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Tips on Life, Careers, Personal Finance – from a Dad to His Son, Classmates

At the request of his son Miller, a junior in the NC State College of Management’s bachelor’s in business administration program, Bryant shared some of the lessons he learned along with way with Miller’s fellow students in the university’s Greek Life community and the College of Management. Miller is treasurer of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

The informal presentation, held in the college’s Nelson Hall Auditorium on Sept. 2, 2009, drew over 100 students and touched on a range of topics, from personal financial planning to the fact that some careers just don’t go as originally planned. Bryant explained that he had enrolled in NC State planning to study engineering, so that he could bring that knowledge back to his family’s business, Bryant Supply in Gastonia, N.C.

Once on campus, though, he found himself more drawn to business and switched majors. After graduation, he did return to the family business, but soon discovered that wasn’t where he should be either. Following his interest in investments – he had begun investing while a student – he trained in New York City for a spell and ultimately landed back in Raleigh, where his business is based.

“I was definitely a budding entrepreneur when I was your age,” Bryant told the students. “I had a lot of potential, but I didn’t know it.” Someone in his fraternity, Sigma Chi, saw that potential and asked Bryant to chair its annual Derby Days, an event that the fraternity continues to host as a major philanthropic effort.

“I found out that I knew how to do things, like hiring a band and negotiating with others,” he said. “I never really did that before.”

He encouraged the students in his audience to take advantage of opportunities available to them at NC State and in the community. “You have entrepreneurship classes here; take advantage of them.,” he said. “Go to the arts at NC State; broaden your mind. Maybe something will sink in.”

“And give back,” he said. “You can take all you like, but you have to give back. That’s why I’m here now. I had people help me – people who took time out of their day. I’ve always promised to give back. One of the best things, since I’ve moved back to Raleigh, was being ‘tagged’ by NC State for leadership many, many years ago … to help you.”

Bryant has been involved with NC State for nearly 30 years. In 2000, he became a founding board member of Friends of Arts NC State, serving as chair from 2002 to 2006. He also served as co-chair of the Frank Thompson Hall Renovation Campaign, and currently serves on the College of Management’s Board of Advisors, the NC State Foundation Board, the NC State Board of Visitors, and other boards. Bryant was one of the recipients of the 2009 Bowers Medal of Arts medal in recognition of his support of the arts at NC State.

Following is a summary of the bits of advice that he offers to today’s students.

Personal

  • Marry someone with different qualities than you and who is a partner, not just a spouse.
  • Carve your own niche.
  • Have a mentor.
  • Don’t forget where you came from.
  • Don’t be afraid to be different.

Career

  • Plan for the worst and hope for the best; there’s always opportunity in adversity.
  • There’s no substitute for hard work.
  • Take care of the people you hire and treat them as your equals.
  • Delegate your time and make sacrifices.
  • Live your business. Create your own luck.

Finance

  • Stay within budget and pick the right bank.
  • Watch overhead and trends.
  • Keep investing in your future.
  • Promote, as far as marketing is concerned.
  • Protect private information.

College

  • Develop business principles.
  • Go to class. Raise your hand. Learn from your mistakes.
  • Get along, be outgoing, prove yourself, volunteer, and check out Greek life.
  • Get involved – employers like to see extracurriculars. Grades are not the only thing!
  • Don’t develop the attitude that the world owes you just because you have a degree.

All-Around Advice

  • Be fair, be approachable, stay humble, listen.
  • Stay grounded and focused.
  • Have a back-up plan.
  • Patience is something you develop when you have other things to do while you wait for that special opportunity to come along.
  • “No” is not an option.

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