Finding Purpose Again: A Year of Growth and Gratitude at Poor Bear Stories

My first year at Poor Bear Stories. It went by so fast. Only been a year?

When I was given the opportunity to join this company, I was working part-time at a Boba Cafe, donating plasma two times a week to get by. I had worked in video before the pandemic, but not so much after. I got help from a lot of people during that time, but it was rough going. I was sitting on a lot of skills and education that I didn’t have any outlet to use on. 

Thankfully, people were looking out for me.

I had an advocate at the Special Operations Fund (Thank you Becki!) who knew I was going through a rough patch and she knew our fearless leader Jacob Centeno was looking to expand his company. This company took me in and gave me something to wake up for again.

Within a very short amount of time, I found myself working on the very best projects I’ve done in my entire career. Meeting and creating content for the gracious individuals over at Legacies Alive reinvigorated not only my connection to the military community as a gold star son but also revived my creative drive. Seeing the volunteers and members of Legacies give their all to include my dad in their honors, without even meeting me beforehand, pushed me to create the best possible content for them.

Working in the corporate world again creating polished, sales-oriented content while negotiating with shareholders was honestly like getting into a warm bath. While most would become frustrated in that environment, I find it fascinating and invigorating to find that content compromise that makes everyone excited with the results.

Finally, it has truly been an honor to help make content for the organizations that helped me in my life, like the Special Operations Fund and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. It is such a surreal experience to go from knowing these people all my life, to now working with them to achieve their mission for the generations to come after me. Part of their mission is to give and create opportunities for the children of lost soldiers without asking for anything in return. I know I (and many other recipients) find that relationship to be one of guilt because they give it all, and you give nothing back. To be able to give back to them, finally,  in my own unique way gives me a renewed respect for the work I do. I know that the videos I make mean something and will continue to mean something far after I stop working on them.

I’m most proud of this last year knowing that I was working somewhere I was respected by my coworkers. Ask anyone who works in the video industry and they will all have a story of being disrespected or abused. I can firmly and proudly say that this has not been the case at Poor Bear Stories. Here, I’m respected and loved every single day. I truly love working here, and I am so incredibly stoked that I’m going to be a part of the projects and awesome potential that we have coming up for the next year.

Thank you for reading!

Robert Chase