Robert Stodola is one of a kind. As he embarks on his fall semester at Rhodes College, the impression he left on our team will remain long after. Robert, thank you for sharing your time with us for the past few months.
Robert recounts his summer with us in the article below.
When I started at Boyette Strategic Advisors, the only experience I had in economics was an ECON 100 class that I got an A- in. But hey, they say C’s get degrees and it didn’t seem to hurt my chances of getting a job with Del. I really didn’t know much at all about economic development or strategic advising, but I knew it was time to hang up my sandals and tank tops and find a job other than working as a summer camp counselor. So I found Boyette. When I sent Del my resume, I didn’t have much on it that would seem to greatly benefit an advising firm, other than an almost perfect GPA, creative writing skills and a slew of college leadership organizations that I somehow managed to juggle with a full school work load. As I was updating my resume for this job, I jokingly added “Can Juggle. Rhodes Campus Cutie September ‘16” at the bottom of the page as a placeholder. I forgot to take that bit out before sending it to Del, but he called me later that week, interviewed me over the phone, and then offered me a summer job at the end of the call. Del later told me that he hired me for those two reasons, saying, “Anyone who is bold enough to put Campus Cutie and that they can juggle on a resume is someone perfect for our firm.” That got me thinking: Who will I be working with this summer?
Now I could go on-and-on about what I’ve learned about economic development and strategic consulting, but without a doubt, the best part about working at Boyette Strategic Advisors this summer has been the people that I’ve worked with—and more specifically, watching how they work with clients from all over the country. Del, Chris, Kay, Byrd, Debby and Tracy (who, funny enough, I’ve never actually met in person. She came to Little Rock the one week I was out of the office!) are all extremely passionate about their work and providing their clients with the best product and experience possible. While that’s certainly important in any business, throughout my summer I’ve noticed that the Boyette team is even more passionate about the relationships that they build with each other and their clients. They treat client relationships just like you would with friends and family. They go to their clients’ weddings, send them birthday cards and are there for their clients in both the best of times and the worst of times. The Boyette team’s passion for people is truly something to be mimicked by any-and-all, and it’s something that I’m striving to bring to my every-day life as I head back to Rhodes in the fall.
At Boyette, clients aren’t just clients—they’re friends. Colleagues aren’t just colleagues—we’re family.
Del, Chris, Kay, Byrd, Debby & Tracy—thank you for the best summer of my life.