Have you woken from you sleep because your mind is working overtime? I have the pleasure of this happening to me this morning. It is 3:16 AM and my mind has been creating this story, so I figured I should get up and put it on paper. I have my Microsoft Windows coffee cup at my side and hope that this story plays out on paper as well as it did in my dreams.
Goggle Man is not a writer. I am a storyteller who likes to share his experiences with people. Storytelling seems to be a lost art in the land of social media and vast amounts of data that bombards us ever second. This exposes us to people, but do we really get to know the person. The mission of this project is to get to know people in an authentic way; like a character in a novel. What makes us all human. This is Goggle Man's first profile piece
Ryan is a recruiter at Microsoft. He has been in the recruiting field for over 15 years. He was going to be a teacher and fell into recruiting after he graduated from college. Recruiting was a good match for his personality because he was able to talk with interesting people while helping them improve there lives by providing a new career opportunities. Ryan met his wife Heather (who is also a recruiter) and they quickly married. One month after getting married, Heather received a job offer in Redmond Washington to support Microsoft. Their journey began.
Living in California for his entire life, Ryan did not fully understand how huge Microsoft really was. As a person, Microsoft had impacted his life with the creation of the PC and software that was used at work. However, moving to Redmond was a life changing experience. Seeing the impact on an area- the buildings, people, virtually a community built around one Man's dream. WOW. Ryan soon was pulled into supporting Microsoft as a recruiter- helping build their inside sales teams. Fast forward to today, Ryan is now FTE with Microsoft and is responsible for supporting the Americas US, Canada, and LATAM sales teams.
Ryan's career is not our story. He has had a successful career, but there is more to the man. As in all great novels, we need become part of the characters journey. We need to walk in their shoes and experience life as they do. This is what woke me up at 3:16 AM this morning. How do I tell Ryan's recent journey in a way that conveys reality? In a way that displays challenges that he faces in life but allows the reader to not read, but experience the journey. A real story.
Life changed for Ryan on March 24th 2014. He received a call in the middle of the night that no one wants to receive. The call was from his Dad's cell phone, but it was not his Dad. His step mom informed him that his father had experienced a massive heart attack that afternoon while riding his bike. The words just hung there... His Dad was in perfect health and just turned 65. He was planning a fishing trip with his Dad- this cannot be happening. Life as Ryan knew it changed forever.
This was the first major loss for Ryan. He had lost his Grandparents years earlier, but it made since since they were ready. His Dad was not ready. There was so much more life to experience. Ryan's Dad was the adventurer. He was the one that took Ryan to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite (pictured here). He was the one that taught him how to backpack- how to be a man. Now what would Ryan do without his guide. Only time would tell.
The next year was not easy for him. Greif is an interesting thing. It is hard to get out from under it. In some ways you will not get away from it ever. Luckily, Ryan had the support of a loving wife and family that helped him deal with his loss. Ryan also had the support of an understanding organization. Microsoft was a place that provided support- all of his colleagues were understanding and helped him keep going. The work at Microsoft also provided a place to keep his mind off of the void. It was an environment that helped support his recovery.
On March 24th 2015, Ryan and his family set off to complete the fishing trip that he and his Dad were planning, but were not able to accomplish. It was not an ideal day for fishing with 40 mph winds and rain, but it was the only way that Ryan's Dad would have had it- a complete adventure. This is the day that our character becomes the hero of the story. Ryan took the challenges of the day head on and overcame the adversity completed the fishing trip he and his father were planning. Below is a picture of the only fish caught on the river that day. It was a gift from his Dad, a reminder that his Dad will always be with him. The first smile while fishing since his father passed away. Growth.
Ryan shared this picture with me. It has become who he "is" at Microsoft. He is now known as the Fly-Fishing Recruiter because he has used this picture as his profile picture. You can see this same picture and others on his LinkedIn page. I assumed that Ryan must really like to fish. He told me that he does, but not to the level that most people would think. The true reason he now fishes is to connect with his Dad. The Owyhee River is a magical place for Ryan. It is the place that he and his father now are able to fish together. It is the place where his creative ideas come from because it is simply him, his dog Brody, and his Dad. This picture reminds him of that magical day where he was able move forward and meet his Dad at the river. That is why it is his profile picture at work. A visual inspiration to keep moving forward. He claims that he is more motivated as ever. This event has driven him to think differently at work and to take risks. There is not a fear of failing because we do not know if there will be a tomorrow. Change has to happen if we like it or not.
So now Fly-fishing has become a major passion for Ryan. Most days, you can find him on a remote stream in Idaho. It is not about the fish, it is about the making the memory of connecting with his Dad. It provides the quiet time that allows him to feel small again and get away from the noise that we all experience with the world we live in. Not having cell phone coverage helps focus his time on being human, getting away from technology for a while and living. Catching large Browns is an added plus!
I have learned from this journey with Ryan that we all have challenges in life. Some are larger than others, but we all experience them. Ryan had a great support system that helped him overcome a life changing event. He continues to have a company that supports him and helps motivate him to develop his career in the direction he wants to go. Ryan is one of many people that Goggle Man will be showcasing at Microsoft. There are so many incredible stories to capture illustrate the culture of Microsoft. Unique people helping drive the dream of one man to have a PC on every desk.
I want to make this journey interactive. Feel free to post challenges that make the "real you". We all have them and hope that you have been inspired by this story.
Life is an adventure- make the most of it.
Goggle Man Out!
** No fish were harmed in the production of this blog post. All fish were released back into the wild to be caught again.**
