Brendan Gaylord, Senior Associate

At AG Consulting Partners, we are honored to work with a diverse group of people with a variety of talents and interests. This month, we are highlighting Brendan Gaylord to learn more about his work and passions outside of the office. Brendan is a Senior Associate in our Expert Workforce.

What’s your background? Where did you grow up and go to school?

I grew up in a rural wheat farming community outside of Conrad, MT (basically the middle of nowhere). My friends and I started writing and recording music in high school to avoid the boredom of small-town life and learned valuable skills that I use to this day to keep my hobby interesting. After high school I went on to study Political Science / Economics at the University of Montana in Missoula, MT. I met my girlfriend while at college and we had a baby boy in 2010. We moved to Mercer Island in 2013 to be closer to my girlfriend’s family and we have been loving life in Washington ever since!

Can you tell me about your current project?

I currently work on a Retail Store Strategy & Business Development team for a technology company. We have spent the last year focusing on consumer financing programs. My current focus is adding financing options for a new market and online trade-in programs.

What motivates you to wake up every morning?

My 9-year-old son is the greatest source of motivation in my life. He inspires me to do my best every day and come home so we can defeat Ganon in the Legend of Zelda!

Where is the best place you’ve traveled to and why?

Christiania. I visited Copenhagen in 2010 with my cousin, and we learned of Christiania from the locals while having beers at a pub. Essentially it is a 20 acre plot of land that declared its independence from the Danish government. So my cousin and I decided to check it out and it was difficult to find! The locals were very friendly and pointed us in the right direction; “go down this alley, make 2 lefts and go straight for 3 blocks, look for the blocked off entrance saying No Photos”. This came at a time when I was learning about economic systems, and it was hands down the most eye-opening experience of my life. It was amazing to experience such a free and open society and the wonderful art and ideas that come as a result of it; as well as the struggles they are faced with to maintain and improve their “experiment”.

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

I live and breathe music. I’ve been playing guitar since I was 12 and writing my own songs since 15. My friends and I started a metal band in high school (A Beautiful Apology) and taught ourselves how to record and mix our music. We went on to write 3 albums and release 2 albums on our own from 2004-2006, each time improving upon our techniques. My most recent musical project was a band I started in 2014, Life as Cinema, with my long-time friend from back home. We recorded and released 2 EPs and a couple singles that are available on all music platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.)

Any favorite books, movies, music, or podcasts?

My all-time favorite book is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams; I also enjoy anything from Kurt Vonnegut.

Anyone who knows me also knows of my love affair with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)! My son and I have enjoyed watching all the MCU movies and discussing how they fit together and reference different events. My favorite MCU movie would have to be Iron Man, RDJ was perhaps the greatest casting of all-time with his portrayal of Tony Stark, in my humble opinion.

My favorite band of all time would hands-down be Thrice. They started off as a very aggressive post-hardcore rock band with punk undertones and have evolved into a band that literally spans genres and somehow manages to reinvent itself with each album. Lyrically, I think “The Illusion of Safety” is their best work, I love the references to classical literature and Greek mythology. Sonically, I believe that ‘The Alchemy Index” flexes their musical prowess with the odd time-signatures and amazing key changes.

As far as Podcasts go, I have recently been listening to Carry The Fire Podcast from Dustin Kensrue (front man for Thrice). Dustin speaks about a lot of the issues and problems everyday people are faced with, and perhaps a better way forward. I’m big on existentialism and find myself getting lost in thought after listening to this Podcast.

At AG Consulting Partners, we believe in taking care of our people first to enable them to bring their best to every client project. Our employees embrace the entrepreneurial spirit and embody our core values: transparency, stewardship, and intention. Founded in 2009, and headquartered in the Greater Seattle area, AG Consulting Partners is recognized as one of Inc 5000 and Puget Sound Business Journal’s fastest growing private companies.