The PM Podcast – "Torchbearer: A Conversation with Ryan Wilson"

Host: Jay Frost
Guest: Ryan Wilson, Founder & CEO, Team Trust Productions
Release Date: March 7, 2026

Episode Overview

In this inspiring episode, Jay Frost sits down with Ryan Wilson, a trailblazing storyteller, advocate, and the founder/CEO of Team Trust Productions—one of the few disability-led video production companies in the U.S. Ryan shares his personal journey living with osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease), his transition from aspiring sports broadcaster to award-winning nonprofit videographer, and how he's reshaping perceptions about disability in storytelling. The conversation covers identity, overcoming challenges, authentic representation, business ownership, and the power of trust in telling untold stories.

Key Discussion Highlights

1. Becoming a Torchbearer & Personal Milestones

• [01:21] Ryan shares being selected as a torchbearer for the Olympic & Paralympic Museum ceremony in Colorado Springs.
• Expresses humility and humor about the honor:

  "Somehow, some way, Jay, they want me to be the torch or a torchbearer for their ceremony. Man, what a mistake on their end." — Ryan Wilson [01:33]

2. Early Life, Family, and Humor as Survival

• [05:48] Ryan details being born with osteogenesis imperfecta—diagnosed after being born with 10 broken bones.

  "Once I was born into the world kicking and screaming and also with 10 broken bones... we kind of realized, maybe we should take a closer look at this." — Ryan Wilson [06:13]

• Talks about his parents' uncertainty and how humor and resilience became central to his outlook:

  "My dad passed away four and a half years ago or so, and every day I treasure the memories we had together. And my mom still goes above and beyond to help me out." — Ryan Wilson [10:24]

3. Dreaming of Sports & Shifting Aspirations

• [03:46] Childhood ambitions to be like Shaquille O’Neal and the realization of limits, both physical and practical.

  "I wanted to be the Shaq in the league, but as I grew up, I realized, well, I'm not going to be seven foot one, so, whoops." — Ryan Wilson [04:19]

• Pivoted to sports announcing and play-by-play in college, only to discover a calling for more meaningful storytelling:

  “Broadcasting was fun, but it didn’t allow me an opportunity to tell the stories that really struck my heart.” — Ryan Wilson [13:14]

4. Entry Into Disability-Centered Storytelling

• [14:26] Became interested in telling stories of adaptive athletes at the University of Illinois, especially wheelchair racers. Noticed mainstream coverage only highlighted disability as inspiration, not complexity or individuality.

  “I wasn’t focused on their disability. I was focused on: who are they as human beings?” — Ryan Wilson [14:48]

• Stressed diversity within disability experiences and the need for greater understanding by storytellers and broader audiences.

5. Founding Team Trust Productions

• [18:59] After graduation, began with independent films but faced financing challenges.
• Founded Team Trust Productions, focusing on marketing and fundraising videos for nonprofits such as Special Olympics and Make a Wish.

  “Where else can you get such passion and heart that Team Trust brings?” — Ryan Wilson [25:19]

• Team Trust now works with ~20 clients and operates in 21 states, with an eye on expansion.

6. The Breakthrough Skiing Video

• [23:07] First major project: a film for visually impaired para-alpine skiers, emphasizing trust between athlete and guide.

  “Tell me about the trust. What does it feel like? How do you know it’s there? What does that trust enable you to do?” — Ryan Wilson [27:13]

• Made sure the video was accessible (captions, audio descriptions) and resonated both with clients and the featured athletes.

7. Building Trust & Crafting Questions

• [29:34] Focus on asking story-driven, open-ended questions, and being a present, attentive listener:

  “If it seems as if I don’t care or I’m on my phone while I’m asking questions, the person on the receiving end doesn’t care either.” — Ryan Wilson [30:21]

8. Stories with Real-World Impact

• [32:22] Shares stories that stuck with him, including helping a family secure an $80,000 wheelchair-accessible van:

  “This is not a video—this is more than a video. This is a story that's driving change.” — Ryan Wilson [34:19]

9. Telling His Own Story

• [34:42] Explains how, after a serious injury and hospital stay, he pitched his own recovery story to a local college—while still in his hospital bed!
• Humor and determination:

  “I did, and I fell out of my wheelchair. Not recommended either. So, broke three bones, no big deal, almost died. It's all good.” — Ryan Wilson [35:20]

10. Adaptability, Ambition & Vision for the Future

• [37:47] Talks about daily adaptation, independence, and living solo after the pandemic.
• Goals for Team Trust: expand nationwide and globally, work across nonprofit and corporate sectors.

  “The sky is the limits for me now. The goals are super high. The goals are never changing and I'm never going to lower them because I have a disability or because I break a bone.” — Ryan Wilson [40:08]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On being selected as torchbearer:

  "Man, what a mistake on their end. But there's something for you." — Ryan Wilson [01:33]

• On family and persistence:

  "From them I just learned to, I don't know, persist and stay committed on my goals and dreams." — Ryan Wilson [10:25]

• On authentic storytelling:

  “Nobody was telling their stories, and if they did, the story was focusing on their disabilities… but I was focused on who are they as human beings?” — Ryan Wilson [14:48]

• On Team Trust’s impact:

  “Where else can you get me or my perspective, or where else can you get such passion and heart that Team Trust brings?” — Ryan Wilson [25:19]

• On adaptation:

  “I’m always adapting, I’m always learning... How do I adapt? Like this situation is clearly not built for me. This building is not constructed for a wheelchair user. But what can I do to make it work? And that’s always a fun little game I have. It’s not always fun, but it’s a good game.” — Ryan Wilson [39:11]

• On ambition and vision:

  “The sky is the limits for me now. The goals are super high and I’m never going to lower them because I have a disability or because I break a bone.” — Ryan Wilson [40:08]

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Torchbearer honor & Olympic City: [01:21] to [03:28]
• Diagnosis, family dynamics, and humor: [05:48] to [11:26]
• Shifting from sports broadcasting to storytelling: [11:50] to [14:48]
• The diversity of disability and importance of authentic representation: [16:10] to [18:59]
• Creating Team Trust Productions: [18:59] to [21:05]
• First major video project—Skiers and trust: [23:07] to [29:07]
• Crafting deeper interview questions: [29:34] to [30:39]
• Story with major impact (wheelchair van): [32:22] to [34:27]
• When Ryan became the subject of the story: [34:42] to [36:54]
• Adaptation, living solo, ambitions for the future: [37:24] to [41:12]

Conclusion

This episode offers a window into the mind of an unsung changemaker whose work bridges the worlds of disability advocacy, nonprofit impact, and authentic storytelling. Ryan Wilson’s resilience, humor, and unwavering ambition make for a lively and enlightening conversation about the power of lived experience in leadership and creativity. Listeners will find practical lessons on trust, perseverance, and making every story count, regardless of the odds.

Learn more: teamtrustproductions.com