How Athletics Set Up Daniel Brady '14 For Success

After graduating from Greenwood, Daniel Brady ‘14 made his way to Stanford University where he studied Engineering and Product Design. Daniel chose this program because it let him combine engineering, psychology and design all into one major. His classes focused on anything from creating 80s-style windbreakers to analyzing transmissions and gear systems. 

“The biggest draw for me was the focus on empathy,” says Daniel. “Really putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and trying to find a solution from a new perspective.”

Since Daniel was young, he has been passionate about track and field. Daniel was an incredible track athlete at Greenwood and was the captain of the track team at Stanford University. Throughout his track career he was a 5x OFSAA medalist, a 4x National Team member, placed 3rd in the Canadian Nationals, and was in the Top 5 of Canadian track athletes for four years. “Following your passion is totally worth it. A lot of the opportunities I found in life whether it was academics, career, or personal achievements, was owed a lot to pursuing athletics,” says Daniel. "Athletics set me up for success in life."

Daniel always thought he was going to go to the Olympics and that was his goal from the ages of 13-21. In 2017, Daniel got an internship at Nike which he described as ‘a wakeup call’. “I realized I had so much more to offer the world other than my ability as a track athlete,” he says. 

From there, Daniel dove head first into the world of design and tried to learn as much as he could. After graduating Stanford, he took on freelance work to hone his skills. “I remember watching an episode of Mad Men where one of the characters cold-calls a client to get business. I thought - hey, I should do that! So I started calling technology companies with crummy websites and pitching them a redesign,” says Daniel. After enhancing his skills through a few freelance gigs, he was able to land a job.

Daniel is now working as a Product Designer at Brilliant Smart Home Technology. His current work is focused on shaping the mobile experience. He spends his time conducting user research, working on a design tool called Figma, and collaborating with engineering and product managers to push products forward. “The best part about being a product designer is the continued growth,” says Daniel.

When Daniel reflects back on his time at Greenwood, he believes his high school experience taught him to always give 100% and to ask for help when it’s needed. “Competing as a high-level athlete in high school was tough on my academics. I think I missed 32 chemistry classes in my senior year (sorry Ms. Greflund) but I was able to excel as a student and an athlete because I would ask for help,” says Daniel. This has been one of the most useful tools of his professional life and he encourages everyone to ask for help when they need to. “People are always ready to help and support you -- all you have to do is ask!”
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