Meet the Board | Jared

  hello!  

I’m Jared fagan,

Co-owner of Find the Path Books.

It all began at 18 when I married my amazing wife. We dove into life headfirst, and my journey took us straight into the military, spending the first eight years as a mechanic. Together, we traveled to North Dakota, Japan, and Texas, enjoying and enduring many of life's experiences, including our first child born in Okinawa, Japan.

A shift in my career led me to become a UAV operator/analyst for two more years with the military, bringing us back to our home state, California. Here is where our second child entered our lives. After a decade in the military, I yearned for a better life and environment for my family. So, I took the leap and enrolled in baking courses at Le Cordon Bleu. Just as I was about to leave the military behind for a new career as a baker with Disney World, a call from a recruiter changed everything.

After a secret interview and a job offer, I found myself in Sweden working for a newly acquired Apple company with a mysterious name. Then it was back to California, but this time in the heart of Silicon Valley. I found that my work was taking me on a path that included algorithms, image detection, AI model training and implementation and I spent years mapping, collecting, and processing aerial data for the then-unannounced 3D Apple Maps program.

My contributions to Apple's "street view" program prompted a move to Uber in Pittsburgh. There, I played a vital role in mapping intriguing and challenging locations for their self-driving ride program, combining my expertise in AI and mapping technologies.

As time passed, I realized I was burnt out and needed to discover happiness. Over two decades with my loving family, the dream of owning a bookstore or bakery had lingered in our conversations. Could two kids from a small town start their own business? Could Port Orchard be the place? We were all ready to put our roots down. 

Ultimately, we decided to make our dream come true with Find The Path Books. The name is a huge nod to our gamer nerd hearts, as it is inspired by a spell in Dungeons and Dragons. Our journey, from California to Japan, Apple, Uber, and now bookstore ownership, speaks to the countless paths in life. Despite the challenges, we've created a nerdy, inclusive, and safe haven with Find The Path Books—a place where our twisting and winding path and the paths of others intertwine.

We consider many of our customers at Find the Path Books more than just customers; they're an integral part of our community, but they are also our friends. We look forward to seeing all the young bookworms out there grow into book dragons!