“Welcome to the blush army! We love blush on this side of Youtube!”. That is the familiar intro you hear when you click on one of Ryan B. Potter’s Youtube videos. Ryan began his career in the beauty industry at just 16 years old. Now at 20, Ryan expresses that this stage in his life is, “confusing but exciting” and he isn’t leaving any time soon. He’s ready to conquer any opportunities headed his way.
GK: So right off the bat, what’s the most common reaction you get when you tell someone that your job is being an influencer and how do you respond to that?
RBP: I usually dread the “what do you do for work” question because most people don’t get it, have a preconceived notion about it, or just don’t consider it a real job. Most of the time, the reaction I get is more curiosity than anything because it’s so new to people! Once I explain it, most of the time people find it to be a rather cool job, but just recently I told someone and I got the “Oh, you’re one of those.” responses. So, some people get it, some don’t, but at the end of the day I’m happy and that’s all that matters. I try not to think about what others think about my life.
GK: From an audience point of view, there is an image of what an influencer’s “life” is like. Can you walk me through what your average day consists of?
RBP: A typical work day for me consists of waking up at 7:30 or 8 am. I spend an hour replying to any emails or text messages I have. I check my calendar for anything due that day and plan accordingly. If I’m filming, I start around noon and finish around 3 or 4 pm. From there, I’ll edit photos, videos for a couple hours. I like to stop working by like 7 to hang out with my boyfriend and spend time with him the rest of the night. But there really isn’t a clock out time with this job, you’re always planning, seeing what’s new and trending, replying to comments, reading DM’s etc. It’s a 24/7 lifestyle but it’s so exciting and I wouldn’t change it for anything!
GK: Why do you think it’s still hard for some people to adjust to this new era where social media has taken over?
RBP: I think because people are so used to tradition, and having a job on social media does not coincide with the traditional idea of what a successful job is. I think eventually people will catch on but for some people I don’t think they will ever get it.
GK: With being so present on social media, as it is your job, I feel that sometimes society places us in a box and has a certain view of what you should look/be like. How do you dismiss all these opinions from getting to your head?
RBP: I can’t say that it doesn’t get in my head sometimes, I mean how can it not when you’re feeding your brain those ideas everyday when you log on and read comments, see tweets, DM’s etc. I have amazing family and friends that keeps me grounded and I think my mom raised me well and gave me a strong set of morals. I don’t let others’ opinions of how I should be affect me.
GK: When was the moment you realized, “Oh ok, people are paying attention to me”? That your online presence was starting to be recognized not just by a growing audience but by brands as well.
RBP: People ask me this question a lot, and I can’t really think of a time where I felt like “oh shit this is a thing..”. I think because it’s been very gradual for me, but when brands that I’ve used for years started to notice me, it felt very full circle. I swear I have “pinch me” moments every time a brand wants to work with me..I’m like…who me?? You want to work with lil old me??? I still don’t feel like I’ve “made it”. I don’t know if I ever will feel like I’ve “made it”. There’s still so much more I want to do!
GK: In what ways do you think social media has shaped the beauty industry in the last 5 years per say? Do you think social media will continue to grow or die down?
RBP: I think it’s totally shaped the beauty industry 100%. There’s so much budget that goes into social media marketing alone. Most people use social media to some degree and use it to base their purchases. I don’t think it’s going anywhere, I think it will continue to evolve and it’s up to the brands and creators and consumers to adapt, but it’ll be here for a LONG time.
GK: How do you think growing up in an era of social media influenced/shaped you?
RBP: It’s made me very self aware, I question everything I do and how it will be perceived, which I think is a strength and weakness. Sometimes it’s good to just live in the moment and be spontaneous but for me because I’ve spent the last 10 years of my life on the internet (5 years of which I had a following on social media) I’m a bit more cautious. It’s made me a bit more insecure and self conscience, always trying to please people. It’s also made me more efficent and given me the resources to pave my own way. Pros and cons to everything!
GK: I think it’s so dope and inspirational that you’ve accomplished a handful of things at your age. What has been one of the biggest achievements in your career so far?
RBP: Landing a year long ambassador deal for Sephora was definitely one of the most exciting accomplishments of my career so far, I think, but there’s so many things I’m proud of. I’m anxious and excited for what’s to come!
GK: What do you hope your audience/viewers gain from watching your content and following along with you?
RBP: I hope they have fun and don’t take life too seriously. I’m a very chill person, ask anyone that knows me. I’m very go with the flow. I think that translates to my videos. I also try to bring a lot of positivity to my platforms. There’s days where I feel so down and don’t even want to get out of bed. I know what it feels like to just need someone to give you a hug, a positive message, anything to uplift you and I hope that my videos and content can do that for someone.
GK: What is some advice that you would give your 16 year-old self when first starting your career in the beauty industry?
RBP: Trust your gut. Not everyone has your best intentions at heart. People will gravitate to you as you are. Know your worth and add tax. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. Stay in your lane.
GK: Who is Ryan B. Potter?
RBP: I’m sensitive, I feel things really hard but I think that helps me create the things I do. I’m a hard worker and a perfectionist and everything I do, I put my 100% in it and do it passionately. I stand for positivity, creativity, being kind. I’m still learning a lot about myself, I’m only 20 so I’m really just taking it day by day. It’s really confusing but exciting.
Photographer: @alyssapop
Creative Director: @genesiskubilis