Hey Everyone, meet Ryan. What a guy! He’s become a good friend to us here at Roots. Ryan enjoys his green tea and occasionally a waffle on the weekends. We sat down with him and asked a few questions:

Sum yourself up in two sentences.

I’m a southern Detroit born and raised 28 year old man. I enjoy the outdoors, meeting new people, doing new things, and I enjoy life to the fullest.

If you could go back to any age or time in your life, what would it be and why?

I would go back to middle school. At that time I was really good at soccer and for the first time in life I was the best at something. It was also the age where nothing else mattered. You didn’t have to worry about paying bills, going to a job, or anything else. Life was a lot more simple.

What is something that makes you smile?

Food. I love food. Everything about food makes me smile; trying new food, making new food, getting people together to eat food. It seems in every aspect you can enjoy food. It allows you to be creative and bring others together.

What is your favorite thing about Grand Rapids?

What really gets me is the ability to thrive here. There are big and small business that succeed here.There are so many different ways for people to get involved and groups for people to join. There is great access to all of those resources. It really helps people achieve their goals in some great ways.

What motivates you?

Seeing the joy other people get from serving them motivates me to do good. Being able to provide for a family and be financially stable is what motivates me to excel in work. Being able to destress and enjoy the things around me is what motivates me to take a break and try new things.

Is there a documentary or book that really changed the way you thought about something?

I would say the book that most impacted me as an adult would the The Untethered Soul. This book teaches people how to experience life in a different way. So many times in society today we get caught up by so many other things and the feeling of missing out or not having/being what other people have/are. This book however, it gives you the tools to view life differently and understand why you do the things you do or think the way you do. It gives you the chance to let go of anxiety or being stuck in your own head and pursue the things in life that you truly want.

What is your favorite thing about Roots?

The people. They remember you and get to know you. You aren’t just a customer to them. If you choose to sit at the bar there are always friendly people to chat with. The people here become your friends and that’s pretty awesome. I can’t forget about waffle Saturday. Those are killer!