Impact Portfolio: We Are MLT
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Impact Portfolio ❯❯ Ryan Butler

Ryan Butler


ORGANIZATION

Procter & Gamble

EDUCATION

Undergraduate: Clark Atlanta University
MBA Program(s): University of Michigan Ross School of Business

MLT PROGRAMS

Career Prep 2007, MBA PD 2012, MBA Prep 2012

Complete this sentence, "If not for MLT..."
...I would probably be working at a mediocre company, in a mediocre role, producing mediocre results. MLT helped me see my potential and showed me opportunities to reach that potential in full. As a result, I'm realizing my full potential - growing in a stretching role/company and anticipating a very successful future.

Please describe the impact MLT had immediately upon completing your program.
I completed MLT Career Prep and MLT MBA Prep/Professional Development. After Career Prep, I successfully completed an internship at Citigroup and had offers at more than five companies following my senior year. After MBA Prep/PD, I was admitted to the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and I had an offer to intern at Procter & Gamble before starting school.

How has MLT changed the financial/economic trajectory for you and your family?
If not for MLT, I would be making 25-50 percent less than I'm making now, and my financial future would not be as bright. Because of MLT and the experience I've gained, I am more marketable and have access to employers who offer high-trajectory jobs. Also, the network I've gained at MLT has forced me to stay sharp. One of my closest friends and groomsmen in my wedding, was also in my cohort during MBA Prep. He would always leverage the phrase, "iron sharpens iron’ to describe our impact on one another. So, when I see him making investments, preparing for retirement, or looking for new and better opportunities, I ask myself "Am I doing everything I can or should be?" So, MLT continues to act as a barometer, ensuring I'm realizing my full potential.

Has MLT elevated your personal and professional aspirations? If so, please provide an example.
Absolutely. Before MLT, I simply wanted to have a job after college. After MLT, I knew I wanted more. After Career Prep, I knew I wanted a career that would open doors for me in the future and I knew I wanted to pursue an advanced degree (MBA). After MBA Prep, I aspired to be a marketer and I landed a brand manager role at a premier company.

How has MLT's community helped advance your personal and/or professional happiness?
The MLT community continues to play a role in my life. Three of my seven groomsmen were MLTers, and they continue to play a significant role in my personal life. Regarding professional happiness, I lead P&G's largest diversity recruiting event. In this capacity, I continue to partner with MLT—speaking at conferences, interviewing fellows, etc. MLT is deeply rooted in both my personal and professional endeavors.

Speak to a challenge MLT helped you overcome and how did that help your trajectory (i.e. confidence that you belong, growth mindset, vulnerability).
MLT helped me to realize there was more to life than what I saw in front of me. I know that sounds simple, but I didn't know what I didn't know. MLT helped me experience new opportunities, new cities, and new people. All of which opened a new world to me and made me want to learn more.

Have you helped advance vulnerable people on their path to economic mobility? If so, how?
I've helped people on their path to economic mobility in two significant capacities. During 2011, I volunteered at an NGO in Tamale, Ghana. I was tasked with consulting for three Ghanaian agribusinesses, developing methods to better meet the demands of their existing customers and to gain new business. In this role, I directly impacted farmers’ self-sustainability and minimized their reliance on outside aid. Also, in 2012, I volunteered at the Clinton Foundation, where I consulted with small business owners in the NYC area. I partnered with the foundation’s Entrepreneur Mentoring Program to connect these business owners with mentors—who provided them with coaching on how to improve their operations and create employment opportunities. These two activities were rewarding because I leveraged my business acumen to help underprivileged farmers and small businesses unlock their potential, similar to the role MLT has played in my life.

Share 2-3 ways you've been able to accelerate your organization's journey toward greater diversity and inclusion.
At P&G I've been able to accelerate the company's journey toward greater diversity and inclusions in two capacities.
1) I lead Brand Camp, our largest recruiting tool and biggest source of diverse talent for the intern program. As a leader of the program, I've delivered over 100 internships offers to diverse MBA candidates.
2) I've formally acted as a mentor to eight assistant brand managers and interns to help them get off to fast starts and ensure long term success at the company.

Share your favorite song, movie, or book, and why it appeals to you.
Music plays a daily role in my life, motivating and uplifting my spirit. So it's really hard to identify a favorite song. But, "Dedication" by Nipsey Hussle (#RIPNip) really speaks to me. In the song, Nipsey Hussle and Kendrick Lamar talk about the dedication it took for them to make it out of their environment, improving their economic situations and becoming respected emcees in the rap game.

What is your superpower?
My superpower is my sense of humor. Humor is such a big part of who I am and I bring that to everything I do—maybe to a fault at times. I like to think I can lighten the mood, making both personal and professional environments more enjoyable. I think it's enabled me to improve my network and develop lifelong connections.

What gives you hope?
My daughter gives me hope. She represents what we can become and the opportunities we can create for future generations. She will have access to so much more than I had— and generations before me. I can only hope that if I raise her to be a wonderful woman, she will do the same for her children, and so on.

This content has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Published in 2019

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