The Brewmite

By on 5/27/2025

Sometimes life gives you weirdly unique opportunities. I wrote about my experience being in a beer commercial recently on LinkedIn (cheekily, in "Linkedinfluencer" style), which I've reproduced below ...


Read on LinkedIn Here

Recently, I had the unique opportunity to appear in a commercial for GarageBeer, featuring Jason Kelce and Beau Allen (of NFL fame). The commercial, titled "Brewmite", is a loving parody of the martial arts classic "Bloodsport," and thanks to my training in Iaido, I was perfectly positioned to seize this epic moment when they were looking for extras. (If you squint at exactly 4 minutes and 2 seconds, and ignore Jason's performance, you'll clearly see my Oscar-worthy background appearance.)

This got me thinking: isn't engineering management exactly like appearing as an extra in a beer commercial? Hear me out. In management, just as in my 5 seconds of commercial glory, you have to:

  • Always be ready. Opportunities rarely come with advance notice. Being prepared positions you perfectly to step up when the moment arrives; whether it’s helping your team take on a new project, or wielding a katana behind an NFL superstar.

  • Support others' success. Great managers are like great extras: they know how to set the stage for others to shine. Sure, Jason Kelce executed that kata beautifully (after a sweet training montage), but I'd like to think my precise form and stoic expression set the tone for his success.

  • Find joy in every experience. Not every professional moment needs to be a serious lesson. Sometimes, it’s just about appreciating the surreal humor of life and career.

So here's my "professional advice": always say yes to unexpected opportunities; they might just land you behind an NFL player, swinging swords, in a beer commercial. Watch and enjoy my brief but legendary appearance here:

See more in the archives