People of Barkley: Addyson Reimer

I express myself through songs. Like when “Driver's License” came out, and although I am happily married, I would play that song and pretend I was going through a horrific breakup. If you know, you know. Or with “Shake it Off”, where it truly was an anthem for me when I would get rejection emails from companies I applied to right out of college. Music gives meaning to my life in ways I can't describe. It’s a part of who I am and how I communicate that with the world around me. 

I have always loved technology, creativity, and trying to emulate my mom's coolness. As a kid, I could be found listening to my mom's conference calls, taking notes, or making PowerPoint presentations. Those same presentations would then be shown to my parents later that day. For those who care, it would usually be a PowerPoint about my dog Emma or a particular interest of the month. Beyond presentations, I could be found dancing, singing, playing the cello, or in school/church plays. All I wanted to do was flex that creative/musical muscle. I lived and breathed it. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunities that forged me into who I am today.

When I went to college, I was definitely overwhelmed. I had never been that far away from home for such a long time. It wasn’t until I moved to KC to finish my undergraduate degree at UMKC that I truly found my rhythm and pace. I sometimes look back on this period of my life in awe. So much change happened, but little did I know it was preparing me for what was to come.

In 2018 I met my now husband on Bumble. After eight months of dating, he looked at me one evening and asked if I wanted to move to Berlin, Germany, the following spring for Graduate School. Without hesitation, I said yes, let’s go! In March 2020, we packed our things and headed to Germany. Little did we know that when we landed in London, we would be told Germany had closed their borders five hours before our landing and that we would now return to the USA. We slept in the airport, flew home, and lived in my parent's basement for three months. To be in class every day, I woke up at 12-1 am to be in classes from 2 am - 11 am because I had to be on German time. To this day, that is the most challenging thing I have ever done.

I graduated from my master's program with a degree in international marketing management in November 2022. I am so proud of my hard work and how it has led me to become a part of Barkley. I have the dream team in Denver, and I could not be happier with the path life has taken me. My mom often says I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I hope that rings true for the rest of my life.