After 26 years at Microsoft, the engineer explores life outside of corporate work through construction, plumbing and more

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

The former Microsoft executive from Redmond, Wash., has accepted an offer of voluntary retirement in July 2026. Since leaving the tech giant, he has explored work that looks vastly different from his previous corporate duties, including lifting beams on construction sites, designing outdoor equipment, working with various materials and leading fly-fishing trips.

In a LinkedIn post to mark 90 days out of the corporate world, Mrzena shared photos of his new experiences and reflected on how leaving a long corporate career allowed him to reconnect with practical work.

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He tried his hand at construction work, plumbing, designing and manufacturing outdoor equipment and leading fly fishing expeditions. He described the first 90 days as a chance to reconnect with practical work.

He has 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 offer of retirement, with his retirement effective July 2, 2026. The article did not provide a specific reason for his decision.

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

He did not commit to any of the activities as a permanent career. He explores different options before deciding whether to return to work, learn a trade or take a different path.

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From Microsoft CEO to construction worker and plumber

Mrzena chronicled his first 90 days away from corporate life by documenting his experiences on LinkedIn. His new activities include working as a construction worker lifting beams, a product designer creating outdoor equipment, and a production technician handling paint, plastics and metals.

He also worked as a fly-fishing guide in mountain waters and tried his hand at plumbing, installing fittings under 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 reflected on his time spent “building things, fixing things, catching” and rediscovering the satisfaction of working with his hands.

His experience represents a departure from the leadership and business strategy responsibilities he held during his time at Microsoft. However, he did not commit to pursuing any of these activities as a permanent career.

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

During his long career at Microsoft, Mrzena held several positions in business, cloud solutions, security, compliance and AI business strategy.

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

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

Reflecting on his experiences after leaving the company, Mrzena said that his time away from corporate life was an important experience for him.

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

Six months of family adventure after leaving Microsoft

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

In his farewell message, he wrote: “It has been an absolute joy learning from you, building with you, solving problems together,” he wrote.

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

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Plans include family adventures, construction projects, spending time on rivers and oceans, and naps with his two French bulldogs.

Mrzen did not rule out returning to work. Instead, he plans to decide on his next move in 2027, leaving open the options of working part-time, learning a new trade, another 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 options before making a longer-term decision.

What is the Microsoft Voluntary Retirement Program?

Mrzeny’s departure follows Microsoft’s earlier voluntary retirement program, which offered eligible employees the opportunity to leave the company with retirement-related benefits.

Separately, Microsoft announced a new Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) on October 26, 2026. The program 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 provide eligible employees who are considering opportunities outside the company with financial support and career planning resources. Participation varies by organization and depends on business priorities, customer commitments and workforce needs.

The new VEO should be different from the earlier program, under which Mrzena left Microsoft in July.

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

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

For Mrzena, the immediate priority is to spend time with family and discover practical work. He plans to decide what’s next when 2027 rolls around.