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

Hi Josh, what role has risk played in your life or career?
My current understanding of risk differs heavily from how I thought about risk
earlier in life. I now know that risk is necessary to advance in life. As we live
and grow we will most certainly come face to face with risk. Risk is not to be
confused with danger. I believe that risks are truly opportunities that get
masked by our fears and perception. How one evaluates risk will determine if
they are left with the pain of regret or with the joy and excitement of an
opportunity seized. The question I now ask myself when dealing with risk is,
what makes it a risk? Is there imminent danger or am I being fearful? For most
of my life it was the latter. I made many “risky” or dangerous decisions not to
challenge myself, not to grow or evolve, all based out of my perception which
was rooted in fear. Learning to seize and take risks to move forward truly
changed my life. Taking risk or seizing opportunity, as I see it, is ultimately
what led to me starting my business. Taking risks has been a catalyst behind
the growth and development within my life. Understanding this truth has
helped me see countless new opportunities, which is the true value of taking
risks. Changing how I viewed risk helped me see more dare-to-be-great
moments and maximize those instances to reach goals and achieve success.
It is said that fortune favors the bold, so I challenge those that read my story
to be bold enough to throw away fear, and take risks that challenge you to
grow, develop and be better. Every day we choose not to seize opportunities
to grow, mature, and be better, we dangerously risk not moving forward and
progressing in life. The secret to life lies in the risks we take to get a little
better with each new day.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I own and operate A Touch of Brilliance. It is a barbershop and grooming
studio that strives to provide men with outstanding service. We offer a variety
of grooming services in a relaxed and private environment. My goal is to
create a unique and tailored experience for each client. I understand that my
clients are looking for more than just a haircut, which requires me to
constantly figure out better ways to serve them. One of the biggest challenges
I faced was staying organized and focused on one aspect of the business at a
time. Discovering that using all of my energy and focusing on one aspect at
time has saved me many headaches. I want people to know that I am truly
seeking to leave a lasting impact on all the men that I come across. When
people think of A Touch of Brilliance I want them to think not only of grooming
but of the, uplifting and encouragement of all men. We are creating a brand
that is focused on the total man. By creating services that cater to grooming,
mental health, and overall wellness of the men we serve, we will leave a
lasting impact on our community.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
Wow, this is tough because Atlanta has so much to offer. I am a chill and laid
back individual. I like good food, good people, and good conversation. Here
are a few things I enjoy doing around town with friends. We love to go
tailgating at the Falcons vs Saints game. The tailgating experience is always
fun and entertaining. Nothing like talking trash to Saints fans to stir up some
excitement. With music soaring, drinks pouring, and food galore it’s hard not
to enjoy yourself. I absolutely love live music. During the week we have to
stop at Eddie’s Attic and catch a live acoustic show from one of my favorite
artists, in a really dope environment. Eddie’s is a cozy and intimate venue with
an extremely nice acoustic vibe. It’s definitely a must for me! I really enjoy art
so we stop at the High Museum. They always have great exhibits and every
2nd Sunday is free admission. When it’s time to relax and unwind Acere Cigar
Lounge is the spot. They have great cigars, great drinks and delicious food
and the owner Brian is a really cool guy. Come in and enjoy. There are so
many places to stop by and grab a delicious bite of food. We always stop by
Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, Dat Fire Jerk Chicken, Slutty Vegan, Grass VBQ
Joint which is a dope vegan bbq joint. The owner and head chef Terry
Sargent, collaborated with Orpheus Brewing to get some great brews too.
Busy Bee Café is another, BQE, Chef Rob’s Caribbean Café, and no trip
would be complete without a stop at K&K Soul Food. I could go on and on but
we do more than just eat lol. One of the coolest things I like doing with friends
is a Sofar music experience. It has to be one of my favorites. You sign up to
see a secret show, featuring local Atlanta talent, touring bands, or other
artists. It’s always unique, it’s always fun and it’s always a surprise. These
intimate shows can be in someone’s living room, a warehouse, a recording
studio, or some other cool venue. I get to enjoy all of this and so much more
when I have friends in town and when I just want to hangout in the city.
Atlanta truly is a dope city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to shoutout two individuals and a book at this time. All three combined
have helped me greatly. I have two older cousins that have dropped some
nuggets of wisdom throughout my life. The first is my cousin Darius growing
up around him was fun, he’s definitely the thrill seeking, good time loving type.
Listening to him helped me begin to understand that sometimes you have to
throw fear and caution to the wind. He was the first person that helped me
realize that life is all about experience, and the only way you get that is by
living life, taking chances and trying things. He helped me to realize that you
can learn through the experiences of life, no matter if things turn out good,
bad, or ugly. That has helped me realize that “failure” is just more learning
experience that will help me on my journey. The second is my older cousin
Terrence, he’s been instrumental in laying the foundation for building and
creating vision within my life. I can remember many conversations and calls
discussing creating a plan and vision for my life. He taught me to live life by
design and not by default. I now understand the value of living life on purpose,
I understand the benefits of knowing where you want to go in life. I’d like to
extend a huge thank you to both of them for the guidance, wisdom and
conversations over the years. The last shoutout is to the book the Power of
Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy. This book is amazing! It really
helped me to transform my mind and perspective on life. This book helped me
tie together the lessons and wisdom from my cousins and empowered me to
move forward in my life with a sense of confidence that I haven’t always had.
It taught me to evaluate and examine my thoughts. After reading this book, I
realized that the thoughts and beliefs in my mind are far more important to
living the life I desire than external factors. Before reading the book I was
overlooking the internal component that truly leads to success. Without the
influence of these individuals and the help of this book I would still have a
ways to go. I am truly grateful to all who have poured into my life and to all
who have planted seeds in my life. Thank you! Shoutout and much love!

Instagram: atb_grooming

Image Credits
Darius Nuckles, Darrell Byrd, Terry Sargent,