By: Frost Publishing Group
Trends shift at the speed of light, but Ryan Batyski has carved his path by staying ahead of the curve. As a small-town boy in Holtville, Alabama, to a successful business owner with a sneaker resell store and a country-themed hat and clothing brand, serves as a powerful reminder that determination and faith can take you anywhere, no matter where you start.
Growing up in Holtville, a town where southern roots run deep, Ryan spent much of his childhood outdoors, hunting, fishing, and immersing himself in the rural life that shaped his personality. But by the time he was 16, another passion began to grow—one that would set him on a path toward entrepreneurship. “I remember seeing Yeezys and Jordan 1s for the first time,” Ryan recalls. “I thought they were so interesting, way before I even knew you could make money reselling them.”
His fascination for sneakers turned into an obsession, not just with the products themselves but with the entire culture surrounding them. Visiting sneaker stores weekly, Ryan would stare at the shelves, dreaming of owning a pair. “I’d just look at them for hours, amazed,” he says. It wasn’t until a store employee mentioned that people resell sneakers for profit that a light bulb went off. A seed was planted that day, and it didn’t take long for him to dive headfirst into the world of sneaker reselling.
The Birth of a Sneaker Empire
By the fall of 2017, Ryan had taught himself how to navigate the reselling world, soaking up information, experimenting, and learning the market. By 2018, he was ready to start making his mark. The timing couldn’t have been better. “This was prime reselling time,” Ryan explains. “You could walk into a store, buy a sneaker, and walk out a few hundred dollars richer any day of the week.”
Reselling online and to other stores soon became a full-time hustle. But the real turning point came in 2020 when Ryan met his business partner, John Bush. The two hit it off and began working together, building momentum as they developed their business. “After we started working together, things really started to take off,” Ryan says. “By 2021 and 2022, we were busy—really busy.”
In December of 2022, after years of saving and hustling, Ryan and John opened their sneaker resell store, and business has been booming ever since. “We’ve seen great success,” he says, noting that the store has generated over seven figures in revenue. But for Ryan, it’s not just about the numbers. “We’re always making our store better, every day, and we’re having a great time while doing it.”
A New Venture: Country-Style Hats and Clothing
While his sneaker business was flourishing, another opportunity presented itself that felt close to home—literally. Growing up in the heart of Alabama, with its country lifestyle, Ryan had a deep connection to the culture of the South. When he was invited to be part of a new hat and clothing brand, launching in September 2024, it felt like a natural extension of his upbringing.
“My roots are in Holtville, Alabama. It’s a small town, but it’s where I learned everything—especially about hard work and determination,” Ryan explains. His country-themed brand reflects that spirit, with each piece of clothing inspired by the outdoors and the southern way of life.
Overcoming Challenges
As with any business, there have been challenges along the way. One of the biggest, according to Ryan, is staying ahead of ever-changing trends, particularly in the fashion industry. “Trends are always evolving,” he says. “It’s something that will never go away, so you have to stay on top of it.”
To combat this, Ryan has made it his mission to not just follow trends but set them. “I want my stores to not only have the hottest trends but to create trends,” he says. “That’s how you beat the problem—you stay ahead of the curve.”
Faith, Family, and a Life of Gratitude
For all of his success, Ryan is quick to attribute everything to his faith. “I wouldn’t be here without Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior,” he says. “He has blessed me beyond measure, and I am forever grateful. Even without success, He has done so much for me.”
Dropping out of college to pursue his passion for business wasn’t an easy decision, but Ryan knew it was the right one. His success is a testament to what’s possible when you’re willing to work hard and take risks. “I started a million-dollar business after dropping out of college,” he says proudly, adding that the journey hasn’t always been smooth, but it’s always been worth it.
Looking to the Future
As for what’s next, Ryan’s ambitions are as big as ever. “I see myself moving from industry to industry for the rest of my life,” he says. “I love to work and innovate. If I can be blessed enough to do that forever, I’ll be happy.”
He also has dreams of giving back, particularly through starting a nonprofit for underprivileged children in low-income communities. “I’ve been given so much, and if I can give back in some way, that would make all of this worth so much more,” he says.
In the end, Ryan’s message is simple: Go after what you want, and don’t hold back. “Everything in life is for the taking—you just have to want it bad enough,” he says. “Most people say they want things, but is what you want worth giving everything? If you hesitate, then this may not be for you.”
For Ryan Batyski, the answer has always been clear—he’s all in. And his story is proof that, no matter where you start, with hard work, faith, and the right mindset, anything is possible.
Published by: Holy Minoza
