his late grandmother as a tribute and can be seen promoting the brand. Currently, Martell is busy with his reality shows and public appearances. He is active in the OWN reality series and may make appearances on the Bravo Network in the future. 

Social Media Presence 

Martell is an astute businessman and maintains an online presence on various social platforms. His Instagram handle is @martellholt which has over 330k followers, and his Twitter @MartellHolt has over 10k. 

He also has a Facebook page but prefers to post on Instagram and Facebook and is very active there. In addition, Martell is also active on LinkedIn.

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