Ryan Harper

Courtesy of Trinity Forge

The best thing to do if you have a photo of yourself where you look like a do**he bag is run it through AI and make it even more douchy

Casual

I’m from Texas…

whos doing short sales now-a-days? Asking for a friend

Last Friday, I graduated from with my Executive MBA.

“What’s next?” is a question I’ve gotten over and over the last 30 days.

I think the assumption is that now that I have an MBA, I’m supposed to pivot. Move on. Do something new.

So what’s the pivot? What’s the new thing?

Well, it’s not really a pivot. It’s more of an evolution.

At , I’ve been on a soapbox for years about how media drives growth in ways traditional marketing and advertising can’t. For the past year and a half, I’ve been building that proof with The Deal Table and now, in development, and The Venture Capital Show.

Underneath all of it sits .

The shows build the network. The network creates the opportunity.

The “what’s next” is leaning harder into what I’ve always been good at: connecting people. Putting the right people together and watching what happens.

has always been on the hilltop (pun intended) for most of DFW. I grew up thinking it was out of reach.

I’m incredibly grateful to be able to join such a strong network. If the next twenty years of engaging with SMU alumni are anything like the last two, I’m excited for what’s coming.

One of the biggest lessons I’m taking out of the program is something I’ve known for a while but haven’t been intentional about: being far more deliberate in understanding what the people around me actually want, need, and can offer.

My talent is being able to connect people. I’ve done it for years by coincidence. Moving forward, I want to be more intentional about it.

To that end, if we haven’t connected in a while, or if we’ve never met, let’s get coffee or put a Zoom on the calendar. The purpose isn’t for me to sell you media services, and it isn’t for you to pitch me yours. It’s to understand what you’re working on, what you’re trying to build, and whether there’s anyone in my network who can help move that forward for you.

That’s the “what’s next”: the same as what was, just more of it, with amazing people and more purpose.

Me

Some people need a studio. I just need a truck, a mic, and a team that can keep up.

When you're in media - the office is sometimes the desert - and your computer is an iPad