Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Ryan.
Elizabeth, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It was about 3 years ago that I started my blog, I was living on Cape Cod and wanted a way to escape my daily life and after the encouragement of my mother, I stopped being afraid to write and instead embraced my gift for words. A year after, I started my blog, I decided that I wanted it to be a resource for women, somewhere that they could go to find inspiration and a platform for my family to keep up to date on my life. I was working at CVS at the time and came up with my new blog name while standing at the register. I tore off a small piece of register tape, grabbed a pen and started to write down words that described me. I was blonde, ambitious and full of adventure so it was fitting that I named my blog Miss Blonde Ambition. The next two years, my life changed as did the content that I posted. I eloped and ended up getting divorced, I moved to Bridgewater to attend college then I moved to Boston to live with my now fiancé and I developed a life crippling and incurable chronic illness that changed everything for me.
The year that I started my blog, I started to feel sick, every fall and winter I was dizzy and exhausted almost daily. I had brain scans because my doctors thought I might have a brain tumor, but they couldn’t find anything. I was given anti-seizure medication because one of my specialists thought I might be suffering from migraines and instead of helping, I actually ended up having a seizure, a side effect of the medication because it wasn’t what my body needed. Fast forward to 2016, I became aware of my allergy to candles and realized that every time I lit them, I would instantly feel sick. Little did I know, that this condition becomes worse after traumatic events.
2016 wasn’t my favorite year and is the reason that my disease escalated so quickly. In February, I was assaulted, in the spring, I was raped and Christmas day of 2016 my little brother died, which was the single most damaging, earth-shattering and traumatic thing that I had been through that year. My body started to betray me and quit working the way that I needed it to. Later on, I was officially diagnosed with Multiple chemical sensitivity and non allergic rhinitis. To put it in the simplest terms, my body releases too much histamine with makes me allergic to anything at any given time. I am deathly allergic to any and all artificial scents that are often found in perfume, cologne, shampoo, body wash, makeup, candles, lotions and about anything else that lists the word “parfume” or fragrance. When I am exposed, I usually feel sick for 3 weeks and develop hives, rashes on my body, extreme dizziness and anaphylaxis. We have found a facemask that I wear when I go out in public, but it only helps a little so most days, I still feel sick.
During this time we had to do a lot of trial and error when it came to the products that I could use. I threw away hundreds of dollars worth of products which didn’t leave me with much. This is when I realized that I need to make my own because then, I will know exactly what I am putting into my body. I started to make my own lotions, I started using coconut oil for moisturizer, I stopped using hair products and eventually, I began making my own shampoo which launched my new beauty line, Élloura Beauty. In 2016, I started researching ways that I could make money and developing my own products was a part of that plan but because of the year I had, I never went through with the planning that it takes to launch a company.
It wasn’t until my stylist suggested that I bottle and sell my shampoo, that I knew this was something I HAD to do. I stopped making excuses and instead of being afraid I just leaped. I figured that with everything I had been through that I deserved a break and with my story, I had a new opportunity to help others even more. I designed my own labels, researched bottling companies and tested out formulas. After taking a trip to Aurora, Colorado, I decided on combining my name and this new beautiful city that I fell in love with, hence the name Élloura.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
This is a funny question for me because I always say that my life would make for an exceptional lifetime movie. I think that the hardest thing for me is to not let my past get in the way. My mother raised me and my brothers for most of my life by herself until she found Randy, the man that became my dad when I was just 16 years old. Before he came into our lives we had a really hard time and were struggling. I was a victim of child abuse, a girl who was bullied for most of her life and drugs had destroyed my family more than once. I’ve always let those parts of my life stop me from following my dreams or believing that I could be more than life had made me. When I lived in Dunnellon, Florida (where I am from) I never knew that there was this great big world out there where you could do anything you want or be anyone you wanted to be. I never thought in a million years that, I would be living in Boston and working, doing something I truly love because I thought that, I was always meant to work part-time jobs and struggle to make ends meet.
As I got older and even now, I have found it really hard to let go of those thoughts and instead use my story to boost myself. I would say that a huge part of why I share so much of my story is because of my friends and family. I have received so much love and support from them and have countless emails, messages and texts telling me that what I have been through and how strong it has made me inspires them. My greatest struggle now at this very moment is, now that I know I can be anything and do anything I want, I have so many passions that I feel as though one life isn’t enough. I want to be an author, a business owner, a thought leader in the health and allergen-free world, an actress, a mother and an inspiration for women everywhere. Now that I have so many passions and goals, I find that becoming more organized and balancing everything can be really hard.
My advice for anyone who has been through anything that I have or someone facing their own struggles is to use your voice to lift yourself and others up. Don’t ever feel as though your voice doesn’t matter or that your life is already planned out by the time that you are born. You have the opportunities to do anything that you want to do and you have the power to influence millions of people. If you go through something tragic or frustrating don’t give up, because there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. If I had given up every time that something tragic or unfortunate happened then, I would probably be somewhere much different than I am at this very moment. This earth needs more love, more spirited young minds and more people sharing their own stories. If you’re building a business, this applies to you so much more than you know! Customers buy products from companies that they believe in, that they trust and truly connect with on an emotional level. So, share your story because you never know who you will help or how far it could take you.
Please tell us about Miss Blonde Ambition & Elloura Beauty.
As I have said, I have so many passions, so I really try to tie in my expertise and passions into my everyday work. My first big project that I did as an individual was a social experiment on my college campus. This was something that I wanted to do for a year and when I finally got the chance to, I knew it was now or never. I stood on my campus blind-folded in a sports bra and workout shorts with markers in each hand and a whiteboard at my feet. This whiteboard read “I am standing for anyone who has struggled with an eating disorder or self-esteem issues like me. To support self-acceptance draw a heart on my body”. It was my first semester at this college and I was nervous because making myself completely vulnerable was terrifying. In an hour, I received over 70 hearts and symbols on my body from strangers, some of them who would actually become my classmates or friends. This social experiment taught me a lot about other people and the love that they are capable of, but it also taught me that, I am powerful and so much more important than I thought. I had so many people thank me for standing there for them and anonymous messages telling me that they wanted to sign my body but they were afraid. It was an inspiring moment and every time I watch the video we created from that day, I always get chills.
This was the moment that I decided to use my voice and experiences to help others. Following this day, I went on to hold a Domestic Violence Open Forum where I not only talked about my own experiences but also educated others about red flags and the dangers of dating violence. I changed the mission of my blog and started creating content to inspire others and offer hope to others. I started getting noticed by the allergen-free community for my activism and became a blogger for the Gluten & Allergen-Free Expo. I started working with brands like Maybelline New York, Bob’s Red Mill. I launched an I AM THAT GIRL chapter on my campus, I worked with my universities Sodexo to educate others about food allergies, I ran a 5k for Shatterproof to raise money to fight against the opioid epidemic and I have also been in communication with Senator Markey’s office to develop more rights for passengers during plane travel that have disabilities both physical and chronic illnesses like mine.
I truly believe that my love for others and my passion for making change sets me apart. I have always been a kind person, someone who would do anything for others not because it made me feel good but because it made THEM feel good to feel loved, to feel human connection. My mission for my brand and my life are the same, I want to surround everyone with better options so that they can live a healthier and happier life whether it’s an allergen-free recipe, my all-natural shampoo or advice on how to leave their toxic relationship.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
When I first started writing and developing my blog, I turned to women that I found online who inspired me. I stumbled across a video of Alex Beadon a woman that quickly because my inspiration but is also now my personal friend on Facebook. Her voice and expertise drew me in and she made me feel alive and ready to take on any challenges that I might have faced. As my brand grew, so did my need for a mentor and the ways that I found my own. I was lucky enough to be thrown into a community of Boston bloggers and I also joined the Facebook group Boston Business Women. I have found that the best way to find your own mentor is to look at people that inspire you, that you want to be like or look at someone’s business.
Usually, if I find a website that is health and lifestyle based and I feel an emotional connection and instantly inspired to do my own work, I know that this person could be my next mentor. Now, I haven’t actually reached out to these women and asked them to be my mentors but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t! Being a leader in business and the online world means putting yourself out there especially if you want to build your brand. Networking and mentoring come hand in hand because many times you can find your mentor by simply attending a networking event. When I attend the Gluten & Allergen-Free Expo each year as their blogger, I network with major brands. This not only gives me the opportunity to walk into the grocery store and say, “I met the founders of this perfectly free brand” but they know who I am which means that I get more opportunities. My biggest advice for anyone that wants to network is to always be professional and always carry business cards. You never know who you will meet at your local coffee shop or bookstore, so be mindful of what you’re saying and how you carry yourself.
Pricing:
- My All-Natural Rosemary Coconut Shampoo is $15
- My Relax and Detox Bath Soak is $35
Contact Info:
- Website: www.missblondeambition.com
- Email: Press@missblondeambition.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/missblondeambition
- Facebook: Facebook.com/missblondeambition
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/EllouraBeauty
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