The lesson of the story is, don't wait to send that message or reach out to your friends & catch up. Ryan McNeill & I grew up in Southern Oklahoma together, going to elementary school together in Healdton, Oklahoma. Our families lives were intertwined through their professions, so needless to say, Ryan & I know each other fairly well. In our teenage years, Ryan, as well as his older brothers were musical influencers.... tastemakers.... Always had the coolest band tshirts & were listening to something no one else had even heard of before. in 2002, I went to NYC to cover the CMJ Music Festival / Conference. During that trip i reconnected with Ryan & went to a show in Brooklyn as he showing me the city. Fast forward to 2026 & Ryan has worked in advertising in Manhattan, worked on Deadliest Catch in Alaska, as well as formed a band called "Debate Team" w/ members of OkGo & One Republic. I sent Ryan a message & asked him to be a guest on the podcast b/c at the end of July, Ryan & his family are relocating to Madrid. In this episode we will talk about his career, musical influences, growing up in Oklahoma, & ultimately navigating a major life change in moving to a different country.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.