Meet Ryan Barber | Entrepreneur, Licensed esthetician. Owner/operator of Bikini Bar, LLC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ryan Barber and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ryan, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
One of the main reas-ns I became heavily interested in entrepreneurship is because honestly, I am very selfish with my time. Working for a living by any means is consuming on many facets, particularly if your desire is growth and prosperity. However, working on someone else’s timeline never sat well in my soul nor did having to ask for personal time off based upon hours I had available to use per policy! Well, my self-employed dreams came to fruition unexpectedly in 2020 when I was laid off due to covid from my full- time job at the time. Three years in I can proudly say entrepreneurship is everything that I thought it would be and much much much more. By more I mean it’s all encompassing with a capital E. There are no hard starts but NO Hard stops and what’s an off day when you perform the service(s) that make the money that pays the bills. I am assuming “burn out ” isn’t on any highlight reels for promoting entrepreneurship! Or had I been aloof like most and only saw the glamorous side of being your “own boss”. Hello there, it’s me being honest, again. Work life balance didn’t become a thing until I truly knew it was a thing that I badly struggle to balance. Thankfully, I’m very passionate about my solopreneur career and my life experiences has taught me to be ready pivot at any given moment. No shade but I totally cannot see myself going back to adhering to someone else’s vacation policy!  With that said,  I plan to make the best out of my career by keeping the mantra health is wealth in heart and mind. I now seek tools and resources to create this healthier work life balance so that my dream stays a dream and not a nightmare on” maple” street. Lastly, along with “balancing” the time drainers in my life I’ve found that taking up ” community” with like peers is a great outlet full of synergy. 

What should our readers know about your business?

Bikini Bar, thee über haute hair removal spot offers a full-body waxing menu featuring its signature and most popular Brazilian known as the B-String. Bikini Bar are known for BRAZILIANS it’s basically all we do…and of course keeping the skin down there Balanced, Bare, Bold, and Beautiful. We believe our babes shouldn’t have to pay a luxury tax to achieve beautiful bare skin. Therefore, our pricing is very affordable. However, expect nothing but thee best when indulging any of our offered services and products within a non-judgment zone. Our mission is to make intimate hair removal and care of the skin involved an aesthetically necessary lifestyle upgrade. Culturally our vibe empowers women to act in boldness such as getting a Brazilian wax any day of the week for no other reason than loving the feeling of smooth bare skin, kicking cancer’s butt, or starting up your dream business kind of boldness. Besides offering our Babes a Bar none intimate skin care experience, Bikini Bar pride it’s passionate commitment supporting other fellow minorities in the beauty industry and advocating for women’s optimal health & well being. This past October Bikini Bar hosted it’s first annual PINKTOBER Breast Cancer Awareness brunch where we shared survivor stories/testimonies, provided disease state & preventive care education, and administered BRCA 1 & 2 gene testing. Additionally, Bikini Bar is partnered with Club Xtreme volleyball to teach our “Tweeny bopper” babes proper feminine hygiene and skin care during puberty.

I knew from a very young age that owning my own business was at the top of the list for what peaked by interest. As I was very clever with coming up with business ventures to sponsor my wants ranging from selling lemonade to neighbors to hustling candy to my peers in middle school. Ultimately my conviction to the feeling of creating my own wealth and greatness by turning ideas into workable plans lead me to obtaining a bachelors of science in Merchandising mgmt at MSU. Followed by an MBA with a minor in consumer marketing at LTU. Although, it was by no coincidence that I pursued an education in Business it was by fate that I began my career as an owner operator small business owner in the esthetics industry. The universe implanted the idea and only allowed doors to open that lead to the start- up of Bikini Bar, LLC.

The greatest lesson I’ve learned along my journey of solidifying a profitable career in the beauty industry is authenticity is key and the long term chase isn’t securing the “bag” but living true to why you started the journey in the first place! For me it’s living uncensored, unrestricted, and autonomously to exude Ryan and why I was put on this earth. Owning Bikini Bar has been the most “getting to know myself” experience ever It’s literally a marriage, LOL! I’m constantly learning so much about myself I never encountered until now. I better understand my strengths and weaknesses after climbing the uphill battle of building a brand and keeping my sanity over these past 11 years. Let me add to the lessons I have learned during this journey and that is what I do well, I do. What I struggle with, I outsource. This mindset has work wonders for my mental and physical health, which are priority considering actions and decisions.

I want the world to know and witness that it is ok to be human…it’s ok to not be perfect! To witness It’s ok to struggle even with things that you know are blessings. Witness, that is ok to choose what Is best for “thyself” even when it’s not popular culture or the easiest route. I want the world to see my light, love, and laughter as I navigate through this journey called LIFE. I am claiming my “Time”  for the world to bare witness to Bikini Bar’s explosion as a Brand…get ready to see more Pink, girl power, beautiful bare skin, positive real self-love, and more action empowering other women! In the words of the great Alicia Keys… This girl is on FIRE

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When I want to show true foodie “Detroit Hospitality” it’s like a cardinal rule to take my visiting guest to grab a Coney from lafayette, then skip over to Greek town (don’t forget to scream OPA LOL), and last but not least a juicy corn beef on rye with mustard from Bread basket deli. As of 2023 Detroit’s down and mid town are both a whole vibe. Detroiters now get to grip It’s too many places to choose from for a good bite to eat and very “giving’ aesthetically fulfilling vibes, we are becoming a foodie’s paradise. When food isn’t involved…I’m not much of a Bar girl buuuut I love love music and going to concerts. So I have to add Aretha Franklin amphitheatre summer concerts line up to the “must do list” when having fun in the D!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Undoubtedly, I want to give much gratitude to my community of family, close friends, and clients that have become friends. I can never thank them enough! I am so very blessed to have my very supportive husband, cheerleading big sister, and very thoughtful & loving tribe of girl friends. Lastly, I would like to dedicate the overall woman i’ve so proudly become to my guardian angels in heaven my superwoman mom, incredible dad, my beautiful baby boy, and this is about to sound so cliche’….last but not least GOD (my universe)

Website: www.bikinibardetroit.com

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