Discover how Braden Roseborough, a Senior Software Engineer, leveraged Unearth’s remote work policy to roadtrip across the country and pursue his love of skydiving and base jumping. Check out Unearth’s current job openings to jumpstart your own adventure.
At 7am, Braden stepped out of his sprinter van into wide, open salt flats and crisp 14-degree air. He was completely alone. And all was quiet, besides the chatter of ducks.
The horizon was turning orange and the sky a clean blue as he walked down long wooden planks toward a cloud of steam in the distance: hot springs.
After a dip - his bath for the day - Braden hunkered down in his van, prepped some coffee, warmed up, and logged into a hotspot.
Just another day at Unearth.
When Braden started at Unearth in 2020, he was base jumping in Moab. Since then, his ability to work remotely has enabled frequent cross-country expeditions. In addition to weekend base jumping and skydiving, Braden plans week-long trips in his van every month or two and looks forward to extended trips.
His quiet morning on remote salt flats was a stop in one of these longer road trips. Starting at his home in Everett, Washington, Braden explored Coeur d'Alene, Twin Falls, Moab, and Eloy. Often on his trip, Braden was struck by the majesty of the natural landscape. The Superstition Mountains, for instance, can only be described as sublime.
See his route on the map below - built with Unearth’s OnePlace platform.
Along the way, Braden met with friends in his extreme sport community.
“It’s really cool to have friends in these amazing places, meet up with them, and make new friends. In a way, I’m exploring people as much as I’m exploring the terrain. You get to know people on a deeper level when you’re jumping - when they’re experiencing a significant amount of fear. You get to know somebody really well in that circumstance.”
As long as there’s an internet connection, Braden finds it easy to work and communicate on the road. And because Unearth’s entire workforce is working hybrid at WeWork locations or remotely at home, there isn’t an expectation that he’s in-person at any meetings.
“Because everyone at Unearth is dispersed, it gives you permission to be wherever you want. If I wanted to be in a hotel room in Florida, that’s no problem. If I wanted to spend a month in a van, it’s my choice. With my wifi hotspot, I can connect with my team and do all that I need to do - even while on the road.”
Braden’s office is his van. Last fall, he bought his current vehicle after his old van “crapped out in the middle of Nevada” after breaking a camshaft. Instead of replacing the whole engine, he bought a new van and has already traversed up and down the coast - spending some time in remote quarantine in LA between visiting family and friends during the holidays.
On his trips, Braden usually connects with friends or drives his van in the mornings and evenings. That said, unlimited PTO provides flexibility on longer expeditions.
What’s next? Braden hopes to visit Alaska, anticipates exploring British Columbia, and looks forward to a long cross-country voyage to Florida to see more of the U.S.
Well, a birds-eye view of the U.S.
“I try to get in as many jumps as I can when I go on road trips, which allows me to see the less traveled parts of the world. But I’ll still sneak away to a more touristy destination if it strikes my interest.”
Interested in your own career at Unearth? Stop by our job postings and see if there’s a fit for you. Don’t see anything? Reach out to us. We’re always looking for talented people as we grow our SaaS startup.
In the meantime, don't forget to follow Braden's adventures on Instagram.
