Ryan Harmon's eye for design set him on a career path early in life
On Ryan Harmon’s 16th birthday, his dad was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer. “There was nothing they could do,” he recalls of getting the news. “He looked at alternate medical treatments in Europe and we said, ‘let’s throw a party. It may be his last party.’”
Not exactly the party Harmon was hoping for, but he and his family went ahead with planning a fundraiser to raise awareness of the importance of screening for prostate cancer. Harmon contacted a friend at a local radio station and began planning the event.
“Over 500 people attended and someone said 'wow, you’re really good at this,’” recalls Harmon. “They said, ‘I’d like to hire you when you turn 18.’” That comment launched Harmon on a successful career path in event planning. Now 22, Ryan Harmon Design has earned a reputation for putting on some the most beautiful events in Cleveland.
In 2010, when Harmon was 18, he organized the Downtown Cleveland Alliance’s Sparx City Hop. For the next two years he landed clients doing “logistical events – things where you’re not being too creative.” Then last year a friend asked Harmon to plan his wedding.
After that, things took off for Harmon. Now he does everything from flower arranging for dinner parties to golf outings and nuptials. “I still love logistical events, I enjoy them,” he says. “I see people leave logistical events or technical events, and in that moment you realize, 'wow I’ve made such an impact.'”
Harmon says he’s sometimes frustrated that he’s not taken more seriously because he’s so young. “The hardest thing when I started this, from 16 to 18 I wasn’t focused. When I turned 18 I was thrown into this. A lot of people in the industry are older – 30s, 40s, 50s – and I look a lot younger than I actually am.”
But Harmon uses his age to his advantage, keeping an eye on the trends and coming up with new ideas in events. “It’s nice to bring a fresh, new creative eye,” he says. “In Cleveland, when so many things are done over and over, my biggest accomplishment so far is getting respect from the industry.”
Harmon prefers events where he has complete control. “My favorite clients are the ones who say ‘here’s my budget, here’s kind of what I want,'” he says. “When they say, ‘you take the ropes.’”
Event planning is a passion for Harmon, and he says he’s looking forward to all of the upcoming potential parties in the Cleveland area around the Republican National Convention. “When I do an event, it’s not about getting recognized. I thoroughly enjoy what I do. I don’t consider it work. It’s like one big vacation.”
Ryan Harmon Designs is based out of the Offices at the Agora.
