Case Study Reference: Ryan Thompson
Week 4 · Career Capital — the case study you'll follow all week
“I graduated four months ago and I still feel completely lost.”
Ryan is the case study you'll follow through every Week 4 lesson — from the Broad Audit through his Value Proposition. This sheet is his full story in one place: his background, his completed Career Capital Audit, his Motivated-Transferable Skills Assessment, and both of his Target Fit Evaluations. When a lesson references Ryan, come back here to see the whole picture — and notice how someone who felt invisible on paper turns a scattered history into clear, usable capital.
Background & Story
Ryan grew up in the Denver suburbs and has lived in Colorado his whole life. On paper he “did everything right” — finished college in four years, stayed out of trouble, worked part-time throughout school. Inside, he feels stuck, embarrassed, and increasingly anxious about his future.
He never had a burning passion for a particular career. He chose Sociology because it had the fewest prerequisites, seemed “interesting enough,” and let him graduate on time. He enjoyed learning about group dynamics, social behavior, inequality, and how systems influence people — but never connected those classes to actual jobs.
During college he worked at a local REI store and spent summers as a camp counselor and trip leader for a youth outdoor program. He loved those roles — being outside, helping kids push their comfort zones, organizing activities, solving problems on the fly. Those experiences lit him up far more than any classroom lecture.
Ryan has diagnosed ADHD (primarily inattentive with hyperactive moments). He knows he can't survive a traditional office job of back-to-back Zoom calls and spreadsheets — he becomes restless, distracted, and demoralized without physical movement, variety, and real-world problem solving. That self-awareness has actually made his search harder: he keeps rejecting “normal” entry-level jobs because he knows they would make him miserable.
Current Situation & Pressures
Ryan lives at home with his parents. His girlfriend of two years works full-time as a nurse and has been patient, but she's starting to worry. His parents — especially his dad — frequently ask “So what's the plan?” and “When are you going to start applying seriously?” These conversations leave him ashamed, defensive, and avoidant: he'll spend hours researching jobs late at night, then crash and do nothing for days.
He wants to feel proud when people ask what he's doing. He wants financial independence. And deep down, he dreams of building something of his own — a guiding business, an event company, some kind of outdoor venture.
Wants & Needs
- Starting salary: minimum $50k, ideally $65k–$85k
- Long-term: six-figure earning potential to support a family
- Variety, physical activity, outdoors or on-the-move
- Low tolerance for micromanagement — autonomy with supportive guidance
- Friendly, collaborative coworkers
- Flexibility and future entrepreneurship potential
Challenges
- Can't translate a Sociology degree + retail/camp experience into professional opportunities
- ADHD makes structured, repetitive search activities extremely difficult
- Family pressure creating shame spirals and avoidance
- Fear he's “behind” and wasted his college years
- Can't articulate value beyond “I'm good with people” and “I like being outside”
Career Capital Snapshot
The three asset classes Ryan surfaces across Lessons 4.1–4.4 — his master inventory at a glance.
Motivated-Transferable Skills
- Building rapport and collaborating with diverse groups
- Analyzing situations quickly, developing practical solutions
- Training, coaching, and motivating others (active settings)
- Coordinating logistics, people, and resources under changing conditions
- Strategic thinking — big picture broken into steps
- Persuading and influencing (sales, storytelling, motivation)
- Operating and adapting in dynamic physical environments
Passionate Knowledge Areas
- Outdoor adventure, nature, and wilderness skills
- Human behavior, group dynamics, social psychology
- Strategy and game theory
- Entrepreneurship and small business operations
- Health, wellness, and personal growth
- Storytelling through media (podcasts, video, social)
Characteristics & Work Style
- Adventurous; comfortable with calculated risk
- Highly action-oriented — doing over planning
- Sociable, energetic, relationship-driven
- Resourceful problem-solver under pressure
- Competitive; wants measurable progress
- Resilient and adaptable in unpredictability
- Needs high stimulation and variety to stay engaged
Completed Career Capital Audit
Written in Ryan's voice — honest, a bit scattered at first, reflective, self-doubt mixed with growing clarity. Use as the worked example for the Broad Audit.
“College was a mix. I worked at REI the whole time — selling gear, helping customers figure out what they needed for trips, dealing with busy weekends. Summers I was a camp counselor and trip leader. Those were the best parts — being outside, teaching kids how to hike and climb, keeping everyone safe when weather turned bad. I felt useful and alive there. … Right now I just feel behind. But when I look back, the times I felt good were when I was moving, helping people, solving problems on the spot, and working with a team.”
Section 3 · Major Experiences
| Experience / Role | Time Period | What He Did | Problems Solved | Results / Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales Associate (REI) | 2023–2025 | Helped customers find gear, managed inventory, trained new hires during busy seasons | Customers overwhelmed by options; stock running low during peaks | High satisfaction scores; onboarded 6 new staff; store hit sales targets |
| Camp Counselor & Trip Leader | Summers 2022–2024 | Led groups on hikes/climbs, taught safety skills, planned daily activities | Kids scared or unmotivated; weather changes disrupting plans | All kids completed trips safely; positive parent feedback; improved group confidence |
| Campus Event Volunteer | 2021–2023 | Set up events, coordinated volunteers, handled logistics | Events running late or chaotic | Helped run 15+ successful events; learned quick problem-solving |
Section 4 · Recurring Patterns
- Coordinating people and logistics in dynamic/outdoor settings
- Training and coaching others hands-on
- Problem-solving and adapting quickly when things change
- Building rapport and communicating across different groups
- Staying calm and organized under pressure
“I didn't realize how much training/coaching and adapting to chaos showed up in both jobs. … One thing I used to undervalue: my ability to stay calm and help groups when things get chaotic — that feels more valuable now.”
Motivated-Transferable Skills Assessment
The sweet spot: Motivated + Competent + In Demand. Ryan's inventory, STAR stories, ranked list, and burnout check.
Skills Inventory
| Skill (Verb + Noun) | Evidence / Story | Motivated? | Competent? | Relevant to targets? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training and coaching others in hands-on environments | Taught kids wilderness skills at camp; they went from scared to confident on climbs | High | High | Yes — guiding, parks, athletics |
| Coordinating people and logistics under changing conditions | Managed camp trip schedules, adapted to weather, kept everyone safe | High | High | Yes — events, outdoor rec, parks |
| Problem-solving in dynamic, high-pressure situations | Handled upset customers at REI; fixed issues fast on busy weekends | High | Med-High | Yes — customer-facing outdoor roles |
| Building rapport with diverse groups | All kinds of customers at REI; mixed-age groups at camp | High | High | Yes — most targets |
| Adapting plans quickly when conditions change | Rerouted trips in storms and kept groups motivated | High | High | Yes — outdoor guiding, events |
| Persuading and motivating people | Convinced hesitant campers to try new activities and succeed | Med-High | Medium | Yes — coaching, outdoor gear sales |
STAR Story 1 · Training & Coaching
- Situation: Kids at camp were nervous about rock climbing.
- Task: Get them to try it safely.
- Action: Broke it into small steps, demonstrated, encouraged one by one, celebrated small wins.
- Result: All 8 kids completed the climb, proud; great parent feedback.
STAR Story 2 · Coordinating Under Pressure
- Situation: Sudden storm during a camp hike.
- Task: Get everyone back safely, keep morale up.
- Action: Quickly rerouted, assigned roles, kept communication calm.
- Result: Group stayed safe, no one panicked — they enjoyed the adventure.
Top Skills, Ranked
- Training and coaching others in hands-on environments
- Coordinating people and logistics under changing conditions
- Problem-solving in dynamic situations
- Building rapport with diverse groups
- Adapting plans quickly
Burnout Skills (competent but draining)
- Repetitive sales scripts / pushing products he doesn't care about
- Desk-bound paperwork or data entry
- Highly structured, repetitive tasks with no variety
Target Fit Evaluations
Two full evaluations built for teaching contrast: Path 1 is a strong natural fit with small, actionable gaps; Path 2 is a moderate fit with larger but bridgeable gaps.
Path 1 · Outdoor Adventure / Youth Program Coordinator
Target employer example: adventure travel company or outdoor education organization (e.g., REI Adventures–style provider or a large camp/outdoor program).
Qualifications Gate
Key Competencies & Characteristics
Gaps & Closure Plan
→ Complete certification course within 2–3 months (low cost, quick)
→ 1–2 short online courses or volunteer with local outdoor orgs
Path 2 · Event Coordinator / Program Manager
Target employer example: university recreation department, sports/events company, or nonprofit event/program team.
Qualifications Gate
Key Competencies & Characteristics
Gaps & Closure Plan
→ Volunteer for 1–2 small events or take a short project management course
→ Build a small portfolio promoting camp/REI events or personal projects
Keep this sheet handy through Week 4 — each lesson builds on a different piece of Ryan's story, and your own worksheets follow the same structure he used here.
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