We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sydney Ness a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sydney , thanks for joining us today. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

The kindest thing anyone has ever done for me has to be just simply believing in me!!
I am unbelievably hard on myself and have been since birth. I was raised by many people and also very few at the same time, as my parents both passed when I was a kid. My mom had breast cancer and my dad chose to take his own life a few years later. While that sucked majorly, and continually sucks, life does goes on!
In that ongoing space we call life- I have realized that I am technically the only person I need to please and not disappoint. However, that gets reaaaaal hard when the going gets tough haha but alas, resilience is the key.
In those moments, where nothing feels like it’s working out, those who have shown me that they believe in me have lifted me out of the dark crevice you can get put into when you have no faith in yourself. While this has literally saved my life, the battle is no where close to being over.
Everyday, I thank the universe for those who believe in me and show me kindness, in literally any capacity. Those small moments add up and eventually, they turn into the building blocks of confidence, perseverance, and many other deliriously wonderful things that make me who I am.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi! My name is Sydney Ness and I am the founder and creative director of Ebb and Flow Creative Co.
I am a multi-hyphenate lady for sure; I am always juggling several streams of income and a myriad of passion projects, all while wearing some sort of heeled shoe. I have a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising as well as minors in marketing and sustainability, from Kent State University, School of Fashion. I have studied, lived, learned, and loved all over the world.
I call Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania home right now, but I only recently moved back from Los Angeles, California (where I think I left half of my heart…). I have lived in Italy, NYC, and parts of Colorado and Ohio as well, but I am most excited for where my next chapter of life is taking me: London, England!
I have worked in any and all capacities for many fashion brands such as Jordache, Sketchers, Just Black Denim, Beyond Yoga, Rue 21, Saks Off Fifth, and many more that would just bore y’all to read haha. In the past year, I worked for Margo Siegel PR, a high-end jewelry PR company based out of Beverly Hills, helped open and run a new vintage and vinyl store in Pittsburgh, as well as a wine bar in my hometown! I am always on the move and seldom stagnant (unless I am camping out in the woods. Being lost in the noise of the earth can, and does, fix all ailments in my humble opinion!). Born out of that solitude came my most recent passion project: Ebb and Flow Creative Co! E&FCC. is a labor of love born from my brain in 2019 while studying in Florence. Fast forward five years of learning, losing, and loving life, I met the wonderful Natalie Bologna. Natalie is a professional photographer and PR master, based out of Pittsburgh, PA, and she aided in setting many of the dreams in my head into motion! She grounded me and helped me find a business-based way of moving through the creative space of fashion/photography/music/etc. E&FCC is a hub for any and all creative endeavors. I aim to simply connect those searching for others’ in the creative space, whether that be photography, styling, creative direction, musical features / bookings, or merchandising and buying capacities. There was never a company I found that held all of the answers I searched and yearned for- so I made one myself! As i mentioned before, this has and will always be, a labor of love. Thank you for reading about me and I hope if you’ve gotten this far, you know I value and love you and maybe you could take a moment to reflect on how wonderful you are.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

The journey of a creative is not one for the faint of heart. It takes perseverance, sheer will, and most of all, creativity! The road one crawls when pursuing something led by their heart and not their brain, will never be easy. It may seem “easier” at times and it sure as hell gets difficult, but alas, it is the most rewarding path one can choose (in my humble opinion). One thing I wish non-creatives could comprehend better, would be the strength and dedication it takes to pursue your passions. It will never be an easily-paved road that leads to this glorious life, but rather a journey full of highs, lows, and a lot of lessons in-between.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Talk to people!! Meet anyone and everyone you can and always be open to new ideas/input. If we’re talking applications or websites, Tumblr and Pinterest are the hubs for all of my creative journeys, as well as some good, old fashioned paper and pens. Doodling and journaling unlock EVERYTHING and ANYTHING!!!

Contact Info:

• Website: not up to standards for sharing right now, sadly!!
• Instagram: @sydneyness
• Facebook: Sydney Ness
• Linkedin: Sydney Ness
• Other: Tumblr: @ebbandflowcreativeco

Image Credits

Sydney Ness (@sydneyness)
Ebb and Flow Creative Co (@ebbandflowcreativeco)
Natalie Bologna (@natalie.bologna / @natalieraeimages)
Adam Mueller (@mllrshots / @admmllr)
Sara Kossler (@sarakossler)
Calvin (@cleancalvin_)