May 8, 2020

Meet Ryan Shepard of Brown Sugar & Bourbon in Old Fourth Ward

Local Stories

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

Ryan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I got into this business because I love food, alcohol and women. The women in my life, from my great grandmother to my best friends have been there throughout every moment of my life to encourage me, guide me and tell me that I’m still the shit even when the world has knocked me on my ass. I wanted to create a space for women where we could discuss the hard topics in life over a delicious meal and a strong cocktail, just like my best friends and I do.

Has it been a smooth road?
Being an entrepreneur is a decidedly bumpy road with more twists and turns than anyone could ever expect. I’d be lying however, if I didn’t admit that my biggest struggle has always been myself. If self-doubt was a career title, I’d be well on my way to securing a CEO position. In the past, I’ve also lacked direction and consistency because of my “imposter syndrome.” But recently, I’ve decided that instead of approaching my business from a “why me?” standpoint, I’ve shifted to “why the hell not me?”

Please tell us about Brown Sugar & Bourbon.
Brown Sugar & Bourbon is a food blog where like-minded women gather to fellowship over their shared life experiences, love for a strong cocktail and of course, delicious recipes. In addition to Southern-inspired takes on everyday recipes. It speaks to the sugar and spice in all women. The tension between what society believes women are supposed to be (all sweet, soft and nurturing) and the many multitudes we contain (strength, power and tenacity).

I am so proud of the small but mighty community I’ve been able to build over these past few years. I especially love the women who initially started following me for my recipes but now share really intimate parts of their lives with me because we’ve built trust. I think my willingness to openly share my own failures sets me apart, especially in a world where everyone is putting forth their highlight reels on social media. I think it helps to create a community in which we’re all rooting for each other.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I’m actually a born and raised Los Angeleno and that market is beyond oversaturated for writers, creatives, and bloggers just starting out. When I moved to Atlanta, I never expected to find such a nurturing community of chefs, writers, farmers… literally any and everyone and there is such a collaborative spirit here. I would definitely recommend Atlanta to anyone starting out. There is already so much amazing culture here and it’s still, somehow, expanding by the day to include transplants like me. I love Atlanta.

Contact Info:

Website: https://www.brownsugarandbourbon.com/
Email: ryan@brownsugarandbourbon.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryannicoleshepard/

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Meet Downtown Atlanta Series Sponsor:

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