Nathan Ryan is an entrepreneur, business leader, and organizer. For more than a decade, his work has been influential in the creative and consulting services industry. His experience includes the founding of startup organizations Omaze and Genee, as well as collaboration with startups and multinational enterprises such as Verizon and the Walt Disney Corporation.
Today, as co-founder and CEO of Blue Sky Partners – a consultancy focused on helping leaders and their businesses put systems in place so they can scale, and as co-founder of Good Politics – an event series focused on bringing good people into the politics, Ryan is focused on helping people, companies and communities build their better habits.
Ryan serves on the board of Friends of Austin Neighborhoods and Doing W.I.T., and sits on the fundraising committee for Texas Civil Rights Project. He lives in Austin with his wife, Amanda, and dogs, Max and Rory.
6:40 AM
Run on Town Lake
Lady Bird Lake
I’m an early bird who usually gets up around 5 a.m. to drink coffee and read. I like to start my day with cardio as often as possible as well—usually I can find enough willpower to make it happen at least four days a week.
11:00 AM
BSP Work at Austin Public Library
Austin Central Library
After getting some work done on my own (my most productive time, personally, is first thing in the morning), on Wednesdays our management team meets to work through client-related strategy. For now, since so much of our work is done out of client offices, we utilize Austin’s new Central Library downtown for space to keep overhead down and invest primarily in people.
1:00 PM
Client Meeting at Ebco Office
Ebco Offices
Wednesday afternoons center around client meetings for us, so after our internal strategy meeting we head over to Ebco’s office to discuss the plan for our next quarter of work with them.
3:00 PM
Good Politics Meeting
Native Hostil
Planning meeting for an event series I just launched with my friend, Liz Coufal, called Good Politics—basically, we’re throwing political parties and inviting candidates and elected officials so people can get to know them in a much more relaxed setting.
7:00 PM
Friends of Austin Neighborhoods Board
Austin Central Library
I serve on the board of a city-wide neighborhood organization here in Austin called Friends of Austin Neighborhoods, and that’s my last meeting of the day. Our work encourages people to be good neighbors and welcome new neighbors; we want to get more people involved in the policies and politics that affect their neighborhoods. If you live in ATX, you should join!
8:30 PM
Founder’s Institute Texas Expansion
Native Hostel
After the FAN meeting, I dropped by to celebrate the expansion of Founder’s Institute Texas with my friends Elisa and Martín.
Written and photographed by Weston Carls