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nesses to Watch
your career—you genuinely care and want to learn—it’s impossible not to succeed. Make mistakes and learn from them. Show what you’re trying to achieve. All you have to do is try and work hard, and you can carve your own path.”
market gave him a unique perspective, which aids in making difficult decisions about cost and service. Gravitter cites the company culture as something he values greatly, “At Coyote, everyone works towards the same common goal. You know that the person next to you is working equally as hard because it’s about the success of the company, not the individual. Coyote is an allfor-one type of place.”
What’s next for Coyote? The company leadership plans to continue to grow by remaining at the forefront of the industry. Coyote has recently created a new role for supply chain operations representatives and the company’s recruiters are excited to further Coyote’s partnership with the ISM Photo: Coyote Logistics And he knows this program to hire talent for these environment is perfect roles. And with the burgeoning Rodney Gravitter, B.B.A.’10, at Coyote Logistics. for Business Broncos. use of mobile technology, the “WMU has a track record firm will roll out several apps that same foundation I had,” Gravitter of turning out hardworking graduates, and in 2013 which will improve communication says. “If you’re willing to put everything into it’s important that incoming Coyotes have and access to data for users.
The Three Facets of John Roa, B.B.A.’07 For John Roa, whose life as a serial entrepreneur started at age 15, success comes in many forms—and failure helps him get there. “It sounds cliché, but I don’t let nonsuccess be an option. This doesn’t mean I don’t fail, quite the opposite. But I never stop when I fail. If you have the mentality that failure is acceptable until you succeed, you will succeed,” says Roa, whose Chicago-based ÄKTA Web Studio LLC was named to Crain’s Tech 50. Roa says his company, ÄKTA, the innovation and design studio he launched in 2010, focuses on innovation and technology and the realities of today’s multiplatform world. In addition to the Crain’s recognition, ÄKTA has been referred to as an industry leader for product innovation, user experience and interface design. But the UX company represents just one facet of Roa’s personality, which he says includes social good, entrepreneurship and angel investing.
“The three traits come full circle. I am a serial entrepreneur with a focus on social good who seeks to invest in other entrepreneurs. Each facet gives me unique opportunities and challenges and a sense of completeness when it comes to my professional life,” explains the Crains 40 Under 40 recipient, who says he has experienced some tough lessons over the years but attributes his success to an entrepreneurial spirit and intense stubbornness. But those traits are not enough. According to Roa, world experiences are essential for today’s entrepreneurs. “There is no asset quite as powerful as having a defined world view. I have learned more being in the jungles of Peru, the wilderness of Iceland or the deserts of Morocco than I ever could in a boardroom in Chicago,” says Roa, who lived for a time in Venezuela and has traveled extensively throughout his life. Experiences coupled with what Roa calls his “core advice” will move entrepreneurs forward. Find what drives you: “Everyone is different. What drives you could be working
for the good of the world, becoming wealthy, continuing to learn, being your own boss—all are doable and acceptable. You have to invest the time and energy to know yourself.” Move the finish line, not the starting line: Many people want to start businesses and even make plans, “but the number of people who actually take the leap and risk to do this is very low,” says Roa. “My advice is to just start. Let go of the excuses. If you fail, do it again. If you quit trying, you probably weren’t built to be an entrepreneur.”
Alumni and Businesses to Watch