Stephanie Riley: Lucky To Have The Work
Written by Julia Ewoldt Stooksberry
Photographed by Carrie Cantrell
Her office is bright with afternoon sun.It still smells like fresh paint from the rich-blue walls and sunshine-yellow trim. Local, bold artis starting to adorn the walls. And the conference room table is cluttered with artifacts from jobs long completed.
It’s okay, though. It’s only her team’s first week in their new office.
Stephanie Riley holds up a felt pennant with the words, “Lucky To Have the Work,” from Jason Isbell’s song “Something More Than Free.”
Stephanie considers herself an artist and an entrepreneur. You may think the phrase “lucky to have the work” is a slight nod to that. It definitely is.
Stephanie Riley is the owner of B3 Creative Agency in Jackson, although she is originally from Union City. She first moved to Jackson after she worked for an area food-product supplier. From there, she started a design agency and then worked for a larger firm before building the business she has now.
As a third-generation business owner, she says her entrepreneurial spirit came directly from her parents and grandparents.
“In the fifth grade, I found an Oriental Trading catalog, and I thought, ‘Trolls are really in right now!’ and asked my mom to buy me 12 of the ‘troll rings’ they had for sale,” Stephanie said. “I marked them up 50 cents, and I charged my classmates $2.50 for ‘troll rings’ sold out of a little suitcase that said, ‘Going to Grandma's,’ on the front.”
Stephanie could have done anything with her inherited talent and spirit. But, already artistically inclined, she discovered Photoshop in high school.
“I had just gotten a computer. I would take this thing home because the teacher didn't want to deal with it, and I was like, ‘Wow, Photoshop is cool!’”
Combining her two skills, Stephanie launched herself into a tough yet rewarding journey as both an artist and entrepreneur. But the longer she talks about her favorite pennant, the more clear it is that her “work” is much broader.
“I'm lucky to have the work because it means I get to be with these incredible people who love what they do and who are so talented,” she said. Stephanie takes pride not only in her work (from national corporations to local festivals and startups) but also the 14 people she works with. Most of them are under the age of 30.
“That's what I'm the most proud of, the team we have here, the team that we built. That's what I think is different about us: truly caring about the people you work with and being very genuine and intentional. It makes it a really awesome place to work,” Stephanie continued. “I'm very proud to say every person in here cares about the dollars we receive, and they care about the work they do because they know it's not only a reflection of our company, but a reflection of themselves, and it's a reflection of their coworkers.”
Because of that, Stephanie views herself as just as much of a mentor to her employees as she does a boss.
Stephanie spoke about the phrase ‘safe at work,’ and she explained not just physical safety but emotional safety. With a young, growing team, this is essential to the growth of her business.
“They feel comfortable if they need to tell me they've made a mistake,” she said. “They are willing to take more risks. You know, if you are too scared to make a mistake, you're going to stay in a box.”
Stephanie said she often finds her employees not just doing their jobs but also constantly collaborating to make their work better. They take the time to learn new techniques, and they feel supported to make mistakes.
“When people feel supported and truly valued, they feel more inspired to do a really good job, and then it's contagious.”
Now, what she is hoping to inspire in her employees is being repaid by her community, as she makes the transition from her office in North Jackson to a brand new space in Downtown Jackson.
“When people feel supported and truly valued, they feel more inspired to do a really good job, and then it’s contagious.”
The new-to-her space on the corner of Shannon and Baltimore is sprawling. It’s even complete with original green tile in the bathroom, a strange air-return vent turned into a table, and a spooky basement she plans on completing in the future (but isn’t quite sure what it will be yet).
“I've had to pause during this building process and just sit there and think about all the people who have been like, ‘I'm so excited about your building. I'm excited it’s being done. You're going to be downtown. I can't wait to see it.’ And I thought, ‘Man, how awesome is that, that people care, that people are interested in what you're doing in the community.’”
The building also features a mural by Samantha Wood, highlighting B3’s work in arts, agriculture, and the Jackson community. It’s exactly the type of culture Stephanie wants to grow.
“It's the heartbeat of the community. We wanted to be a more creative agency. We belong downtown. I wanted to be downtown because I think it takes people investing and being downtown.”
Stephanie Riley made Jackson her home, and she is now encouraging and inspiring others to do the same. Her work is not only her career, but it is also the impact she is making in the community.
“I'm just very lucky to know the people I know, to have the community that we have, and lucky to have the work.”