Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Ray.
Hi Ryan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Raised in Dunn, NC (Sampson County) Graduated from NCSU w/ BS in Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Upon graduation, began a fruitful career in sales (telecommunications, then automobiles).
In September 2003, while traveling to Tampa FL, was involved in a near fatal car accident. Was airlifted to Orlando Regional hospital for treatment and recovery. A week later, I found myself back home (Dunn, NC) in the bedroom I grew up in with my mom putting my sock and shoes on my feet for me.
Upon realizing that life as I had known it was over, I realized that I had to begin again.
Through a series of events, I was introduced to a fairly successful man in Dunn. He was in the insurance industry. I had no interest in selling insurance, but I was interested in what he knew and would later teach me. He became my mentor. He introduced me to personal development, professional development and challenged me to dream about the life I desired to live.
I took him up on his challenge and began reading books, attending educational events, listening to information on cds while driving, etc. I began to look at life through a different lens and saw different opportunities.
I would soon get involved in my community, working and serving others. It wasn’t long before door after door after door began to open for me and I found myself very involved and engaged in activities. I didn’t realize it then but I had acquired new knowledge, developed new skills, and people began to take notice.
After developing new programs for youth in the community, I was asked to lead a program at one of the local county schools. After becoming frustrated with the bureaucracy of the school system, I began to feel the urge to get back to business. So I did.
In 2016, I organized Triangle Entrepreneurial Leadership. I simply wanted a means, a vehicle, to share with others what my mentor and so many others had shared with me along my journey. We launched with a conference that November and the response was great. We have continued educating, empowering, and equipping entrepreneurs since that time through educational and networking events, mentoring and coaching, etc.
In 2018, I was offered the opportunity to lead Jobs for Life – a Raleigh-based, for-impact company. Our mission is to create pathways to meaningful work and entrepreneurial opportunities for those we serve.
After the witnessing the injustices of 2020 and the traumatic impact of COVID 19 in the black community, we launched an initiative called the ‘Year of the Black Entrepreneur’ on January 1, 2021. The goal is to ‘redefine black entrepreneurship’ by educating, empowering, and highlighting black entrepreneurs in our communities.
Just yesterday, we launched our ‘Women-Focused Initiative’. Our goal is to confidently address and positively impact the issues that impact social, economic, and personal well-being of Black Women.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has not been a smooth road. I didn’t expect it to be. In fact, I’ve welcomed and embraced the challenges along the way. Some of those challenges have been lack of knowledge and experience in certain areas; lack of capacity; lack of resources and/or cost of resources.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a regional leadership network of entrepreneurs committed to excellence. Our focus is to educate, empower, and equip entrepreneurs and business owners with the thinking and skill sets necessary for financial, personal, and professional success.
Our Vision:
To build a ‘community’ of educated, empowered, purpose-driven leaders who collaborate to build profitable, sustainable business models!
Our Mission:
To create a culture of ‘cooperation’, not competition; To meet entrepreneurs where they are and help them to discover their purpose; To educate through seminars, workshops, conferences, coaching, mentorship, mastermind groups, online learning, and more.
We are the Hub for Entrepreneurial Programming:
3rd Thursday – Monthly Networking Sessions
Entrepreneurial Leadership & Networking Conference – Annual event
Year of the Black Entrepreneur (Educating and Empowering Black Entrepreneurs) – Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Annual events
Women-Focused Initiative – events and opportunities for women
We are known for building ‘Community’. Collaboration sets up apart. Lots of business happens in our community. I’m most proud of the growth and development of our members.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I’m really an introvert. I’m not a ‘born’ leader nor speaker. I had to develop those skills.
Contact Info:
- Email: ryanray@ryanrayofficial.com
- Website: www.ryanrayofficial.com
- Instagram: ryanrayofficial
- Facebook: ryanrayofficial
- Twitter: ryanrayofficial
- Youtube: ryanrayofficial
- Other: www.telrtp.com
Image Credits
Richard Font
