After 26 years at Microsoft, this techie is exploring life beyond corporate work through construction, plumbing & more

After nearly 26 years at Microsoft, Shawn Mrzena is swapping corporate strategy meetings for construction projects, plumbing work and outdoor adventures.

The former Microsoft director from Redmond, Washington, took a voluntary retirement offer in July 2026. Since leaving the technology giant, he has explored work that looks markedly different from his previous corporate responsibilities, including raising beams at construction sites, designing outdoor gear, working with different materials and guiding fly-fishing trips.

In a LinkedIn post marking 90 days outside the corporate world, Mrzena shared photographs of his new experiences and reflected on how stepping away from his long corporate career had allowed him to reconnect with hands-on work.

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He has tried construction work, plumbing, outdoor-gear design and fabrication, and has guided fly-fishing trips. He described the first 90 days as a chance to reconnect with hands-on work.

He held roles in sales, cloud solutions, security, compliance and AI business strategy. His positions included Global Sales Leader and Director of Global Security and Compliance Sales Programs.

He took a voluntary retirement offer, with his departure taking effect on July 2, 2026. The article does not give a specific reason for his decision.

He plans to spend time with his family, take on building projects and enjoy time outdoors. He expects to decide on his next move in 2027.

He has not committed to any of the activities as a permanent career. He is exploring different possibilities before deciding whether to return to work, learn a trade or pursue another path.

From Microsoft director to construction worker and plumber

Mrzena marked his first 90 days outside corporate life by documenting his experiences on LinkedIn. His new pursuits have included working as a construction worker raising beams, a product designer creating outdoor gear and a fabrication technician handling paint, plastic and metal.

He has also worked as a fly-fishing guide in mountain waters and tried plumbing work, fixing fittings beneath a trailer.

“From Corporate Director to… Well, Everything Else,” he wrote, describing how the past three months have contrasted with his previous professional life.

“These photos tell the story better than I can,” Mrzena said, reflecting on a period spent “building things, fixing things, catching things” and rediscovering the satisfaction of working with his hands.

His experiences represent a departure from the leadership and business strategy responsibilities he held during his time at Microsoft. However, he has not committed to pursuing any one of these activities as a permanent career.

What did Shawn Mrzena do at Microsoft for nearly 26 years?

During his long career at Microsoft, Mrzena held several positions spanning sales, cloud solutions, security, compliance and artificial intelligence business strategy.

He began as an Enterprise Account Executive before moving into regional sales management and enterprise cloud solutions. He subsequently became Global Sales Leader and Strategy Manager for Microsoft 365 Data Privacy and Compliance.

His later positions included Director of Global Security and Compliance Sales Programs and Business Strategy and Sales Program Leader/Director for AI Business Solutions.

Reflecting on his experiences after leaving the company, Mrzena said his time outside corporate life had been an important learning experience.

“Corporate life taught me a lot. These last 90 days taught me even more,” he wrote.

Six months of family adventures after leaving Microsoft

Mrzena announced his retirement in June, with his departure taking effect on July 2, 2026. He thanked customers and colleagues for their support throughout his career.

In his farewell message, he wrote, "It’s been an absolute joy to learn from you, build with you, solve problems together," he wrote.

He also outlined his plans for the months following his departure, describing them as “six months of pure vibes”.

The plans include family adventures, building projects, spending time on rivers and oceans, and taking naps with his two French bulldogs.

Mrzena has not ruled out returning to work. Instead, he plans to decide on his next move in 2027, leaving open the possibilities of part-time work, learning a new trade, pursuing a different career or starting his own business.

His plans suggest that his departure is not necessarily the end of his professional life, but an opportunity to explore different possibilities before making a longer-term decision.

What is Microsoft's voluntary retirement programme?

Mrzena's departure followed Microsoft's earlier voluntary retirement programme, which offered eligible employees an opportunity to leave the company with retirement-related support.

Separately, Microsoft announced a new Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) on October 26, 2026. The programme is available to eligible employees at level 70 and below in participating teams in India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

According to Microsoft's official blog, the offer is intended to give eligible employees considering opportunities outside the company financial support and career planning resources. Participation varies by organisation and depends on business priorities, customer commitments and workforce needs.

The new VEO should be distinguished from the earlier programme under which Mrzena left Microsoft in July.

Microsoft's latest offer comes as the company continues to invest in data centres and artificial intelligence computing capacity, including cloud infrastructure used by OpenAI, Anthropic and other companies.

The broader changes in the technology sector have also brought renewed attention to how experienced employees approach retirement, career transitions and opportunities outside traditional corporate roles.

For Mrzena, the immediate priority is spending time with his family and exploring hands-on work. He plans to decide what comes next when 2027 arrives.