Sian Bitner-Kearney shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Sian, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
While I want to acknowledge that all three qualities are deeply important, if I had to choose just one, I would choose integrity. Intelligence can be cultivated through curiosity and continuous learning. Energy can be strengthened through passion and lifestyle, but integrity is different, it is woven into the very fabric of who you are. It may be nurtured by those around you, but ultimately, it is an innate inclination. Without integrity, intelligence and energy risk being squandered, never leading to meaningful change or lasting greatness.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Sian Bitner-Kearney, the founder and executive director of Rock Your Beauty. I started this nonprofit right here in Cincinnati because I believe every woman deserves to feel confident, celebrated, and connected. Fashion has always been more than clothes to me, it’s a way to express who we are, to step into our power, and to remind ourselves that beauty comes in every age, race, body type, background, and ability.
At Rock Your Beauty, we’re all about lifting each other up and creating spaces where women can shine. We do this through two big initiatives that are close to my heart:
1. Our Annual Fashion Show & Fundraiser – Happening this year on Saturday, March 14, it’s not just a runway show, it’s a joyful celebration of diversity, confidence, and community. Our fashion show isn’t just our biggest fundraiser, it’s also a tribute to real women, real confidence, and the kind of self-expression that doesn’t ask for permission and never plays small.
2. Our Glow Up Awards – This program is all about fresh starts and bold new beginnings. Through personalized styling, shopping experiences at women-owned and women-centric boutiques, and uplifting beauty services, we help underserved women in the tri-state area step confidently into their next chapter. To ensure these opportunities reach the women who need them most, we also partner with local nonprofits, rehabilitation centers, and women’s shelters, creating a pathway for transformation, empowerment, and renewed self-belief.
And because beauty is also about the stories we carry, we created the Fearless Beauty Project: Fashion as Power. For this book, we brought together 11 incredible women, invited them to dress in ways that made them feel most beautiful, and captured their portraits in timeless black and white to keep the focus on their strength and individuality. Alongside these images, we compiled their personal narratives into a powerful collection that celebrates resilience, confidence, and authenticity. The book is now available on Amazon, serving as both inspiration and a reminder that every woman’s story deserves to be seen and honored.
Rock Your Beauty isn’t just an organization, it’s a movement. It’s about rewriting the story of beauty, celebrating confidence, and reminding every woman that she is worthy of being seen and celebrated.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was a child, I believed my worth was measured by the words of others. I thought I was only as beautiful, intelligent, or successful as people told me I was. I depended on their validation to feel seen.
Today, I know better. I validate myself. I look inward, and if I recognize that I’m not giving my all, I take it as a call to rise higher, to push harder, to grow stronger, to become more. And on the other hand, if I know I’ve poured out everything I have to give, I allow myself to pause. I breathe, I embrace the moment, and I feel gratitude for how far I’ve come. I know now that true confidence isn’t built on the opinions of others, it’s born from the courage to honor yourself, both in striving and in stillness.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Some of my deepest wounds have been tied to my physical appearance. As a child, I developed earlier than most of my friends, and my body looked different. That difference often made me the target of ridicule. In my teenage years, my weight fluctuated with the stresses of life, and once again, people used it as a weapon to make me feel small. Later, in adulthood, even some of the people who were supposed to love me used those insecurities against me.
Then one day, everything shifted. I realized: I may not be the most beautiful, I may not be in perfect shape, and I may have things to improve, but so does every single person I know. That truth freed me. I stopped measuring myself against the impossible standards others set for me and instead began measuring others against the standards I set for what I deserved.
That awakening led me to “clean house,” removing people who tore me down and creating new standards for those I welcomed into my life. Today, I stand firm in who I am. I no longer accept relationships that diminish me. I only embrace those that uplift me, as I uplift them.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
To this, I would say both yes and no. I don’t believe anyone shows their entire real self in public, it always depends on who you’re with, what you’re doing, and the setting you’re in. In public, you have to be mindful of what you say and how you say it, making sure nothing is taken out of context.
The public eye doesn’t leave much room for exhaustion, bad days, or sadness. It also leaves little space for insecurities or moments of vulnerability. So yes, most of what you see is what you get, but it’s not always the whole picture.
If I’ve just met you, will I hold back from dropping f-bombs until I know you’re comfortable with that language? Absolutely. Will I ask more about you to deflect attention from myself until I feel safe? Yes. Will I smile more and keep my RBF in check? Yes.
The truth is, the real me only emerges once trust is built. And trust, for me, takes time. When it’s there, you’ll see the unfiltered version, the one who doesn’t need to perform, but simply gets to be 100% who she is. However, that is not a version of me that I reveal to everyone.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope that when I’m gone, people will say I made an impact. That impact may look different for each person. For some, it might be deeply personal. For others, it may be connected to my work with Rock Your Beauty. And for others, it could be simply how I showed up to support them when no one else would.
I may never know exactly how my presence touched others, but my hope is that I created lasting, positive change. Change in the way people see themselves. Change in the way they see the world. Change in the way they see what’s possible.
Most of all, I hope people are glad they knew me. And whatever I gave to them, whether encouragement, love, or inspiration, I hope they carry it forward, sharing it with others in my honor.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rockyourbeauty.org/
- Instagram: rockyourbeauty_cincinnati
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rock-your-beauty-cincinnati/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sianbitner/
- Facebook: Rock Your Beauty
Image Credits
James Quigley, Jacob Klein, Jon Calderas
