Meet Brittny Ryan

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brittny Ryan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Brittny, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

The biggest thing I’ve noticed about creativity, it’s always flowing. I get blocked occasionally, but at the end of the day there’s inspiration everywhere. The most important thing is keeping an open mind and being capable of accepting new creative outlets to fuel you.

When I first started cosmetology school, it was all about learning the basics. Attending enough hours to pass my classes and eventually pass my state board test.

I got glimpses, in that time, of the potential for creativity in the cosmetology field. My skill, however, was the top priority.

It wasn’t until about five years into my career I had finally built enough confidence and clientele to really feel comfortable to take risks doing hair. I took the time to find incredibly forgiving people who were open to being my “guinea pig” if I wanted to test a new technique, and understood that sometimes the result wouldn’t be what I was initially hoping for. That was all a huge part of my learning process in terms of staying creative.

Now, I utilize not only beauty based social media content, and hands on classes, but also other medias. I paint, I read, I nurture plants, I thrive with all types of music. All of these creative outlets can be extremely motivating in my career. It helps me find like minded individuals open to trusting me with their appearance. It also prevents burn out for me. I don’t get creatively blocked nearly as much as I used to. And when I do, I know I’m capable of coming out of it stronger than I was before.

Bottom line, never stop searching for the next thing to fuel that creative passion. You never know what it might be.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Over the years, I’ve come to understand that the beauty industry is not just about playing with hair all day. It takes heart and focus. Empathy and understanding. Discipline and sacrifice. I can’t say I was ever taught these things in school. I had to learn in the field.

The biggest thing I want to be known for is my communication and empathy. Doing hair is about listening and understanding, whether it’s about my clients lives or their hair.

I had an excellent upbringing, but later teen life became difficult for me. I dealt with things a child shouldn’t, and had to build myself from nothing. There were so many mistakes and failures. Unfulfilled hopes and goals. I truly believe, however that this is where my genuine need to help others comes from. Any piece of myself I can give, I give it. It’s fulfilling to me.

I landed where I am by sheer luck in the beginning. Meeting the right people, saying the right things, putting myself out there even when I didn’t want to. Later in my career came the risk taking. Sacrificing friendships for self growth, and making difficult choices to see myself and my clients thrive. I spent ten years building a clientele in a very populated area. Word of mouth traveled slowly but surely and it paid off. Social media boosted my business as well. At the end of the day, it was about building relationships and friendships with my clients. Helping them love themselves outside as well as inside. That’s my main goal working behind the chair every day.

Self employment to me now after 13 years means creativity in all forms. Social media marketing, photography, videography, art, finances, and so much more. The paths I could take are endless. It’s a matter of getting through the fears and uncertainties to take a leap and go for it.

I could teach, I could travel, I could open my own salon, I could own rental suites of my own, I could move across the world and start from scratch. Keeping an open mind has been and always will be my top priority for my clients and for myself.

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?

I think for anyone in the service industry, positive personality traits are essential. Here are a few qualities I wish I would’ve been educated on before I started my journey.

1. Modesty
I do believe in “faking it till you make it” especially in the beginning, but there has to be a balance to that. People need to understand that you’re human that makes mistakes just like they do.
Staying humble is a huge part of modesty to me as well. Accepting constructive criticism has to be a priority. True wisdom comes from recognizing that there’s always more to learn.

2. Establishing firm boundaries and learning to say NO.
Never sacrifice your own comfort for someone else’s benefit. I wish I had been told this when I was 18. People will take full advantage of you if you let them. So in any situation professionally or otherwise, learning to draw firm lines is essential.

3. Respect
I say this to clients all the time: “you respect my time so I respect yours”. Respect can be taken in such a broad way so I’ll narrow it down to how important it is in my industry. The way we speak to one another can define a client relationship. Being late to appointments as the stylist or as the client can be disrespectful. Not admitting to a mistake and fixing it is disrespectful. There are so many ways respect can be utilized in this industry. It’s about how you treat others that defines you.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

The last 12 months have been a whirlwind. I feel so much more confident in trusting my instincts after some hardships this year.

Self doubt will always be a part of human nature. The “what ifs” in life are important to consider. My gut feelings, however come from a place of previous experiences I’ve made it through.

I’ve learned to trust my instincts regarding friends, family, and business. If there’s a red flag in any situation, I pay attention to it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittnylynn_studios?igsh=MXAzbW44ZmJocjV1cg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CCzWkey9G/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Image Credits

Cody Smith – photographer