Talk with a Ronin: There and Back Again with Brandon Berisford

When Brandon Berisford joined Rōnin Consulting in October 2024, he was looking for a company that felt like a true fit. “I have worked in big corporate settings, tiny startups, and everything in between,” Brandon says. “But Rōnin sits in that sweet spot. I like the people, the projects, and the fact that you can actually talk to the owners. That rarely happens anywhere else.”

For the first time, the culture and the job matched the kind of balance he had been hoping for.

Brandon’s winding road into software engineering

Brandon never expected to become a software engineer. He graduated from MTSU in 2020 with a physics degree and had never written code in college. When COVID shut everything down, he decided to teach himself programming, a decision that completely changed his career path.

His first opportunity came through a college friend who helped him land an interview at a defense contractor. Brandon joined as an entry-level engineer, learned quickly, and eventually worked across multiple teams and product areas. After that, he explored roles at a real estate technology company and later a small startup, gaining experience in different environments and tech stacks.

Over time, Brandon realized he wanted something that blended meaningful work, supportive culture, and room to grow. That is when Rōnin entered the picture. He already knew several Rōnins from earlier projects and had been attending Geek Socials, so the culture felt familiar before he ever applied.

“I saw the job posting while I was on my honeymoon,” he says. “I reached out, interviewed, and everything just clicked. It felt like the right place at the right time.”

Settling into a new domain

Brandon’s first assignment at Rōnin was with a large healthcare client, a brand-new domain for him.

“At first, it was like drinking from a fire hose,” he laughs. “Healthcare has so much jargon. So many acronyms. So many layers. It took a while to get my footing, but everyone on the client side and the Rōnin side was extremely helpful.”

When he needed answers, he reached out to teammates who had been working in that space for years. Having that type of support made the early months much easier.

Now, one year in, he feels fully comfortable in the work.

I can definitely do the necessities of my job,” he jokes. “I learned where the W key is. I feel pretty confident now.”

Remote life and Rōnin culture

Soon after joining Rōnin, Brandon moved from Tennessee to Washington, where his wife grew up. The move had been in their plans for a long time. She wanted to be closer to her family, and Brandon had spent his entire adult life far away from his own.

“I like the remote lifestyle. I liked being able to go to Geek Social and see everyone before I moved, but working remotely fits me well,” he says. “I still feel connected to the team. And the culture at Rōnin makes that easy.”

Rōnin’s size is something he appreciates.

“I have worked at companies with thousands of people and companies with ten people. Rōnin sits in that sweet spot. You get variety, flexibility, and the ability actually to know the people you work with.”

He also loves the mix of projects and the ability to shift into new opportunities as they pop up.

“When this project eventually wraps up, there are so many other things I would love to explore. I do not see myself getting bored here.”

A pilot with a passion project

Outside of work, Brandon’s one passion has shaped much of his life: flying. He earned his private pilot’s license in 2023 after years of wanting to join the military as a pilot.

“It was something I really wanted,” he explains. “I tried the Marine Corps and the Air Force. I even made it to OCS, but some medical issues stopped me from continuing. So I decided to do it on my own.”

While earning his license, he began developing his own flight-planning app for general aviation pilots. It included features like 3D airspace visualization, weather and airport data, navigation logs, and route planning. It was designed for student pilots, instructors, and everyday flyers. He eventually published an early version, but he has since put it on the back burner to focus on new projects.