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

Hi Ryley, what role has risk played in your life or career?
In my business my risks aren’t taking crazy, uncalculated leaps into things. For me, risk is looking for the next thing that not everyone is doing – the thing that doesn’t have proof that it has already worked for everyone else. With the speed of business and life, in our current world, you will be left in the dust if you sit around waiting to make the safe move that has been proven to work for others. You have to stick your neck out, do the leg work yourself, and be willing to put the time into your own, new idea. Dedicating time to incorporate one new thing at a time, and learning to do it well, before moving on to the next big idea, on my list, is how I make my risk more calculated with a better success rate. Being someone who is attracted to change and unattached to structure is probably what allows me to thrive in this area. But as you can guess, my tendencies to be less structured in my days can give it’s own set of challenges. Everything has it’s give and take.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
With a degree in Construction Management, 6 years in the commercial construction industry, never having worked a day of retail in my life, I started Savannah Sevens as a side hustle in 2013. I love that my story supports the idea that anyone can pivot and head in a completely new direction at any point in their life. My previous career contributed largely for teaching me how to manage time, money, people and a project.

Around year 7 of my business, I can tell you, I started to feel like I was starting to get a life back outside of work. Less nights and weekends have been worked. Growing to a size that allowed for a larger and wonderful team is what allowed for this. During all these years I put a long pause on riding horses regularly and competitive barrel racing. This had always been a large part of my life since I was a child. Just in the last year have I been able to slowly start getting back into it. It was also really hard having babies while growing my young business. I was back to work full-time, with baby in tow, when each of my kids were 5 days old. I never know if I feel more sad or proud of that. E-retail doesn’t wait patiently on the side lines for you to come back to it when you are ready, making it a very demanding line of work. I love all the ways that I have been blessed by this endeavor, but definitely feel that nothing in life comes easy or without its sacrifices.

I believe what sets Savannah Sevens apart, into its own sector of the Western Retail Industry, is that since the very beginning I have looked to provide a product and service in a way that no one else was/is doing it. I have always been very intentional about the branding of my business. I feel strongly about keeping my family and my business tied to our western way of life and agricultural roots. My passion for this shows through in all areas of Savannah Sevens, and I truly feel is largely what keeps our customers connected to us. I’ve always stuck with the saying I strive to “under promise and over deliver” – words taught to me by a mentor in the construction industry. We offer our customers unique, quality pieces that they can live in day-in and day-out, for every hat they wear in life, while keeping them tied to their western life{&}style.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
After college, my first job was in Fort Worth. Outside of work you would find me at a barrel race or taking in live music in the Fort Worth and Dallas area. Texas Country music has my heart like no other. Catching a acoustic set on a low-key Sunday evening at the Love Shack in the Stockyards definitely rates high on my list. I could always count on 95.5 The Ranch to give me all best lists of venues and artists in the area. My favorite restaurants in the area will always be Joe T. Garcias and a steak at H3 Steakhouse in the Stockyards!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family is my biggest supporters. My parents have always been entrepreneurs themselves and have been 110% supportive since I first came up the idea of starting Savannah Sevens, back in 2013. They have shown me through the years that your time is the most valuable thing you can give someone. My husband and young kids’ love and encouragement through the years of growing my business mean a great deal. A lot of sacrifices have had to be made by all of us, especially during the early years of the business. I have also been very blessed with some of the most amazing women that work for me. A special thank you to all of those in the industry and our very loyal customers that have supported my small business all these years.

Website: savannahsevens.com

Instagram: @savannah7s

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Savannah7sWesternChic/

Youtube: @savannah7s

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/SavannahSevens/

Image Credits
AH Photography and Co. Happy Trails Co. Kayla Capture

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.