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<\/a><\/p>\nTraveling the world while growing their startup, Ryan and Alex Duo Life, Ryan Gleason \u201910 and his wife Alex are living their greatest adventure.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n In 2010, Ryan Gleason<\/span>\u00a0had just graduated from Winona State<\/span>. He<\/span>\u2019d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>landed<\/span>\u00a0his first job with RTP in Winona<\/span>, and h<\/span>is brand-new career in composite materials engineering\u00a0<\/span>was taking off. On top of that, he had just met<\/span>\u00a0his\u00a0<\/span>future\u00a0<\/span>wife, Alex<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>who had also just started working for RTP.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ryan<\/span>\u00a0and Alex bonded over a deep-rooted love for an active outdoor lifestyle. They made the most of what Winona had to offer, enjoying\u00a0<\/span>fishing\u00a0<\/span>trips<\/span>, motorcycle rides through bluff country, running races around the lakes, and hikes up to Garvin Heights or Sugar Loaf.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At the same time, they continued down their career paths together, each growing ever-more successful.\u00a0<\/span>They loved the people they worked with and were continually given opportunities for growth. But as the hustle and bustle of their daily lives took over, they were left with less time for the active outdoor life they craved.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nIn 2013,\u00a0<\/span>Alex was still with\u00a0<\/span>RTP<\/span>\u00a0but Ryan had moved on to work for H.B. Fuller. T<\/span>hey\u00a0<\/span>each\u00a0<\/span>received opportunities to work abroad in Shanghai, China and jumped at the chance. Shortly after arriving, Ryan ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing lacrosse \u2013 leaving him unable to work out for six months. He recall<\/span>ed<\/span>\u00a0that the event \u201cmade me appreciate my body more than ever and I was determined to make my health a priority from that point on.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\nHe and Alex decided to start doing their own research and experiment to become the healthiest versions of themselves. They relied on each other for accountability<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Ryan<\/span>\u00a0took it a step further to begin an online group for others with similar health goals \u2013 ultimately becoming a health coach<\/span>\u00a0as a side-gig<\/span>. \u201cInterestingly enough,\u201d he said, \u201ca single question kept coming up: \u2018How do I get my spouse to become healthy with me?\u2019\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>That was what initially sparked their idea for Ryan and Alex Duo Life<\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe vision for their new venture was to help couples engineer a life they love with the love of their life, believing that a healthy lifestyle and marriage is attainable and sustainable when the duo commits together. Ryan and Alex Duo Life guides couples to start a fitness and\/or nutrition program together and holds them accountable via online groups<\/span>\u00a0and other tools<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\nTheir new venture has<\/span>\u00a0also<\/span>\u00a0allowed them to\u00a0<\/span>engineer a life they love<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>U<\/span>p u<\/span>ntil<\/span>\u00a0early 2018, Ryan and Alex Duo Life had just been a side-gig. But in March 2018, they decided to<\/span>\u00a0commit full-time to their new venture, packing up to travel and<\/span>\u00a0learn about health from\u00a0<\/span>other<\/span>\u00a0cultures. Since then, they\u2019ve been traveling around South America<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0moving their \u201chome base\u201d every three months<\/span>, already experiencing Ecuador, Argentina, Peru and Colombia, among others.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\nRyan said that one of the biggest benefits they have now is full control of their greatest asset \u2013 their time. \u201cWe still work about 40 hours a week, but when nature calls and the weather forecast is bright, we have the freedom to go out and explore.\u201d He continued to say that a few of their favorite memories from the past year have included spelunking in\u00a0<\/span>Tayos<\/span>\u00a0Cave in the Ecuadorian Amazon, summiting\u00a0<\/span>Lanin<\/span>\u00a0Volcano on the snowy Chilean and Argentine\u00a0<\/span>border and<\/span>\u00a0backpacking up to 17,000 feet in the Peruvian Andes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\nBut Ryan and Alex work as hard as they play.\u00a0<\/span>Starting a new business as an entrepreneur isn\u2019t easy, but\u00a0<\/span>luckily\u00a0<\/span>Ryan said that his Winona State education prepared him<\/span>\u00a0well<\/span>\u00a0for entrepreneurship.\u00a0<\/span>He uses skills he learned at WSU\u00a0<\/span>on a daily basis<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 whether it\u2019s his problem-solving skills with the technical aspects of running an online business<\/span>;<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>his engineering\u00a0<\/span>skills to optimize their\u00a0<\/span>business\u2019\u00a0<\/span>health, mindset, productivity and tools to support their customers<\/span>;<\/span>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span>his\u00a0<\/span>public speaking skills.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n