Life & Work with Britton Ryan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Britton Ryan.

Hi Britton, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always wanted to start my own business. My father has owned his own business since before I was born and it has always inspired me to pave the way for my future by starting my own business. Though it was always a dream, it didn’t become reality until 2021. Going to college in South Georgia, I didn’t have many options for shopping boutiques and once I gained some weight and became a midsized queen, the options narrowed even more. The lack of boutique options for girls like me all over sparked the beginning of Georgia Mercantile. I wanted to be able to provide all ages and all sizes the ability to shop cute and age appropriate clothing. I wanted every girl who had ever cried in a boutique changing room out of frustration to be able to shop with us. With the support of my parents, I was able to lift Georgia Mercantile off of the ground, with the hopes of only growing as big as possible. I spent days, weeks and even months preparing, shopping, ordering and studying every aspect of what Georgia Mercantile is today. Today, I spend most of my time focusing on social media and hoping to grow our business and social media presence to get our name out as much as possible.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Getting started, it was a smooth road. One thing I had to quickly learn was that there would be some days where I would receive zero orders and some days where I would receive five. This was a learning curve for me but it also taught me to appreciate every opportunity, follow, like, share and everything in between because all of it meant that I was trying and I had started. Though I am still very small, I am farther than I have ever been before. I started my business, as a senior in college, during a pandemic, with very little money and zero sales and marketing experience. It’s been rough but it’s been exciting.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a senior in college at Georgia Southern University graduating in May 2022. I am currently studying Child and Family Development to hopefully become a Child Life Specialist one day. Along with being a student, I am president of my Child Life Club, an intern with Camp H-Town which is a children’s oncology camp, a volunteer at both a children’s hospital and a pediatric mental hospital and a peer mentor for other students. I am most proud of my drive to work with sick children and their families for the rest of my life. I love supporting others in their journey throughout our field.

Due to COVID, any progression for new students or employees in our field has been delayed. This meant that someone else was dictating my success in this world and I wasn’t okay with letting someone else decided how far I would go in a field that I’ve worked towards my entire life. That’s why I started Georgia Mercantile because it meant that my drive and hardworking would dictate how successful I would be in a small business.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I’ve lived in Canton my whole life and had never moved until I left for college which meant I was 3-4 hours away in a very small town. In ATL, I love the accessibility to anything and everything. Within about a 30 minute radius, you can go hiking, shopping, to sporting events, to the airport and so much more. For me, I realized how great living in a large city like ATL meant for my business. I had accessibility to the ATL Mart which allows me to get apparel for my business. There’s hundreds of people that I have accessibility to, events that I can showcase my business to and so much more. I think along with most people, the worst part of ATL is the traffic. Going 5 miles down the road takes 30 minutes but I wouldn’t trade it for nothing.

Pricing:

• $10-50

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: shopgeorgiamercantile.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopgamercantile
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopgamercantile

Image Credits:
Credits: Olivia Rodriguez Photography