Most lawyers think success means looking polished and professional. This former firefighter proved them wrong. In this episode of Personal Injury Mastermind, Ryan reveals how his early attempts at "looking like a lawyer" bombed, while raw, emotional content built him a following of 1.9 million. From getting rejected by 13 law schools to becoming a social media phenomenon, Ryan breaks down why authenticity beats credentials in modern legal marketing.

Dominate your market today. Grab a copy of Chris’ latest book, Personal Injury Lawyer Marketing: From Good to GOAT. 

In this episode of Personal Injury Mastermind, former firefighter turned employment lawyer Ryan shares how he built a following of over 1.9 million people through education instead of advertising. Ryan found his path and revolutionized legal marketing by focusing on authentic content that serves his audience.

We discuss:

Ryan Stygar is a former firefighter who spent four years battling California's wildfires and serving as a desert-rescue specialist in the Ocotillo Wells region before becoming an employment lawyer. He's built an incredible following with 1.9 Million TikTok followers and 191K YouTube subscribers.

Chris Dreyer is the CEO and founder of Rankings.io, the elite legal digital marketing agency. 

00:00 Intro

02:11 Why Ryan Left Firefighting 

04:14 Starting from Zero: Early Days of Marketing 

05:47 The Anti-Sell Approach: Education Over Advertising 

07:03 Content Strategy: Why Practice Area Doesn't Matter 

08:41 The Evolution: From Polished to Authentic Content 

13:20 Organic vs Paid Growth: Strategic Approach 

14:33 Building a Personal Brand vs Traditional Marketing 

15:34 Don’t Box Mike Tyson: Play Him at Pickelball 

16:25 The Power of Authenticity and Work-Life Balance 

17:30 Closing Thoughts