Ryan Michler is the founder of Order of Man, a community and resource for men to become better versions of themselves. Ryan provides valuable content via his blog and podcast on topics, such as leadership, money, fitness, and style.

In this interview, Ryan shares his back story, what makes Order of Man different, success resources, and fashion & grooming tips.

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Tell us your story. What's your background, and what motivated you to launch Order of Man?

Ryan: I grew up without a permanent father figure in my life and never really had an example to show me how a man behaves (treats his wife, raises his children, etc.). I like to joke that I never even learned how to throw a baseball correctly until I was a junior in high school.

I look at my children now (I have three), and I try to be the best father that I can be - the one that I never had. It’s certainly a journey of learning and discovery but one I’m happy to take.

With Order of Man, I wanted to create a resource that would help me, my sons, and other men become the best versions of themselves. I looked around for resources that would help me do this but just didn’t see the total package, so I set out on a mission to learn what it meant to be a man and how I can develop in some key areas in my life.

So, we started this project and I’ve seen some great improvement in my life and the lives of those men who have become part of The Order that we’re creating.

What's Order of Man all about, and what makes it different than the other "men's improvement" blogs out there?

Ryan: There are a lot of men’s sites out there - some excellent, some fall way short. What makes us different is that we’re hyper-focused on eight key skill sets: Intellect, Leadership, Know-How, Money, Fitness, Self-Mastery, Relationships, and Style.

Another way that we separate ourselves is that we’re really trying to take this to the next level for men. It’s easy to find information on just about any topic you want to learn more about - but what happens after you read that post or watch that video? Nothing! You go about your daily life and forget what you learned, and you’re no better off than you were before.

Right now we’re in the process of creating The Order which will be a membership community designed to go deeper into each of the eight skill sets that I mentioned. We’ll have video courses, workbooks, and a community where we’ll be able to coordinate with other motivated and ambitious men. We really want to create a global “tribe” of strong men.

If you could pass on just one "success" tip, what would it be?

Ryan: My best tip for success is to take action! No one ever made it big or bettered themselves without first acting upon the ideas they’ve had. It would be very difficult to find someone without some big ideas, but finding someone who will execute is infinitely harder.

If anything, I tend to take this to the extreme and end up making some decisions too quickly (which cost me time and money). But, I’d rather make mistakes by going big than sitting around waiting for something to happen. I think the latter costs way more in terms of money, fulfillment, and success.

What are a few resources - books, podcasts, blogs - that you recommend for men who are looking to improve their lives?

Ryan: If you’re really trying to improve your life, you have got to access the great information available today. We live in an amazing time where information is more readily available than any time in history.

I’m a huge fan of books and podcasts, so it’s difficult to narrow it down to just a few.

When it comes to books, I really think that The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy is such a good read. Most people want the home run and - although they’re nice, Darren makes the case for small, consistent actions executed over long periods of time as the source of success in our lives.

I also really enjoy Lewis Howes’ School of Greatness Podcast. He is an excellent interviewer and has some amazing guests that cover business, fitness, nutrition, relationships, and everywhere in between.

Let's switch gears to grooming. What is the #1 issue you think guys struggle with when it comes to grooming?

Ryan: I think that the biggest thing guys struggle with grooming is that they just don’t believe that it’s always necessary. Almost as if grooming and styling isn’t “manly.”

In all reality, taking care of yourself and being conscious about your appearance is one of the manliest things that we can do. If you understand that men, in general, are constantly looking to use tools at their disposal to enhance their lives, you’ll understand that your appearance is another tool in your belt to improve your life.

The way you look matters. I believe that we have to be deliberate in how we portray ourselves if we hope to live to our full potential. Some men may not like that or think it’s not fair that we have to worry about what we look like. The reality is that those men just won’t get as far ahead as those who use style to their advantage.

If you could give our readers just one grooming tip, what would it be?

Ryan: You’ve got to find your style. I’ve seen men with beards, beardless, bald, long hair, rugged, refined, and all of those styles can work if you’re willing to own it.

I have a beard that I’ve been growing for about 5 months and, because it’s genuinely me, it really resonates with people. In a way, my beard defines me. Style is like that - your style will speak to people about who you are.

Experiment with different styles, don’t go too far out, and constantly refine your look so that it’s genuine and authentic to you.

One of the main focuses of this blog is to help men be, look, and feel dapper quickly and efficiently. Do you have a simple and quick grooming routine that you follow that you can share with our readers?

Ryan: I’m a creature of habit so my grooming tends to be pretty regimented. I have found a style that I’m comfortable (not complacent) with and don’t deviate too far from that style.

I really like to take care of my beard. I’ve seen guys grow beards that look horrible because they’re unwilling to take care of it. I’ve got a great set of beard trimmers, scissors, and of course, beard oil and mustache wax goes a long way in making my beard look awesome.

How can our readers learn more about what you're up to and connect with you online?

Ryan: If you’d like to connect with me online, I’d ask you to visit us at www.OrderOfMan.com. If you want to pick up a FREE resource and video on the eight skill sets I talked about earlier, you can head to www.orderofman.com/skills. Other than that you can find us sharing information on becoming the man you were meant to be on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Step Up Your Grooming Game

Thanks to Ryan for the interview! And check this out... Ryan also curated the Order of Man "Beard & Mustache" Bundle:

This bundle consists of Beardbrand Tree Ranger Beard Oil, Beardbrand Tea Tree Mustache Wax, Brooklyn Grooming Beard Soap, and Brooklyn Grooming Mustache & Beard Comb.