From a distance it looks like Andy Iro is working on his third life.
At 17 he opened and ran a grocery store in his hometown, Liverpool. Then, after winning an NCAA championship and being drafted sixth overall, he won an MLS Cup during a four year professional soccer career.
Now the English transplant is working in marketing and business development for Uber as its marketing manager for the Central Coast.
The former professional footballer recently slowed down enough to talk about prudence, Batman and why he didn’t follow his parents into medicine.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I wanted to be either a professional soccer player or follow my parent’s path into a life in medicine. I later realized how much I hate needles and choose the former.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Idris Elba – if you’ve never seen The Wire, Luther or Beasts of No Nation I highly recommend. Helps that he’s English also.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Prudence- I think the world we live in today often means we have to make decisions without much data or evidence to back up our assumption. I actually think at times that should be encouraged. Very rarely do I think one “misinformed” or “risky” decision is life or career ending (within reason).
Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
As a kid, my Batman costume was my go-to. Events, family gatherings, I even tried going to church in it once…as an adult, I still want to be Batman.
What is your perfect Sunday?
Haha. Depends on the Saturday night. But ideally (during the fall), sleep in. Golf-driving range. I coach some young, aspiring soccer players in the community. A Sunday Roast (English term), with a beer and watch football (American). I usually start to settle down in the early evening and go to the sauna or get a massage, then work for a couple hours, get ready for my week and head to bed around 11.
According to the always reliable Wikipedia you’ve done a lot of living in your 31 years, what all can we believe?
Haha. If it wasn’t written by me, probably not all of it. I’ve been very blessed to have lived the life I have thus far, especially since moving to the U.S. Maybe one day my story will be exciting enough to write in my own words.
San Luis Obispo is a bit rural, and with a low population density isn’t a typical location for Uber, what enticed Uber set up here?
Uber’s mission is “transportation as reliable as running water, everywhere for everyone.” That’s a grand and broad statement. The operations and business model has to make sense of course, but every community benefits from reliable transportation and flexible work opportunities for its people. Uber provides both. I spent a lot of months in SLO County before launching, and the biggest thing I noticed was how big the county was, and how there were “gems” worth seeing and experiencing at all ends of the county, but options were limited, especially for tourists to see everything.