Testimonial: Mike T.

Bill Berry has been a true friend and great mentor to me since I met him in 2015 at the RIT juggle fest. Bill's creative mind and adventurous life led me to seek his advice regularly. The first big moment was when I had just been laid off from my first boring, corporate office job. Having free time, and wanting to run away, I bought a ticket to India, with the only plan being to see as much as I could backpacking around the country for a month. The only person I asked for advice was Bill. I called him with hesitation, wondering why I was doing this, what was the point, and should I even go? And I think part of me knew he'd encourage it, which is why I called him of all people.

He said, “When you're 64, are you gonna wanna look back and say you went on this cool trip to India, or backed out?”

I said simply, "OK, you're right." And I went. This was a trip that opened my eyes to the world and to myself in various ways. Each time I struggle thinking about trying new things, I think, “If I can backpack India alone for a month, I can do anything." And each time I plan to jump off the well-worn path, I think of Bill, and the incredible life he's lived by simply following his own path and going against the grain. Thanks, Bill

~Mike T

---

Hey Bill. Happy 4th!

I just wanted to say how much I appreciate you being a friend and mentor to me for the last several years. Since I didn't grow up with any older male figures that I truly admired, having met you opened doors in my mind, work, and life I never imagined. Lately, it's felt very much like the storm in my mind has spun itself apart. And the last year of total improvisation and exploration is exactly what I needed to get out of my system. I've made some mistakes, which I tend to focus more on than all the successes I've made as well. But I went out and experimented with every facet of Life I could get my hands on. And through the direct personal experience that you encouraged, I found out for myself what was true in the Life and what wasn't. My path forward seems so much clearer now. Thank you.----