Meet Ashlan Riess: Fashion Blogger & Personal Stylist

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

Hi Ashlan, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When I decided to start my own blog and styling business I knew #1 that I wanted to do it solely because I was passionate about fashion and sharing my love for styling. It really started off as a hobby and flourished into the business I would come to really thrive in and eventually leave the agency I was working at to continue to build the business. My goal was to work on slowly working towards certain milestones… build content, make connections, educate people on my brand, etc. From there it really all began to fall into place. Not all that being said, there were definitely struggles and still to this day there are and always will be with owning your own business. I knew that if I could stay consistent, stay passionate and work to build relationships with people I could one day have a platform and a company that would resonate and help others starting with self confidence in how they look and feel…a good outfit can be a powerful thing.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
After I graduated from SCAD I worked for a direct sales company called J.Bloom that was focused on women’s jewelry. It was such a fun experience and being a recent graduate with a job in the accessories industry felt like a dream. I worked for them for about a year and then decided that Atlanta was home and really needed to get back to the city so I made the move back and started to work through my contacts in Atlanta. From there, I went on to doing some private consulting work for a handful of Atlanta based companies specializing in retail, real estate and the hospitality industry. My primary focus was branding and building brand awareness. I really found my knack for all things brand. We’re talking social media, digital content and events. An opportunity then came up to work for Home Depot corporate. Although it would take me out of the fashion industry it allowed me to work in a creative capacity focusing on product shoots and campaigns for seasonal initiatives. It was an opportunity I knew would be one that would strengthen my skills and allow me to learn so much from a Fortune 500 company. My next stop took me to a small agency located in Buckhead…if you could talk about the perfect fit it had to be Infinitee. I stepped back in the fashion industry and worked with a small team on one of their largest accounts and one that had been part of the agency for quite some time, Tanger Outlets. The opportunity was incredible to say the least. I got to fulfill my dream of photoshoots in NYC working with top photographers, stylist, makeup artists and creatives. I ran the social media portion of the account with the Ranger team and it was amazing. It truly was an experience and opportunity I will be eternally grateful for and will always cherish. After a few years at the agency I felt it was time to push forward and chase my dreams and starting my own blog and styling company. It really felt like the right time and I felt confident in my experiences and connections to take the leap. I haven’t looked back since!

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?
Ooh this is a good one! I’m all about a fun day out. Coffee – Valor Coffee Brunch – Roswell Provisions Afternoon hangs – Estrella rooftop on the belt line – hands down best marks… then head over to the rooftop at ponce for games and great views. Feel like a fun class… try a candle making class at Candlefish Dinner- Optimist

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My friends and family for supporting me in every way!

Website: www.ashlanamelia.com

Instagram: @ashlanamelia

Facebook: Ashlan Riess

Other: Liketoknowit APP – AshlanAmelia

Image Credits
Studio Space – Blanc Studio West