Meet Bryson

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bryson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Bryson, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I’ve always been the youngest in the room — the kid sitting across from people twenty years older, talking business strategy. To make it more interesting, I’ve never exactly looked like your typical Wisconsinite. I had long baseball hair for a stretch, and now it’s blonde – not to mention I’m usually dressed like I just stepped out of a Malibu beach house rather than a Wisconsin boardroom.

I very quickly realized that this exact thing is my superpower. It’s the very thing that created an unforgettable presence that helped me to build my business and network. So I stopped trying to blend in and started owning it completely.

Now, when I walk into a room, that contrast works for me. It creates presence — people notice, they’re curious, they remember. But what keeps their respect is that I back it up with preparation, substance, and a calm confidence that says, “I belong here because I built my way here.”

I think that’s the real key: when you fully accept who you are, you stop asking for permission to be in the room — you just walk in and shift the energy by being completely authentic.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin where most people played it safe and entrepreneurship wasn’t something you heard much about. I was the kid building Instagram pages after school, teaching myself marketing, and growing audiences post by post. What started as curiosity quickly became a calling, and eventually, United Social Media Marketing was born.

At 18, I packed my car and drove to Scottsdale, Arizona chasing a different kind of life: one built on choosing the road less traveled and the belief that you can build something extraordinary from nothing. The agency took new life and has evolved over the years, but our mission has stayed the same: to challenge the norm and help businesses unlock their full growth potential.

What truly sets us apart is the depth of storytelling behind everything we do. We go all-in on the who and why behind each brand. When people understand the story, they remember (and trust) the brand.

Today, beyond the business, I’m focused on personal growth. The edge is where resistance lies; this is what creates transformation. You become everything you’ve always wanted to be by facing the fire that forges you. That’s the heartbeat behind my work, my fitness, and my personal life.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Sustained discipline.
Everyone talks about motivation, but discipline is what actually builds anything that lasts — a physique, a business, or a belief system. For me, the gym was where I learned that lesson first. It’s not about feeling ready; it’s about showing up even when you’re not. Every rep in the gym translated to a rep in business — consistency compounds.

2. Self-awareness as a superpower.
I had to learn to stop chasing what looked successful and start building what actually felt aligned. That shift — from external validation to internal clarity — changed everything. You can’t scale something that’s disconnected from who you really are.

3. Curiosity.
Everything I’ve built started with the question, “What if I tried this?” Curiosity opens doors that experience alone can’t. This ties into people, too. Every mentor, client, and friend I’ve made started with a genuine curiosity to get to know the other person.

Advice for others?
Stop trying to find shortcuts and start finding your edge. The edge is where you grow — it’s uncomfortable, but it’s where you earn your confidence. Build your body, build your mind, and build your craft — in that order. Because once you can trust yourself to follow through on hard things, you can build anything.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

One of the most impactful books for me has been “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. I read it when I was just getting started in business, and it completely changed how I saw networking and human connection.

Early on, I thought success was all strategy and execution, but this book taught me that people are the real variable. You can be the smartest person in the room, but if you can’t connect, listen, and make others feel seen, you’ll always hit a ceiling.

The biggest lessons that stuck with me are simple but powerful:

1. Make the person you’re talking to the most important person in the room. Remembering someone’s name or asking a genuine question goes further than any sales tactic.
2. Lead with curiosity. When you stop trying to impress and start trying to understand, everything changes — business, relationships, leadership.
3. Authenticity attracts. People can feel the difference between a performance and genuine interest.

Those principles reshaped how I network at events, converse with new people, lead my team, work with clients, and even how I show up outside of business. In a marketing world obsessed with data and algorithms, it’s a good reminder that the most powerful skill you can have is still people skills.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.unitedsmm.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/imbryson
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brysonb/