Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marie Ryan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Marie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
Thank you for the opportunity.
My parents, although very different, share the same principles for living life. Their ideas, beliefs, and principles explained the world to me and how to change it. They pushed me farther in every area of my life. They challenged me to dream big. They built my self-confidence by challenging me to the impossible and teaching me how to accomplish it. NEVER GIVE UP.
As a child if I couldn’t master something instantly, I would get frustrated…and maybe I still do. Perseverance and never having the option to quit were taught very early in my life. My parents have stood by my side through all of my adventures. I remember talking to my dad about a business venture. He explained why statistically it was going to fail. However, I take that as a challenge- to achieve the impossible.
I thought for a few years my “that didn’t go as planned” record would disappoint them. That is how I began seeing failures as opportunities to learn and grow. Falling isn’t failing. Failing is not getting back up.
My parents are both successful in their respective fields. Needless to say, they are both tenacious and motivated by the impossible. They stressed the importance of one’s journey being free from every influence in order to determine our own personal autonomy.
Falling isn’t failing.
Remain teachable.
Ask questions.
If you can’t explain it- you don’t understand it.
Work hard. Play hard.
You will get lost if you don’t know where you are going.
Notice those around you and offer help, money, kind words, open doors…you compassion can offer hope.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?
My name is Marie Ryan and I’m the last person on earth to be chief defender and planner of a quarter million dollar skate park in Irmo, South Carolina. But it’s just one of the things I’d never thought I’d be doing at this point in my life. At 44 years old, a wife and mom of six, I’ve been living with a diagnosis of heart failure for 5 years. During that time, my health and quality of life have declined. I realized that if my time is short then I need to act now! I need to start leaving my legacy!
Back before a thousand things happened – before a national pandemic, a heart attack, declining health and the uncertain future-I thought I had time but in a moment everything changed. Suddenly life was more serious and I wanted to know my life meant something. I wanted to know I left the world a little better than I found it.
Growing up, I had so many opportunities and experiences. These experiences kept my eyes wide open dreaming big. I was on Sesame Street in 1982, held the 1984 summer Olympic torch in L.A., met the Beach Boys/ John Stamos at a concert, won a grape stomping contest in Napa, won 1st Place in 6th grade (ages 12-18) for my Chromatography project, volunteered with the Catholic Worker, owned a fax machine, and traveled.
My father is an entrepreneur and inventor. His first invention of a wah-wah pedal at 15 years old sold almost 1,000 units. My dad has continued to have success with the guitar products he invents. He hasn’t hit a homerun every time. However, he knows that his failures are just as important as his successes.
At the time the project began in Jan 2021, I had stopped living life. I found myself stuck in a pattern that limited my daily activities simply because of a diagnosis. It was not based on a daily assessment. It was based on the premise that my heart was failing and so was I. I needed a re start, jump start…..a new perspective to regain mine.
Irmo is not my hometown. I’m a California girl and grew up in a place where surfing and skateboarding are as natural as breathing. I think that’s maybe why I’m The One pushing for this project. But the idea was born simply out of a desire for convenience: I was sick (literally) and tired of driving my kids 45 minutes across town to the only skatepark. I wanted off the Interstate and out of my car, and I wanted my kids to form bonds and close relationships with the kids in our own community. The more I thought about it, the more I realized, I really want our town to have a positive, central showcase – a place for teenagers and kids like mine to shine and show off their unique talents and craft in a safe, athletic, family-friendly environment.
I want my kids – their friends,
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Marie Ryan and I’m the last person on earth to be chief defender and planner of a quarter million dollar skate park in Irmo, South Carolina. But it’s just one of the things I’d never thought I’d be doing at this point in my life. At 44 years old, a wife and mom of six, I’ve been living with a diagnosis of heart failure for 5 years. During that time, my health and quality of life have declined. I realized that if my time is short then I need to act now! I need to start leaving my legacy!
Back before a thousand things happened – before a national pandemic, a heart attack, declining health and the uncertain future-I thought I had time but in a moment everything changed. Suddenly life was more serious and I wanted to know my life meant something. I wanted to know I left the world a little better than I found it.
Growing up, I had so many opportunities and experiences. These experiences kept my eyes wide open dreaming big. I was on Sesame Street in 1982, held the 1984 summer Olympic torch in L.A., met the Beach Boys/ John Stamos at a concert, won a grape stomping contest in Napa, won 1st Place in 6th grade (ages 12-18) for my Chromatography project, volunteered with the Catholic Worker, owned a fax machine, and traveled.
My father is an entrepreneur and inventor. His first invention of a wah-wah pedal at 15 years old sold almost 1,000 units. My dad has continued to have success with the guitar products he invents. He hasn’t hit a homerun every time. However, he knows that his failures are just as important as his successes.
At the time the project began in Jan 2021, I had stopped living life. I found myself stuck in a pattern that limited my daily activities simply because of a diagnosis. It was not based on a daily assessment. It was based on the premise that my heart was failing and so was I. I needed a re start, jump start…..a new perspective to regain mine.
Irmo is not my hometown. I’m a California girl and grew up in a place where surfing and skateboarding are as natural as breathing. I think that’s maybe why I’m The One pushing for this project. But the idea was born simply out of a desire for convenience: I was sick (literally) and tired of driving my kids 45 minutes across town to the only skatepark. I wanted off the Interstate and out of my car, and I wanted my kids to form bonds and close relationships with the kids in our own community. The more I thought about it, the more I realized, I really want our town to have a positive, central showcase – a place for teenagers and kids like mine to shine and show off their unique talents and craft in a safe, athletic, family-friendly environment.
I want my kids – their friends, my beloved community – to know I think they’re worth the effort. I want my children to see their mom dreaming big and understand anything in life is possible. I’m inspired by the support and encouragement this project is receiving. Everything we read and see in the news these days is bad and biased. But not here. Here, people of all races, socioeconomic groups, religions, and skill find ways to work together and try to find a way to “yes” – to build our community up for everyone’s sake. I love that my kids get to see this goodness.
In a way, I think, this project is saving my life a little every day. I’ve had many significant and really scary health setbacks. But working on the skatepark is life-affirming.
Right now, that’s a pretty big goal and there’s no skating by that!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
The Friarsgate Skatepark Project includes the renovation of a blighted neighborhood park to build a free skatepark for the community. The project requires raising 100% of the money for the construction of the skatepark. Our town voted for the Project to move forward and raise money almost two years ago. The neighborhood park is located with in the town limits. One week after town council voted for the project to start raising funds, I hit a major roadblock.
Money for a capital improvement project, like a community park, is usually awarded through federal and state grants. Grants for parks, outdoor recreation, or tourism provide the largest source of money for the projects. However, we weren’t eligible for these grants. We did not meet the requirements. Our town didn’t own the land that we were supposed to be renovating. Land ownership issues as well as a previous violation of the Land and Water grant prohibited it from funding.
Most people can’t connect emotionally with a skatepark. Philanthropic giving by corporations is driven by the need for social, economic, and environmental change. Therefore, our project would require a socioeconomic benefit connected to our project to elicit the emotional response from potential investors.
I needed strategic partnerships with stakeholders who wanted to develop a financially strong and culturally diverse community that helps its citizens reach their potential.
I had to change my project focus to the vulnerable youth that this skatepark would benefit. The citizens without a voice.
We started at 35 underserved youth in an academically focused skateboarding program. Enrollment has doubled. We have donated boards and helmets to all the kids. We have partnered with VANS shoes and donated shoes and shirts. We hold regular events with sponsors and local skaters helping to teach skills to new riders.
I realized this project had nothing to do with the construction of a skatepark. Our youth needs outdoor recreation to build social capital, develop self-identity, be creative, and gain awareness of themselves and their community. The only way to change negative outcomes in our youth requires knowing the destination.
This change has brought national awareness and allowed us to garner community support from stakeholders.
My favorite sales or marketing stories.
I don’t skate and it leaves me without knowing the culture of skateboarding first hand. I’m on the outside. I talked to Andre Taylor from The Skatepark Project and explained that I didn’t really have “street cred” in the skate community. I asked if he could help me. He sent me this letter.
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
My first skateday.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: skateparkirmo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marie.ridinger
- Linkedin: marie-ryan-968574167
- Youtube: Friarsgate Skatepark Project