Taylor supports local in career
Parkers Chapel alum Ryan Taylor had big dreams of big business entering college. His heart would lead him down a slightly different path.
Taylor, who graduated from Parkers Chapel in 2011, attended the University of Arkansas, graduating from the Walton College of Business with a Bachelor of Science in International Business with an Economics concentration in 2015. He earned a Masters in Business Administration in 2016. Taylor could’ve explored the big business world but instead, settled into the role of Director of Operations for Do College Better.
“It’s a small business in Fayetteville that provides private tutoring, academic counseling and other academic services to college students in Fayetteville,” said Taylor, who has been in that role since the summer of 2016.
Upon graduating, Taylor had plenty of options. He feels like he chose the best one.
“I’m very happy with my current role. During college, I interned with a couple of large companies in various roles and did not enjoy my experience at all,” he said. “I realized that I wanted to become involved with a small business where I would feel valued and know the work I was doing mattered. Both of my parents are small business owners in El Dorado, and the careers they’ve built definitely inspired me to step outside the ‘norm’ of what I felt was expected from me as a business graduate.”
Taylor showed a head for business early. Deciding exactly which business road he would travel was a process that took time and patience.
“Originally, I started in the college of business but was undecided on a major,” he said. “Once I arrived in Fayetteville, I decided that I wanted to minor in Spanish. That led me to choosing International Business as a major as it allowed a little more leeway in the specific courses that were required. I chose economics as a concentration instead of the more popular accounting or finance options, as I felt it suited my personality and professional goals a little better.”
Taylor, a two-sport athlete in high school, admitted his college career didn’t get off to a sparkling start. Freshman jitters made for a rocky beginning, which had him questioning his decision.
“I can vividly remember my first night in Fayetteville as a freshman in the dorm rooms. I was the only student from my graduating class at Parkers Chapel to go to the U of A, and I felt totally alone, overwhelmed, and inadequate,” Taylor said. “All I wanted was to get back home with my family. I’ve experienced that feeling several times over the past few years - studying abroad in Spain, at my first business internship in Atlanta, or starting my current role at Do College Better. Most times, a phone call home to my mother provided the necessary confidence and support I needed to weather the storm and get back on track.”
Taylor’s family helped him through rough times at college. His new family will be pivotal in his future plans.
“My wife just graduated from UAMS and is starting a pediatric residency at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, so there’s a strong chance she’ll tell me where to move and what to do in the next 5-to-10 years,” he said. “I know I’ll be happy if I can keep working in some form of small business/education.”
See Page 1B for a look at how athletics helped Taylor advance in his career.