Meet Will Kirscher | Digital Producer and Outdoor Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Will Kirscher and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Will, what do you attribute your success to?
It sounds so cliche, but you really cant be afraid to take certain risks. To explain that in a less cliche way — We experience so much pressure in everything we do to check off societal expectations as timely as we can. Complete school without taking even a year off, land a job before college even ends, stay in your hometown because its safe and familiar, etc. I used to have this timeline of how I expected my life to look but things never turn out as expected.

I graduated college with a degree in a field I wasn’t entirely excited on. I could have easily landed a boring job at a firm in Denver to fit in with this timeline I setup for myself – but it just didn’t align with my passions. Instead I moved to Seattle and worked as a retail bum managing The North Face stores. I knew I had a lot of work to do to get my career up to speed, but over the course of 3 years I skied, climbed, shot photo and video, and connected with people in the industry way quicker than I ever would have working at a firm. It was a blast. Today I have a career I love working in creative and it would have never been possible if I didn’t take that risk and follow my gut. Don’t conform with the system, man!!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a weekend warrior who fortunately works in digital production and photo as a nine-to-fiver. However, my true passion lies in outdoor photography.

I was a retail bum for 3 years which bought me a ton of time to ski, climb, and shoot as much as I could. It was incredibly challenging working in retail out of college and seeing my peers grow their careers at a much faster rate. I didn’t know it at the time, but all that energy I spent enjoying the outdoors eventually led me to a professional career in a field I love.

It’s so important to keep in mind that everyone’s timeline is different. There are societal expectations to complete certain milestones by certain ages but honestly so much of that is just not true or realistic. I’ve accomplished many things on my own timeline – I still have so many goals I strive to reach for myself but I no longer feel the pressure to do so by a certain time. You just never know what life throws at you and you can experience success where ever you want at any age! The most important thing is to follow your gut and take life as it comes.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Denver is a blast! Any “outdoorsy” person who hates on city life is missing out – it’s all about balance!

Queen City Coffee brews the best coffee anywhere I’ve been (and I spend a ton of time in the northwest). This is hands down your source for caffeine while in Denver. Once you’re jittered up hop on a bike and cruise the town. So many great bike trails to access different spots in the city. Take a spin around Sloans lake or maybe even bring some rollarblades.

I hate myself for saying such a basic thing but the brewery seen in Denver is pretty great. So many sunny patios to sit on including Joyride Brewery in Sloans. If you want to extend the evening, take your bike up to RiNo where there is always something going on. Great bars here and places to dance (see you at Meadowlark).

Can’t forget the live music scene in Denver! Honestly, skip the drive to Red Rocks and support some smaller artists. I just recently went to Cervantes for the first time. What a cool venue! Drink some coffee, beer, and listen to live music in the Denver sun!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family deserves a ton of credit for always being psyched on my decisions of exploration. Moving away from my home town, encouraging me during my career growth, and instilling an optimistic mindset that things always work out the way they’re supposed to.

My Washington friends also played a HUGE rule in creating who I am today. I’ve never been so blessed meeting such go-getters. When I first moved to Washington I was introduced to a whole new realm of outdoor exploration specifically in alpine climbing and ski mountaineering. I am so fortunate for these mentors who patiently introduced me to new skills and hobbies that are now lifetime passions. So many incredible memories in the mountains with them!

Website: www.willkirscher.com

Instagram: @willkirscher

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamkirscher/