Today we’d like to introduce you to McKenzie Ryan.
McKenzie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My career in design started at an early age. My mother started her business, Ryan Young, when I was five months old and often says she had two babies at once, the birth of her business and the birth of her only child, me. Like a lot of businesses, it was a humble beginning where most nights my mother would work for hours on end making sure everything was the best it could be. It was even common that on the way to dance class we would first walk the latest project that had opened. Work was woven into many of our activities.
My first design installations started at around nine years of age during my summer where I would go and assist the designers in anything they needed. Setting up children’s rooms and creating these special spaces for other girls like me was one of my favorite tasks. Although I was always around design and knew I had an eye for color at an early age… dance was my first love. Most of those late nights my mom was in her office designing… I was in the studio dancing. I have realized years later that all those years of performing would transfer into the skills I have in presenting our designs to our clients and ultimately conveying the passion we put into every element of our work.
I started my preparation for working in the design industry while attending the University of Arizona. I was accepted into the Interdisciplinary Program where I could create my own degree. I was fortunate to find this path that allowed me to pattern my education after the exact skills that would prepare me to run a design firm. The three disciplines of my degree were Design, Communications and Business Leadership. Upon graduating, my parents encouraged me to go to Europe for two reasons… one was to think through the direction I wanted to go in my career and then to receive a much larger perspective of what life has to offer. When I returned, I really struggled with the decision as to whether I would go work for my mother in the role that was carved out for me or I would create my own path. I can tell you have questioned this decision over the years wondering if the constant comparisons or the questioning if I would measure up, would bring me down… but what I have found is the gift of a mother’s passion is never a hindrance but rather an incredible platform from which I can sore, and I have!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ryan Young is in its 28th year and has revenues of 15 million dollars a year. Our company specializes in residential, commercial, model homes and hospitality projects that are throughout the US as well as throughout China. With a very talented staff of 55 employees, our firm has been recognized with over 200 Best Interior Design Awards and has been recognized by Interior Design magazine as a Top 100 Design Giant for the last three years running. As the Creative Design Director, it is my job to set the level of design for our model home projects as well as meet with our clients to present the conceptual designs we have selected for each project. Most people would be surprised by what I consider my biggest challenge. It is not the design, and it is not the selling of our designs… it is accepting the big shoes I have to fill and knowing that being compared to someone like Tara Ryan is never a burden but rather an incredible gift. She and my father never gave me an idea that I couldn’t do whatever I wanted to do or be whoever I wanted to be, and I truly believe a child who is told they can do anything in life, will do everything with theirs!
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
BE BOLD! BE DYNAMIC! BE YOURSELF! This may sound cheesy but I have found that the times I have been the most successful in my career and life itself are when I have been authentically me. I am incredibly passionate about my career in design and my position sits me in front of our clients almost every day. The days I have been myself and let my passion pour out of me without allowing negative comparisons or other’s opinions of me creep in, are some of the most memorable and special experiences I have had in my career!
Contact Info:
- Address: 2200 Cleveland Avenue National City, Ca 91950
- Website: www.ryan-young.com
- Phone: (619)292-7800
- Email: info@ryan-young.com
- Instagram: @ryidesign
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanYoungInteriors/
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