The Superhero of College Planning - Clark College Consulting
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ryan Clark, Founder, and CEO of Clark College Consulting, located in Charlotte, NC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Clark College Consulting offers real-world expert knowledge for all students, whether aiming for an Ivy League or their local state university. This company is built on trust and a personal approach to assisting families in making their college selections based on "their heart and their calculator." I have been taught by former college admission counselors, financial aid administrators, CPAs, financial planners, and Enrollment Management specialists.
While many counselors have backgrounds solely on the admissions side, I gained knowledge and experience from both admissions and the business side of college selection. This unique perspective has helped build a company with an innovative approach to admissions planning that consistently delivers results. Clark College Consulting provides 1-on-1 virtual support (by phone, video, and email) and in-person meetings on all aspects of the admissions process.
Leveraging my unique insider knowledge, I built my company to provide expert advice to help students stand out from the crowd in the competitive admissions process and help families maximize their chances of receiving financial aid scholarship opportunities. Clark College Consulting has worked with thousands of applicants throughout the United States and the world, helping them get admitted into their top-choice colleges for less than they dreamed possible!
Tell us about yourself
As the son of a teacher and small business owner, my parents struggled to pay for their two boys to attend college. I have a family with two children of my own and decided to investigate why attending college had become so expensive and complicated. I discovered that the current strategies for getting into college and receiving financial assistance have changed dramatically over the years. Still, many high schools are perpetuating these outdated strategies. Universities have become much more sophisticated, and the admission process has become more competitive and complicated. I also found that the options families had to help them select colleges did very little to teach students how to correctly make this $100,000 decision. Those same options also did not advise families on helping lower the cost or improve how these families pay for college. I became extremely dissatisfied with the current state of college planning and decided to fill this education and coaching gap by founding Clark College Consulting in 2004.
As founder and CEO of Clark College Consulting and Clark College Funding, I have extensive experience working with over a thousand families throughout the United States, helping them through the entire college planning process. I visit colleges throughout the year, attend conferences, and stay updated on changes and new strategies in my profession. I hold an MBA from Queens University in Charlotte and am an alumnus of the United States Merchant Marine Academy. At USMMA, I earned an ABET-accredited Bachelors Degree in Marine Systems Engineering. I am also a retired Lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve and have a U.S. Coast Guard License as a Third Asst. Engineer (unlimited tonnage). Before starting Clark College Consulting, I worked for two Fortune 500 Companies, SeaLand and General Electric.
I hold designations from the National Institute of Certified College Planners and the National College Advocacy Group. I am a member of the National Association of College Advisers (NACA), National College Advocacy Group (NCAG), Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA), Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC), and the North Carolina School Counselor Association (NCSCA). I am also currently on the board of the National College Advocacy Group. My book, College Aid for Middle-Class America: How to Pay Wholesale vs. Retail, has been endorsed by Rick Darvis. Rick is a nationally known CPA and Founder of the National Association of College Planners. I also co-authored the Amazon best-selling book - College Entrance Game Plan.
I am also a consultant, speaker, author, and coach. I am frequently interviewed on T.V. and radio and published in newspapers, magazines, and online, including CBS Money Watch, The Business Insider, and MarketEDU.com. I created a step-by-step college planning system, which produces exceptional and predictable results of paying wholesale college pricing for any student from any economic background. As an expert in helping families throughout the U.S. reduce the "financial elephant" of paying for college, I have assisted close to a thousand families save an average of $40,000 to $60,000 in college costs per child. I have enabled thousands of families to obtain a quality college degree for less than they dreamed possible. I will show you how too!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I have the gratification of working with a small number of families each year, so I can get to know each student. I provide individualized and customized college advice to each student. I regularly visit colleges, attend seminars, keep abreast of government regulations, and participate in professional development. This continuing education allows me to stay abreast of the ever-changing college admissions landscape to pass on my insight to the families I work with.
With over $1.75 trillion in student loan debt spread among about 48 million borrowers, college debt is out of control. What's even more surprising is that number is about $412 billion more than the total U.S. auto loan debt! Helping students and families use my unique step-by-step system ensures they make good college decisions. On average, we save families hundreds of hours of their time, their sanity, and $40,000 to $60,000 in college costs! That is my biggest accomplishment - guiding families on how to get the best college education for the best price!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
As a business owner, you are responsible for everything. However, if you don't structure your company correctly, sometimes you feel like you're running on fumes, and you are why the company has a bottleneck. For me, the most challenging thing about being a business owner is delegating responsibilities and hiring the right employees. I would like Clark College Consulting to always do well, even in tough economic times, while making my job as an owner more enjoyable!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
I remember I was on my family's motorboat when I was around ten years old. We had a fun day out at the lake with family and friends. As we were swimming, I was boasting to everyone about how good of a swimmer I was. A family friend jokingly bet me that if I could swim to the other side of the lake, he would give me twenty dollars. Of course, I took on that bet and began swimming across the lake. The shore on the other side of the lake didn't look that far when I first started swimming, but around the middle of the lake, I was exhausted!
My Dad pulled the boat beside me to check on me. As I was treading water, I told him I didn't think I could make it. He told me something I will never forget. He said, "Ryan, I have seen you swim for longer distances before. The way I see it, you have two choices. You can swim back to the shore you started from or swim to the shore you are trying to reach. If you swim back to the shore you started from; it will take you the same effort and time if you continue swimming toward the other side of the lake. Why go back when the time and effort are the same?" I kept swimming to the opposite shore and collected my $20.
In business, there will be hard times, especially at the beginning. But you started the company for a reason. You can't give up, and you will need to continue to swim toward your goal because if you don't, you will be in the same spot as before you started your business. So my first tip is not to give up and have the mental toughness to keep pushing until you achieve your goal!
My second and third tip is to have a good foundation when starting your business. Have a good business model where you know your key partners, resources, value propositions, customer relationships, cost structure, and revenue streams. Also, know who your ideal client is and how to market to them.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.clarkcollegeconsulting.com/
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3VmnGQ5
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarkcollegeconsulting/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/clarkcollegefun
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cryanclark/
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