"We all do have common threads."

For 15 years, Ryan Potts has worked in Advertising, Public Relations, Online Strategy, and as an Online Media Buyer in New York City. One month ago, after parting ways with his employer, he packed his car and drove 1,700 miles to Oklahoma City. It originally began as a time of rejuvenation, but it soon became the unexpected start to a new chapter in his life.

"I shipped off to New York with about 200 bucks in my pocket and a few changes of clothes. I still don't know how that worked out." Potts told me, voice halfway between pride and disbelief. He had moved to New York  because of his acceptance into the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. "It was totally out of control. I had to find a job immediately. I went to a temp agency and my first assignment was at Miramax Films, in the mailroom, and I worked my way up to Senior Advertisting and Post-Production." Because of his quick rise at Miramax and his dedicated interest in the company, Potts dropped out of AMDA and continued to work full-time in the film industry. At Miramax, Potts handled interaction between Talent and Casting Agencies and supervised the construction of TV spots, trailers, and promotional releases.

Ryan Potts

Like so many others, Potts lost his job at Miramax in the 2003 and 2004 layoffs. The Walt Disney Company co-owned Miramax and were looking for a way to cut costs, over 100 employees at Miramax lost their jobs, one of the heaviest hits being in the PR office.

After the fallout from Miramax, Potts decided to take on the challenge of Online Strategy, doing independent work for several different companies. "I identify companies that don't have an online presence and then analyze their competition. I then go into their office and I tell them, "This is what I do and this is how I can help your business." His work includes, creating new websites, boosting online traffic, and introducing companies and products to the Internet.

Potts continued to do this until just a month ago. "I was stalled." He used this phrase to describe both his work and his outlook at the time. He had been living in an apartment that had been rent controlled for the past 25 years and through a serious of zoning and tax loopholes, the landlord had found a way to evict Potts and renovate the apartment raising the rent almost exponentially.

With that turn of events, Potts had made up his mind, it was time for a change. He amicably parted ways with his employers and clients, packed a Uhaul and drove 1,700 miles over four nights to Oklahoma City. "It was fascinating to me…I stopped in the tiniest towns I could find. Any town with a bar and a pool table and I hung out with the locals in these towns, shooting pool and drinking beer. We talked about their pre-conceptions of New York and my pre-conceptions of small towns." Potts, a man who had barely left New York in 15 years, took a moment to reflect on the similarities he had with the people he had met on his journey,"We all do have common threads," He went on to say, "For three of the four nights I traveled, people offered to house me in their private residences. Which was amazing."

Potts had originally planned for his time in Oklahoma City to be a chance to refresh and focus before returning to New York City. All of that changed when he reconnected with a past relationship. "It has become very serious." He said happily. Since the move, Potts has begun again working in Online Strategy. Except this time, he is working completely independently and has quickly cultivated a number of clients in the OKC area.

Ryan Potts originally left Oklahoma to begin a career as an actor. Through the almost happenstance changes his life has taken and the seemingly random opportunities that presented themselves, Potts has found himself back in the place of his birth, with an opportunity he had never had before, the chance to create a family of his own.

You can find Ryan Potts on FaceBook and at his Word Press.

- Jeff

All photos taken by Ryan Potts