We were lucky to catch up with Ryan Jae recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ryan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

⸻

In 2022, I found myself juggling a full-time job while being a single mother to a pre-teen and caring for my mother, who had just started dialysis and was recovering from a leg amputation. I had always cared for my elders, and with only one of my mother’s siblings left, I began to think about what life would look like once my mother was no longer here.

At the time, I felt lost. I couldn’t think of any talents or skills outside of caregiving, and it left me feeling discouraged—as if my purpose only existed when I was taking care of someone else. One day, I decided to shift my mindset and focus on something that had always made me feel confident—my smile. I often received compliments on it, and I wanted to find a way to turn that confidence into something meaningful.

I’ve always been drawn to shiny things, so Tooth Gems naturally came to mind. I remembered the popular girls in middle school wearing them, though back then they’d use crazy glue—something my mother would never have allowed! Now, as an adult, I had the chance to learn the proper, safe way to apply them. I began studying and took several courses to educate myself on the correct techniques.

After a small investment in products, I set up shop right in the living room of my two-bedroom apartment and started spreading the word—through friends, family, and social media. My business slowly began to grow. Clients came in hesitant but left smiling, confident, and shining.

However, when I looked back at photos, I noticed that some clients’ smiles were affected by stains, and I wanted to help them even more. I remembered trying teeth whitening myself and how painful it had been, so I decided to learn the proper way. My curiosity led me to enroll in a Teeth Whitening Technician certification course. Once I completed it, I began offering affordable whitening services—at a fraction of the cost of in-office treatments—and continued to grow my business.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Ryan Jae and I’m the owner of Ryan Jae Smiles where I specialize in tooth gems, teeth whitening, and custom gold grillz. My goal is to help people feel confident, expressive, and proud of their smiles.

I started this journey in 2022 while balancing a full-time job, single motherhood, and caring for my mom, who was battling serious health challenges. After years of caregiving, I realized I needed to rediscover myself. What began as curiosity about tooth gems turned into a passion and a business. I took courses, invested in quality materials, and started working right out of my living room—helping clients turn self-consciousness into confidence, one smile at a time.

As my skills and services grew, I added teeth whitening and eventually custom gold grillz, blending artistry with self-expression. Every design I create is personal, meant to celebrate individuality and bring out a client’s natural confidence.

What truly sets me apart is the heart behind what I do. My work was born from healing, and I pour that same energy into every client experience. I’m proud of how far I’ve come and grateful to now be creating smiles that shine as bright as the people wearing them.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I met my business partner, LaRonda Sullivan, owner of Coco’s Beauties, when I was just seven years old. We both grew up in the Bay Area and met through Berkeley Youth Alternatives (BYA), where we played basketball together. Even as kids, LaRonda had a strong, determined energy—someone who always gave her all, whether on the court or in life.

Over the years, we stayed connected and watched each other grow into our own lanes within the beauty industry. LaRonda became a talented esthetician and built Coco’s Beauties, while I developed my brand, Ryan Jae Smiles, specializing in tooth gems, teeth whitening, and grillz. When the opportunity came for us to collaborate and open a beauty spa together, it truly felt like everything had come full circle.

What makes our partnership special is the trust and history behind it. We’ve known each other for most of our lives, so there’s a real foundation of friendship, respect, and shared vision. We both value empowering others and helping people look and feel their best, and now we get to bring that to life together under one roof.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A big lesson I had to unlearn was believing that everyone would understand or support my vision. When I first started Ryan Jae Smiles, I was so excited about my ideas and the direction I wanted to take my business. I thought the people around me—friends, family, and even peers—would instantly see what I saw. But I quickly learned that not everyone would understand my dream, and that’s okay.

At first, it was discouraging. Some people questioned my choices or didn’t take what I was building seriously, and for a moment, that made me doubt myself. I had to unlearn the need for outside validation and remind myself that the dream was given to me for a reason—it wasn’t meant for everyone else to see or believe in.

What kept me going was my clients. Seeing their reactions, their excitement, and how confident they felt after leaving my chair gave me the reassurance I needed to keep pushing. Their satisfaction became my motivation. It reminded me that my purpose was real and that I was creating something that truly made people feel good about themselves.

Once I stopped seeking approval and started trusting my own vision, everything began to shift. I realized that the right people—clients, collaborators, and supporters—would connect with my purpose naturally. That lesson taught me to move with faith, confidence, and gratitude, even when others couldn’t yet see the dream I was building.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://RyanJaeSmiles.as.me
• Instagram: Ryan_Jae_Smiles_
• Facebook: Ryan Jae Smiles

Image Credits

Model4Notes